Photoshop: Advanced Adjustment Layers and Blend Modes

Course details

From powerful shortcuts to precise masking, this course can help you see Photoshop adjustment layers and blend modes in a whole new light. In this course, Rich Harrington unlocks some of the least-used options for his favorite features in Photoshop 2020. Learn how to use adjustment layers and blend modes to color correct and tone images, convert photos to black and white, add style, and fix exposure—all completely nondestructively. Rich also explores the hidden power of the "auto" options, lookup tables, gradient maps, and Smart Objects, and shows how to limit your adjustments when you want to achieve a subtler effect. By the time you finish the course, you'll have a more advanced understanding of adjustment layers and blend modes, and know how to make complex, nondestructive changes to any image.

Concepts

0. Introduction

01 - What you learn in this course
02 - What you should know before watching this course
03 - Exercise files

1. Adjustment Layer Essentials

04 - What is an adjustment layer and when should you use one
05 - Clipping an adjustment layer to a single layer
06 - Using layer masks and adjustment layers
07 - Using blending modes and adjustment layers
08 - Organizing adjustment layers by grouping
09 - Using advanced blending options

2. The Hidden Power of Auto

10 - Removing color cast with Auto Curves
11 - Improving contrast with Auto Curves
12 - Removing color cast with Auto Levels
13 - Improving contrast with Auto Levels
14 - The role of Auto Brightness Contrast
15 - Setting a new default auto value

3. Beyond Black and White

16 - Creating custom black-and-white effects with the On Image tool
17 - Creating duotones with a Black & White adjustment layer
18 - Creating spot color effects with a Black & White adjustment layer
19 - Creating bleached bypass effects with a Black & White adjustment layer
20 - Using a lookup table to refine the black-and-white effect

4. Hue Saturation

21 - Refining a Hue adjustment layer with the On Image tool
22 - Creating duotones with a Hue Saturation adjustment layer
23 - Recoloring artwork with a Hue Saturation adjustment layer
24 - When to choose Vibrance over Hue Saturation
25 - Using blending modes with Hue Saturation

5. Expert Color Grading with Color Lookup Tables

26 - Using the Color Lookup adjustment layer
27 - Loading new lookup table presets
28 - Creating custom lookup tables
29 - Synchronizing multiple images with lookup tables
30 - Exporting a LUT for use in other applications

6. Gradient Maps

31 - Creating dramatic colors with a gradient map
32 - Expert-level black and white with a gradient map
33 - Creating custom duotones with a gradient map
34 - Recoloring an image with a noise gradient map

7. Smart Objects

35 - Using a Smart Object to freeze adjustment layers
36 - Using filters and blend modes with Smart Objects
37 - Stacking layers and using stack modes
38 - Using a smart object as an adjustment layer
39 - Exporting and editing Smart Objects

Conclusion

40 - Next steps