Essential Basic Knowledge for Photoshop Beginners

Tutorials on Tools and the Interface

If you are starting to learn Photoshop, the tutorials below are really useful. You will learn the most basic knowledge and the general interface of this software.
Getting Started With Photoshop (sitepoint)

Getting Started With Photoshop (tutorial 9)

The Toolbar in Photoshop

Using the Color Palette in Photoshop

Layers, Layer Styles, Layer Masks and Adjustment Layers:

To work better with Photoshop, you need to understand layers well. The hands-on layer tutorials below will help you better understand what a layer is, how to style a layer (layer style), and how to use layer masks.

Working With Layers in Photoshop

Layer Basics and Shortcuts

Layer Styles in Photoshop

Saving and Reusing Layer Styles in Photoshop

Understanding Layer Masks in Photoshop

Understanding Clipping Masks and Layer Masks in Photoshop

A Basic Guide to Adjustment Layers in Photoshop CS4

Photoshop 101: Adjustment Layers

With the Pen tool you can create many impressive results, but it is not easy to use. Of course, after going through the hands-on tutorials below, you will understand how it works and master this tool.
The Pen Tool: The Most Comprehensive Guide

How to Use the Pen Tool in Photoshop

Making Selections With the Pen Tool

Master the Pen Tool in 30 Minutes

Presets:

Presets such as brushes, patterns, shapes… are also an important part of Photoshop. You can use presets made by others or create your own.
The Most Basic Guide to Brushes

The Brush Tool – A Basic Guide

Installing and Managing Brushes and Other Presets

Create Your Own Brush

A Guide to Patterns in Photoshop

Type Tools:

The type tools in Photoshop are fairly simple but include all the features you need.
A Comprehensive Guide to the Type Tool

Tip: Changing Text Direction in Photoshop

Photoshop 101: The Type Tools

Transform:

With Photoshop’s transform features, you can edit images in many different ways. The tutorials below are examples:
Using Transform in Photoshop

Photoshop 101: Using the Free Transform Tool

A Guide to Free Transform in Photoshop

Selections:

There are many ways to select an area in Photoshop, and each method has an advantage over the others. Below is a list of basic tutorials that help you understand how each method works so you can use the right one in different situations.
Selection Tools

A Guide to Selection Techniques in Photoshop

Master Photoshop’s Selection Tools in 30 Minutes

The Magnetic Lasso Tool

The Polygonal Lasso Tool

The Lasso Tool

Cutting Out Images With the Polygonal Lasso Tool

The Elliptical Marquee Tool

The Rectangular Marquee Tool

5 Secrets of the Marquee Tools in Photoshop

Other tutorials:

• Why Do We Need Selections?
• Types of Extraction in Photoshop
• Photoshop Lasso Tool Cheatsheet

The Clone Stamp Tool:

The Clone Stamp tool lets you create copies of a certain area. It is a bit hard to explain how this tool works, so try practicing with it to understand it better
Editing Images With the Clone Stamp Tool

Ways to Use the Clone Stamp Tool

Blend Modes:

Photoshop’s blend modes show you results quickly and easily.
Photoshop Blend Modes Explained

5 Essential Blend Modes for Photo Editing

Filters

Photoshop has a large number of predefined filters that you can use.
Filters in Photoshop

10 Photoshop Filters You Should Know

Channels:

You can use channels as a way to select areas in Photoshop.
Using Channels to Cut Out/Extract Images

Photoshop 101: Working With Alpha Channels

Smart Objects:

Using Smart Objects Like a Pro

Photoshop Smart Objects, Not Always Smart

Actions:

Photoshop actions are a series of recorded image editing steps that help you do repetitive tasks quickly. You can also check out these vintage photo actions here
Lights! Camera! Photoshop Actions!

How to Use Photoshop Actions

Other tutorials:

• Create a Photoshop Action
• Automate Actions to Save Time
• Automatically Define Photoshop Brushes Using Actions

Productivity:

If most of your work involves Photoshop, the tutorials below will help you work smarter and cut out unnecessary steps.
Tips for Improving Photoshop’s Performance

20 Tricks for a Faster Workflow

Creating Shortcuts for Photoshop

Editing Multiple Images With Photoshop

Saving Images:

Images for a website need two things: a small size and good looks. These 2 factors always work against each other, and you will learn how to save images at the best balance without them breaking up.
Saving Images for the Web

Save for Web, Made Simple

Optimizing Images for the Web With Photoshop

Working With Color in Photoshop:

Color is always an important part of any design software, Photoshop included, and you need to understand how to work with it.
Photoshop Color: Customizing Color Swatches and Sets

Color Adjustment Tools in Photoshop

Print Design:

Print design is completely different from web design. If you use Photoshop for this purpose, you should check out the tutorials below:
Printing Terminology Explained

Designing for Print – Setting Up Crops and Bleeds

Working With a Graphics Tablet:

If you have a graphics tablet (Wacom), you should learn how to use it with Photoshop; it will give you a new experience with this number one image editing software. The image you can see on the ntuts homepage was drawn with a Wacom
Using a Graphics Tablet in Photoshop

How to Choose a Graphics Tablet That Fits Your Needs