Photoshop Tools & Techniques Tutorials
Master the tools that every Photoshop edit is built on: selections and cutouts, object removal, masks, blend modes, Smart Objects, and Camera Raw. Nearly 300 free and PRO video tutorials from Aaron Nace, organized from simple to advanced so you can learn each tool at the level you need today.
What You’ll Learn
Most Photoshop problems are really tool problems: the wrong selection tool, a mask that was never refined, a destructive edit that cannot be undone. This category teaches the tools themselves, then shows the same technique at simple, intermediate, and advanced levels so you can grow into it.
- Cutouts and selections. Select Subject, the Pen Tool, Channels, and Select and Mask, from a simple product cutout to hair, glass, and motion blur.
- Object removal. Simple, intermediate, and advanced removal with the Remove Tool, Content-Aware Fill, Clone Stamp, and painting by hand when AI gets it wrong.
- Non-destructive editing. Layers, layer masks, adjustment layers, Smart Objects, and Blend If, so every edit stays reversible.
- Backgrounds and studio cleanup. Changing, extending, and cleaning backgrounds, matching color between images, and restoring old photos.
- Graphics, text, and mockups. Logos, vector conversions, textures and overlays, title animations, and realistic product mockups.
Where to Start
Learn the tools in order with 30 Days of Photoshop, then use this category as a reference whenever a specific tool is the problem. The Essential Photoshop Skills collection is a shorter refresher, and the PRO course The Ultimate Guide to Smart Objects is the single most useful deep dive on this page.
Free and PRO Tutorials
Free tutorials are complete lessons, not previews. PRO tutorials go deeper and longer, and they include the sample images, RAW files, actions, and presets used in the lesson so you can follow along on the exact same file. A PHLEARN PRO membership unlocks every PRO tutorial on the site, including all of the ones in this category.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which selection tool should I use?
Start with Select Subject or Object Selection for anything with a clear edge, use the Pen Tool for hard geometric edges like products and architecture, and use Channels or Select and Mask for hair, fur, and transparency. The cutout tutorials here cover each case.
What is the difference between the Remove Tool and Content-Aware Fill?
The Remove Tool is a brush that samples intelligently as you paint and is best for small distractions. Content-Aware Fill works on a selection, gives you control over the sample area, and is better for large objects. Both are covered at simple, intermediate, and advanced levels.
Do I need to learn every tool?
No. About ten tools do most of the work in real-world editing, and they are the ones 30 Days of Photoshop covers. Learn those well, then pick up the rest from this category when a project calls for them.
Where to Go Next
Once the tools are comfortable, put them to work in Compositing and Retouching. The Photo Editing hub covers correction and color, and Workflow covers the habits that make all of this faster.
Learn the Tools in Order
30 Days of Photoshop teaches the essential tools one short lesson at a time, in the order they build on each other.
On This Page
PHLEARN PRO
Every PRO tutorial in this category, with sample and RAW files, plus the full PRO library.
Learn how to create stunning nature composite using only free stock image assets and some Photoshop savvy.
Photoshop | Compositing | Advanced | 2.75 hours
6 Sample Images | 1 Sample PSD | 2 Photoshop Brushes
Join us as we explore a professional product retouching workflow in Photoshop. Learn how to retouch and reshape products, remove scratches and blemishes, sculpt highlights and shadows, and more!
Photoshop | Workflow | Easy | 1.5 hours
7 Sample Images | 6 Sample PSDs | 1 Photoshop Action
Learn how to recreate hair with the Pen Tool and Brush Tool, extract details from alternate stock images, and much more.
Photoshop | Workflow | Advanced | 2 hours
6 Sample Images | 3 Sample PSDs | 1 Photoshop Brush
Learn how to cut out subjects from complex backgrounds, fix color fringing, and recreate fine details using custom brushes and compositing tricks.
Photoshop | Workflow | Medium | 2.25 hours
7 Sample Images | 5 Sample PSDs | 1 Photoshop Brush
Learn how to cut out subjects in front of relatively simple backgrounds, recover and recreate fine details in hair, and fix common issues like color fringing.
Photoshop | Workflow | Easy | 2.25 hours
5 Sample Images | 5 Sample PSDs
Explore some of the most advanced tools and techniques for removing large objects and distractions from complex environments.
Photoshop | Retouching | Advanced | 3.5 hours
7 Sample Images | 5 Sample PSDs | 2 Photoshop Brushes | 1 PDF Companion Guide
Learn how to remove objects from busy backgrounds while recreating complex textures, patterns, and background elements from scratch in Photoshop!
Photoshop | Retouching | Medium | 3 hours
5 Sample Images | 5 Sample PSDs | 2 Photoshop Brushes | 1 PDF Companion Guide
Learn the fundamentals of object removal in Photoshop to clean up and simplify any photo!
Photoshop | Retouching | Easy | 1.75 hours
5 Sample Images | 5 Sample PSDs | 1 PDF Companion Guide
Learn how to cut subjects out from busy studio backgrounds, place them on pure black and pure white backgrounds, and add professional finishing with color and light work.
Photoshop | Workflow | Medium | 1.5 hours
4 Sample Images | 2 Sample PSDs
Learn how to quickly remove and change any background with realistic, professional results in Photoshop.
Photoshop | Compositing | Medium | 2.25 hours
6 Sample Images | 3 Sample PSDs
Learn how to create your own custom logos and graphics in Photoshop! Use shapes, type, color, and gradients to make beautiful designs.
Photoshop | Graphics & Text | Medium | 3.75 hours
1 Sample Image | 5 Sample PSDs
Learn how to create your own holiday cards using a few free stock assets and some easy Photoshop techniques. Or just download the free holiday card template and start plugging in your own photos and message!
Sample Image & PSD Template Included
Recreate the color of style and style of any photograph using the color tools in both Lightroom and Photoshop.
Lightroom, Photoshop | Coloring | Medium | 45 mins
8 Sample Images
Restore your old and vintage photographs so that they can be shared for generations to come! Learn how to remove scratches and tears, even out lighting, and correct the colors of any paper photo.
Photoshop | Retouching | Medium | 2.75 hours
4 Sample Images | 4 Sample PSDs
Product mockups can save you and your clients time and money while making it easy to bring a brand, product, or design to life. Learn how to create mockups on billboards, books, packaging, digital displays, and more!
Photoshop | Graphics & Text | Medium | 2 hours
10 Sample Images | 5 Sample PSDs
Learn how to create a classic risograph effect using simple shapes, paper texture, and a realistic print effect made in Photoshop.
Sample Textures & PSD Included
Add textures and overlays to any photo in Photoshop using free stock images! Learn how to blend images together for a stunning bokeh style effect.
Sample Images & PSD Included
Create colors that pop in any photo! Learn how to enhance colors in both Lightroom and Photoshop while making sure the people in your photos look natural.
Photoshop, Lightroom | Coloring | Easy | 1.5 hours
4 Sample Images | 2 Lightroom Presets
Learn how to create simple and charming title animations in Photoshop using just letters and icons!
Sample Images Included
Learn how to turn a low-resolution image into a vector icon or logo that can be resized while maintaining perfect sharpness!
Sample Images Included
Follow along and create an epic fantasy scene using free stock image assets and some Photoshop savvy! Learn how to cut out and place objects in a new background, create lighting and disintegration effects, create fog and atmosphere, and much more!
Photoshop | Compositing | Advanced | 2.75 hours
8 Sample Images | 1 Sample PSD | 2 Photoshop Brushes
Learn how to use Photoshop to convert any image into two colors to create your own beautiful duotone effects! Best of all, it only takes a few minutes..
Sample Images Included
Give your photos a timeless feel with soft and subtle coloring in Lightroom and Photoshop. Learn how to lift shadows to recover detail, reduce contrast for a softer look, and add subtle color toning to the highlights and shadows with our included presets and LUTs.
Lightroom, Photoshop | Coloring | Easy | 1 hours
4 Sample Images | 2 Lightroom Presets | 5 LUTs
Learn how to create skin texture from scratch in Photoshop using professional tools and techniques and the included free Photoshop Brushes!
Sample Image & PSD Included
Learn how to remove logos and branding from any image in Photoshop with the Spot Healing Brush, Healing Brush, Clone Stamp Tool, and more!
Sample Image & PSD Included
Learn how to blend multiple exposures together to create your own HDR images, all while seeing the new Adobe Camera RAW in action!
5 RAW Sample Images
Learn how to create a realistic dispersion effect in Photoshop! Follow along with the sample image and included Photoshop Brushes to make your own amazing effects from scratch.
Photoshop | Compositing | Medium | 2.5 hours
1 Sample Image | 1 Sample PSD | 7 Photoshop Brushes
More updates to Photoshop 2020 are here and we’re putting the new and improved Select Subject Tool to the test! How does it hold up? Watch to find out.
Sample Images
In part two of our Animating Gradients series, we show you how to create a simple and colorful animation in Adobe After Effects.
Sample Images
Join us for a two-part series where we create animated text and gradients using Photoshop in After Effects! In this first episode, learn how to cut out text from a background, create custom gradients, and export assets with transparency to use in After Effects.
Sample Images Included
Learn how to sharpen in both Lightroom and Photoshop! And best of all, we reveal our favorite sharpening method that provides the most flexibility, control, and a professional result.
Sample Image Included