Basic Knowledge About Adobe Photoshop

What You'll Learn

The fastest way to make a beginner Photoshop workflow feel “mysterious” is to start editing before the file is set up correctly. A wrong document size, an unclear resolution, or a messy layer structure can turn a simple design into an export problem you can’t explain. You’ll fix that by learning how the Photoshop workspace, panels, and document settings work together-so what you see while editing matches what you export for clients, print shops, or websites.

You’ll also connect these skills to the rest of your Photoshop learning. When you later use tools like the Move tool, Type tool, or selection tools, you’ll want to trust your canvas size, your units, and your export-ready settings. This chapter builds that trust by showing you where everything lives in the interface and how to create documents that behave predictably.

Learning Objectives

• Identify the key Photoshop workspace areas (canvas, panels, toolbar) and what they control.
• Create a new document with the right size, units, and resolution for common print and screen needs.
• Set up layers and export-friendly settings before you start editing.

Takeaway prompt: After you read this, you should be able to open Photoshop, find the important panels, and create a document that’s ready for the kind of output you’re aiming for (screen or print).

How It Works

Photoshop is built around a few core ideas: a workspace you can organize, a document (your canvas) with specific dimensions and resolution, and panels that control tools, layers, and adjustments. When those pieces are set correctly, your edits stay consistent and your exports come out the way you expect.

The Photoshop interface (workspace basics)

Toolbar - The vertical tools area on the left (like Move tool, Marquee tool, Brush tool). These tools change what actions happen when you click or drag on the canvas.

Options Bar - The horizontal bar at the top that changes depending on the selected tool. For example, when you choose the Type tool, the Options Bar lets you set font and size.

Canvas (document window) - The main area where you view and edit your image.

Panels - Dockable windows (like Layers, Color, and Properties) that hold controls and information. Panels are where most day-to-day “settings” live.

A quick differentiator to watch for: the Layers panel is not just a list-it’s the control center for visibility, stacking order, and how your edits combine. If the Layers panel is hidden, you’re missing a big part of how Photoshop “thinks.”

To keep your workspace usable, you’ll often use the same panel set every time. If your layout gets scrambled, use the Window > Workspace options to switch back to a standard layout (like Essentials). This helps when you’re teaching or building repeatable training materials.

Panels you’ll rely on early

• Layers panel - Shows each layer (like text, shapes, and image layers) and lets you hide/show and reorder them.
• Properties panel - Shows context-sensitive settings (for selected layers or tools). For example, when you select a layer, Properties often gives quick controls without hunting.
• History panel - Lets you step backward through edits. Think of it as a timeline you can return to while you’re learning.

Ask yourself: If you can’t find Layers or Properties, can you still confidently select a layer and export it? The answer should be “no,” which is your cue to locate and pin these panels.

Document creation: size, units, and resolution

When you create a document, Photoshop needs three main pieces of information:

Document size - The width and height of the canvas (for example, 1080 px by 1080 px for a square image).

Units - The measurement system you choose (pixels, inches, centimeters, points).

Resolution (PPI) - “Pixels per inch” (PPI) controls how dense the pixels are when the document is printed or when you convert between screen and print expectations.

Resolution basics in plain terms:

• For screen-only work (web, social media), you usually think in pixels.
• For print work, you usually think in inches (or centimeters) and PPI.

Here’s the practical differentiator: if a printer asks for “300 PPI,” they’re not asking for a random number-you’re matching their workflow so your printed image doesn’t come out blurry or stretched.

Common starting points (not rules, but safe beginners’ defaults)

• Social media square: 1080 px × 1080 px (resolution can be set to 72 PPI or left at default; the pixel dimensions matter most).
• Flyer for print: 8.5 in × 11 in at 300 PPI (standard letter size in the US).

Choosing the right resolution before you edit

Resolution becomes a problem when you edit at one size and later export at another, or when you scale a document without understanding what’s being changed.

Resample - A setting that changes pixel data when you change size/resolution....