There comes a time in every aspiring graphic artist's life when he or she must learn to use the pen tool in Photoshop. It's a trying time for sure, as the would-be artist struggles with unfamiliar tools often; the modern mouse just isn't meant to make lines that clean and precise.
You don't have to sit around in confusion, though. CreativeLIVE is currently hosting Photoshop Week through Feb. 28, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. PT — full days of free Photoshop classes.
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Founded by Chase Jarvis, CreativeLIVE brings an interesting approach to the world of online education. With an emphasis on engagement, the classes are more captivating than your typical shoddy YouTube demo. While it's nice to see what a high-end Wacom and a two-camera setup can add to the production value, CreativeLIVE goes even further by adding a social aspect. You can tweet and interact with the professors during the live stream, meaning students can shape the direction of the class or simply clarify a point that wasn't quite clear.
For the more advanced Photoshop users, whose pen tool already rests handily in our utility belts, there's still plenty to check out. Unlike the myriad of tutorials you can find through a simple Google search, these in-depth courses are led by familiar names, like fashion photographer Lindsay Adler.
The subject areas of the classes range from advanced lighting studies to managing your workflow.
You can see the full week's schedule below, or head over to CreativeLIVE for more details.

Image: CreativeLIVE