Working with Layers Creating and Naming Layers Reordering, Flipping, and Moving Layers Adjusting Blending Mode, Fill and Opacity Moving and Aligning Layers Using Layer Groups and Comps Using Adjustment layers Using Layer Styles

Layers Understanding layers is one of the most important cornerstones in mastering Photoshop. When you use layers, you separate elements in your images so they can be edited individually.

What are Layers When layers were introduced in 1996, they revolutionized the way designers created, edited, and saved their work. Separating areas of an image into layers allows you to have stacks and stacks of images on individual layers that can be changed or moved without altering the pixels in the image areas above or below. As long as you don’t “flatten” your layers, each layer remains independent of the others so you can make infinite changes.

Ex #1 Creating and Naming Layers The exercises in this chapter are intended to help you understand how layers work and the benefit of using them in your designs. In this first exercise you will learn about layer visibility, how to create layers, how to delete layers, and how to rename layers Complete Exercise #1

Note: Flattening Photoshop Files Note: In PS, the term Flattened means the layers have been merged into a single layer. There are times when you want to flatten a PS file – for example, to send it to a client or to make the file size smaller. If you must flatten a file, save a layered (non- flattened) version and a flattened version. You never know when you will need access to the layered file. In PS, you can flatten all the layers or just flatten specific layers to simplify a complex layered file.

Ex #2 Reordering, Flipping, and Moving Layers In the last exercise, you learned how to adjust the layer visibility to alter a composition. In this exercise, you’ll learn more complex techniques for altering a composition, including how to reorder layers in the Layers palette, how to copy layers from other documents, and how to move layers. Complete exercise # 2

Ex #3 Adjusting Blending Mode, Fill, and Opacity In this exercise, you’ll learn how to copy am layer from another file, and you’ll learn how to use blending modes to change the appearance of layers without making any permanent changes to the contents of the layers. You will also learn how to adjust layer opacity and fill. Complete exercise # 3

Ex #4 Moving and Aligning Layers What if you wanted to move more than one layer? What if you wanted to move layers so that they are perfectly aligned? When you design web sites, you want to make sure all of the elements on your page are carefully aligned so your Web site looks balanced. Besides learning how to move and align layers, you will be exposed to how to use Smart Guides. Complete Exercise # 4

Tip: Multiple-Selecting Layers TIP: Multiple selection of Layers is a new feature in PS. It provides an easy way to perform commands on more than one layer at the same time. You can multiple select layers in two ways in PS – Click the first one and hold down shift key and select the last one (all in between are selected) – Lick first layer and use the Ctrl key to multiple select non-contiguous layers

Tip: Linking Layers Another useful technique when you’re working with layers is linking. Sometimes you’ll have two or more layers you want to keep together and move at the same time. Linking layers ensures when you move one layer, the layers linked to it move at the same time.

Ex #5 Using Layer Groups One way to organize your layers is to place them in a Layer Group. A layer group is a group of layers stored inside a folder in the Layers palette. This keeps your layers organized if you have lots of layers in an image. Layer groups also let you make changes to the multiple layers at the same time.

Tip: Nesting Layer Groups PS lets you nest layer groups up to a maximum of five levels. This makes keeping your layers organized even easier. It also allows you to move and make changes to more than one layered group at the same time.

Note: ImageReady CS2 Layer Sets IR offers similar functionality with the layered sets feature. Unfortunately, it does not offer as many options for creating layered sets as Psoffers fro creating layer groups. In IR, layered groups are called Layer Sets.

Ex #6 Using Layer Comps Layer comps let you save different configurations of layer visibility, position, and appearance all within the same file. This makes it easy to work with different variations of an image without having to save multiple versions of a file. As you will see, layered comps are an excellent way to save different configurations of a layered image in the same file.

Movie: layer_comps.mov To learn how you can use layer comps to save different pages of a Web site in the same PS file, check out layer_comps.mov on your CD- ROM.

Ex #7 Using Adjustment Layers Adjustment layers let you make tonal and color changes without permanently modifying the image. When you use an adjustment layer, the changes you make are contained on a separate layer, and they affect all the layers below. You cannot create adjustment layers in IR, but IR will recognize adjustment layers created in PS.

Using Layer Styles Layer Styles let you apply shadows, glow, bevels, textures, patterns, gradients, colors, and stroked outlines to layers. These are non-destructive. The contents of the layer are not affected by the change. As a result, you can edit or delete the layer style at any time, without affecting the original contents of the layer.

PS and IR CS2 Layer Styles Review the table outlined on Pg Handy chart to show you different styles to work with.

Movie: clipping_masks.mov If you see type that contain photographic images inside the letter, you can achieve that effect by using clipping masks in PS. View the movie “clipping_masks.mov” to learn how it is done.