Adobe Photoshop: a detailed introduction

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This course offers a solid introduction to Adobe Photoshop, designed for beginners who want to learn the most effective and professional way to use the software from the ground up. Explore essential tools and techniques for editing images, creating digital artwork, and enhancing visual content-ideal for aspiring designers, photographers, and creatives looking to build confidence and skill in Photoshop.

Choose a starting date

Learning modes and locations may be different depending on the course start date. Please check the location of your chosen course and read our guide to learning modes and locations to help you choose the right course for you.

  • Start Date: 27 Nov 2026
    End Date: 11 Dec 2026
    Fri (Daytime): 11:00 - 17:00
    In Person
    Location: Keeley Street
    Duration: 3 sessions (over 3 weeks)
    Course Code: VG517
    Tutors:  Andrea Marzano
    Full fee £259.00 Senior fee £207.00 Concession £168.00
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  • Start Date: 07 Feb 2027
    End Date: 21 Feb 2027
    Sun (Daytime): 11:00 - 17:00
    In Person
    Location: Keeley Street
    Duration: 3 sessions (over 3 weeks)
    Course Code: VG335
    Tutors:  Andrea Marzano
    Full fee £259.00 Senior fee £207.00 Concession £168.00
    Add to Wish List

Any questions? computing@citylit.ac.uk or call 020 4582 8438

Please note: We offer a wide variety of financial support to make courses affordable. Just visit our online Help Centre for more information on a range of topics including fees, online learning and FAQs.

Book your place
In stock
SKU
249689
Full fee £259.00 Senior fee £207.00 Concession £168.00

What is the course about?

In this course, you will learn to use the fundamental tools and techniques in Photoshop. Through creative demonstrations and practical exercises, the course builds on basic skills to quickly evolve to more advanced techniques. Students will learn how to effectively use and integrate a range of tools to adjust and retouch photographs, create collages and colour illustrations, in keeping with current best practice.

This course will enable students to use their learned skills in photography or illustration and to output in web and print, whether you are working as a company employee, freelancer or wish to produce your own personal projects.

Participants who will attend the full course will receive a City Lit certificate of attendance electronically for their CV or CPD records. The certificate will show your name, course title and dates of the course you have attended.

What will we cover?

- Introduction to the Photoshop environment, tools and Image editing.
- Setting Image size and resolution
- Crop, straighten and perspective crop tools
- Use selection tools to isolate parts of an image
- Working with and manipulating layers
- Using Layers’ Masks
- Main tonal and colour adjustments
- Basic colouring techniques in Photoshop
- Saving images and file formats for print and Web.

What will I achieve?
By the end of this course you should be able to...

- Use Photoshop with confidence
- Set up documents for print and web
- Use a variety of Crop tools and make crop corrections
- Use adjustments to correct or enhance an image
- Select, Isolate, and cut areas of an image
- Work with multiple images and layers to make creative composites
- Remove objects, dust, blemishes and other unwanted elements from a photo
- Colour images digitally
- Save your images in the right format for either print or web.

What level is the course and do I need any particular skills?

No prior knowledge of Photoshop is required. However, students should be confident and competent computer users on a Mac or Windows PC and be proficient with a mouse and keyboard in either a creative software, Microsoft Word, PowerPoint or equivalent and should be able to download, upload, save, open and retrieve files. Some awareness of design for print or any other art/design practice would be useful.

You should be able to follow simple written and verbal instructions, demonstrations, hand-outs and health and safety information, and will be invited to take part in group discussion. You should be able to use numbers and be able to do simple measurements and calculations.

How will I be taught, and will there be any work outside the class?

You will be taught using a range of techniques including workshops, short lectures, demonstrations, and by completing practical exercises. Student preparation and homework outside class times is strongly encouraged. Notes will be provided.

Are there any other costs? Is there anything I need to bring?

No costs. Pen and notepad for note taking.

When you enrol on a course at the City Lit, you are entitled to student discount on Adobe Creative Cloud. For more information please visit this page City Lit student discount on Adobe Creative Cloud | City Lit

When I've finished, what course can I do next?

City Lit offers a variety of progression courses in this subject area. Please click here to view our courses

Disclaimer: Use of Third-Party Software
This course might require you to either use your own personal account or create an account for the purposes of this course. City Lit cannot accept any responsibility for any failings of the third party or provide technical support. Whilst using the software you will be responsible for abiding by the providers terms and conditions and maintaining your own work.

Andrea Marzano

Andrea is a multidisciplinary artist, illustrator, designer and experienced educator who teaches digital and creative media. Her teaching combines practical skills with creative thinking, informed by extensive professional experience and her own practice. She holds an MA in Illustration from Falmouth University, a Professional Diploma in Graphic Design from the Royal College of Art, and a qualification in Education from the University of Westminster. Her professional background includes more than 14 years as an art director for leading advertising agencies in Brazil, the UK and the Netherlands, creating work for local, pan-European and global clients. She has also worked independently with smaller agencies and trained in-house design teams in London. Alongside teaching, Andrea maintains her own creative practice, working across illustration and design using a variety of digital and physical media. She particularly enjoys working with students from different backgrounds and levels of experience, helping them turn new technical skills into their own creative work.

Please note: We reserve the right to change our tutors from those advertised. This happens rarely, but if it does, we are unable to refund fees due to this. Our tutors may have different teaching styles; however we guarantee a consistent quality of teaching in all our courses.