This document outlines the topics that will be covered in a Photoshop effects workshop, including creating textured backgrounds, custom brushes, using PNG transparency, better typography techniques, avoiding design cliches, moving designs to web formats, and an open question session. The workshop will provide information on manipulating photos for textures, reusable brushes, semi-transparent backgrounds, character palettes, current design trends, image optimization, and responding to attendee questions.

1. Professional
Photoshop
Effects
by Elliot Jay Stocks
elliotjaystocks.com

2. Professional Photoshop Effects
1. Creating a richly textured background image
Texture vs. colour
Texture used subtley
How to choose or take photographs for use as textures
How to manipulate photographs for use as textures
Speed up your texturising workflow by creating reusable brushes

3. Professional Photoshop Effects
2. Creating your own custom brushes
Why use brushes? Painting and erasing with the default set
Why make your own? How customisation leads to creative freedom
Selecting photographs to turn into brushes
The brush-making process
Improving your brushes: when to use bitmapping
Sharing your brushes

4. Professional Photoshop Effects
3. Making the most of PNG transparency
The PNG format and transparency levels explained
Using semi-transparent backgrounds
Making the most of the alpha channel
Techniques outside the obvious

5. Professional Photoshop Effects
4. Better ways to use typography
Where to find fonts
How to use the character palette to achieve great results with only core fonts
Creative type effects with simple embellishments
How to take type customisation to the next level with other apps

6. Professional Photoshop Effects
5. How to avoid design clichés
What is 'The Web 2.0 Look'?
When to embrace and when to avoid current trends
Experimental design and thinking outside the box
Putting radical design into everyday practice

7. Professional Photoshop Effects
6. Moving from Photoshop to XHTML & CSS
Setting up a layout grid
Optimising images for the web
Overlaying a fixed logo (leading on from the PNG section)
Working with 'sprites' for image-based navigation

8. Professional Photoshop Effects
7. Open session
Attendees are welcome to ask about other techniques they'd like to learn
Five techniques will be looked at in this final part of the workshop

9. Thank you!
Questions? Feedback? elliot@elliotjaystocks.com