Level 1
Photoshop Lite
Masks, adjustment layers, retouching, colour correction and non-destructive editing.
$650ex GSTLearn more
Level 2
Adobe
2 days
Adobe Photoshop Essentials Course
Adobe Photoshop Essentials at a glance.
- Duration
- 2 days, 9:00am – 4:00pm
- Price
- $890 per person, ex GST — purchase orders welcome
- Delivery
- In person, or live online with a facilitator
- Where
- Adelaide, Brisbane, Canberra, Melbourne, Perth and Sydney — or online
- Prerequisite
- None
- Class size
- Small — everyone practises out loud more than once
- You take away
- A printed workbook, exercise files, and your own notes
- In-house
- Available for teams of four or more, at your office or ours
What you'll learn.
- The interface, documents and resolution
- Layers and selections
- Cropping, resizing and straightening
- Saving and exporting for print or screen
Course overview.
The interface, layers, selections, cropping and saving for the right output.
The 2 days works through 16 modules and 150 individual topics, from Getting around Photoshop to Animation basics. Each module is taught then practised — you do the thing rather than watch it done — on our exercise files, and on your own where you are able to bring them.
Groups are kept small enough that everyone gets hands on the keyboard, and the facilitator is in the room the whole time rather than dropping in. You leave with the workbook, the exercise files and notes in your own words.
Full course outline.
Every module we cover, and the topics inside each one. This is the same outline as the downloadable PDF — expand a module to see what sits under it.
-
1Getting around Photoshop18 topics
- Versions, operating systems, menus and keyboard shortcuts
- Faster ways to use dialog boxes and panels
- First look at the Start workspace
- Types of graphic format
- Setting Photoshop preferences
- A tour of the interface
- Inside the Tools panel
- Using the Options bar
- Panels in Photoshop
- Choosing a workspace
- Checking file information
- Zooming and moving around an image
- Switching screen modes
- Arranging open images
- Undo, redo and revert
- Stepping back with the History panel
- Finding help in Photoshop
- Tutorials in the Photoshop Learn panel
-
2Core concepts7 topics
- How resolution works
- PPI and DPI compared
- Calculating the image size and resolution you need
- Resizing images and adjusting resolution
- Colour modes in Photoshop
- Starting a new image
- Image formats you will use most
-
3Making selections13 topics
- Selecting a whole image
- Dropping a selection
- Which selection tool to reach for
- Options for the selection tools
- Drawing selections with the Marquee tools
- Reshaping a selection
- Freehand selecting with the Lasso tools
- Painting a selection with the Quick Selection tool
- Selecting by colour with the Magic Wand tool
- Inverting what is selected
- Selecting with the Colour Range command
- Refining edges in the Select and Mask workspace
- Feathering and repositioning selections
-
4Building with layers22 topics
- How layers relate to the PSD format
- Getting to know the Layers panel
- Showing and hiding layers
- Giving layers useful names
- Converting the background to a layer
- Choosing which layer to edit
- Moving content on a layer
- Adding a new layer
- Changing the stacking order
- Removing layers
- Selecting the pixels on a layer
- Adjusting layer opacity
- Blending modes on layers
- Copying a layer
- Copying layers from one image to another
- Linking layers together
- Merging two or more layers
- Flattening an image
- Erasing pixels
- Using the Eraser tool
- Deleting a selected area
- Applying layer styles
-
5First steps in colour correction8 topics
- Adjustments menu compared with the Adjustments panel
- Shifting colour with the Hue/Saturation command
- Adding an adjustment layer
- Changing an adjustment layer
- Toggling adjustment layers on and off
- Limiting an adjustment layer to the layer beneath it
- Removing an adjustment layer
- Setting brightness and contrast
-
6Type and text9 topics
- How type layers behave
- Creating point type
- Creating paragraph type
- Selecting text to edit
- Applying type formatting
- Editing and managing type layers
- Layer styles on type
- Rasterising a type layer
- Keeping type as vectors when saving
-
7Crops and transformations4 topics
- Cropping an image
- Using a crop to add space around an image
- Applying transformations
- Lining up layers
-
8Project work1 topic
- Building a Facebook header image
-
9Supplying finished files5 topics
- Preparing files for print
- Preparing files for screen
- File types used on screen
- Exporting with the Save for Web command
- Options in the Export As dialog box
-
10Colour and tone in depth17 topics
- How the colour wheel works
- Correcting with the Colour Balance command
- Reading values in the Info panel
- Spotting a colour cast
- The Hue/Saturation command in detail
- Targeting hue and saturation on individual colours
- Adding colour to a greyscale image
- Correcting tonal range
- Reading the Histogram panel
- Adjusting tone with the Levels command
- Clearing a colour cast with Levels
- Extra techniques if time allows
- Taking readings from highlights and shadows
- Letting Photoshop correct colour and tone automatically
- Rescuing detail with the Shadow/Highlight command
- Converting with the Black and White adjustment
- A colour correction workflow to follow
-
11Painting tools15 topics
- How painting works in Photoshop
- Setting foreground and background colours
- Sampling a colour from an image
- Picking colours from the Colour and Swatches panels
- Choosing colours in the Colour Picker
- Painting with the Brush tool
- Controlling opacity, flow and smoothing
- Choosing a brush in the Brush Picker
- Blending modes explained
- Filling a selection or a layer
- Adding fill layers
- Erasing with the Eraser tool
- Clearing colour with the Magic Eraser tool
- Filling areas with the Paint Bucket tool
- Blending colours with the Gradient tool
-
12Masking layers10 topics
- What a layer mask does
- Adding a layer mask
- Changing a layer mask
- Turning a selection into a mask
- Using clipping masks
- Transforming content
- Cropping and straightening images automatically
- Resizing the canvas with the Canvas Size command
- Rotating and flipping a whole image
- Rotating and flipping layers and selections
-
13Transform tools3 topics
- Scaling and rotating with Free Transform
- Resizing with Content-Aware Scale
- Warping a type layer
-
14Retouching images10 topics
- What retouching involves
- Copying pixels with the Clone Stamp tool
- Quick fixes with the Spot Healing Brush tool
- Blending repairs with the Healing Brush tool
- Replacing areas with the Patch tool
- Filling gaps with Content-Aware Fill
- Relocating objects with the Content-Aware Move tool
- Fixing red eye with the Red Eye tool
- Changing saturation with the Sponge tool
- Lightening and darkening with the Dodge and Burn tools
-
15Applying filters6 topics
- What filters can do
- Softening with the Gaussian Blur filter
- Sharpening with the Unsharp Mask filter
- Finer control with the Smart Sharpen filter
- Applying Smart Blur
- Browsing effects in the Filter Gallery
-
16Animation basics2 topics
- The Timeline explained
- Building an animated GIF, step by step
Who it is for.
Anybody who uses Photoshop and has never been shown it properly. No prerequisite and no assumed background beyond ordinary computer confidence.
How it runs.
Two consecutive days, each roughly 9am to 4pm, with a facilitator in the room the whole time. You get a workstation each with the software installed, in a CBD training room in any of the six capitals, or live online on your own computer.
Dates
Upcoming Dates
The next scheduled Adobe Photoshop Essentials dates, soonest first. If none of these work, tell us the city and we will let you know when the next block is released.
| Level | Date | Location | Delivery | Price | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Photoshop Essentials | Mon - Tue 31 Aug - 1 Sep 26 | Remote East | Online | $890 | Book |
| Photoshop Essentials | Mon - Tue 31 Aug - 1 Sep 26 | Brisbane | In person | $890 | Book |
| Photoshop Essentials | Tue - Wed 8 Sep - 9 Sep 26 | Melbourne | In person | $890 | Book |
| Photoshop Essentials | Tue - Wed 8 Sep - 9 Sep 26 | Remote East | Online | $890 | Book |
| Photoshop Essentials | Mon - Tue 28 Sep - 29 Sep 26 | Sydney | In person | $890 | Book |
| Photoshop Essentials | Mon - Tue 28 Sep - 29 Sep 26 | Remote East | Online | $890 | Book |
| Photoshop Essentials | Fri - Sat 9 Oct - 10 Oct 26 | Remote East | Online | $890 | Book |
| Photoshop Essentials | Fri - Sat 9 Oct - 10 Oct 26 | Sydney | In person | $890 | Book |
| Photoshop Essentials | Wed - Thu 14 Oct - 15 Oct 26 | Remote East | Online | $890 | Book |
| Photoshop Essentials | Wed - Thu 14 Oct - 15 Oct 26 | Brisbane | In person | $890 | Book |
| Photoshop Essentials | Mon - Tue 26 Oct - 27 Oct 26 | Remote East | Online | $890 | Book |
| Photoshop Essentials | Mon - Tue 26 Oct - 27 Oct 26 | Sydney | In person | $890 | Book |
| Photoshop Essentials | Mon - Tue 7 Dec - 8 Dec 26 | Remote East | Online | $890 | Book |
| Photoshop Essentials | Mon - Tue 7 Dec - 8 Dec 26 | Brisbane | In person | $890 | Book |
| Photoshop Essentials | Fri - Sat 11 Dec - 12 Dec 26 | Remote East | Online | $890 | Book |
| Photoshop Essentials | Fri - Sat 11 Dec - 12 Dec 26 | Brisbane | In person | $890 | Book |
| Photoshop Essentials | Wed - Thu 16 Dec - 17 Dec 26 | Remote East | Online | $890 | Book |
| Photoshop Essentials | Wed - Thu 16 Dec - 17 Dec 26 | Sydney | In person | $890 | Book |
| Photoshop Essentials | Tue - Wed 22 Dec - 23 Dec 26 | Remote East | Online | $890 | Book |
| Photoshop Essentials | Tue - Wed 22 Dec - 23 Dec 26 | Sydney | In person | $890 | Book |
By city
Adobe Photoshop Essentials in your city
Venue, transport and the dates running there.
The rest of the category
All Adobe Photoshop levels Other Adobe Photoshop Levels
Level 3
Photoshop Advanced
Compositing, smart objects, advanced masking, actions and batch processing.
$990ex GSTLearn more
Reviews
What people said about Adobe Photoshop Essentials
Wizard courses run on the shared Nexacu schedule, so these are reviews of this course from people who sat it. Collected by Nexacu after the course and published as written.
A variety of essential tips/tricks for new photoshop users. Easy to understand and engaging. My course was run online and our trainer was great at keeping us online students involved as well.
Stephanie
15 April 2026
Extremely informative. David was also extremely professional when dealing with an extremely distracting participant. Well done David.
Daniel
7 July 2026
David was very knowledgeable and helpful
Catherine
7 July 2026
Got the tools and confidence to apply these new skills in real work situations. David was very knowledgeable and approachable which made the experience less stressful.
Georgia
7 July 2026
David was fantastic and patient and I found the shortcuts learned for some of the tools the most helpful to apply in what I do for work. Finding out what people can do with the software available will be an asset in my line of work moving forward.
Renee
7 July 2026
The course covered an extended range of tools and how they can be used within photoshop.
Linda
7 July 2026
Source: nexacu.com.au, read 27 August 2026. How feedback is collected.
Questions
Questions People Ask About This Course
Anything not answered here, call 1300 886 190 and ask a person.
How long is the Adobe Photoshop Essentials course?
It runs for 2 days, 9:00am – 4:00pm, with a facilitator in the room the whole time. Nothing is pre-recorded and there is no platform to log into afterwards.
How much does Adobe Photoshop Essentials cost?
$890 per person, excluding GST. That covers the course, the workbook and exercise files and the room. If four or more people from one organisation need it, an in-house day usually works out cheaper — tell us the numbers and we will price both.
Do I need any experience before this course?
No prerequisite. The day assumes ordinary computer confidence and nothing more.
Can I do Adobe Photoshop Essentials online instead of in a classroom?
Yes. Every date marked “Live online” runs over video with the same facilitator and the same practice, in breakout groups rather than a room. You use the software on your own machine, so you leave with it set up the way you actually work.
Which cities do you run Adobe Photoshop Essentials in?
Adelaide, Brisbane, Canberra, Melbourne, Perth and Sydney, plus live online. Every venue is a CBD training room with a workstation for each person. If your city and date are not paired on the schedule above, ask — dates are released in blocks.
Which Photoshop level should I book?
Work from what people already do rather than how long they have used it. The full course outline above shows exactly what this course covers, and the Adobe Photoshop page lists every level in order. Still unsure? Call 1300 886 190 and describe a normal Tuesday.
Whole team on the same level? Run it in-house.
Your files, your templates, your workflow — the same course, taught against your own material.