30 Days of Photoshop: The Complete Series Breakdown for Beginners

If you’ve ever wanted a structured way to learn Photoshop without jumping between random tutorials, this series is about as close as it gets.

Aaron Nace, from PHLEARN, created a free “30 Days of Photoshop” training series where each day focuses on a specific skill — starting from absolute basics and building up to advanced edits and full composites.

In this roundup, you’ll find all 30 videos organized in a way that actually makes sense for learning. Instead of just listing them by day, they’re grouped into stages so you can follow a clear path from beginner to advanced.

Intro

Getting Started with Photoshop (Days 1–3)

This first stage is all about understanding the basics. You’ll get familiar with the interface, how files work, and the core workflow you’ll use every time you open Photoshop.

Day 1 - Taking a Tour of Photoshop

Day 2 - Opening, Editing & Saving

Day 3 - Exploring File Formats

Understanding Layers & Adjustments (Days 4–7)

Here’s where Photoshop really starts to make sense. These lessons explain how layers, masks, and adjustments work together, which is the foundation of almost everything you’ll do.

Day 4 - Understanding Layers

Day 5 - How to Use Adjustment Layers

Day 6 - Using Layer Masks

Day 7 - Levels vs Curves

Essential Editing Skills (Days 8–13)

Now it’s time to start editing for real. This section covers everyday tools and techniques you’ll use constantly, from selections to basic corrections.

Day 8 - Change Color in Photoshop

Day 9 - Select Subject in Photoshop

Day 10 - Master Adobe Camera RAW in Photoshop

Day 11 - Remove Distractions in Photoshop

Day 12 - Scale, Rotate & Align in Photoshop

Day 13 - Crop & Expand in Photoshop

Creative Tools & Advanced Features (Days 14–18)

Once you’re comfortable with the basics, these lessons introduce more creative and powerful features that give you greater control over your designs and edits.

Day 14 - Explore Dynamic Text in Photoshop

Day 15 - Using The Liquify Tool in Photoshop

Day 16 - Smart Objects in Photoshop

Day 17 - Discover Blend If in Photoshop

Day 18 - Explore Blending Modes in Photoshop

Retouching & Color Control (Days 19–25)

This section focuses on refining images. You’ll learn how to control light, color, and details to improve photos, especially portraits.

Day 19 - Dodge & Burn in Photoshop

Day 20 - Color Correction in Photoshop

Day 21 - Color Grading in Photoshop

Day 22 - Correct Exposure in Photoshop

Day 23 - Basic Retouching in Photoshop

Day 24 - Advanced Retouching in Photoshop

Day 25 - Color Match in Photoshop

Real-World Projects & Workflow (Days 26–30)

The final stage brings everything together. These lessons show how to apply what you’ve learned in real projects and practical workflows.

Day 26 - Create a Mockup in Photoshop

Day 27 - Sky Replacement in Photoshop

Day 28 - Exporting Images in Photoshop

Day 29 - Lightroom vs Photoshop Editing

Day 30 - Create a Composite in Photoshop

Why This Series Works So Well

What makes this series stand out is how intentional the progression is.

It doesn’t just throw techniques at you — it builds your understanding step by step:

• First, you learn how Photoshop works
• Then, how layers and adjustments control everything
• After that, you apply real editing tools
• Then move into more advanced features
• Then refine your skills with retouching and color
• And finally, you put it all together in real projects

By the time you reach Day 30, you’re not just following tutorials — you actually understand what you’re doing.

Final Thoughts

If you’re serious about improving your Photoshop skills, this is one of the best free structured series available.

You can follow it day by day, binge it in a weekend, or jump to specific sections depending on what you need.

Either way, having all 30 lessons in one place — organized in a way that makes sense — makes a huge difference.

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If you want to keep going, here are more Photoshop roundups covering specific topics like effects, text, portraits, and common mistakes. Pick one and keep building your skills.

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