If you are a student learning Photoshop, you have no doubt noticed the many tutorials that are available online. Many of these tutorials are free, and will teach you important techniques for mastering the software. Because of the rising popularity of Adobe Photoshop, many forums and communities have been created on the internet where artists get together and share ideas and techniques. There are important implications of this which must be understood. The internet has changed the way Photoshop is taught.



Most colleges and universities today offer courses in Photoshop. The problem is many of the instructors in these classes expect students to purchase books which are very expensive. These books will often be in excess of $50, which is more than many college students can pay. Combining this with the rising cost of tuition makes it hard for many people to attend college level Photoshop classes. The internet has created an environment where it is no longer necessary to spend large amounts of money on Photoshop books.

Thousands of websites have been built where Photo shop artists tell you step by step how to create different effects with the software. There are tutorials on animation, gradients, and numerous other effects. Forums dedicated to Photoshop have been built where those having problems can ask questions, and get answers within a short period of time. It now appears that the only purpose of attending college to learn Photoshop is to get a degree. But is this even necessary?

It could be argued that attending college to learn graphic programs like Photoshop is obsolete. The reason I say this is because a hard working artist could educated themselves via the internet using free Photoshop tutorials. Instead of paying thousands of dollars for books and classes, a student could go online and teach themselves how to use the software. Once they become skilled, they could become freelance artists. Some people reading this article may think that it is impossible to get a job if you don't go to college and get a degree.

This is not true, especially when it comes to graphic arts. I have looked at many companies online who are looking for artists, and a sizeable percentage of them do not require you to have a formal education. They only require that you have the skills necessary to use the software. In fact, there are advantages to using Photoshop tutorials instead of attending college classes. The biggest advantage is that companies will generally have to pay more to workers who have a formal education compared to those who do not.

This means that if two people with similar skills in Photoshop attempt to get a job with a company, to cut cost that company is likely to higher the candidate who is not formally trained, but is high skilled with the software. Ironically, having too high of an education in the graphics art field could actually hinder you from getting a job. This is especially true since many production companies have begun outsourcing projects.