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NAF Graphic Design

Lesson 4Getting Started with Photoshop

Teacher Resources

Resource Description

Teacher Resource 4.1 Images: CroppingImages folder, ElephantLounge.psd, House.tif, SelectionsImages folder (separate ZIP file)

Teacher Resource 4.2 Puzzle Pieces: The Photoshop Work Area

Teacher Resource 4.3 Reference: Photoshop Work Area (separate PPT file)

Teacher Resource 4.4 Lecture Notes: Image Size and Resolution

Teacher Resource 4.5 Commentary: A Graphic Designer Annotates Layers

Teacher Resource 4.6 Assessment Criteria: Original Multilayer Image

Teacher Resource 4.7 Key Vocabulary: Getting Started with Photoshop

Teacher Resource 4.8 Bibliography: Getting Started with Photoshop

Copyright © 2011–2015 NAF. All rights reserved.

NAF Graphic DesignLesson 4 Getting Started with Photoshop

Teacher Resource 4.2

Puzzle Pieces: The Photoshop Work AreaDirections: Print the following pages in this resource and give one page to each group. Make sure all pages are distributed. (If necessary, give more than one page to each group.) Each group will cut out its piece of the puzzle and then tape it in the correct place on a piece of chart paper that has an outline of a computer screen.



Tools PanelThe Tools panel is located on the left of the Photoshop window. All of the hands-on tools are contained in the Tools panel.

When you let the cursor hover over a tool in the Tools panel, the name of the tool will appear. Try looking at the name of each tool as you go down the panel.

What happens when you click and hold the cursor over one of the small triangles at the lower right of a tool?



Menu BarThe menu bar is located at the top of the Photoshop window. It is very similar to main menus you are used to in other software programs.

Click each menu item and look at the list of options you can select. Photoshop has a wealth of submenu items to select! You will be learning about these throughout this course.

For right now, try opening an image from the File menu.



Workspace SwitcherThe workspace switcher is located in the upper right of the Photoshop window.

Click Essentials, Photography, and Painting to see what happens.

What happens to the floating panels (located below the workspace switcher) when you switch from the Essentials workspace to the Painting workspace?



Options BarThe Options bar is located near the top of the Photoshop window. It shows you the options you can select when you use the different tools on the Tools panel.

The strip you have here is what displays in the Options bar when you select the Crop tool in the Tools panel.

Try clicking other tools in the Tools panel and see what happens to the Options bar.


This is the Crop tool on the Tools panel.


Collapse and Expand ButtonsThe collapse and expand buttons are located above the floating panels in the vertical dock. The buttons are near the top right of the Photoshop window.

Click the arrows on this bar and see what happens to the floating panels.



Image WindowThe image window is where your image (or images) is displayed. Note where the image name appears.

Try opening two images in the window. (Select File > Open in the menu bar and choose any images you have.)

In the Window menu, select Arrange > Tile to see how your two pictures display.



History PanelThis is one of the floating panels located in the vertical dock on the right side of the Photoshop window. If you don’t see it when you open a picture in Photoshop, click the Window menu at the top of the screen and select History.

The History panel keeps track of all the modifications you make to an image. You will get lots of practice using it during this lesson.



Navigator PanelThis is one of the floating panels located in the vertical dock on the right side of the Photoshop window. If you don’t see it when you open a picture in Photoshop, click the Window menu at the top of the screen and select Navigator.

Try using the slider at the bottom of the Navigator panel to zoom in on your image. Then watch what happens when you move the red square around. You will get lots of practice using the Navigator panel during this lesson.



Layers PanelThis is one of the floating panels located in the vertical dock on the right side of the Photoshop window. If you don’t see it when you open a picture in Photoshop, click the Window menu at the top of the screen and select Layers.

What do you see in the Layers panel? Is there more than one layer? What happens when you click the eye icon next to one of the layers?




Lecture Notes: Image Size and ResolutionUse these notes to explain the important points about image size, resolution, and canvas size to students.

Resolution or Pixels per Inch (ppi)This refers to the number of pixels on a linear inch of an image when the image is viewed on a monitor. The more pixels per inch, the higher the resolution. An image with a higher resolution will look smoother and sharper.

The higher the image resolution, the larger your file size. The larger your file size, the longer it will take your computer to process or save an image.

Dots per Inch (dpi)This refers to the number of dots on a linear inch of a printed image. The more dots per square inch, the higher the resolution and the sharper the image. Dots per inch is used only for printed images.

Make Sure the Resolution Is Correct for Your Project For web (onscreen) graphics, the standard is 72 ppi.

For print design, resolution needs to be 300 ppi when the image will be used at the same size (or smaller) in the final layout in a program like InDesign.

Images that are black and white only (no shades of gray) need to be saved as TIFFs in bitmap color mode at 1,200 ppi resolution so that they look sharp. This format is mostly used for solid black and white line art such as simple text logos. Images in bitmap color mode are made up of either black or white pixels. There are no colors and there are no gray tones.

In desktop publishing, TIFF is the standard format for importing images into documents. There is no compression.

Image SizeTo get a sharp image, set the image size no smaller than the proportion that your final picture needs to have. For example, if you want an image that is 8.5 by 11 inches, make sure your image size is 8.5 by 11 inches or larger. You might want to have the image size larger than the exact size because of the probability that it could be changed or repurposed. Most designers keep a source file of the largest possible size for future use. Help students to understand the importance of setting an image size when they create an image, rather than just opening a picture and using the dimensions of the picture as the image size.

The amount of image data remains constant when you change the image size or the resolution. When you keep the same width and height and specify a higher resolution, this artificially increases the resolution; you will never get more data than what you started with. You can, however, get a smaller size file by either reducing the dimensions, reducing the resolution, or both. This can be helpful if your image file size is very large (and larger than what you need for your final output) because the larger the file, the slower your computer may become.

Canvas Size This refers to the full editable area of an image. Increasing the canvas size adds space around the existing image. Typically, you change the canvas size to extend an image by adding something to it. For example, if you have a person on the very edge of an image, you can extend the canvas to give more



space to the right of the person. This creates a blank space of canvas, and you have to fill in that space. In the rare case where you want to downsize the canvas, part of the existing image is cropped.

Starting with Images that Have High Resolution If you scan an image, make sure you scan it at a high enough resolution. A high-quality image to

start with will help you end up with a good print. If your hard-copy original is sufficiently sharp, try scanning it at 400 or 600 dpi. That way you’ll be able to crop the image and retain its clarity in subsequent contexts.

If you use a digital camera, choose a high resolution setting.

Images that are lifted off a web page are typically low resolution and will print blurry or pixilated.




Commentary: A Graphic Designer Annotates LayersThis commentary is the graphic designer’s explanation of the layers in the image ElephantLounge.psd (included in Teacher Resource 4.1). Read the commentary about each layer to students as they activate the layer.

Background layer: This image starts with a background layer that is urban and hip and a metaphor for the digital age, with buildings made out of 1s and 0s.

Color Fill 1: The bright cyan blue color fill layered over the background makes it pop more and be more saturated. The opacity of this fill layer is 60%, so it shows only partially.

Gradient: The elephant is in its own layer, so it is isolated. The elephant is trumpeting out the music, reflecting the name of the band.

Gradient Fill 1: This bright green gradient fill layer turns the elephant into a more abstract animal.

Brightness Contrast 1: This brightness layer makes the dark elephant stand out from the buildings more. It also increases the contrast a bit.

Parasol: This layer adds a parasol for the elephant. The parasol was too distracting in its full bright color, so it is a “luminosity” layer, and the opacity is slightly reduced.

Elephant Lounge Orchestra: This layer adds the name. Drawing a swirly path and typing on it makes it look like the name is coming out of the elephant’s trunk. The name is typed in an interesting, playful font that works with the eclectic music band. Note: This layer uses the RequiemOrnamentsHTF font. If the computers in your classroom don’t have this font, Photoshop will substitute another font.

Vol. 1: Because this is the first CD this band is releasing, this layer has a big “Vol. 1” to play up the idea that there will be more in this series. The drop shadow and beveling make this stand out. The layer is multiplied in so that the background shows through. Note the scale between the “Vol.” and the number 1.

Logo: This logo was drawn in Illustrator and copied into the bottom right corner.

Red Stroke Ellipse: This ellipse layer serves to contain the logo in a shape.




Assessment Criteria: Original Multilayer ImageStudent Name:______________________________________________________________

Date:_______________________________________________________________________

Using the following criteria, assess whether the student met each one.

Met Partially Met

Didn’t Meet

Selections are accurate and show evidence of careful work to get them just right. □ □ □Layers are in the correct order to achieve the desired result. □ □ □All layers have names that are meaningful, indicating their content. □ □ □Layers that go together are grouped appropriately. □ □ □An adjustment layer is used effectively to enhance the image. □ □ □The image complies with all of the specifications. □ □ □The image shows composition balance, with all of the items working together. □ □ □The image annotation gives the reader a clear idea about how the image was created and explains why the work was done in a certain way.

□ □ □

The annotation is neat, with correct spelling and grammar. □ □ □

Additional Comments:

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________




Key Vocabulary: Getting Started with Photoshop

Term Definition

canvas size The full editable area of a design. Increasing the canvas size adds space around the existing design. Typically, you change the canvas size to extend a design by adding something to it.

dpi (dots per inch) The number of dots on a linear inch of a printed image. The more dots per square inch, the higher the resolution and the sharper the image. Dots per inch is used only for printed images.

Free Transform tool Photoshop tool used to change the size of an image or to rotate, skew, or otherwise manipulate an image. Use Edit > Free Transform (or Ctrl+T) to access the tool.

History panel The Photoshop panel that keeps a list of what you have done to an image since you opened it. History can also be used to go in reverse and eliminate changes you’ve made.

Lasso tools Photoshop selection tools that allow you to draw freeform segments to create a selection border. The Lasso tools are often used to create a rough selection that can then be refined.

layer A discrete element of a Photoshop design. Layers are combined to create a finished product. They can contain photos, text, logos, shapes, textures, and more. They can be activated, deactivated, locked in place, or unlocked.

Marquee tools Photoshop selection tools that allow you to click and drag to define a selection. Typically, these tools are used to make rectangular and elliptical selections.

Navigator panel The Photoshop panel that allows you to pan within an image and easily keep track of what part of an image you are viewing.

Options bar Bar at the top of the Photoshop work area that contains the majority of the controls for the currently active tool.

pixel An abbreviation for picture element. The tiniest component of a raster image. When you zoom in extremely close on a Photoshop document, you can see individual pixels.



Term Definition

ppi (pixels per inch) The number of pixels on a linear inch of an image when the image is viewed on a monitor.

resolution The degree of sharpness of a displayed or printed image. The more pixels per inch, the higher the resolution. An image with a higher resolution looks sharper. The higher the image resolution, the larger your file size will be.

Wand tools Photoshop selection tools that allow you to select an area of color and have Photoshop create a selection based on adjacent pixels. Wand tools include the Magic Wand tool and the Quick Selection tool, which detects borders as well as colors.




Bibliography: Getting Started with PhotoshopThe following sources were used in the preparation of this lesson and may be useful for your reference or as classroom resources. We check and update the URLs annually to ensure that they continue to be useful.

PrintHarrington, Richard. Understanding Adobe Photoshop CS4. Berkeley, CA: Peachpit Press, 2009.

OnlineAIGA: The Professional Association for Design, http://www.aiga.org/ (accessed June 23, 2015).

All About Digital Photos, http://www.rideau-info.com/photos/math.html (accessed June 23, 2015).

Ellis, V. Scott. “Understanding DPI, Resolution and Print vs. Web Images.” VSELLIS.com, February 1, 2013, http://www.creativeprogression.com/save-for-web/ (accessed June 23, 2015).

Erdman, Paul. “Photoshop Save for Web: JPG, GIF, or PNG?” Creative Progression, December 5, 2011, http://www.creativeprogression.com/save-for-web/ (accessed June 23, 2015).

National Geographic Photography, http://photography.nationalgeographic.com/photography (accessed June 23, 2015).

PhotoshopSupport.com, http://www.photoshopsupport.com/tutorials.html (accessed June 23, 2015).

Raster Vector Free Images, http://www.rastervector.com/resources/free/free.html (accessed June 23, 2015).


http://www.rastervector.com/resources/free/free.html

http://www.photoshopsupport.com/tutorials.html

http://photography.nationalgeographic.com/photography

http://www.creativeprogression.com/save-for-web/

http://www.creativeprogression.com/save-for-web/

http://www.rideau-info.com/photos/math.html

http://www.aiga.org/

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curriculum.naf.orgcurriculum.naf.org/packaged/assets/downloads/shared... · Web viewDirections: Print the following pages in this resource and give one page to each group. Make sure