Foo - Lost in Photoshop

I now have Photoshop 7.0 and am completely clueless how to operate it. I know I need to read and experiment and I plan to but right now I don't have the time. Is there a site that covers the basics? I can't figure out how layers are supposed to work. I can add a new layer but nothing seems to happen.

There are lots of them. Not that they did me any good. I had to have my buddy teach me the basics, and I'm still not very good with it.

People will no doubt scoff, but I found that a book, such as one of those annoying "____ for Dummies" helped immensely.

I can now make PS do what I need and want it to do.

My problem is that i don't have enough of an interest or desire to spend dozens of hours studying and playing with it. Perhaps that is an indication that I shouldn't use it. :D

There are lots of good books for Photoshop. Pick one up. As for layers...

Ever make a overlay map out of transparent layers of plastic in school. You drew different things on each layer but the map (base/bottom) layer was never affected. You could do whatever you wanted to the overlay plastics and have as many overlay plastics as you wanted without hurting or changing the base/bottom layer. Photoshop layers work the exact same way. I actually teach Photoshop and work with it and Illustrator and In Design every day. It's a great program, but not something you can learn in one evening.

I now have Photoshop 7.0 and am completely clueless how to operate it. I know I need to read and experiment and I plan to but right now I don't have the time. Is there a site that covers the basics? I can't figure out how layers are supposed to work. I can add a new layer but nothing seems to happen.
What version of PS did you jump from? Going to 7 from 6 is pretty easy. Almost no noticeable changes :p You almost wonder why you forked over 1/2 a k+ for the upgrade :p

This is my first version. I am noob city.

I just play around with it. Usually I use the filters to retouch photos. Here are the basics for photos.

Take a good picture.
Stick it in photoshop, resize to a smaller size, sharpen, adjust the levels
After this, I go through and find little things that I want to sharpen or increase the color saturation on or transform in some way. I'm not good with photoshop by any means, but I know enough to touch up a few photos and make my face not look red in every picture.

This is my first version. I am noob city.Hmmm, make a list of what kind of results you want to achieve. Then maybe we can point to you specific how-to guides on how to get those results. It's kinda like getting a computer for the first time, you have no idea what is possible with the thing.

I now have Photoshop 7.0 and am completely clueless how to operate it. I know I need to read and experiment and I plan to but right now I don't have the time. Is there a site that covers the basics? I can't figure out how layers are supposed to work. I can add a new layer but nothing seems to happen.

Why don't you give these a shot, should keep you busy for a while. If I had more time I'd give you some pointers, however working through some of these tutorials will help you see the light and grasp an understanding of this powerful tool.
http://www.cbtcafe.com/photoshop/index.htm
http://www.good-tutorials.com/
http://www.layersmagazine.com/category/tutorials/
http://www.gurusnetwork.com/kpt/
http://www.phong.com/tutorials/
http://www.tutorialized.com/

My favorite is Phong..fabulous stuff!

I now have Photoshop 7.0 and am completely clueless how to operate it. I know I need to read and experiment and I plan to but right now I don't have the time. Is there a site that covers the basics? I can't figure out how layers are supposed to work. I can add a new layer but nothing seems to happen.

Well, when you create a new layer, there is nothing on it. You need to add something to it!

Are you trying to do something specific? It would be easier to help with something specific rather than finding basic Photoshop sites that may or may not cover what you want to do.

When I first started, I always made everything on one layer. Don't do this!

Any other gimp fans here? I love it after struggling with casual Photoshop use for years. Seems to be wired the same way as my brain.

Any other gimp fans here? I love it after struggling with casual Photoshop use for years. Seems to be wired the same way as my brain.
I abhor the Giimp. I have absolutely no idea how anybody has ever done anything in it :p

Hmmm, make a list of what kind of results you want to achieve. Then maybe we can point to you specific how-to guides on how to get those results. It's kinda like getting a computer for the first time, you have no idea what is possible with the thing.

Take Falkon's avatar for example. How did you do that? And I remember when you put Chuckie's head on BDG, Danno. I think you even described how but i can't find the thread.

Unless you have someone showingyou step by step how to do it, you'll probably have to invest a few fool around hours if you want to learn to do stuff like his icon. Not that its hard or even complicated, but getting used to the layers and tools, and just how the software works will take some time.

Any other gimp fans here? I love it after struggling with casual Photoshop use for years. Seems to be wired the same way as my brain.
About the opposite here. I can't get a damn thing done on Gimp. Though I've heard there are skins modeled after Photoshop available. I'd like to switch completely to Gimp. Photoshop is the last bit of pirated software on my computer. If I get rid of it then I can finally sit on that high horse I've always wanted. That or buy CS3 when it comes out... BAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAAaa... oh man. I crack me up, sometimes.

Take Falkon's avatar for example. How did you do that? And I remember when you put Chuckie's head on BDG, Danno. I think you even described how but i can't find the thread.
That's easy.

You start with a couple of photos, all open in PS.

One is going to be the 'base' image upon which you place all the other bits.

Now, got to a 'donor' photo and using the selection tool of your choice you want to select that piece you wish to copy and do so (Ctrl +C).

Then go to your base photo and paste (Ctrl+V) that bit in the photo.

Now, switch to your item selection cursor and tap on that bit you've just pasted to move, resize, rotate, etc.

Repeat as necessary and save your work.

I've found the 'Save for Web' option more than adequate for use here on BF... You can adjust the resolution in the preview.

When you go to close the program it will ask you if you want to save the changes to the donor bits. Answer appropriatly.

You're done! :)

I tried GIMP under WinXP... my computer didn't like it. :(

About the opposite here. I can't get a damn thing done on Gimp. Though I've heard there are skins modeled after Photoshop available. I'd like to switch completely to Gimp. Photoshop is the last bit of pirated software on my computer. If it get rid of it then I can finally sit on that high horse I've always wanted. That or buy CS3 when it comes out... BAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAAaa... oh man. I crack me up, sometimes.

I started using gimp when I switched to linux for my home PC. Honestly, it confused the crap out of me for about 30 minutes, mostly because I'd trained myself to Photoshop. But once I broke those habits, I started to love it. Now I've got it on all my Windows machines, too.

I tried GIMP under WinXP... my computer didn't like it. :(

That's interesting. I've had it on at least 5 different XP machines (mostly Dell laptops) in the last 6 months without any problems!

Being a professional PhotoShop user...a dozen years using the app and still learning. It rocks hard and can be used with basic or advanced needs in mind.

That's interesting. I've had it on at least 5 different XP machines (mostly Dell laptops) in the last 6 months without any problems!
It seemed to compete with my PS Elements 2.0.

PS worked fine before I installed GIMP, startted acting all wonky afterwards... Windows wouldn't detect my media card automatically, when I tried to do simple operations in PS such as copy, paste, move, picture adjust PS would sit there & think for a few minutes then error out.

I uninstalled GIMP and everything is back to normal now.

Any other gimp fans here? I love it after struggling with casual Photoshop use for years. Seems to be wired the same way as my brain.
I love GIMP, bugs and all! It's an intuitive and easy to learn program.:D

Here are some of my GIMP processed photos, a bit rough, but I was still learning the system.
http://i122.photobucket.com/albums/o260/TomStormcrowe/CopyRugerMarkII.gif
http://i122.photobucket.com/albums/o260/TomStormcrowe/Punkedout.jpg
http://i122.photobucket.com/albums/o260/TomStormcrowe/Musclebound.jpg
http://i122.photobucket.com/albums/o260/TomStormcrowe/Seagull.jpg
http://i122.photobucket.com/albums/o260/TomStormcrowe/Getwell.jpg
http://i122.photobucket.com/albums/o260/TomStormcrowe/Cardinal%20Greenway%20and%20other%20rides/CopyofMuscleboundKT.jpg
http://i122.photobucket.com/albums/o260/TomStormcrowe/Cardinal%20Greenway%20and%20other%20rides/CopyofPheard.jpg
http://i122.photobucket.com/albums/o260/TomStormcrowe/Cardinal%20Greenway%20and%20other%20rides/David.jpg

hue adjustments and blending with brushes is great.

Take Falkon's avatar for example. How did you do that? And I remember when you put Chuckie's head on BDG, Danno. I think you even described how but i can't find the thread.Ah, the blonde chucky photo was shown in the How ugly are you? Post your pic. (http://www.bikeforums.net/showthread.php?t=208791&page=69) thread.

To cut and paste heads:

1. use the MagicLasso tool to select closely the outline of one head (hold the ALT key down and you can click a series of straight lines).

2. Then EDIT -> COPY the area you selected.

3. Then EDIT -> PASTE and you should have a 2nd layer with just the head you copied.

4. Notice that the areas outside of the head is transparent and allows underlying layers to show through.

5. hold CTRL key down and click-drag the pasted head. You'll see it moving around on top of the underlying layers.


That's it, you've learned how to use layers! :)

That doesn't draw in the remainder for you though. I had to do that by myself. It's kind of a guessing game. Connect lines, shade, blending with the brushes. I did this in about 10 minutes.

http://www.pbase.com/billd9/image/57351165.jpg

I use the GIMP myself, but for fairly simple tasks (reducing image size, basic touchups, etc.)

Photoshop is a good tool, except that for how little I use a image editing application, the $650 spent would be pretty much wasted. I don't mind paying good cash for tools I use (I have two licenses of Acrobat for $500 each, but I use Acrobat a lot,) but for tools I never use, Photoshop for me isn't worth the expense (and I won't run it unlicensed). If I were doing more with it, I'd buy a copy, but right now, the GIMP does what I need.

I love GIMP. I use it for making logos and the like.

Portis, I read an 1100pg reference book and although it helped me understand each function, the best way to learn imo is to work through some tutorials, it will teach you the fundamentals of blending techniques and it's so rewarding to see a finished product. Pick different types of tutorials to learn different skills to start gaining an overall feel of PS.