Digital Painting: Photoshop Setup and Foundations

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Digital Painting: Photoshop Setup and Foundations

This course is part of Digital Painting Specialization

Instructor: Kathleen Deck

2 modules

Gain insight into a topic and learn the fundamentals.

Beginner level

Recommended experience

9 hours to complete

Flexible schedule

Learn at your own pace

2 modules

Gain insight into a topic and learn the fundamentals.

Beginner level

Recommended experience

9 hours to complete

Flexible schedule

Learn at your own pace

What you'll learn

Configure a digital painting workspace and brush engine in Adobe Photoshop for optimized production workflows.
Apply Elements of Art and Principles of Design to render digital forms with accurate value and structure.
Utilize professional visual arts terminology to analyze digital paintings and provide structured constructive feedback.

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This course is part of the Digital Painting Specialization

When you enroll in this course, you'll also be enrolled in this Specialization.

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Gain a foundational understanding of a subject or tool
Develop job-relevant skills with hands-on projects
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There are 2 modules in this course

Digital painting starts with a clear workspace and a shared visual vocabulary. This course establishes the essential technical workflows and visual design principles necessary for digital painting. You will begin by configuring your software environment and hardware setup in Adobe Photoshop to optimize digital brush performance and streamline creative execution. The course focuses on core visual fundamentals, exploring how the Elements of Art (line, shape, form, value, color, space, and texture) and Principles of Design (balance, contrast, emphasis, and movement) apply directly within a digital canvas. Develop foundational digital rendering skills while building a precise technical vocabulary to analyze visual media and participate in professional critique.

Welcome to Digital Painting! This introductory module will guide you through the essential course basics, including the technical requirements and available resources. We'll ensure you have everything set up to streamline the technical aspects, allowing you to focus on creativity and fun.

What's included

1 video7 readings1 discussion prompt

1 videoTotal 5 minutes

🎥 DEMO: Photoshop Set-Up & Basics5 minutes

7 readingsTotal 85 minutes

👋 About This Course15 minutes
⭐️ Learning Objectives & Requirements10 minutes
🎨 Activating Adobe Account & Accessing Photoshop15 minutes
👉 Get Started with Photoshop10 minutes
📚 Demo Summary10 minutes
🎥 Photoshop Resources10 minutes
📚 Bonus Digital Painting Resources15 minutes

1 discussion promptTotal 10 minutes

🎙Welcome Discussion10 minutes

In this module, we will learn the foundational concepts of art that are crucial for digital painting. You will explore the Elements of Art and the Principles of Design, understanding how they apply to digital mediums. This knowledge will not only enhance your creative practice but also provide a common language for giving and receiving feedback on your work. Through lectures, artist examples, and hands-on assignments, you will begin to apply these fundamental concepts in Photoshop.

What's included

1 video11 readings3 assignments1 discussion prompt

1 videoTotal 7 minutes

🎥 DEMO: Module Assignments7 minutes

11 readingsTotal 215 minutes

👀 Elements of Art and the Principles of Design 10 minutes
〰️ Line15 minutes
🔹 Shape & Form20 minutes
🖌️ Texture20 minutes
⌘ Space15 minutes
🌈 Color & Value20 minutes
⚖️ The Principles of Design30 minutes
🎥 Artist Interview: Diana Utlang 40 minutes
👉 Module Assignments Introduction5 minutes
📚 DEMO Summary25 minutes
👉 Submission Steps15 minutes

3 assignmentsTotal 195 minutes

⭐️ SUBMISSION: Brushes & Elements of Art (Studies 1 & 2)60 minutes
📂 Project: Abstract Texture Composition120 minutes
❓ QUIZ15 minutes

1 discussion promptTotal 10 minutes

🎙 DISCUSSION: Project "Abstract Texture Composition"10 minutes

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Instructor

Kathleen Deck

University of California, Santa Cruz

0 Courses0 learners

Offered by

University of California, Santa Cruz

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