Best site/book to learn Photoshop?

[gotgame45]

Newbie looking to get started. I would like to learn buttons, borders for websites, logos, etc. Is there a great free video site on the web? You Tube is pretty bereft of solid videos.
I wish they taught these classes where I went to school.

Thanks for any input.

[limbo]

Hi gotgame

The best place to learn photoshop, or any piece of software for that matter, is on-the-job. Nothing really ups the learning curve like a deadline.

I'd set yourself challenging goals if you don't have a live brief and try and meet them.

Almost everything I've ever wanted to know about image manipulation was quite easy to find online - there are simply thousands of good tutorials about photoshop, just need to wade about until you find a site you find useable.

[travelin cat]

While I agree with Limbo that the best way to learn is experience, it's always good to have a reference book on hand for any program as deep and complex as Photoshop.

That being said, I recommend "Photoshop CS3 Bible" or if you are a fan of the "Dummies" books, they have one for Photoshop as well.

[gotgame45]

thanks for your advice and ref. on the book. Being that I am running my e-com myself, I don't have the luxury to get taught (among trying to do 20 other things) Sorry, should have made that clear.

Thanks for the input.

[rocknbil]

gotgame45, the Photoshop tutorials and help files are really robust and there are a great deal of topics at adobe's web site. Use them on a task oriented basis - if you want to create buttons, search the help and site for buttons.

[dukelips]

dear bro,

it may seem bad but the only way to get expertise in photoshop is doing changes in someother PSD Files and learn the styles they have used.

More importantly the passion to learn PS and Web Design is far more worth and will eventually lead to the sources.

Tutorialized.com

Try books like Katrin eismann ,scott kelby and indepth knowledge in ps compositing will be jus fine.

[gotgame45]

thanks for the help. i appreciate it.

[stormywhether]

I've always dabbled with Photoshop but a few weeks ago I discovered a way to progress my understanding of the package in leaps and bounds.

<snip>
No URL's please, see TOS [webmasterworld.com]

Loads and LOADS of video tutorials, practical exercises and so on. You pay for it (I think it's either $300 for a year's access, or $25 monthly) and you'll be astounded how quick you can progress.

Thoroughly recommend it.

[edited by: limbo at 6:17 pm (utc) on Jan. 1, 2008]