Photoshop Certification Bootcamp

The Photoshop CS4 Certification Bootcamp is a combination of the Getting Started and Advanced Techniques courses, giving you a complete blended learning solution that gets you from beginner to expert in one package. The course fully prepares you to take the Adobe Photoshop ACE exam and gain professional recognition for your skills.

Blended learning means that you will receive a combination of classroom Photoshop training where you can gain experience from various labs and examples, as well as remote access to online Photoshop modules comprising of a range of video tutorials, pdfs, online examples, and source files.  This is all backed up by access to our instructor led support forums.

It is important to note that as this is a blended learning format not all topics are covered specifically in the classroom, but in combination with the online material you will cover all the necessary areas required for the ACE exam. Equally as with any professional development program you will still need to practice applying the skills learnt, and thoroughly revise on your own, before tackling the ACE exam.  The ACE exam fee is included in the price.

The classroom modules are taken in two day blocks, while the online learning modules can be taken in your own time from anywhere with an internet connection and are accessible for 6 months from the course start date.  We would normally advise leaving at least 3 or 4 weeks between attending the first and second classroom modules in order to allow time to practice the skills covered.

Who Should Attend?
This course is ideal for those who are planning to use Photoshop for their day to day work, and need to have a good level of skills with the product. Staff working in advertising agencies, marketing agencies, production houses, or departments that work in such disciplines within the larger organization would all find this useful.

Requirements?
In order to complete this course you will require basic computer skills such as a basic understanding of a computer's operating system, launching an application, creating & saving files, and copying files from CDs & other media.

Software Covered?
This course is suitable for users working with Photoshop CS4 and Photoshop CS4 Extended.

Course Overview
Section One - Getting Started
General Interface

• How the panels work
• docking
• panel groups
• document tabbing
• Creating/Saving workspaces
• The Application bar
• N-up display
• Canvas rotation
• Basic shortcuts

Exploring Photoshop

• Explore the Photoshop Environment
• Using Photoshop Workspaces
• Customise Menus
• Explore Adobe Bridge
• Photoshop preferences

Painting and Retouching Images

• Learning about Colour
• Basic colour theory
• Kuler
• Learning the Brush tool
• Retouching Images
• Create a Gradient
• Using the History Brush tool
• Using the clone and healing tools
• Blurring/Sharpening
• Dodge and Burn

Enhancing an Image

• Adjust the Tonal Range of an Image
• Using Adjustments
• Working with the Adjustments panel
• Work with Filters
• Smart filters

Working with Layers and Selections

• Create and Use Layers
• Create and Use Smart Objects
• Create Layer Styles
• Work with Multiple Layers
• Create and Modify Selections

Working with Selections

• Magic Wand Tool
• Working with Oval and Circular Selections
• Selecting with the Lasso Tools
• Cropping an Image and Erasing with a Selection
• Quick selections
• Content Aware Scaling

Masks and Channels

• Creating a Quick Mask
• Editing a Quick Mask
• Saving a Selection as a Mask
• Editing a Mask
• Extracting a portion of an image
• Applying effects
• Creating a Gradient Mask
• Applying Effects Using a Gradient Mask
• Using the Masks panel

Correcting and Enhancing Digital Photos

• Correcting Digital Photographs
• Editing with Vanishing Point Perspective
• Correcting Image Distortion
• Creating a photo gallery and contact sheet

Typographic Design

• Using type
• Creating a Clipping Mask From Type
• Formatting Controls
• Designing a Paragraph of Type
• Warping a Layer

Importing/Exporting

• Placing and importing different file types
• Saving images for the web
• Using Save for Web and Devices
• Saving images for print

Photoshop and Animation - Basics

• Creating animations
• keyframes
• animating properties
• animating styles
• Exporting Animations

Photoshop and Video Basics

• Importing Video
• Applying Effects to Video
• Basic Video Edits
• Exporting Video
• Keyframes

Using Photoshop files with the rest of the CS4 suite

• Placing photoshop files into Dreamweaver
• Placing photoshop files into InDesign
• Placing photoshop files into Illustrator
• Placing photoshop files into Flash
• Using photoshop files with Bridge

Photoshop and Bridge

• Organising files in Bridge
• Photoshop scripts within bridge
• Meta-data and your images
• Export to pdf
• Bridge views (inc. the Carousel view)
• Search and find
• Preview 3D images and panoramas (created by photoshop)
• Camera Raw

Photoshop and Analysis

• Counting
• Measuring

Section Two - Advanced Techniques
Adobe Bridge

• Loupe
• Compare
• Stacking
• Colour management
• Rotations, Ratings, and Labels
• Batch re-naming
• Customising
• Slideshow
• Photoshop scripts within bridge
• Meta-data and your images
• Export to pdf
• Search and find
• Preview 3D images and panoramas (created by photoshop)

Camera Raw 5

• Interface
• White balance
• Saving changes
• Exposure
• Warnings
• Vibrance/Saturation
• Tone curve adjustment
• HSL controls
• Colours to Black and white
• jpgs and tiffs

Actions

• Running
• Loading
• Recording
• Editing

Advanced masking

• Background Eraser/Magic Eraser
• Extracting
• Layer Masks
• Masking Shortcuts
• QuickMask mode
• Refine Edge

Advanced cloning

• Clone source
• Healing Brush
• Spot Healing
• Patch
• Quick Masking

Editing brightness and contrast

• Curves, Brightness + Contrast
• Shadow/Highlight
• Levels - input and output

Advanced Compositing - Stacks

• Auto Align
• Auto Blend (Photomerge)
• Image stack processing
• Creating 360 Panoramas
• Extended Depth-of-field

Colour adjustment

• Colour balance
• Colour primaries
• Colour complements
• Hue-Saturation
• Hue Adjustment
• Refining the colour range

Sharpening

• Unsharp mask
• Smart sharpen

Advanced layers

• Layer Comps
• Layer Clipping
• Fills
• Adjustment layers

Smart Objects and Smart filters

• How to create smart objects
• How to use smart objects
• Smart filters

Vanishing Point

• Planes and perspective
• Multiple planes
• Gridlines - exporting
• Cloning
• Healing
• Blending
• Masking/Shading
• Adding type
• Swinging planes
• Wrapping art
• Measuring

Advanced filter techniques

• Displacement maps
• Lighting
• Patterns

Photoshop and Device Central

• Using Device Central

Photoshop and 3D

• Importing 3D files
• Compositing 3D and 2D
• 3D File Formats
• Using Styles with 3D
• Using Masks with 3D

Using Photoshop files with the rest of the CS4 suite

• Placing photoshop files into Dreamweaver
• Placing photoshop files into InDesign
• Placing photoshop files into Illustrator
• Placing photoshop files into Flash