What Makes a Good PhotoShop Tutorial?

Good PhotoShop tutorials should introduce the same concept and principle you are using as a graphic designer. Writing, after all, is somewhat related to design. Both have a purpose to communicate with an audience. Keeping that in mind is a surefire strategy to grab the reader's attention. Here are a few values you need to acquire.

Technique. A good tutorial should impress the readers with its rarity. Dozens of tutorial writers on the web are vying for the readers' trust and interest. There are readers who just need to learn something new. Some of them might just want to create a design that they can brag about. Try giving them what they ask for by experimenting.

Get inspirations elsewhere. There's nothing wrong with picking up a few techniques from a movie poster or an album cover you've seen. Truth is that nothing is original. Interpretations are what matters in this post-modern world. As a designer, everything that we do is a recreation of other people's works whether we are conscious about it or not.

So what exactly do we mean by rarity? We are talking about the final effects. The results alone can lure a novice designer into reading your PhotoShop tutorials. Those who have genuine interest in design would always want to know how a certain effect is produced. These people, who have passion for technique, are what the industry need. They might as well be your audience.

Functionality. If original ideas make the design interesting, function gives its value. Unlike painting that stands in itself, the quality of a graphic design leans on the purpose it shall serve. Topics of good PhotoShop tutorials should always have the audience in mind. Principles of aesthetics and elements of art matter a lot but in addition to that, graphic designs need to make all these work to achieve an ulterior motive. Graphic design is always propaganda. PhotoShop users need a tutorial that they can actually apply apart from its ability to entertain them.

Attention to Detail. PhotoShop tutorials should be written with a novice user in mind. Some might think that such approach seems as if the writer is underestimating the skills of the readers. The thing is that PhotoShop tutorial writers aren't speaking to a single audience. It is difficult to determine the skill levels of the majority. If erring is inevitable then might as well err on the side of explaining too much. Great designs, after all, can be seen based on the details. Tutorials that expound on every detail are not only considerate. They also manifest the writer's skills as a graphic designer.

Nevertheless, every step has to be explained thoroughly yet concisely. The whole tutorial should illustrate the values readers need to acquire to achieve the final effect.

Brevity. Much like in graphic design, PhotoShop tutorials should also try to eliminate clutter. Too much unnecessary information may leave the readers confused. That can only lead to the failure of your tutorial however great the final result is to them. One value of a good graphic design that also applies in the realm of content writing is the ability to simplify without missing out on important details. Without unnecessary clutter, the necessary is emphasized. Tutorial writers should always strive to focus on the instructions. Writing PhotoShop tutorials is far from mere blogging. Here, you are communicating directly to an audience who needs information. You are not just expressing yourself. You are teaching.

It doesn't mean though that you have to be all-formal about it. In fact, it is best to use a more conversational tone so that the readers can easily relate to what you are saying. The important thing is that you are clear and direct to the point. No more metaphors or cryptic messages. The power of good PhotoShop Tutorials lies in being understood.