2025 Project Photoshop -Composites and Montages: Introduction

I've been a long-time on-and-off hobbyist user Photoshop, dabbling now and again, mostly because I got a copy at work years ago, and sometimes my workplace gives me access to the tool since they have an company-wide license.

In the early days as a hobbyist I bought a few instructional books which now obsolete or superseded by Youtube instructions, new versions of Photoshop and AI image generation however I would still like to work through.

I have five books instructional books and a couple of old magazines, so that would keep occupied with projects, I can't find one book so I'll call that book five. I also have one from the library which I'll use.

The reason for this? I've dabbled on and off in this programme.

Adobe Photoshop 2024 release - Classroom in a Book by Conrad Charvez

This has 15 lessons so I'm looking at roughly a lesson a week at most, therefore 15 weeks which is roughly three and a half weeks. Looking at an April finish if not sooner.

How to Cheat in Photoshop - the art of creating photorealistic montages by Steve Caplin - 2002

Wow, over 20 years old!!!This has about 12 chapters but over 100 small projects - like 10 per chapter covering little things. I have also lost the CD - yes, it's that old! I have no idea how long this will take but I'll try after the Classroom in a book.

Art & Design in Photoshop by Steve Caplin - published 2008

Ten chapters and roughly about 100 small projects. I've got the CD for this one, tucked in the book.

Abobe Photoshop and Photoshop Elements for Teens by Marc Campbell

This is a 2007 edition so likely to be obsolete in places but I'll still like to work through it. This has 12 chapters so roughly a chapter a week though I think some may not be relevant so I'll pencil in two months.

Expected Outcomes

I hope to finish the first two books, and then progress to the next. I aim to post at least once a month rather than weekly which may be time pressured, or not possible - we'll see. I'll also note key lessons learnt and take aways.

Comments

Had coffee with a fellow writer, went to an exhibition on West Africa: Word, Symbol, Song at the British Library.

There was a massive Disney Christmas tree at St Pancras Station. I thought I'd start with that picture. Implemented Accounting Guru Genius (AGG) method this morning. I mentioned yesterdays she showed me her way of planning. Well it's kinda like project management critical path and working back but in AGG's way. Well the results where what I sort of knew but it's official. I do too much. I've got so much on that I have make very slow progress with anything then end up procrastinating. So I really need to learn and get this planning and time management method under my belt. The only reason is that it's kinda the only thing I actually got. When AGG first did it, I was amazed. It was so impressive. I kinda forgot about it but it's coming up to the end of the year, and I've made great progress with some goals and projects but others are still hanging. Anyway after putting in all my hours I realised I only had a certain amount of free time. Not a...

The Scale (Martha's Way 1) by Mika Jolie

This is one of the of the best romances I've read in a LONG TIME. I loved it! It's brilliant and even writing a review will not give it justice, but I'll try. Just get it because it's that good, positive and uplifting with a good ending. It’s also funny at times. About the story Most women (or me) can all relate to Minka, the main female character, who like most of us, defines herself by her flaws/issues - a few pounds overweight, insecurity about her body, confidence issues (which thanks goodness doesn't stop her from jumping into bed with Jason) and loves her glass of wine with a nice dessert, and likes to feel sorry for herself at times. And she is supposedly in love with an old college crush - the one she thinks that got away (you’ll need to read the book for more details). So we can all relate to her in one way or another, including her stubbornness in clinging to those issues and using them as an excuse not to get on with her life or even make the way...

My Father's Tears and Other Stories by John Updike

Great stories and some really touching. Most were very real so it more a study of human nature and how people grew older. He probably wrote these towards the latter part of his life because the average age of the characters mostly male were about 60 odd years old.

Anna Aden Writes

Search This Blog