Fireworks to Photoshop: difficult transition

[Sundraw]

I worked for years with Fireworks, mainly to produce web graphics, and although I am primarily a programmer, I felt myself comfortable with it. But now I decided that the time came to switch to Photoshop. The main reason is technical - I have to use PSD files - but also after a couple of experiments I understood that with Photoshop I will be able to do many more things, and to do them better.

So I downloaded a trial version of Photoshop CS4 and tried to do a basic piece of work in it. To my surprise, I was stuck from the very beginning. Tried to read a book, some online tutorials but they didn't help as the things on which I got stuck are much too basic. They would be a no-brainer in Fireworks. They are probably a no-brainer in Photoshop too but I have no idea how to achieve what I need.

So I thought maybe someone could resolve my difficulties in two words or perhaps direct me to a tutorial that would be basic enough for my level...

What I was trying to do is to mock up a screen of my future app. For this, I need to create a new file of a certain size, with a background of a certain color - say green. Then I want to somehow load other graphics (I would import them in Firefox) that currently exist as BMP files and place them in a certain way on the green background of the new file.

I can definitely create a new file, but even if I select 'Background Contents: Background Color', the background of the new file remains white. There is a layer named 'Background', but it is locked and I couldn't unlock it. I thought I would add another layer, but all the options in the Layer menu are disabled.

I tried to use the the Edit > Fill menu but whichever color or other options I tried, I was only able to make the background black.

The same hopeless result when trying to place other images on the background. I can open them in Photoshop, I can save them as PSD, but I can't import them into the new document...

Could someone give me some pointers please?

 

[7Hunters]

When I moved from Fireworks to Photoshop I had the same difficulty - I kept thinking, I'm missing something this has to be easier then this! Actually Photoshop is very tricky and it hides some tools and takes for granted you know a few steps that you would never have to do in Fireworks.

First of all you'll be using the layers pallete for almost everything (well for awhile until you get to know Photoshop really well). On the layers pallete there are some little buttons at the bottom (I'm killing time at a meeting and don't have a screen shot handy - sorry) - One looks a bit like a cookie, half white, half black. Click it and go up to the top and tell it you want a solid fill and choose the color. That will give you the background you need. You can drag the locked white background to the garbage.

To get your images into Photoshop open them inside of photoshop then you can copy and paste (there are a couple of other methods but I'm going for simple here...)

Explore the layers pallete and all the different buttons at the bottom and it will go a long way toward you being able to use it as easily as Fireworks.

Cheers - 7

 

[Nomission]

Photoshop works with layers. Everything new must go to a new layer - that's my rule.
The final job is achieved by tuning each layer and by the "sum" of them all.
Forget the background layer. Draw a rectangle with the rectangle tool (you'll get a vectorial object). change it's color by clicking on the thumbnail of it's layer (PS created one for you). Keep on openning the images you need, each one dragged to it's own layer. (With firefox you can drag from the webpage and drop into PS!!!)
If you need more..just say so...

 

[Sundraw]

Thanks guys, I was able to resolve these two problems... And even had an elusive feeling that I am beginning to understand Photoshop... for a few seconds. Then I tried to make some pixels of my old BMP images transparent. I saved them as PNG, as PSD, tried to erase those pixels but I just see the white background and have no idea how to make it transparent. I just want to have the corners slightly rounded... Again, it would be so easy in Fireworks!!!

Could you suggest me something please?

 

[Monst]

"I can definitely create a new file, but even if I select 'Background Contents: Background Color', the background of the new file remains white. There is a layer named 'Background', but it is locked and I couldn't unlock it. I thought I would add another layer, but all the options in the Layer menu are disabled."

You can unlock the background layer by double clicking the layer.

 

[Nomission]

Remember I said it's all about the layers?.
See that small "eye" on the left of each layer? toggle it on the background layer...
Now, see the checkered background? it means it is transparent, so when saving, those areas are "missing it's pixels", becoming transparent.

Again, it would be so easy in Fireworks!!!

It is easy as long as you know how to do it.. I'm sure that I would spend as much time as you (if not more) trying to do things in fireworks...