Me & Photoshop... We're Tight!

While I'd never profess to be an expert at Photoshop (by any stretch), I will say I've managed to teach myself to do quite a lot over the years. 

Ten years ago, the company I was working for at the time wanted to bring the design of their annual rental property catalog in-house.  Looking for a challenge, I volunteered.  One of the guys in our maintenance department had used Photoshop and offered to give me a quick "crash course".  I think it lasted all of an hour, where he shared his mad skills with inserting a text box, how to drop a photo into a blank page, and the wonders of the magic eraser tool. 

And that was that! Five months later I somehow (read whole lotta' trial and error) managed to create a sixty some-odd page, full color, rental property catalog.

my first project... the catalog cover circa 2005

After that, it didn't take much to convince myself I could do anything... not that I could, mind you, but I thought I could, and that's all it took!

To this day, I still shake my head at the nerve I had.  But strangely enough, once I got the basic concept down, I realized the whole process was something that came natural to me. Don't get me wrong, Google is my friend... as is the phrase "Photoshop Help".  And I can sit in front of the computer for HOURS trying to do something that would take "real designers" a matter of minutes.  And I will NEVER understand HTML... not. a. single. lick.  But I'm okay with that.

What I don't know, I haven't needed yet.  And, luckily, when I do need it, there'll be someone out there in the worldwide web who knows how and is kind enough to share (or I can get a cushion for my chair and figure it out)!

 

And what I do know, I use to create things that can surprise & inspire even me.

 

This is the phrase I have on the wall in my office:

 

 

Ain't it the truth!