Photoshop Notes 1 – Layers and selections

Keyboard Commands

Save: COMMAND S
Copy: COMMAND C
Paste: COMMAND V
Undo: COMMAND Z
Hide/ Show the Layer Pallette: fn F7
Move Tool: V
Magic Wand and Quick selection brush: W
Marquee Tool: M
Lasso Tool: L
Free Transform: T
Deselect selection: COMMAND D
Select All: COMMAND A
Inverse Selection: COMMAND SHIFT I

Making Selections

• Holding the OPTION key will start a selection from the center as opposed to the corner.
• The SPACEBAR will allow you to move a selection around.
• You can add to a selection by pressing SHIFT.
• You can subtract from a selection by pressing OPTION.

Layers

• Remember, Photoshop is a dumb program that can’t read your mind. You always need to select the thing before you do anything to it.
• A new layer is created everytime you paste an object. Remember to name a layer something relevant as soon as it is created.

The Free Transform Tool

• Holding SHIFT will allow you to enlarge or shrink a selection proportionally.
• Holding OPTION will allow you to shrink/grow your selection from the center as opposed to a corner.

The Quick Selection Tool

• When using the quick selection tool, start from the center of the object you want to select and slowly push out.
• If you select too much hold the OPTION key to deselect start from the outside and push in.

Exercise files