cooperative tutorial

I think most of us have friends who want to start using Photoshop and maybe even think about becoming designers themselves. And since we know more than them about it they would often come and say something like "he, buddy, teach me some Photoshop, will you?". They are our friends and we can't just say, get off me, I've got work to do and I don't have time for you. On the contrary we want to help, but at the same moment the problem remains - there isn't much time "to teach some Photoshop". And speaking about myself I don't really know where to start when I have to teach an absolute beginner. Should I tell a few words about the difference between vector and bitmap or it is not necessary? How do I explain the concept of layers in PS when everything is so understandable, but the dude still won't get it! And there is a thousand other questions like that. I wonder if it was only my problem or other designers have to face it once in a while too? The best solution and the most efficient method so far has been to reffer the dude to a Photoshop for beginners kind of book, at the same time this methond is quite time saving too! But what's a good book for beginners? I haven't read one for a long while now. And besides when authors are paid for pages of text, every book becomes "a bible" of some sort with hundreds of useless pages... And he might get offended that you don't have time for him. In my opinion the most realistic thing would be to refer him to some good tutorial and to say that when he reads it he might come and ask questions if something needs more explainations. Again, where do you find good tutorials? You still need to read them beforehand, you can't recommend something inarticulate. So I was thinking that it would be great to write something once and for all, to reffer all my friends to. And an even better idea would be to take a cooperative effort and in the process of sharing our experiences and knowledge write something together. Well it could be just a discussion which after some editing would transform into a tutorial that we will be able to recommend to all over friends who want to start or continue learning Photoshop.

What do you guys think? it's just an idea which needs your thoughts!

I think all of us can relate to that 'friend'.

I think your idea is quite valid. Any kind of collaboration between experienced people will always benefit those who need assistance.

Now, as us experienced Photoshopers know, it takes time to learn how to use the basic features, let alone the more complex features. (I still learn new stuff almost every time I use it). So....as you were saying about a 'once-and-for-all' tutorial, that would be great. Perhaps it can me more of an FAQ that can be updated on a continuous basis for others to add, comment and feedback on.

I think somthing like that will definitely be valueable.

I know there are a number of beginners tutorials out there that teach the tools - that would be a good place to start.

However, my approach has been quite different. There has to be a reason the person wants to use photoshop. Whether they want to edit a picture or make a website. Either way the best solution is to tell them to try and do it themselves. It sounds rude, but I don't mean it that way:

I learned photoshop by playing with it - I knew I wanted to do something and I pressed buttons and drew lines until it happened. Our friends need to do the same thing. If they run into trouble along the way, we can always bail them out, but its ultimately up to them to teach themselves.

I have tried this method before and surprisingly it works well

penguinpedia, I agree the best way to learn most things is practice. But from my own experience it helps a lot when starting to learn a program you know what it can do, or better what you can do with it and what you can't. That's why I mentioned vectors and bitmap.

Crazy Bat, that's true, the idea is probably just cosmic to embrace all aspects of photoshop from the beginning level and up. And the form of FAQ would be more appropriate for it. See, that's why collaboration is the best way to do project - the tutorial has got a more suitable form already! And we haven't really started writing it yet! And thank you for your support!

Just want to say that Photoshop is an easy TOOL to use. But if they aren't good designers, or artists to begin with don't try and waste your time. Sounds harsh but there are to many ppl that think Photoshop can do it for them.

Simplistic, I agree. Photoshop cannot design for you, but personally I know people who are real artists and do very fine things with pencil and paper only. I think for them some knowledge of PS would only help do realize more interesting projects.

And for those who are not designers, Photoshop can be a good toy to play with editing their pictures and other things.