Photoshop Elements 2 newby advice please

"chris" wrote in
news:c1arak$282$:

Help!
I think of myself as reasonably intelligent (an IQ of 140) and yet, after everyone told me how easy Photoshop Elements 2 is to use, I still cannot get going. I bought a Dummies book……… after wading through to page 127, it still hasn’t told me what I actually need to do to get started!!!!!!!! I bought PCFormat this week as it boasted: "Learn how to make CD covers using PSE2" The instructions fail to work and are insufficient. It’s not as though I’m new to computers ‘cos I’m not. I can handle Publisher and dozens of other progs easily….. because they are INTUITIVE! I’m beginning to think it must be me. I am so deeply fed up with software manufacturers who are incapable of including basic instructions. Is it really me? and can anyone point me to any sensible begginers tutorials?
Yours thoroughly pissed off. Chris

thanks for sharing your iq with us. unfortunately having a high iq does not mean you can adapt to anything in the real world with ease 🙂

anyway, what exactly is it you are trying to do in photoshop and then some of us can help or post some links.

"chris" wrote in message

Help!
I think of myself as reasonably intelligent (an IQ of 140) and yet, after everyone told me how easy Photoshop Elements 2 is to use, I still cannot

get

going. I bought a Dummies book

Snip

The best way is to use a book that includes worked examples: I’ve recommended Mikkel Aaland’s Photoshop Elements 2 Solutions (ISBN 0782141404) to beginners who’ve found it helpful.
On the web you might look at http://www.arraich.com/elements/psE_intro.htm Otherwise, post your specific question.
Elements is intuitive, but you have to have some knowledge of how images and image editing software works. Programs that work with type are all enough alike for one to appear intuitive after another. So are image programs, but working with a text program won’t help you find a graphics program intuitive.

—
Doug

"chris" wrote in message

Help!
I think of myself as reasonably intelligent (an IQ of 140) and yet, after everyone told me how easy Photoshop Elements 2 is to use, I still cannot

get

going. I bought a Dummies book……… after wading through to page 127,

it

still hasn’t told me what I actually need to do to get started!!!!!!!! I bought PCFormat this week as it boasted: "Learn how to make CD covers

using

PSE2" The instructions fail to work and are insufficient. It’s not as though I’m new to computers ‘cos I’m not. I can handle

Publisher

and dozens of other progs easily….. because they are INTUITIVE! I’m beginning to think it must be me. I am so deeply fed up with software manufacturers who are incapable of including basic instructions. Is it really me? and can anyone point me to any sensible begginers tutorials?
Yours thoroughly pissed off. Chris

What is your actual problem? Is there just a step where you are getting hung up? Perhaps we can help you along.

John O.
There is no slack in light attack

What is your actual problem? Is there just a step where you are getting hung up? Perhaps we can help you along.

John O.

Dear JohnO and Kenneth,
Thanks. First I deeply apologise for mentioning IQ. It wasn’t meant as anything but to explain that I’m not actually thick! (not that a reasonable IQ excludes it!).
My problem is getting going…….. This is how I understand it……I use File/New to create a new document of the size I want….no probs. I assume that the white area is now my Background layer, right? Then I simply want to put a photo from file onto it for editing. You may find this obvious but I have searched the help files on how to do this and checked out all the menu options….I CAN open a photo but it seems to be NOT on any layer at all. Is this correct or if it is opened on a layer, which layer? It may just be a mental block on my part.
Sorry to be such a pain, but what is obvious to one who knows the answer, can be insurmountable to a novice.
Any guidance appreciated.
Chris

"chris"

file-new-(set up size) ok. that will give you a blank canvas.

then open up your image, click on the move tool (top right, cross with an arrow head next to it) and drag your image onto the blank canvass

or

open up your image, then in the layers pallet it should be locked with "Background" next to it, double click the word background and then ok, you can then add layers.

Hope this helps.

Brilliant! Thanks OHank, I’ll give it a go, but it looks like it’ll get me out of the rut!
Appreciated, Chris

"chris"

file-new-(set up size) ok. that will give you a blank canvas.
then open up your image, click on the move tool (top right, cross with an arrow head next to it) and drag your image onto the blank canvass

or

open up your image, then in the layers pallet it should be locked with "Background" next to it, double click the word background and then ok, you can then add layers.

Hope this helps.

Take a look at the series of books put out by Visual. Especially "Teach Yourself Visually Photoshop Elements 2". Lots of pictures and it is broken down very well into small easy to use segments.
"chris" wrote in message

Help!
I think of myself as reasonably intelligent (an IQ of 140) and yet, after everyone told me how easy Photoshop Elements 2 is to use, I still cannot

get

going. I bought a Dummies book……… after wading through to page 127,

it

still hasn’t told me what I actually need to do to get started!!!!!!!! I bought PCFormat this week as it boasted: "Learn how to make CD covers

using

PSE2" The instructions fail to work and are insufficient. It’s not as though I’m new to computers ‘cos I’m not. I can handle

Publisher

and dozens of other progs easily….. because they are INTUITIVE! I’m beginning to think it must be me. I am so deeply fed up with software manufacturers who are incapable of including basic instructions. Is it really me? and can anyone point me to any sensible begginers tutorials?
Yours thoroughly pissed off. Chris

I know how you feel Chris. It seems that there are limited places to get help with any software or other computer related problem. Those books (……for Dummies) are only good for door stops. Most of the information available is written for people that already have at least some knowledge of computer operation and software usage in general. If you are new to it all; the information is entirely foreign and is pretty much usless. These newsgroups are actually a good place to look for information. The problem is that it’s hard to ask questions properly (in a fashion that the responder can relate to) if you don’t know the proper termonology to start with. If you could find some local help that can spend some one on one time with you ; you’ll get a lot more information for time invested.

"chris" wrote in message

Help!
I think of myself as reasonably intelligent (an IQ of 140) and yet, after everyone told me how easy Photoshop Elements 2 is to use, I still cannot

get

going. I bought a Dummies book……… after wading through to page 127,

it

still hasn’t told me what I actually need to do to get started!!!!!!!! I bought PCFormat this week as it boasted: "Learn how to make CD covers

using

PSE2" The instructions fail to work and are insufficient. It’s not as though I’m new to computers ‘cos I’m not. I can handle

Publisher

and dozens of other progs easily….. because they are INTUITIVE! I’m beginning to think it must be me. I am so deeply fed up with software manufacturers who are incapable of including basic instructions. Is it really me? and can anyone point me to any sensible begginers tutorials?
Yours thoroughly pissed off. Chris

In message <c1dq9k$ciu$>, chris
writes

Brilliant! Thanks OHank, I’ll give it a go, but it looks like it’ll get me out of the rut!
Appreciated, Chris

"chris"

file-new-(set up size) ok. that will give you a blank canvas.
then open up your image, click on the move tool (top right, cross with an arrow head next to it) and drag your image onto the blank canvass

I think this is the better answer:->

File | Open >

open up your image, then in the layers pallet it should be locked with "Background" next to it, double click the word background and then ok, you can then add layers.

Just remember to ‘File | Save As’ before doing anything else to avoid overwriting the original……

But I may have misjudged the question.

Mike
—
Michael J Davis
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I have a photographic memory;
but then I forget to load the film
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