Resolution - To adjust the resolution and size of your file, go to Image > Image Size, then select your parameters.

Quick Mask Tool - useful to select a shape or area in greater detail. Useful for advanced collages or retouched and/or manipulated photographs. To access this feature go to the menu palette, at the bottom, just below the "Set Foreground Color" palette you will see two rectangles with circles in the middle. Click on the rectangle on the right once you have made a selection, then adjust your selection with the eraser and the brush tools. To go back to selection mode, click on the rectangle on the left. Repeat until you are satisfied with your selection.

To save your selection for later use - Save it as an alpha Channel. Once you are happy with your selection, go to Channels and at the bottom click on the option "save selectiton as a channel" (second button from the left) Once you do this you can reactivate the selection by making the channel viewable, and clicking "load channel as selection" (first button from the right).

Layer Folders -- useful to organize your layers into specific sections, once you get into advanced collages of ten or more layers. To create a layer folder, click on the layer folder option at the bottom of the layer palette (third one from the left), then drag in and out the folder the layers that you wish.

Adjustment Layer - useful to make adjustment to various layers at once. Usually affects all layers below it, but it is not a final effect until you merge it with the layer below. To create an adjustment layer: choose the layer above which the adjustment layer will appear, then click on the adjustment layer command at the bottom of the layer palette (the fourth button from the left). Make the adjustments you desire.

Layer Blending Mode - Affects how the pixels of your selected layer are blended with the layer directly below it. To access this feature, double click on the layer of your choice (click the image not the name), then choose the effect that you desire. Experiment with your choices. You can also choose some blending effects from the palette in the upper left corner of your layers menu.

Transform Layers - select the desired layer, then go to the top menu and select: Edit > Free Transform, or Edit > Transform (then select the specific feature that you want, such as rotate or resize, etc.)

Text tool - Useful to type short words and sentences. It is recommended that you layout your text in a separate program, not photoshop. Photoshop is not optimized to handle text. You will be allowed to use it for your third assignment, however, if you like.