Syllabus: Introduction to PhotoShop CS
Course Description
Designed for hobbyist, graphic designers, and photographers alike, this course introduces students to the PhotoShop CS program and to image editing techniques. Lessons are instructor–led with each lesson concentrating on a specific project designed to teach students how to do such things as fix underexposed and overexposed pictures, fix damaged pictures, adjust colors in images, combine disparate images into one image composite and much more. Students will walk away with a solid understanding of PhotoShop program fundamentals and an ability to freely composite any image they can imagine. No previous experience with Adobe Photoshop CS is assumed, however, students must be conversant in Windows or MAC operating system software. This course is designed to:
- Build sound fundamentals necessary to succeed in PhotoShop CS
- Deliver an exercise-oriented approach that allows learning by doing
- Encourage critical thinking skills vital to creative expression
Registration Information
This introductory course is offered from 1 p.m. – 5 p.m. on Saturday afternoons. Please visit the Del Mar College, CED website for information about how to register for this class.
Class Materials
Textbook
Photoshop CS5 for Windows and Macintosh: Visual QuickStart Guide, ISBN 13978–0321701534, ISBN 10: 0321701534. This textbook is available at the University Bookstore located inside of the Havin Center on the Main Campus. Kindly note that this bookstore closes at noon on Fridays and remains closed through the weekend. Their phone number is 361–884–1823.
Flash Drive
All Del Mar College students are required to purchase a Flash Drive—also known as a Thumb Drive. Students in this class will need to have one in order to carry their group projects and homework assignments from the classroom to other venues. Retailers like Walmart sell 1GB Flash Drives for as little as ten dollars.
Lesson Handouts
Textbook lessons are supplemented with instructor–designed lessons. These lessons elaborate upon program skill fundamentals some of which are not fully covered in this textbook. Grayscale copies are distributed at the beginning of each class but students may also wish to download color copies for future reference.
Stock Photography
Students may be asked to purchase royalty–free photos from IstockPhoto.com. Further details are listed under the Stock Photography link in the sidebar.
Computer Lab Availability
William F. White Library Computer Lab
The student computer lab on the first floor in the William F. White Library located at 101 Baldwin is available to all DMC students. Hours of operation are 7:30 a.m. –10:00 p.m. Monday – Thursday, 7:30 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. on Fridays, 9:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m. on Saturdays and 1:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m. on Sundays.
Course Website Virtual Lab
Enrollment in this class grants students access to the course website's virtual lab. Here students can meet in cyberspace to work together on group projects and/or student assignments. The advantage to meeting anytime, anywhere is obvious. It saves on commute time and offers greater scheduling flexibility when working together on group projects. Another advantage is that the instructor checks in frequently and is available to answer questions during the time that she is there.
Purchasing Adobe PhotoShop CS At Discounted Student Prices
Students can purchase this software at a steep, student discount from the Academic Superstore at http://www.academicsuperstore.com/, phone number: 800–817–2347. Some students have also purchased this software from Gradware at http://www.gradware.com, phone 1-866-871-6595. Please note, however, that the instructor has not purchased from Gradware and cannot, therefore, personally recommend this store.
A picture Student ID is required in order to purchase this software at the student, discount price. Students can get one at the White Library front desk; all that is required is a copy of one's registration receipt. If one experiences problems obtaining a picture ID, please call the Business and Registration Office at 361.698.1328.
Adobe PhotoShop CS Free Trial Download
Some students may wish to download a 30–day, trial copy of the most recent version from Adobe's website instead of purchasing this software. Trial downloads are available at http://www.adobe.com/downloads/. One will need a fast internet connection in order to download this trial; it cannot be downloaded on a 56K modem.
Teaching Methods
- Lecture: Some of this material is not contained within the textbook therefore students are encouraged to take notes during these sessions.
- Instructor–led Projects: Each learning module will be taught in an instructor–led, hands–on lesson thus affording the student an opportunity to learn by doing.
- Assignments: End of chapter activities and/or online activities will be assigned weekly to reinforce material in the text.
- Group Projects: Students are assigned to teams so that they can help each other and learn by teaching. Team projects will be assigned where appropriate.
- Student Projects: Classroom projects that must be done individually.
- Challenges: These optional assignments let students pit their wits against the instructor's. They are fun, problem–solving assignments designed to further hone student skills while, at the same time, teaching them real–world applications for those skills acquired.
Grading: Total points will be computed as follows:
| Participation: | 20 Points |
| Assignments: | 40 Points |
| Group/Student Projects: | 40 Points |
| Total Points: | 100 Points |
Course Policies
Class Absences
No more than one absence is permitted for this course. Exceptions will be considered on a per student basis. The student is responsible for obtaining material distributed on class days when he/she was absent. This can be done through contacting a classmate who was present or by contacting the instructor via email. It is a good idea, therefore, to exchange contact information with your teammates. Critical: Students who miss one of the first four classes may be asked to repeat the course at a later date if they are not be able to catch up.
Homework Assignments
Assignments are due before the beginning of each class. This means that the student will have emailed them to the instructor prior to the beginning of class. Assignments that are not emailed on time will not be graded.
How to Email Your Assignments
Follow these steps to prepare your assignments for emailing:
- Size your documents to a pixel width dimension of 600 pixels. See the instructions on page five of the Syllabus in the Acrobat Print Format.
- Save your files in a zipped *.tif format. ((See the instructions on the last page)
- Email your assignments to the instructor
- Critical: Please note that the instructor does not accept emailed Microsoft Word or Publisher documents. There are no exceptions to this rule! Students can either copy and paste this text directly into the email message or attach the document as an Adobe Acrobat file.
Need for Assistance
If a student has any condition, such as a physical or learning disability, which will make it difficult for them to carry out the work as it is outlined, or which will require academic accommodations, please notify the instructor as soon as is possible.
Class Modules and Assignments
- This is a web–assisted course, therefore, class and assignments files are available for download after the student logs in.
- Critical: ALL homework assignments MUST be completed and submitted on time! Students who do not do their homework may be asked to repeat the class at a later date when they have time to complete these crucial assignments. The reason for this is that students who do not do the homework assignments often cannot catch up and this slows down the overall progress of team to which he or she is assigned. It can also impede the progress of the entire class.
- Group Projects (GP): Classroom assignments that student teams will complete during class.
- Student Projects (SP): Classroom and/or homework assignments. All assignments must be submitted via email by 5:00 a.m. on the day that the assignment is due. Should the student anticipate that this can not be done on time, that student will contact the instructor via email to make arrangements for extra time and/or makeup lessons should the instructor determine that extra practice is warranted.
- Challenges: Optional assignments.