How did you learn to use Photoshop?
 

I was wondering how many of you learned how to become good with photoshop. Did you read books/tutorials or did you just start playing around with it.

many many years of getting really really high and fucking around.

...combination of both.

in the beginning, i took some physical classes on photoshop. Then when I started teaching the class more than the teacher could, I just went off on my own.

using something over and over creates experience

exactly. you start to figure out what you can do with it..

Shit...still learning photoshop. Plenty of tutorials online...but if you wanna learn the basics in and out of photoshop I bought these awhile back and I have to tell you these cd's really opened my eyes to a lot of things that would have taken me months if not years to figure out just toying with it.

http://store.yahoo.com/designsbymark/marphot7mask.html

I really like http://www.lynda.com/ for learning programs.

I learned web stuff on Macromedia products. I had to do a CDROM project in Photoshop/Illustrator.

I used the $25/mo online access and saved every movie tutorial then watched them when I had the time- or as needed.

It got me up and running as quickly as possible.

Don't think you can go wrong with their books/CDROMs/Online vids.

input - process - output

I think there is always something new to learn in photoshop. I learned a bit from my husband...he is amazing with the program and he learned just by using it every day for years.

i agree with this and the ones above.

you can always find new things in PS

I have the "Bibles" for every program I use, like Photoshop, Dreamweaver, Fireworks 4 bibles etc...

but i wont kid myself, i dont do nowhere near what PS is capable of with what i do.

Whoah!! That looks great!!

I started learning photoshop when I worked in the graphics department of a printing company, but it was all really basic stuff. A couple of people have shown me a couple of really handy tricks, some stuff I've taught myself . . . and now I'm at the point where I'd love to have a tutor to teach me more complex graphic stuff. I'm too busy to putz around with software for hours.

Years of just playing with it. I bought a book about a year ago. It tought me about the tools I didnt use.

Well this could be summed up as basic stuff...but what it really does is open you up to the power of each tool you have available to you...it's amazing some of the things you can do that you wouldn't ever figure out on your own without digging through tons of tutorials or maybe just by accident.

trial and error self taught.

Don't know PS :(

just use random filters and shit until it looks cool

I had to ask alot of questions

the best way to learn photoshop is from adobe.com itself...

The best that I know at it, and I have seen him do it with new versions over the years... Just opens an image, and then presses every single button. He sees what it does, goes back with history, and starts with another one.
He does the same thing with page builders, flash, and everything else too. I won't say it works for me, but there is a method to his madness. Here is an example of his work.

Warning, it is a little deep and dark.

http://www.lowkeytx.com/Images/Jolenecathedral02.jpg

nice :)

Wow that was sooo long ago I can hardly remember... but I started out using Paint then transitioned to PS and just learned by experimenting.

Books, tutorials, tips from Kitty. Lots of practice. As with most things, we learn best by doing! :thumbsup

I think I started fucking arround on some old tutorial sites... then came designsbymark and phone and I learned a lot quickly ;) I been using since version 4

I started playing around with it.

I was making some cool stuff, but being very improductive. Later I attended a workshop and became proficient and learned to do things faster.

However it is such a huge program that mastering takes years and even then, you will discover something new almost everyday.

i just played around with it, i have never read any books on it, just from years and years of trying different styles i slowly perfected my own.