Lesson Two: What are the parts of Adobe Photoshop?"
Selection Tools
Photoshop has several tools in the toolbar that can be used for making selections on the canvas. The more basic ones include the "Lasso," "Polygonal" and "Magnetic Selection" tools. These tools allow the user to draw selections around objects on the canvas, with varying degrees of accuracy. The "Magic Wand" tool lets user click once on a particular section of color on the canvas and select it. Another way to make selections in Photoshop is to use the "Quick Mask" function (found at the bottom of the toolbar. The user can then use the "Brush" tool to paint a mask over the sections he doesn't want. When he hits "Quick Mask" again, the area he wants will be selected.
Paint and Drawing Tools
The drawing and Painting tools in Photoshop include the "Brush" tool and the "Pencil" tool. The pencil tool is rarely used, since it is hard to use and produces a mediocre result. The "Brush" tool is the primary means in Photoshop for applying color to the canvas. Like the "Pencil" tool, the size, hardness and opacity of the "Brush" can be adjusted. The user also set it to "Spray Paint" to produce things like graffiti.
Shape Tools
Photoshop is a raster based image editor. While it does not have the full vector graphics ability that a dedicated vector program like CorelDraw does, it does have basic shape tools that can be used to graphics of various sorts. Under the "Shapes" tool are several types, such as the "Rectangular," "Rounded Rectangular" and "Custom Shapes" tools. These tools can be used to create "Paths" on the canvas which can then have "Strokes" applied to them. Or these tools can be set to "Fill" with the color the user chooses. A more versatile shape tool is the "Pen" tool. With the "Pen" tool the user can define exact shapes for the graphics she makes by clicking in the canvas to establish points and lines.
Adjustment Tools
Photoshop has several tools that allow the user to adjust the appearance of a particular section of the canvas. The "Color Dodge," tool lets the users increase the brightness of an area by painting over it with the tool. The "Color Burn" tool does the opposite, darkening the area painted over. The "Smudge" tool is used to blend two areas of color together. It has the side effect of blurring the area it is used on, so it is best used sparingly.
Repair Tools
Photoshop comes with a set of tools specifically aimed at those who need to do photo repair or alteration. The "Clone Stamp" tool works by using one area of the canvas as a reference point for painting over another. The "Healing Brush" works in much the same way, except that it blends the two sections to produce a more realistic appearance. The "Patch" tools is used to copy a large area for repairing large sections, such as in a old photo that has been scanned in.