Adobe Photoshop might not be the newest piece of photo editing software, but it’s still by far the best. Don’t take our word for it, though. Sites like Tech Radar recently stated that Photoshop is the best editing suite for those looking to step up their game.
As any Photoshop expert can tell you, however, learning the program isn’t always so easy. That’s why we’ve decided to outline three of the tools you’ll want to prioritize learning.
From simplifying your workflow to improving editing accuracy and layer movement, keep reading to find out what you’ll need to master first.
1. Pen
The pen implement is the tool you’re likely going to use the most, so why not start by mastering the most important feature?
Generally speaking, the ‘Pen’ tool is a good option for when you need to cut out an individual element of a photograph and want to do so precisely by starting a path and tracing the element you’re looking to change.
To select this tool, you can either press ‘Ctrl + p’ on your keyboard, or by selecting the tool via the toolbar on the left-hand
side of your screen.
You can find more on the tool by reading the guide linked here. It’s a great guide that can teach you some next-level moves, such as creating a curving path
2. Quick Selection
Let’s say you’re editing photos from your latest vacation. One of the photos is almost perfect, but your eye catches an annoying plane flying overhead, and you want to remove it.
Quick selection is the tool you’ll want to use to quickly and efficiently remove any photo elements you’re unhappy with, including objects or even people.
Assuming you’re using the default Photoshop editing toolbar, ‘Essentials’, you should see the object selection tool panel as the third or fourth option on your toolbar. Click on it and select, ‘Quick Selection tool’.
Note that you can use the bracket keys to adjust the size of your brush. You can also remove any elements that you accidentally selected by using the ‘Subtract From Selection’ tool.
Think of quick selection as a faster, less accurate version of the ‘Pen’ tool.
3. Spot Healing
If you’ve ever wondered how celebrities and models always seem to have such flawless skin…well, you’re about to learn why!
The ‘Spot Healing Brush’ is a Photoshop tool that allows you to sample an area of your photograph and apply its texturing to other parts of the image.
As an example, imagine a friend asked you to touch up a photo of theirs. They have a zit on their chin that they’d like you to remove.
By using ‘Spot Healing’, you’d be able to use the rest of your friend’s skin texture to cover up the zit, thus effectively erasing it.
Pressing ‘Shift + J’ should allow you to instantly select this helpful tool without digging for it in menus.
The Photoshop Tools Your Next Project Needs
There are plenty of great Photoshop tools to master, but these three are the ones you’ll come across most often.
We suggest spending some time experimenting with each tool, so you start to feel more comfortable. You’re sure to edit like a pro in no time!
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