2009 Projects – Project 4 – 12 Months with Photoshop

Ok. Here’s my final planned project for 2009. As you will notice the
numbers go down: 365 photos, 52 tags, 52 catalysts, and now 12 areas of
focus. I want to make sure these projects are realistic and no more than
I can handle in one year, especially on a year when I’m expecting a baby.

As I mentioned a few days ago, I’d like to learn to use Photoshop
better. I’ve been using Photoshop since 1992 and while I’ve learned a
lot over the last sixteen years, I really haven’t learned as much as I
could have and I’ve never spent focused effort to improve my knowledge.

Obviously, the main area of focus on Photoshop for me is the digital
photography since that’s my business. But I’m also interested being able
to make brushes and overlays, and basic things to help me do more hybrid
scrapbooking. This list might change over the year and I learn and
explore more but here’s main areas of focus I’ve chosen so far:

1. layer masks
2. image modes: lab color
3. channel mixer
4. hue/saturation
5. curves
6. layers: fill or adjustment layers and layer styles
7. channels
8. textures: grunge, vintage etc.
9. paths
10. creating brushes
11. clipping masks
12. lighting effects

This project will include finding and doing workshops related to each
area. Ideally, at least one a week. As I do them, I will post links to
workshops and any examples I produce.

And, this will also mean that I will finally work my way through David’s amazing tutorials
especially since I’m already a member and receive them all. Just because
I need to be ultra-organized for things to actually happen, here’s the
order in which I plan to do his tutorials: (this may also change if my
focuses change)

• Read First: Digital Workflow:
  all four parts and Creative
  Workflow
• January: Portraits: part
  1 and Masking: part
  1 and Lanscapes:
  creating dramatic skies
• February: Lab color mode part one and
  Toning Color
  Images and Black and
  White:part one
• April: Night
  Photography and HDR images part one and
  part
  two

As you’ll notice, these end in April because that’s when the little one
comes. I figure after that things might get blurry for a while and by
the time I have my sanity back, David will have put up a whole bunch
more so I can add them to my list then.


Well there you go. If you know Photoshop very well and have some advice
on how to revise the list above, what to add or remove, all advice is
welcome. I plan to start this weekend so let’s see how much progress I
make.