The Coffee Addict


LESSON 9: LAYERS The Name Tab First of all, how do we know that what we�re looking at is, in fact, the Layers panel? We know because it says so in the name tab at the top of the panel: These are two other panels that are grouped in with the Layers panel. There�s so many panels in Photoshop that fitting them all on the screen while still leaving room to work can be a challenge, so Adobe decided to group some panels together into panel groups to save space. To switch to a different panel in a group, simply click on the panel�s name tab. The tab of the panel that�s currently being displayed in the group appears highlighted. Don�t let the fact that the Layers panel is grouped in with these two other panels confuse you, though. The Channels and Paths panels have nothing to do with the Layers panel, other than the fact that both are also commonly used in Photoshop, so we can safely ignore them while we look specifically at the Layers panel. The Layer Row Each time we open a new image in Photoshop, the image opens in its own document and is placed on a single layer. Photoshop represents layers in the document as rows in the Layers panel, with each layer getting its own row. Each row gives us various bits of information about the layer. I only have one layer in my document at the moment, so my Layers panel is displaying a single row, but as we add more layers, additional rows will appear. Moving Layers We can move layers above and below each other in the Layers panel simply by dragging them. Right now, Layer 2 is sitting above Layer 1, but I can move Layer 2 below Layer 1 by clicking on Layer 2 and, with my mouse button still held down, dragging the layer downward until a highlight bar appears between Layer 1 and the Background layer. 9 The only layer we can�t move in the Layers panel is the Background layer. We also can�t move other layers below the Background layer. All other layers can be dragged above or below other layers as needed. Deleting A Layer To delete a layer, simply click on it and, with your mouse button still held down, drag it down onto the Trash Binicon at the bottom of the Layers panel. Release your mouse button when you�re over the icon. The Layer Visibility Icon If I want to see the original photo again in the document, I can simply turn the blurred layer off by clicking on its layer visibility icon. When the little eyeball is visible in the box, it means the layer is visible in the document. Adding Fill Or Adjustment Layers To the right of the Layer Mask icon at the bottom of the Layers panel is the New Fill or Adjustment Layer icon. Clicking on it opens up a list of fill and adjustment layers we can choose from. Hue/Saturation lets us easily change the colors in an image. In Photoshop CS4 and CS5, the controls for the adjustment layer appear in the Adjustments Panel. In CS3 and earlier, they open in a separate dialog box. I�ll quickly colorize my image by selecting the Colorize option, then I�ll set the Hue value to 195 for a blue color and I�ll increase the color Saturation value to 60. Again, don�t worry if anything I�m doing here seems foreign to you. Changing A Layer�s Blend Mode The Layers panel is also where we can change a layer�s blend mode, which changes how the layer blends in with the layer(s) below it in the document. The blend mode option is found in the top left corner of the Layers panel directly below its name tab. It doesn�t actually say �Blend Mode� anywhere, but it�s the box that says �Normal� in it by default. To select a different blend mode, click on the word �Normal� (or whatever other blend mode happens to be selected at the time), then choose a different blend mode from the list that appears. The Opacity And Fill Options We can control a layer�s level of transparency from the Layers panel using the Opacity option directly across from the blend mode option. An opacity value of 100% (the default value) means we can�t see through the layer at all, but the more we lower the opacity value, the more the layer(s) below it will show through in the document. Layer Styles Layer styles are easy ways to add lots of different effects to layers, including drop shadows, strokes, glows, and more! Locking Layers Finally, the Layers panel also gives us a few different ways that we can lock certain aspects of a layer. For example, if part of a layer is transparent, we can lock the transparent pixels so that we�re only affecting the actual contents (the image pixels) on the layer. Or we can lock the image pixels. We can lock the position of the layer so we can�t accidentally move it around inside the document. There�s four lock options to choose from, each represented by a small icon, and they�re located just below the blend mode option. From left to right, we have Lock Transparent Pixels, Lock Image Pixels, Lock Position, and Lock All. If any or all of these options are selected, you�ll see a small lock icon appear on the far right of the locked layer. _________________________________________________________________________________	The Coffee Addict Image Editing \| Tutorials A site dedicated to students who are having a hard time creating projects and needs helps for image editing

LESSON 9: LAYERS

The Name Tab
First of all, how do we know that what we�re looking at is, in fact, the Layers panel?
We know because it says so in the name tab at the top of the panel:

These are two other panels that are grouped in with the Layers panel. There�s so
many panels in Photoshop that fitting them all on the screen while still leaving room
to work can be a challenge, so Adobe decided to group some panels together
into panel groups to save space. To switch to a different panel in a group, simply
click on the panel�s name tab. The tab of the panel that�s currently being displayed
in the group appears highlighted. Don�t let the fact that the Layers panel is grouped
in with these two other panels confuse you, though. The Channels and Paths
panels have nothing to do with the Layers panel, other than the fact that both are
also commonly used in Photoshop, so we can safely ignore them while we look
specifically at the Layers panel.

The Layer Row
Each time we open a new image in Photoshop, the image opens in its own
document and is placed on a single layer. Photoshop represents layers in the
document as rows in the Layers panel, with each layer getting its own row. Each
row gives us various bits of information about the layer. I only have one layer in my
document at the moment, so my Layers panel is displaying a single row, but as we
add more layers, additional rows will appear.

Moving Layers
We can move layers above and below each other in the Layers panel simply by
dragging them. Right now, Layer 2 is sitting above Layer 1, but I can move Layer 2
below Layer 1 by clicking on Layer 2 and, with my mouse button still held down,
dragging the layer downward until a highlight bar appears between Layer 1 and the
Background layer.
9
The only layer we can�t move in the Layers panel is the Background layer. We also
can�t move other layers below the Background layer. All other layers can be
dragged above or below other layers as needed.

Deleting A Layer
To delete a layer, simply click on it and, with your mouse button still held down,
drag it down onto the Trash Binicon at the bottom of the Layers panel. Release
your mouse button when you�re over the icon.

The Layer Visibility Icon
If I want to see the original photo again in the document, I can simply turn the
blurred layer off by clicking on its layer visibility icon. When the little eyeball is
visible in the box, it means the layer is visible in the document.

Adding Fill Or Adjustment Layers
To the right of the Layer Mask icon at the bottom of the Layers panel is the New Fill
or Adjustment Layer icon. Clicking on it opens up a list of fill and adjustment layers
we can choose from. Hue/Saturation lets us easily change the colors in an image.
In Photoshop CS4 and CS5, the controls for the adjustment layer appear in the
Adjustments Panel. In CS3 and earlier, they open in a separate dialog box. I�ll
quickly colorize my image by selecting the Colorize option, then I�ll set
the Hue value to 195 for a blue color and I�ll increase the color Saturation value
to 60. Again, don�t worry if anything I�m doing here seems foreign to you.

Changing A Layer�s Blend Mode
The Layers panel is also where we can change a layer�s blend mode, which
changes how the layer blends in with the layer(s) below it in the document. The
blend mode option is found in the top left corner of the Layers panel directly below
its name tab. It doesn�t actually say �Blend Mode� anywhere, but it�s the box that
says �Normal� in it by default. To select a different blend mode, click on the word
�Normal� (or whatever other blend mode happens to be selected at the time), then
choose a different blend mode from the list that appears.

The Opacity And Fill Options
We can control a layer�s level of transparency from the Layers panel using
the Opacity option directly across from the blend mode option. An opacity value of
100% (the default value) means we can�t see through the layer at all, but the more
we lower the opacity value, the more the layer(s) below it will show through in the
document.

Layer Styles
Layer styles are easy ways to add lots of different effects to layers, including drop
shadows, strokes, glows, and more!
Locking Layers
Finally, the Layers panel also gives us a few different ways that we can lock certain
aspects of a layer. For example, if part of a layer is transparent, we can lock the
transparent pixels so that we�re only affecting the actual contents (the image
pixels) on the layer. Or we can lock the image pixels. We can lock the position of
the layer so we can�t accidentally move it around inside the document. There�s four
lock options to choose from, each represented by a small icon, and they�re located
just below the blend mode option. From left to right, we have Lock Transparent
Pixels, Lock Image Pixels, Lock Position, and Lock All. If any or all of these options
are selected, you�ll see a small lock icon appear on the far right of the locked layer.

_________________________________________________________________________________

The Coffee Addict
Image Editing | Tutorials

A site dedicated to
students who are having
a hard time creating
projects and needs
helps for image editing