Adobe Certified Professional Photoshop study plan
Adobe Certified Professional Photoshop · Give each week a clear focus.
8 weeks · About 6 hours per week
Adobe Photoshop fundamentals and workspace & Document setup, layers, and selections
Configure the Photoshop workspace by building and saving two custom workspaces (one for retouching, one for compositing) with panels arranged for each task
Demonstrate fluency with layer types by creating and labeling pixel, type, shape, adjustment, and fill layers in a single practice document
Apply non-destructive layer organization by grouping, color-coding, and nesting layers to mirror a provided layer-structure description
Execute selections with at least four different tools (marquee, lasso, object selection, quick selection) and refine each edge with Select and Mask
Your checkpoint
A single layered .psd containing five labeled layer types, two saved workspaces, and four selection-based cutouts refined with Select and Mask
Document setup, layers, and selections & Masks, compositing, and smart objects
Set up documents with correct resolution, color mode, bit depth, and profile for print versus screen output scenarios
Build layer masks from selections and paint directly on masks to hide and reveal content non-destructively
Create clipping masks and compare their behavior against layer masks in a before/after comparison document
Convert a layer to a smart object and apply at least two smart filters that can be re-edited later
Your checkpoint
A two-page practice file showing one image composited with a layer mask, one with a clipping mask, and one smart object with two editable smart filters
Image adjustments, retouching, and color & Document setup, layers, and selections
Adjust tone with Levels and Curves to correct a flat or underexposed image, using adjustment layers rather than destructive edits
Correct white balance and color casts using Curves per-channel and Camera Raw filter controls
Retouch blemishes and small distractions using the healing brush, spot healing, and clone stamp on separate layers
Use dodge and burn on a 50% gray layer to shape light without altering original pixels
Your checkpoint
A retouched portrait .psd with a Curves adjustment layer, a color-correction layer, a healing layer, and a dodge-and-burn layer, each named and toggled for review
Masks, compositing, and smart objects & Image adjustments, retouching, and color
Composite two images by matching perspective, scale, and lighting using transform, free transform, and adjustment layers
Build a channel-based or luminosity-based mask to isolate a complex subject such as hair or foliage
Apply blend modes deliberately and document why each mode was chosen for light, shadow, or color integration
Use a smart object as a placeholder to swap source imagery without rebuilding the composition
Your checkpoint
A finished two-image composite .psd with a complex-subject mask, at least three blend modes applied, and a smart object placeholder that can be swapped
Image adjustments, retouching, and color & Masks, compositing, and smart objects
Convert color images to grayscale and to a duotone using adjustment layers and channel mixer, comparing results
Apply selective color and hue/saturation adjustments targeted through masks to isolated regions
Use Camera Raw as a smart filter to make non-destructive global and local corrections
Evaluate and correct skin tones using reference values and the info panel readouts
Your checkpoint
A color-grading practice file containing a masked hue/saturation adjustment, a selective color adjustment, and a Camera Raw smart filter, with a short written note on the intended look
Output, export, and file formats & Adobe Photoshop fundamentals and workspace
Export the same composition as JPEG, PNG, and PSD and compare file size, transparency, and layer retention
Configure Save for Web (Legacy) or Export As settings for a web-ready image at a specified pixel dimension and quality
Prepare a print-ready PDF with correct resolution, color profile, and bleed settings
Automate a repetitive export using an action or batch process on a folder of images
Your checkpoint
An export set containing a web JPEG under a target file size, a transparent PNG, a layered PSD, and a print PDF, plus the action used for the batch
Output, export, and file formats & Masks, compositing, and smart objects
Produce a flattened proof and a layered master of the same project and verify visual equivalence
Resolve common export problems by diagnosing color shifts, missing profiles, and unexpected file sizes
Package a project by collecting linked assets and documenting smart object sources
Test file-format compatibility by opening exported files in a second viewer and confirming appearance
Your checkpoint
A packaged project folder with layered master, flattened proof, exported web and print versions, and a one-page compatibility check log
Adobe Photoshop fundamentals and workspace & Document setup, layers, and selections & Image adjustments, retouching, and color & Masks, compositing, and smart objects & Output, export, and file formats
Complete a timed end-to-end project from blank document to exported deliverables covering all five domains
Audit the timed project against a checklist of non-destructive practices and correct any destructive edits
Review weak areas by redoing two practice tasks from earlier weeks without reference notes
Verify export settings one final time against stated print and screen requirements
Your checkpoint
A timed capstone project delivered as layered PSD, web JPEG, transparent PNG, and print PDF, with a self-audit checklist marking each domain as passed
Milestones
Week 2: Can build a document from scratch, organize layers, and produce a masked composite without destructive edits
Week 4: Can complete a two-image composite with a complex-subject mask and justified blend modes in under 90 minutes
Week 6: Can export the same project to web JPEG, transparent PNG, layered PSD, and print PDF with correct settings
Week 8: Capstone delivered on time with all four output formats and a self-audit showing every domain passed