A good way to learn

[Bob_Benner]

I thought this little tip might help the people that are new to elements. Try and pick one thing at a time to learn and give yourself about a week with each new thing only doing that technique. Example: Learn a new tool one tool at a time. This week I have been really working to learn the burn and dodge tool since I never really used them before. I have found that by sticking with one tool at a time that it doesn't scramble your mind like trying to learn everything at once. Once you have decent knowledge of a technique or a tool move on to something else that interests you. Pretty soon you will find yourself using a technique you just learned a couple weeks ago, and you will be applying it to the technique you just learned today. Soon you will be using all sorts of tools, techniques, etc on one project because you took the time to properly learn all of them. I have been using elements for about a year and still have not even put a dent in what there is to learn. Hope this made scense.

[jo]

Good advice, Bob!

[annc]

Certainly very good advice. I've been using it for nearly 9 months now. I've also just finished the Layers course and found that really helpful.

[tomlaronge]

Bob,
Oh how I wish I started as you advised/ Rather, I began by reading The Missing Manual and also bits and pieces of Scott Kelby's books. I am now beginning a program of retrograde learning doing exactly as you have suggested. I have to do this as I find myself in the position of know too much about nothing and not being able to use much of what I have read about well!
Great advice and thanks,
Tom

[Martha]

I totally agree. When I decided to make it my mission to learn to use Elements, I bought books. Well, there is so much information there that it was simply overwhelming. I made headway when I found a $10 book (for Photoshop, though) with a site to download the pictures used by the authors. They started out with very basic things and used tools I had never used. Then I found this site, sent for the free newsletter, and i was on my way to learning!
Martha

[kimh]

Bob, nice of you to take the time to give some beginner advice. I am still having trouble retaining one thing to another.
Kimh

[Bob_Benner]

I am glad I could give some decent advice for a change:)

[Rusty]

As a companion to Bob's excellent advice, check out Kimi's weekly "Homework Thread".

Rusty