Adobe Creative Cloud is the industry-standard suite of creative apps used by designers, photographers, videographers and creative professionals around the world. Mastering these powerful tools can help you bring your creative visions to life, whether you want to design stunning graphics, edit professional photography, create eye-catching marketing materials, immersive websites or even full-length movies!
This definitive guide compiled by [Your Site Name] covers everything a beginner needs to start learning Adobe Creative Cloud through online training courses, video tutorials, Adobe‘s own training materials and more. Let‘s dive in!
Introduction to Adobe Creative Cloud
Adobe Creative Cloud (CC) is Adobe‘s subscription service that gives you access to all their creative desktop and mobile apps plus 100GB cloud storage, Adobe Fonts, Adobe Portfolio and more benefits across desktop, web and mobile.
Some of the most popular Creative Cloud apps include:
- Photoshop CC – The industry standard in digital imaging and photo editing
- Illustrator CC – Vector graphics and illustration
- InDesign CC – Page layout and design for print and digital
- Premiere Pro CC – Professional video editing
- After Effects CC – Cinematic visual effects and motion graphics
- Lightroom CC – Photo organization and powerful photo editing
And many more for animation, prototyping, coding, publishing and beyond. Having access to all these professional tools through an affordable subscription model makes Creative Cloud extremely versatile for creatives.
Now let‘s explore some of the best online learning resources to master Adobe CC tools as a beginner…
1. Top Online Training Courses
Online learning platforms like Udemy, Skillshare and LinkedIn Learning offer beginner-friendly courses for getting up to speed on all Adobe CC apps.
Udemy has the largest catalog of Adobe CC video courses from expert instructors. Some top rated picks include:
- The Complete Guide to Adobe Photoshop by Phil Ebiner
- The Complete Beginners Guide to Adobe Illustrator by Gareth David Tutorials
- Video Editing in Adobe Premiere Pro CC for Beginners
Skillshare has more project-based classes focused on design and creativity. Recommended for beginners:
- Introduction to Graphic Design Using Adobe Photoshop by Mary Winkler
- Illustration for Beginners: Create a Poster Using Adobe Creative Cloud by Julia Khusainova
LinkedIn Learning (formerly Lynda) has a huge library of high quality courses with exercise files. Great for learning professional skills.
- Photoshop CC Essential Training: The Basics
- Illustrator CC Essential Training
The advantage of these paid platforms is that they offer structured learning, downloadable exercise files, and anytime access to revisit the material.
2. YouTube Channels & Video Playlists
YouTube has a wealth of free tutorials from experts that you can refer to master Adobe apps as a beginner.
Photoshop Training Channel by Jesus Ramirez offers detailed tutorials explaining tools and techniques in Photoshop CC, from beginner to advanced.
Bring Your Own Laptop channel by tutor Desiree Kelley has 30+ playlists just for Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign and XD tailored to designers.
Tutvid channel by Aaron Nace has a full "Learn Photoshop in 1 Hour" beginner tutorial series covering all fundamentals. Similar series are also available for learning Illustrator, After Effects and more.
Other YouTube channels offering free Adobe CC tutorials suitable for beginners include Phlearn, DesignCourse, Revit & Photography Tutorials, Funnin Media and more.
3. Adobe‘s Own Training Resources
The Creative Cloud Learn & Support section contains Adobe‘s official video tutorials, step-by-step guides and community forums. Helpful sections for beginners:
- Get Started – Introductory tutorials for complete beginners
- Quick Start Projects – Practice essential tasks you’ll need right away
- Step-by-Step Guides – Tutorials explaining basic workflows
While Adobe‘s lessons focus mainly on teaching app functionality, third-party training often teaches real-world creative skills and projects. But these free official resources are still invaluable for getting comfortable with Creative Cloud tools as a starter.
4. Paid vs Free Training Options
Here‘s a quick comparison of paid and free resources for learning Adobe CC:
Paid Training Courses
- Structured learning path
- Project-based practical lessons
- Downloadable exercise files
- Learner community support
- Certificates of completion
Free YouTube Tutorials
- Complete basics courses available
- Access to industry pro tips
- Can pause and rewatch
- User can skip around
- Often latest software version
For beginners starting from scratch, free content is very helpful before potentially purchasing paid training to take your skills to higher level.
5. Learning Paths for Beginners
Here are suggested sequences for beginners interested in specific creative careers:
Want a career in graphic design:
- Start with Photoshop to edit images and create compositions
- Learn Illustrator to work with logos and vector art
- Use InDesign to layout professional graphic designs and documents
- Create online graphic design portfolio with Adobe Portfolio
Interested in photography and photo editing:
- Learn Lightroom CC for powerfully organizing, editing and managing photos
- Use Photoshop CC for advanced photo compositing and effects
- Take stunning portrait photos with Lightroom Mobile and Photoshop Mix phone apps
Plan to be a video creator or filmmaker:
- Start by learning Premiere Pro for professional video editing
- Add special effects and visual effects in After Effects
- Use Adobe Audition for sound editing and audio clean up
- Learn the basics of animation using Adobe Animate CC
And there‘s so much more you can explore within Creative Cloud! These suggested learning paths should give beginners a solid foundation to then further develop niche creative skills.
6. Recent Updates to Know About
Adobe rolls out exciting new updates to Creative Cloud desktop and mobile apps throughout the year.
Here are some recent additions beginners should be aware of while starting out:
- Photoshop on iPad. PS power now on tablet.
- Sky Replacement in Photoshop. Swap skies with one click.
- Content Credentials in Photoshop. Share edit history.
- Discover panel in Photoshop. Learn while creating.
- Auto Reframe in Premiere Pro. Intelligent recropping.
Check out What’s New for the latest feature announcements directly from Adobe for your preferred apps.
As the full Creative Cloud can be overwhelming initially, just focus on learning one tool at a time thoroughly rather than jumping around. Master Photoshop first. Then add apps as needed for specialized creative projects.
7. Hardware & Software Requirements
To run Adobe CC tools smoothly as a beginner without lags or crashes, here are the basic hardware and software requirements to be aware of:
- Mac or Windows computer – Intel i3 processor higher recommended
- 8 GB RAM minimum (16 GB for video apps)
- SSD storage for performance
- Discrete graphics card 2GB+ VRAM for GPU powered features
- Latest OS versions – Win 10 (v2004+) or MacOS 10.14+
- Eligible Adobe CC subscription with regular updates
Meeting these specifications ensures optimal speeds for working across apps and files in Creative Cloud. Faster hardware allows you to focus on creativity rather on technology.
8. Complementary Tools & Resources
To further enrich your Adobe CC experience as a beginner, explore these beneficial complementary tools:
- Graphic tablet – like Wacom, Huion, XP-Pen. Essential for digital drawing and retouching.
- Large monitor – gives you more working space with apps like Photoshop and Premiere.
- Adobe Color profiles – to export color palettes across CC apps.
- Adobe Fonts – sync fonts between devices.
- Creative Cloud Libraries – store assets centrally for easy access while working.
- Stock image/video subscriptions – like Adobe Stock, Getty, Pond5, Storyblocks. Have files at your fingertips to use in designs and videos.
Investing in tools like these will complement your software skills and make you an even more capable and efficient creative professional.
Get Creative with Confidence!
I hope this detailed guide has given you a comprehensive overview of the stellar online resources available for beginning your Adobe Creative Cloud learning journey as a starter.
With so many specialized tutorials, training classes and expert instructors, getting up and running is very achievable with some dedicated practice. Be patient with yourself as you grow your skills.
The creative possibilities are truly endless once you add these professional apps to your toolbox. Feel empowered to craft gorgeous graphics, weave captivating stories through video or take emotive photographs to share your unique vision with the world.
Just take it one step at a time immersing into each Adobe CC tool, participating in online creator communities for feedback and inspired by the incredible content produced around the world with this software.
Here‘s to unleashing your inner creative genius through Adobe Creative Cloud!
