Would "Photoshop for Dummies" for CS2/CS3 be helpful...?

Question

Hi, I'm a beginner to Photoshop (I have CS2.).. I barely know anything. Would using a reference/guide book such as the "For Dummies" series, or some other book, be helpful in helping a beginner?
I'm 15, and I don't ever really have much time on my hands. I would probably read and flip through only few pages a day. However, I think it would be great if I could figure out how to use Photoshop, but I'm hesitant to buy a book if it might not be useful.

Could anybody give a good opinion on these types of books?

Answer 1

The "for dummies" series may be helpful to a complete, rank, beginner. It can help one "get started" with a, bare, handfull of features.

It reminds me of a remedial driver's ed handbook I once saw. On one page I saw an illustration that showed a steering wheel with arrows pointing around the rim. The caption read, "Turn clockwise to make the car go to the right. Turn counter clockwise to make the car go to the left."

If the potential driver needed this level of instruction, he shouldn't be allowed behind the wheel on any public street.

The problem is that "Photshop for Dummies" does not teach the user much of the software's functionality, since Photoshop is rich in features and a very powerful creative tool. How may people need to buy a book to teach them that "File-Save" is how to save a file?

A better series is the "Classroom in a Book" set of books, published by Adobe. This series takes the user through a set of projects, designed to introduce he user to many of the applications features and tools. By the end of the book, the user will understand much more about how to use Photoshop's powerful tools, in concert with each other to produce very professional results.

It is, however, not a book you can "flip" through and expect much understanding.

Perhaps the "Photoshop WOW" book would be more to your liking. It shows you an interesting effect, and then, takes you, step by step, through how it is acheived. Again, it doesn't teach you much about Photshop. It only shows you how to do a handfull of special effects.

Most users don't need to spend several hundred dollars, just to do a handfull of effects.

Answer 2

A book is always a good thing to use. I'd say photoshop for dummies would be a good book, but also it can get confusing, because there is a lot of stuff you can do on photoshop, some takes a lot of practice and memory and skill, but it can be done. Readind it would be very helpful. I learned how to use photoshop from just messing around with it and playing with it, that's always fun to!

Answer 3

Yes, they are very helpful especially to beginners.
It shows basic and easy steps for new users to follow and it would be a perfect tutorial if you are just starting to use the program.

Answer 4

It would definately be helpful if the community only had ONE screw loose. As it is, we are a bunch of loose screws trying to get screwed again. Not sure that came out quite right, but whatever, The Cat is napping...