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Adobe Photoshop CC – Essentials Training Course (Udemy.com)

This Adobe Photoshop Essentials course will teach you Photoshop Retouching as well as Photoshop for graphic design.

4.8
36,753 reviews

Created by: Daniel Walter Scott

Last updated January 2025

Our take

Based on the ratings of 36,753 students, a sample of their written reviews and the syllabus, as the course stood in January 2025. No course pays to be reviewed.

Dan Scott's beginner Photoshop course is a project-first walk through the tools, aimed at people who have never opened the program or tried it and got stuck on the basics. It runs about 12 hours over 92 lectures, with 20 assignments, and reviewers single out the practice exercises as the part that made it click. The syllabus leans toward graphic design and social media work more than photography, with sections on selections and masking, layer styles, retouching, blending modes and brushes, plus a short Generative AI section. Over 150,000 students have enrolled.

Praise is consistent across the reviews: Scott explains things in a simple order, easy to hard, and the hands-on tasks make the software less intimidating. One student came over from his Illustrator course; another says this is their second course with him. The complaints are about age. The course dates from 2018, and although it was updated in January 2025, one reviewer found it confusing that the software updates sit apart from the main video sections and asked for them to be merged. Another calls it "a bit old" but still worthwhile. Fewer than 1 percent of the 36,800 ratings are one or two stars.

It is a paid course, and a long one for a beginner title. One thing to know: the final "What next" section runs over three hours across six lectures, so the tool-by-tool teaching is closer to 8.5 hours. For a first Photoshop course that leaves real portfolio pieces behind, this is the safe pick. Experienced users should go straight to Scott's advanced Photoshop course, which reviewers mention buying next, instead.

Best forComplete beginners who want to make posters, social posts and retouched photos, not just learn where the tools are.
Skip it ifYou already know layers and masks, or you want a photography-focused course rather than graphic design work.

Pros

  • 20 assignments with downloadable exercise files, so there is portfolio work throughout rather than just tool tours.
  • Reviewers say Scott's easy-to-hard structure makes Photoshop far less intimidating for first-timers.
  • Updated in January 2025 and includes a short Generative AI section.
  • Fewer than 1 percent of nearly 37,000 ratings are one or two stars.

Cons

  • Core videos date from 2018; one reviewer found the separate software updates confusing and wants them merged into the sections.
  • The final 'What next' section runs over three hours across six lectures, so core teaching is nearer 8.5 hours.
  • No quizzes, and retouching gets only 18 minutes; the syllabus leans toward graphic design over photo editing.
If you've never used Photoshop before, this is one of the best beginner-friendly courses you can take. Although it's a bit old, the content is still incredibly valuable.
Anjali Pinoju, a student

Genuinely beginner: no Photoshop, photography or design knowledge assumed, but a current Creative Cloud copy helps.

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What you will learn

  • You will be able to start earning money from your Photoshop Skills.
  • You will be able to add Photoshop to your CV
  • You will have over 20 of your own projects to add to your portfolio.
  • You will create social media post images for Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Pintrest & Youtube.
  • You will be able to mask anything… including the dreaded hair!
  • Clearcut images.
  • Create amazing typography.
  • You will create popular visual styles.
  • You will create distorted images.
  • You will create graphics from scratch.
  • You will retouch photographs like a professional.
  • You will create a postcard.
  • Create posters.
  • Create advertising.
  • Resize Images.
  • Build a flyer.
  • Change the color or images.
  • Fix the colors in photographs
  • You will change eye & hair colors.
  • You will combine 2 photographs to create amazing compositions.
  • You will put a storm in a tea cup.
  • You will create text that looks like stone.
  • You will build a logo with type that wraps around it like a badge.
  • You will create text that wraps around a woman.
  • You will build a multipage banner advertising project.
  • You will create more background in an image from thin air.
  • You will remove people from images.
  • You will remove graffiti from a wall.
  • You will clear cut images of people, shoes & other products.
  • You will create realistic shadows
  • You will create text the wraps around colored smoke.
  • You will build duotone images like the Spotify effect
  • You will create images with an anaglyph effect
  • You'll turn your images into realistic oil paintings
  • You'll know how to add halftone effects to your images.
  • You will bend images to reveal background images.
  • You will distort a logo to bend around real life photographs and objects.
  • You retouch an overweight person to make the appear slim.
  • You'll build spray paint style graffiti using brushes.
  • You'll make a galaxy appear out of a mans head.
  • Create paper cut effects inside of a font.
  • Build text with 3D paint dripping from it.
  • You'll retouch a face to move pimples & freckles.
  • You'll remove dust & scratches from an old photograph.
  • Change yellow teeth to white teeth.
  • You'll build a fantasy image where you put an island, ocean & clouds inside a small bottle.

Course content

21 sections · 92 lectures · 12 hours of video 20 assignments, 1 article

  1. 1Getting Started 2 free previews2 lectures · 8 min
  2. 2Layers 1 free preview2 lectures · 18 min
  3. 3Color & Adjustment Layers7 lectures · 38 min
  4. 4Generative Ai2 lectures · 1 quiz · 20 min
  5. 5Shapes3 lectures · 24 min
  6. 6Text3 lectures · 23 min
  7. 7Layer Styles5 lectures · 1 quiz · 25 min
  8. 8Cropping3 lectures · 12 min
  9. 98.Selections & Masking14 lectures · 5 quizzes · 1.6 hours
  10. 10Filters7 lectures · 2 quizzes · 23 min

Who it is for

The instructor says it suits

  • Anyone who wants to start using Photoshop in their career & get paid for their Photoshop skills.
  • Newbie's, amateurs, graphic designers, motion graphics artists, Illustrator users, and any creatives who want to design their own graphics and edit their own photos from scratch

What you need before you start

  • Adobe Photoshop, preferably the latest CC (Creative Cloud) version.
  • No prior knowledge or experience with Photoshop is required

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Course Description

Hi there, my name is Dan Scott. I am an Adobe Certified Instructor (ACI) for Photoshop. 

Are you struggling to learn Photoshop on your own? This course will allow you to use Photoshop professionally. You will be able to add Photoshop to your CV & start getting paid for your Photoshop skills.

In this course I will teach you everything you need to know about getting started with Photoshop. You'll learn how to use Photoshop for use in Graphic Design & for Photoshop Retouching. You will create lots of your own projects that you can add to your own portfolio to help your employment.

  • David: "AMAZING course Dan! Thank you so much for sharing your skills with us!! Your teaching style is very professional and easy to understand. I feel comfortable with the skill set you've given me to handle small projects now. I've already purchased your Advanced Training Course in Photoshop and can't wait to dive in!! Thanks again!

This course is for beginners. You do not need any previous knowledge of Photoshop, photography or design. We will start right at the beginning and work our way through step by step. 

You will learn the Photoshop 'secret sauce' whereby we will magically enhance our background and when necessary completely remove people from images.

There are exercise files available to download so that you can follow along with me in the videos. There are lots of assignments I will set so that you can practice the skills you have learned. 

  • Simon: "I just finished the Adobe Photoshop Essentials Training Course and I want to say I totally loved it! For me, a person who had zero experience in using Photoshop this course was very helpful to get into the graphic design area with a lot of interest and fun. This course is very good structured - from easy to hard topics. Also it has a lot of detailed explanations and really fun practical tasks. I've got all I needed for starting to work on my own first graphic design projects. And again, Daniel is just a great teacher! His teaching style is awesome and I am really glad I picked his courses for learning my new profession. With Daniel it's really fun and interesting journey."

If you have never opened Photoshop before or you have already opened Photoshop and are struggling with the basics, follow me and together we will learn how to make beautiful images using Photoshop.
Read More Beginner Beginner Level product length iconTime: 11.6h

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Instructor Details

Daniel Walter Scott

Sharing is who I am, and teaching is where I am at my best, because I've been on both sides of that equation, and getting to deliver useful training is my meaningful way to be a part of the creative community.

I've spent a long time watching others learn, and teach, to refine how I work with you to be efficient, useful and, most importantly, memorable. I want you to carry what I've shown you into a bright future.

I have a wife (a lovely Irish girl) and kids. I have lived and worked in many places (as Kiwis tend to do) – but most of my 14+ years of creating and teaching has had one overriding theme: bringing others along for the ride as we all try to change the world with our stories, our labours of love and our art.

I'm a certified Adobe instructor (ACI) in Ireland. I'm also an Adobe Certified Expert (ACE) and have completed the Adobe Certified Associate training (ACA). And I don't just do Adobe. Remember, media is a very broad term – digital blew out the borders, so we are all constantly learning.

I've been teaching for 14+ years. I come from being a media designer and content creator – so I understand exactly where you're at now. I've been there. I love this stuff. Print, digital publishing, web and video. I can see how it all connects. And I can see how we can share those connections.

Read More

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Reviews

4.8

36,753 ratings on Udemy

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Write a review

By Gurpreet kaur on 6/21/2026

Great course overall! The practice exercises were excellent, and the step-by-step approach made learning Photoshop much less intimidating. Having already completed your Illustrator course, enrolling in this one was an easy decision. Your courses are detailed, beginner-friendly, and packed with practical tips. Thanks for another fantastic course. Looking forward to the next adventure in Adobe-land! :))

By Benjamin Weber on 6/5/2026

A really well-made course. The content is explained in a super simple and easy to understand way, so that even with prior experience in Adobe Illustrator you can follow along without any problems. I especially liked the hands-on tasks and projects, which let you work your way into the various tools step by step. On top of that, the instructor is very likeable and makes learning enjoyable. Clear recommendation!

By Silviu Balan on 6/2/2026

As always awesome instructor, very knowledgeable about the topic, also very charismatic and humble. My major feedback is always on the size of the videos. Some of them feel to long and splitting in to 2 or more parts would make them more digestable and increase the time spent learning. The 1H+ , 30Minutes software updates at the end are just too long. I know it's extra work for you guys and it is already great that you are even updating the courses but please try split those bonus software updates in to shorter more digestable videos. As always thank you Dan. :)

By Delilah Palmer on 4/16/2026

Dan Scott, is a fantastic instructor, he explains things so well and in detail. His courses also come with great course material. When I buy a course instructed by Dan, I know it's going to be good. SO glad I did this, Photoshop use to really intimidate me and now I'm equipped with the knowledge and inspired to use this great design tool. Thank you Scott and Udemy!

By Joyce Gatchalian on 4/1/2026

If you’re starting from scratch like I am, take this course. Again, TAKE THIS COURSE. Dan’s teaching style is so practical and easy to follow. He is so knowledgeable about each tool. It gave me a solid Photoshop Foundation I needed to actually start my journey as an artist. I literally just finished this and signed up right away for the Advanced course two minutes later... and I’ve already got my eye on the InDesign one next. Big thanks, Dan!

By Onaje Gregory on 3/23/2026

Excellent course, really great tips and tricks, and an overall explanation of the general tools, and a lot more. I would definitely recommend this for people who want to learn Photoshop as a beginner, and even if you already know Photoshop, you should definitely take a look at this to see other workflows and methods. I also really appreciated the sections for the updates on Photoshop over the years, because that can go over our heads sometimes.

By Djibril Sangare on 3/15/2026

Goo teaching, but running very fast, had to replay several times in other to catchup

By Alexandru-Cristian Popa on 3/9/2026

Almost perfect but in blending modes I'd like examples of what's usually used and for what purpose rather than doing trial and error every time.

By Rick B on 3/2/2026

I haven't used Photoshop for over 20 years, and going through the basics is like putting on a comfy old sweater. Dan's lessons are great, the knowledge he shared is essential, and the production quality is top-notch. It didn't take very long, and soon he was teaching me features and tools I've never seen or used, and already, only halfway through the course, my Photoshop skill toolkit and skillset have doubled.

By dhara dave on 12/29/2025

An amazing learning experience! Adobe Photoshop now feels so easy and fun to use.” “Highly recommended! The course made complex tools simple and practical.” “From beginner to confident editor — this learning journey was worth every minute.” “Excellent guidance and clear explanations. Truly a 5-star experience!” “Creative skills unlocked! I can now design like a pro.” Thank you for bring this course for students like me

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Overall Score : 96 / 100

Adobe Photoshop CC – Essentials Training Course
Visit course on Udemy Write a review
  • Video Duration: icon 11.6h
  • Price: $189.99
  • Provider: icon Udemy
  • Updated: icon January 2025
  • Level: Beginner Beginner
  • Language: icon English
  • Certificate: icon Yes
  • Lectures:92 in 21 sections
  • Students:152,900
  • Subtitles:16 languages
  • Udemy badge:Bestseller
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