then I'll show you, Ah, complex image where I found to be very helpful. This is an image I created from scratch and Photoshopped using the shape tool. I drew one shape, which would look something like this, except for it just looked like a literal flat shape. It looked like that you could use something like the pen tool to create a shape like that. Then I added effects to it, and those of fax included a color overlay, which is the only thing that changes the color of the various shapes. This one happened to be read, then a bevel in Boss, which gave it a three dimensional feeling in something called satin just to make it a little different. And there's also a drop shadow I could have applied that's turned off. Then all of these other ones. Each one was simply rotated and the color was changed. That's the choice called color overlay. It's a layer style. I don't expect you to want to recreate this image. What I want to do is show you how I pushed it to another level using layer masks. The...

red shape is the top most shape you can see the entirety of the shape. I want to make it look like it's woven in between the other shapes. And let's see if I can do that. I can't have a layer, be both on top of another layer and blow the same layer at the same time. There's a definite stacking order, so instead I'm gonna hide the red object wherever it should look A Ziff. It's blow something. So add a layer mask so I can paint with black to hide various areas. And then we'll use a trick here. Let's say this yellowish shape. I want it to look as if it's on top right here and that I wanted to look like it goes underneath. Well, that layer in here is, I believe, the layer right here called yellow swoosh. You see it going on and off when I turn this on, There's a trick and Futter shop where you can get a selection out of any layer that looks like an object that has a checkerboard surrounding that. If you hold on the command key control on windows and you click on this little thumb now it means select all the solid stuff. Don't select the checkerboard it all. So when I command click right there, it gave me a selection of everything that was on that particular layer. And now with that selection active, I'm gonna paint on my mask to say hide right in that area. Therefore, it looks like it's underneath here. I wanted to be on top. I come over here and they wanted to look like it's under this purplish one. So I look and find the one that's the purple one. I think it's this one. No, that must be the pink one. There it is. I do the same trick I command click on it to get a selection and therefore, I'm only gonna paint in the area where it selected. I work in the mask I worked on earlier. That's the mask. It hides the red layer, and I'm gonna paint right there, and it hides that red layer. Now, main reason I wanted to show you this images because did you notice the three D effect applied to this changed as I painted? Well, there's a special setting any time you end up using any of these effects like Bevel in Boss and that's what I want to show you if you go to the letters FX in the bottom of your layers panel and you choose the top most option one of the choices in here you get a whole bunch of choices is called layer mask hides effects. That means if I have a layer mask attached to this layer and I hide something, have the effects like bevel in Boss totally ignore that layer mask. Don't let it change what the effect thinks is the shape of that layer. Just make it hide those effects without changing where they apply. And that caused this just to go back to the way it waas by, choose, undo. See the weirdness Where is there? It's not that will only be useful for those that use layer mass a lot, but anyway, I could go through this process. And once you get good at it and you actually understand what's going on, you should be able to, um, come in and hide this wherever you need to. So goes underneath there. Here it goes, on top, and then it goes underneath this next one in. In the end, that red object is on the top layer And if I hide all the other layers, you can see I'm just hiding little bitty pieces of it to make it look as if it goes under other elements, when in reality it's truly on top of them all. I don't expect you to be able to necessarily follow this unless you're used to using shape, layers, layer styles and layer mass in. The main thing to take away from it, though, is if you ever want to make it look like one layer goes underneath, one object in over another, and you just can't arrange your layers in a way that that would actually be the case. Instead, wherever you want that layer to look like it's going under something else and being obscured by it, just use a layer mask, high delayer in that area. And if it has a layer style like bevel in Boston, it gets messed up when you do, then go into the letters FX at the bottom of your screen. Choose blending options and turn on the one feature that is called layer mask hides, effects. All right, that has been layer mass in photo shop. I use them every day, and I love them, and I hope with a little bit of practice, you will, too,

Class Materials

Bonus Materials with Purchase

Lessons 1 - 6 - Handbook 1: Introduction to Adobe Photoshop

Lessons 7 - 12 - Handbook 2: How to Use Camera Raw

Lessons 13 - 18 - Handbook 3: Making Selections

Lessons 19 - 24 - Handbook 4: Using Layers

Lessons 25 - 30 - Handbook 5: Using Layer Masks

Lessons 31 - 38 - Handbook 6: Using Adjustment Layers

Lessons 39 - 44 - Handbook 7: Color Theory

Lessons 45 - 51 - Handbook 8: Retouching Essentials

Lessons 52 - 59 - Handbook 9: Tools Panel

Lessons 60 - 64 - Handbook 10: Layer Blending Modes

Lessons 65 - 70 - Handbook 11: How to Use Filters

Lessons 71 - 74 - Handbook 12: Advanced Masks

Lessons 75 - 81 - Handbook 13: Using Smart Objects

Lessons 82 - 86 - Handbook 14: Photography for Photoshop

Lessons 87 - 93 - Handbook 15: Advanced Photo Retouching

Lessons 94 - 98 - Handbook 16: Warp, Blend, Liquify

Lessons 99 - 105 - Handbook 17: Advanced Layers

Lessons 106 - 112 - Handbook 18: Actions

Lessons 113 - 117 - Handbook 19: Troubleshooting Issues

Practice Images 1: Introduction to Adobe Photoshop

Practice Images 2: How to Use Camera Raw

Practice Images 3: Making Selections

Practice Images 4: Using Layers

Practice Images 5: Using Layer Masks

Practice Images 6: Using Adjustment Layers

Practice Images 7: Color Theory

Practice Images 8: Retouching Essentials

Practice Images 9: Tools Panel

Practice Images 10: Layer Blending Modes

Practice Images 11: How to Use Filters

Practice Images 12: Advanced Masks

Practice Images 13: Using Smart Objects

Practice Images 14: Photography for Photoshop

Practice Images 15: Advanced Photo Retouching

Practice Images 16: Warp, Blend, Liquify

Practice Images 17: Advanced Layers

Practice Images 18: Actions

Practice Images 19: Troubleshooting Issues

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Ben Willmore

As a photographer, Ben Willmore has shot in all 50 states and explored over 80 countries. He has been pushing Photoshop and Lightroom Classic to their limits since the beginning.

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topics covered in this class

Adobe Photoshop Beginner Fundamentals Photo Editing

Ratings and Reviews

Noel Ice

I am an avid reader of photoshop books, and an avid watcher of photoshop tutorials. I have attended (internet) several hundred of presentations. In the course of this endeavor, I have found my own favorite photoshop websites and instructors. Creative Live is probably the bargain out there as well as among the top three internet course sites. I have to say with great enthusiasm that the best Photoshop instructor is Ben Willmore. There are many great ones, but truly, he is the best I have come across, and, as indicated above, I have watched literally 100s of tutorials on Photoshop. I have seen all of Ben's courses, I think, and among them, this one is the best by far, and that is saying a lot, because that makes this course the best course on Photoshop to be found anywhere. I am going back and watching it twice. Not only is it comprehensive, but Ben is so familiar with his subject that he is able to explain it like no other. This is crème de la crème of Photoshop classes. I have been wanting to write this review for some time because I have been so thoroughly impressed with everything about this class!

ford smith

Highly recommended if you want to take your Photoshop skills to the next level. Ben Willmore is clear, concise, and professional. He also has a good speaking voice that is not distracting but also keeps you engaged. Lastly, I would recommend that as you become more advanced, increasing the speed of the video (one of the options given on the menu)...especially if you've gone through the course once before and maybe want to watch it again. The double speed is very efficient as you become more advanced in Photoshop. Thanks for the help Ben!

a Creativelive Student

Wow. I cannot communicate the value of this course!! The true value in this course is how the instructor identifies workflows you'll need before you'll ever realize it, repeats important information without it becoming annoying, and explains the "why" behind the techniques so well that even if you forget the exact method, you can figure it out via the principles learned. Excellent value, excellent material, excellent instructor!!!

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Layering to Create Realistic Depth

Layering to Create Realistic Depth

Lesson Info

31. Layering to Create Realistic Depth

Lessons

Introduction To Adobe Photoshop

Bridge vs. Lightroom

Tour of Photoshop Interface

Overview of Bridge Workspace

Overview of Lightroom Workspace

Lightroom Preferences - Saving Documents

How To Use Camera Raw in Adobe Photoshop 2020

Overview of Basic Adjustment Sliders

Developing Raw Images

Editing with the Effects and HLS Tabs

How to Save Images

Using the Transform Tool

Making Selections in Adobe Photoshop 2020

Selection Tools

Combining Selection Tools

Using Automated Selection Tools

Quick Mask Mode

Select Menu Essentials

Using Layers in Adobe Photoshop 2020

Align Active Layers

Creating a New Layer

Creating a Clipping Mask

Using Effects on Layers

Using Adjustment Layers

Using the Shape Tool

Create a Layer Mask Using the Selection Tool

Masking Multiple Images Together

Using Layer Masks to Remove People

Using Layer Masks to Replace Sky

Adding Texture to Images

Layering to Create Realistic Depth

Adjustment Layers in Adobe Photoshop 2020

Optimizing Grayscale with Levels

Adjusting Levels with a Histogram

Understanding Curves

Editing an Image Using Curves

Editing with Shadows/Highlights Adjustment

Dodge and Burn Using Quick Mask Mode

Editing with Blending Modes

Color Theory

Curves for Color

Hue and Saturation Adjustments

Isolating Colors Using Hue/Saturation Adjustment

Match Colors Using Numbers

Adjusting Skin Tones

Retouching Essentials In Adobe Camera Raw

Retouching with the Spot Healing Brush

Retouching with the Clone Stamp

Retouching with the Healing Brush

Retouching Using Multiple Retouching Tools

Extending an Edge with Content Aware

Clone Between Documents

Crop Tool

Frame Tool

Eye Dropper and Color Sampler Tools

Paint Brush Tools

History Brush Tool

Eraser and Gradient Tools

Brush Flow and Opacity Settings

Blur and Shape Tools

Dissolve Mode

Multiply Mode

Screen Mode

Hard Light Mode

Hue, Saturation, and Color Modes

Smart Filters

High Pass Filter

Blur Filter

Filter Gallery

Adaptive Wide Angle Filter

Combing Filters and Features

Select and Mask

Manually Select and Mask

Creating a Clean Background