Thread: How long did it take you to master PhotoShop?

I am thinking of purchasing the software to make my own logo portfolio and start a logo design service. I know that it is not very profitable however if I can make the amount that it costs in one year I would still be happy. I also think it would be interesting to learn and would enable me to make better designs for my website. Please provide the approximate number of years and months it took you to master photoshop or how long it took you to at least design good logos.

Logos are better suited to be created in Adobe Illustrator, not Adobe Photoshop.

As for Photoshop, I learned how to use it in a matter of days, I however have been using it for over 6 years, I have yet to "Master" it, I learn new things about it all the time.

Originally Posted by Kalina

Logos are better suited to be created in Adobe Illustrator, not Adobe Photoshop.

As for Photoshop, I learned how to use it in a matter of days, I however have been using it for over 6 years, I have yet to "Master" it, I learn new things about it all the time.

Thats interesting to know.

For web designers when designing full sites, would they use PhotoShop for the template and Illustrator for the logo?

I might have to look into buying both of these

I don't know, all I know is Illustrator is more suited to detailed graphics and graphics that need to scale. You can use the Pen tool in Photoshop to make vector images but it does not have the full functionality as Illustrator.

Of course you could use Photoshop for logos, but I doubt they'd be professional quality, most I've seen from designers look like crap, like something from the windows Paint program.

Originally Posted by Kalina

I don't know, all I know is Illustrator is more suited to detailed graphics and graphics that need to scale. You can use the Pen tool in Photoshop to make vector images but it does not have the full functionality as Illustrator.

Of course you could use Photoshop for logos, but I doubt they'd be professional quality, most I've seen from designers look like crap, like something from the windows Paint program.

I will probably start out with illustrator and earn some $$ making logos and maybe if I get good and am able to find clients I will spend the profits on Photoshop however it will take time and a lot of practice.

Designing logos in PhotoShops is pretty easy.

You could learn how to design nice logos in less than a week using PhotoShop.

I am still in the learning stages of photoshop but I think I am getting the hang of it.

Originally Posted by netrepreneur

I am still in the learning stages of photoshop but I think I am getting the hang of it.

Yeah, there are so many functions and options that it takes some time to learn them.

Sometimes when doing animated banner I have to look on some tutorial sites on how to add a certain animation.

I'm not so professional at PhotoShop yet, but I'm still slowly getting into discovering all the functions of PhotoShop.

But creating designs and banners it's pretty easy and only takes about 20 minutes to create a nice looking banner design.

As a web development and corporate identity company, we use Illustrator for all logos and Photoshop for all graphics that do not need to be vector. You can create vector graphics in Photoshop but it's best to have Illustrator.

Originally Posted by GameOver

I am thinking of purchasing the software to make my own logo portfolio and start a logo design service. I know that it is not very profitable however if I can make the amount that it costs in one year I would still be happy. I also think it would be interesting to learn and would enable me to make better designs for my website. Please provide the approximate number of years and months it took you to master photoshop or how long it took you to at least design good logos.

I'm still learning Photoshop - I handle all my graphic work with Adobe Fireworks.

Photoshop is much better for web creation, and developing ideas.

The reason everyone declares illustrator for logotypes, is because of vector format. Once you have a logotype in illustrator, you can scale it endlessly.



For 'professional' logo creation, you'll need illustrator.

Photoshop is very easy to learn and you can learn to navigate Photoshop in a matter of days to make your logos.

Originally Posted by dealhunter

Photoshop is very easy to learn and you can learn to navigate Photoshop in a matter of days to make your logos.

Illustrator is much better for logos.

I can't afford to buy it mg:

Originally Posted by Autumn

I can't afford to buy it mg:

neither can I

Originally Posted by NowakFilip

Designing logos in PhotoShops is pretty easy.

You could learn how to design nice logos in less than a week using PhotoShop.

I agree with that..

I am not master in Photoshop because there are so many things that you can do with it and I haven't tried it all. Still I can do some good designing and it took me about 6 months to bring myself this position.

What about Corel draw? Anyone using it for logos?

I use Xara for my vector program and really enjoy it. It isn't as fully featured as Illustrator but it's much cheaper and runs better on my crappy computer lol. I actually prefer it's usability to Illustrator.

Like Kalina said, Photoshop is fairly easy to learn but very hard to master. After 4 years of using it I'm still learning new things about it.

I have been using Photoshop for about 2 years now I think. I have not mastered it, but I am getting pretty good at it.

Its easy to learn how to use PS, but it takes a very long time to master it. I learned how to use it in a matter of days but I still have a long way to go before I master it. I've been using it for about 2 years.

I'll never master it, I absolutely suck at design, I want to stop designing, if things go as planned, I will, the day I never have to design/use photoshop again, will be the best day.

Originally Posted by Kalina

I'll never master it, I absolutely suck at design, I want to stop designing, if things go as planned, I will, the day I never have to design/use photoshop again, will be the best day.

The designs you made for this forum are pretty nice, I personally like it.

I almost always use some tutorial sites to help me design some better work.

Originally Posted by NowakFilip

The designs you made for this forum are pretty nice, I personally like it.

I almost always use some tutorial sites to help me design some better work.

Ok, so I bet if you actually pointed out the parts you like, it's something I did not actually design.

No one has actually liked MY work, they like the pieces I buy to go into my work, or icons I use. I give up, I don't care anymore, it's totally lost my interest.

^lol I've had that feeling before, just take a break from it and someday when you're bored comeback to it ad try make something new. One more thing is you should never buy parts for your design. Of course some icons can be bought from time to time but for the most part try make your own parts. I usually make my own icons unless i'm lazy and just throw something on it in order to finish it off and sell it. :P

The forum buttons, the logo, the banners, they all look excellent and professional.

Don't worry, I'm bad with PhotoShop too.

Originally Posted by hunter

^lol I've had that feeling before, just take a break from it and someday when you're bored comeback to it ad try make something new. One more thing is you should never buy parts for your design. Of course some icons can be bought from time to time but for the most part try make your own parts. I usually make my own icons unless i'm lazy and just throw something on it in order to finish it off and sell it. :P

I have taken breaks, strangely that doesn't pay the rent, put food on the table and enable me to buy little gifties for my boyfriend.

And breaks did not make it go away so I am going to just change how I earn my income.

Originally Posted by NowakFilip

The forum buttons, the logo, the banners, they all look excellent and professional.

Don't worry, I'm bad with PhotoShop too.

Exactly my point. LOL. NOT my work. Buttons are from a tutorial, logo was paid for, banners - I made some, not all, probably the ones you don't like.

As I have looked the banners for Web Talk Forums I like all of them, the colors match and they look very nice.

In my whole life being on the internet that is the best forum design I have ever seen.

Other forums have a really simple designs, not bad designs but simple designs.

I wish I could master PhotoShop one day, today I have learned how to animate stuff, so one step forward.

Originally Posted by Kalina

I have taken breaks, strangely that doesn't pay the rent, put food on the table and enable me to buy little gifties for my boyfriend.

And breaks did not make it go away so I am going to just change how I earn my income.

Exactly my point. LOL. NOT my work. Buttons are from a tutorial, logo was paid for, banners - I made some, not all, probably the ones you don't like.

lol I didn't realize it was your main stream of income. Sorry.

Originally Posted by NowakFilip

today I have learned how to animate stuff, so one step forward.

animation is fun.

Originally Posted by Kalina

animation is fun.

It takes a really long time to create all of those layers and time frames.

But then it's fun to see how it looks.

Originally Posted by NowakFilip

It takes a really long time to create all of those layers and time frames.

Maybe when you're new, I can do it in seconds or minutes, but if you're creating something more complex, then I can see it taking longer.

For any tool,you really need to practice hard.

I would not call myself as a MASTER of photoshop, but it took me around 3 years to work with photoshop like professionals.

I can now understand what the tools are for, and when something doesn't work properly I can quickly understand what can be the possible reason.

Practice is the job indeed..

I wouldnt say i have mastered it completely but it is like anything else if you are doing something on a regular basis then you will improve and get better.

I don't think many people can ever claim to 'master' photoshop... it is almost impossible to know everything about it and there are always knew techniques and things to learn within it!

Originally Posted by Autumn

I can't afford to buy it mg:

So.. Take it.

What is this word, "master?" You can do that!?

For the logo part, you should go for Illustrator in Paper. Photoshop is used if the logo is only to be used in Web. The reason you use Illustrator is that you can resize without loss of quality.

Mastering photoshop took me about 4 years.