5 ways to learn Photoshop from scratch

If you are keen to learn photoshop, you can find resources everywhere, from your local bookstore to blogs from the other side of the planet. Whether you just want to understand the basics and be able to resize a photo, or become a photoshop ninja, I can point you to lots of resources, most of which I have used myself. Choose the ones that fit best for you, depending on how much time you have and how much money you want to spend.

1. Learn by doing

The best way to learn how to use a software like Photoshop is to actually start using it right now. Buy a copy of the software, install it and dig into it right away. If you feel overwhelmed and don't know where to start, just open an image with photoshop and play around with the tools that you see. Just use them randomly for a while and browse through the menus, to get a feeling of what happens in the software. Now of course that won't help you much, so the next thing to do is to read the official manual from Adobe by clicking on the Help button. You will be redirected to the online help, in which topics are sorted by category. You can simply start reading and try to apply what you learn as you go.

2. Find resources online

This is where you will find the most resources. There are literally thousands of websites teaching how to use photoshop in one way or another. I will list some of my favorite websites:

Tutorials:

As I mentioned before, the best way to learn is by doing. That's why tutorials are so popular for photoshop. It is much easier to learn how to use photoshop by following a tutorial on one particular topic, step by step, than reading a whole book and then forgetting the first chapter before you even start. Here are some good websites for tutorials:

PSD Tutsplus

By far the best resource for photoshop tutorials. The site has been online for years, and they publish new tutorials every single day. There is also a premium membership for advanced tutorials and special downloads.
Layers Magazine

The website is full of tutorials and articles about the Adobe products. This is the link to the photoshop tutorials.

Smashing Magazine

is another website offering wonderful tutorials.


Photoshop Lady

bookmarks tutorials from the web.

SpoonGraphics

is one of my favorite website, with lots of tutorials and regular roundups for design inspiration.


Vandelay Design

link to hundreds of tutorials, and have published a page for beginners covering all the basics.

Adobe TV


has a very large collection of video tutorials, from beginners to advanced users.

Youtube

You can find video tutorials on most techniques by simply searching on Youtube.

DeviantArt

is a community website where users display their art, but you can also find lots of tutorials and resources.
Forums:
Once you have learned the basics and if you get stuck and need help on a particular technique, you can use forums to get help and find very specific information.

Adobe Forum


[divider_padding]Photoshop Gurus


[divider_padding]Photoshop forums


[divider_padding]Tutorialized

[divider_padding]3. Books

If you want to have books as an additional resource I recommend the following:

Adobe Photoshop CS5 Classroom in a Book:
the Adobe Creative Team has been publishing these series for years, so you can also find it for older versions of the sofware.

[divider_padding]Photoshop CS5 All in One for dummies
is a full color guide from the Dummies series.

[divider_padding]Graphic Design Portfolio Builder
was the first book that I read. It's a very practical book on design and teaches the basics on photoshop and illustrator. Recommended for beginners.

[divider_padding]Teach yourself Photoshop CS5

[divider_padding]4. Magazines

Although these days I tend to read a lot of blogs I still love buying the odd magazine, reviewing their designers showcase and reading the tutorials. Here are a couple I like:

• Advanced photoshop


• Computer Arts


• Layers Magazine

5. Professional training

If you have some money to spend and want to fast track your learning, of course you can simply enroll in a class. You can find classes in your region on the Adobe website, or simply do a local google search for photoshop classes. You can also find some training classes or seminars online, like this one by photoshop guru Scott Kelby.

And of course, you can keep reading my blog for upcoming tutorials, tips and tricks, roundups and resources on photoshop. Make sure you register to my RSS feed to be updated every time a new post is published, and subscribe to my mailing list to receive additional content directly in your mailbox. What do you think, did I cover most of it? Feel free to leave suggestions of other resources in the comments.