About Layers: Layers allow you to work on one element of an image without disturbing the others. Think of layers as sheets of acetate stacked one on top of the other. You can see through transparent areas of a layer to the layers below. You can change the composition of an image by changing the order and attributes of layers. In addition, special features such as adjustment layers, fill layers, and layer styles let you create sophisticated effects. About the Layers Palette: The Layers palette lists all layers, groups, and layer effects in an image. You can use the Layers palette to show and hide layers, create new layers, and work with groups of layers. You can access additional commands and options in the Layers palette menu. Layers Palette Menu Group Active Layer Layer Expand/Collapse Layer Effects Layer Effect Layer Thumbnail Display the Layers Palette: Choose Window > Layers. Press F7 on the keyboard. Change the Size of Layer Thumbnails: 1. From the Layers Palette menu, choose Palette Options. 2. Select a thumbnail size. 3. (Optional) Rightclick on the thumbnail. NOTE: Turn off thumbnails (No Thumbnails) to improve performance and save monitor space. Revised 12/2006 Janet W Lee jwlee@lmu.edu x8-7771 Page 1 of 13
Layer Bounds vs. Document Bounds: Layer bounds option displays the actual content of the layer. This option allows you to view the contents easily. Document bounds option displays the document size of the layer, including the transparent background. Right-click on the blank area below the layer and click on the option; or Click on the Palette menu, under the Thumbnail Contents, select the option that you want. Create a New Layer with the Same Effects as an Existing Layer: 1. Select the existing layer in the Layers palette. 2. Drag the layer to the New Layer button at the bottom of the Layers palette. 3. The newly created layer contains all the effects of the existing one. Create a New Layer without Any Effects: A new layer appears either above the selected layer the Layers palette. Do one of the following: Click the New Layer button in the Layers palette. From the menu bar, choose Layer > New > Layer. On the keyboard, press Shift + Ctrl + N. From the Layers Palette menu, choose New Layer. Set layer options, and click OK Name or Rename a Layer: As you add layers to an image, it s helpful to give them names that reflect their content. Descriptive names make layers easy to identify in the palette. Do one of the following: Double-click the layer name in the Layers palette, and enter a new name. Press Alt (Windows) or Option (Mac OS), and double-click the layer (not its name or thumbnail) in the Layers palette. Enter a new name in the Name text box, and click OK. Select a layer. From the Layers menu, choose Layer Properties. Enter a new name in the Name text box, and click OK. Right-click on a layer, select Layer Properties. Enter a new name in the Name text box and click OK. Revised 12/2006 Janet W Lee jwlee@lmu.edu x8-7771 Page 2 of 13
About Selecting Layers: You can select one or more layers to work on them. For some activities, such as painting or making color and tone adjustments, you can work on only one layer at a time. A single selected layer is called the active layer. The name of the active layer appears in the title bar of the document window. For other activities, such as moving, aligning, transforming, or applying styles from the Styles palette, you can select and work on multiple layers at a time. You can select layers in the Layers palette or with the Move tool. You can also link layers. Unlike multiple layers selected at the same time, linked layers stay linked when you change the selection in the Layers palette. See To link and unlink layers. Select Layers in the Layers Palette: 1. To select a single layer, click a layer in the Layers palette. 2. To select multiple contiguous layers, click the first layer and then Shift-click the last layer. 3. To select multiple noncontiguous layers, Ctrl-click (Windows) or Command-click (Mac OS) them in the Layers palette. 4. To select all layers, choose Select > All Layers. 5. To select all layers of a similar type (for example all type layers), choose Select > Select Similar Layers. 6. To have no layer selected, click in the Layers palette below the background or bottom layer, or choose Select > Deselect Layers. Assign a Color to a Layer: Color-coding layers and groups helps you locate related layers in the Layers palette. 1. Select a layer. 2. From the Layers menu or the Layers palette menu, choose Layer Properties. 3. Choose a color from the Color pop up menu. 4. Click OK. Delete a Layer: Deleting layers that you no longer need reduces the size of your image file. 1. Select one or more layers in the Layers palette. 2. Do one of the following: To delete with a confirmation message, click the Delete icon. Alternatively, choose Layers > Delete > Layer; or Delete Layer from the Layers palette menu; or right-click on the layers and select Delete Layer. To delete without confirmation, drag it to the Delete icon or Alt-click (Windows) or Option-click (Mac OS) the Delete icon. Merge Layers: 1. Make sure that the layers you want to merge are visible. 2. Select the layers you want to merge. 3. Choose Layer > Merge Layers; or right-click on the layer and select Merge Layers. NOTE: You can merge two adjacent layers by selecting the top item and then choosing Layer > Merge Down. Revised 12/2006 Janet W Lee jwlee@lmu.edu x8-7771 Page 3 of 13
Merge Visible Layers: From the Layers palette, choose Merge Visible; or From the Layers menu, choose Merge Visible. Flatten All Layers: Flattening reduces file size by merging all visible layers into the background and discarding hidden layers. Any transparent areas that remain are filled with white. 1. Make sure that all the layers you want to keep are visible. 2. Choose Layer > Flatten Image, or choose Flatten Image from the Layers palette menu. NOTE: Save a copy of your file with all layers intact if you want to edit the original image after the conversion. Show or Hide a Layer: Do one of the following: In the Layers palette, click the eye icon next to a layer to hide its content in the document window. Click in the column again to redisplay the content. Alt-click (Windows) or Option-click (Mac OS) an eye icon to display only the content for that layer. Photoshop remembers the visibility states of all layers before hiding them. If you don t change the visibility of any other layer, Alt-clicking (Windows) or Option-clicking (Mac OS) in the eye column again restores the original visibility settings. Drag through the eye column to change the visibility of multiple items in the Layers palette. NOTE: Only visible layers are printed. Specify Opacity for a Layer: A layer s opacity determines to what degree it obscures or reveals the layer beneath it. A layer with 1% opacity appears nearly transparent, whereas one with 100% opacity appears completely opaque. You cannot change the opacity of a background layer or a locked layer. You can, however, convert a background layer to a regular layer, which does support transparency. 1. Select a layer in the Layers palette. 2. Do one of the following: In the Layers palette, enter a value in the Opacity text box or drag the Opacity pop-up slider. Choose Layer > Layer Style > Blending Options. Enter a value in the Opacity text box or drag the Opacity pop-up slider. Click on the word Opacity and drag. NOTE: To view blending options for a text layer, choose Layer > Layer Style > Blending Options, or choose Blending Options from the Add A Layer Style button at the bottom of the Layers palette menu. Revised 12/2006 Janet W Lee jwlee@lmu.edu x8-7771 Page 4 of 13
Specify Fill Opacity for a Layer: In addition to setting opacity, which affects any layer styles and blending modes applied to the layer, you can specify a Fill Opacity for layers. Fill opacity affects pixels painted in a layer or shapes drawn on a layer without affecting the opacity of any layer effects that have been applied to the layer. Do one of the following: In the Layers palette, enter a value in the Fill Opacity text box or drag the Fill Opacity pop-up slider. Double-click a layer thumbnail, choose Layer > Layer Style > Blending Options. About Blending Modes: The blending mode specified in the options bar controls how pixels in the image are affected by a painting or editing tool. It s helpful to think in terms of the following colors when visualizing a blending mode s effect: The base color is the original color in the image. The blend color is the color being applied with the painting or editing tool. The result color is the color resulting from the blend. A layer s blending mode determines how its pixels blend with underlying pixels in the image. You can create a variety of special effects using blending modes. Specify a Blending Mode for a Layer: 1. Select a layer in the Layers palette. 2. Choose a blending mode: In the Layers palette, choose an option from the Blend Mode pop-up menu. Choose Layer > Layer Style > Blending Options, and then choose an option from the Blend Mode pop-up menu. 3. Click OK. Revised 12/2006 Janet W Lee jwlee@lmu.edu x8-7771 Page 5 of 13
Create or Edit a Type (Text) Layer: 1. Do one of the following: Select the Horizontal Type tool or the Vertical Type tool. Select the type layer in the Layers palette, or click in the text flow to automatically select a type layer. Warp Type: 1. Select a type layer. 2. Do one of the following: Click the Warp button in the options bar. Choose Layer > Type > Warp Text. Choose Edit > Transform > Warp. 3. Choose a warp style from the Style pop-up menu. 2. Position the insertion point in the text, and do one of the following: Click to set the insertion point. Select one or more characters you want to edit. 3. Enter text as desired. 4. Commit the changes to the type layer. 4. Select the orientation of the warp effect Horizontal or Vertical. 5. If desired, specify values for additional warping options: Bend to specify how much warp is applied to the layer Horizontal Distortion or Vertical Distortion to apply perspective to the warp Use Text as a Mask: 1. Open both files. 2. Type text using the Type tool on the source layer. 3. Deselect the text by clicking on the Move tool. 4. Draw a marquee on the target layer. Click Edit > Copy. 5. Go to the source layer. Click Edit > Paste Into. + = Revised 12/2006 Janet W Lee jwlee@lmu.edu x8-7771 Page 6 of 13
About Background Layer: When you create a new image with a white background or a colored background, the bottommost image in the Layers palette is called Background. An image can have only one background. You cannot change the stacking order of a background, its blending mode, or its opacity. However, you can convert a background to a regular layer. When you create a new image with transparent content, the image does not have a background layer. The bottommost layer is not constrained like the background layer; you can move it anywhere in the Layers palette, and change its opacity and blending mode. You need to convert the background to a regular layer if you want to use transparency in the layer. You cannot create a background by giving a regular layer the name Background you must use the Background From Layer command. Convert the Background Layer: 1. Double-click Background in the Layers palette and type a new name for this layer. Convert a Layer into a Background: 1. Select a layer in the Layers palette. 2. Choose Layer > New > Background From Layer. NOTE: Any transparent pixels in the layer are converted to the background color. Change Transparency Preferences: 1. Choose Edit > Preferences > Transparency & Gamut. 2. Choose a size and color for the transparency checkerboard, or choose None for Grid Size to hide the transparency checkerboard. 3. Select Use Video Alpha to enable Photoshop to send transparency information to your computer s video board. This option requires hardware support make sure that your computer s video board allows images to be overlaid on top of a live video signal. 4. Click OK. About Locking Layers: You can lock layers fully or partially to protect their contents. For instance, you may want to lock a layer fully when you finish with it. You may want to lock a layer partially if it has the correct transparency and styles, but you are still deciding on positioning. When a layer is locked, a lock icon appears to the right of the layer name. The lock icon is solid when the layer is fully locked and hollow when the layer is partially locked. Revised 12/2006 Janet W Lee jwlee@lmu.edu x8-7771 Page 7 of 13
Lock All Properties of a Layer or a Group: 1. Select a layer or group. 2. Click the Lock All option in the Layers palette. NOTE: When a layer in a locked group has individual lock options applied to it, the lock icon is dimmed. Lock Partial Properties of a Layer: 1. Select a layer. 2. Click one or more lock options in the Layers palette. Select one or more lock options: Lock Transparency: Confines editing to the opaque portions of the layer. Lock Image: Prevents modification of the layer s pixels using the painting tools. Lock Position: Prevents the layer s pixels from being moved. NOTE: For type layers, Lock Transparency and Lock Image are selected by default and cannot be deselected. Reorder the Layers: Do one of the following: Drag the layer or group up or down in the Layers palette. Release the mouse button when the highlighted line appears where you want to place the layer or group. To move a layer into a group, drag a layer to the group folder. If the group is closed, the layer is placed at the bottom of the group. Select a layer or group, choose Layer > Arrange, and choose a command from the submenu. If the selected item is in a group, the command applies to the stacking order within the group. If the selected item is not in a group, the command applies to the stacking order within the Layers palette. NOTE: To reverse the order of selected layers, choose Layer > Arrange > Reverse. These options appear dimmed if you do not have at least two layers selected. Display the Edges of Content in a Selected Layer: Choose View > Show > Layer Edges. Display Transform Handles in a Selected Layer: 1. Select the Move tool. 2. In the options bar, select Show Transform Controls. 3. You can resize and rotate layer content using the transform handles. See To transform freely. Revised 12/2006 Janet W Lee jwlee@lmu.edu x8-7771 Page 8 of 13
Rotate a Layer: 1. Select the layer you want to rotate. 2. If anything is currently selected in the image, choose Select > Deselect. 3. Choose Edit > Transform > Rotate. A box defining the boundaries of the layer (called a bounding box) appears. 4. Move the pointer outside of the bounding box (the pointer becomes a curved, two-sided arrow ), and then drag. Press Shift to constrain the rotation to 15 increments. 5. When you re satisfied with the results, press Enter (Windows) or Return (Mac OS), or click the check mark in the options bar. To cancel the rotation, press Esc, or click the Cancel Transform icon on the options bar. Move the Content of Layers: 1. Select the layers containing the objects you want to move. 2. Do one of the following: Select the Move tool in the toolbox. In the document window, drag any object on one of the selected layers. Press an arrow key on the keyboard to nudge the objects by 1 pixel. Hold down Shift and press an arrow key on the keyboard to nudge the objects by 10 pixels. Add an Effect to the Text: 1. Click on Layer from the menu bar and select Layer Style. 2. Select Drop Shadow from the menu. You can change the color or angle of the shadow or make other adjustments in the Layer Style dialog box. 3. In the Layers palette, you can see which effects were used on any layer by clicking the black triangle next to the Layer Style button. 4. The eye icon next to each layer style acts like a toggle. Click it to apply that style or to remove it from that layer. Revised 12/2006 Janet W Lee jwlee@lmu.edu x8-7771 Page 9 of 13
About Document Size: Document Sizes displays information on the amount of data in the image. The number on the left represents the printing size of the image approximately the size of the saved, flattened file in Adobe Photoshop format. The number on the right indicates the file s approximate size including layers and channels. Click on the right-triangle and select Show to see other information of the image. Compress an Image to a Specific File Size: 1. Choose File > Save For Web. 2. Click a tab at the top to select a display option: Optimized, 2-Up, or 4-Up. If you select 4-Up, select the preview you want to optimize. 3. Select Optimize To File Size from the Optimize menu (to the right of the Settings menu). 4. Enter the desired file size. 5. Select a Start With option: 6. Current Settings Uses the current file format. 7. Auto Select GIF/JPEG Automatically selects the format. 8. Select a Use option to specify whether you want to apply the specified file size to current slice only, to each slice in the image, or to all slices. Click OK. About Adjustment Layers: An adjustment layer applies color and tonal adjustments to your image without permanently changing pixel values. For example, rather than making a Levels or Curves adjustment directly on your image, you can create a Levels or Curves adjustment layer. The color and tone adjustments are stored in the adjustment layer and apply to all the layers below it. Adjustment layers provide the following advantages: Nondestructive edits. You can try different settings and re-edit the adjustment layer at any time. You can also reduce the effect of the adjustment by lowering the opacity of the adjustment layer. Reduced loss of image data through combined multiple adjustments. Each time you adjust pixel values directly, you lose some image data. You can use multiple adjustment layers and make small adjustments. Photoshop combines all the adjustments before it applies them to the image. Selective editing. Paint on the adjustment layer s image mask to apply an adjustment to part of an image. Later you can control which parts of the image are adjusted by re-editing the layer mask. You can vary the adjustment by painting on the mask with different tones of gray. Ability to apply adjustments to multiple images. Copy and paste adjustment layers between images to apply the same color and tone adjustments. NOTE: Adjustment layers increase the image s file size, though no more than other layers. If you are working with many layers, you may want to reduce file size by merging the adjustment layers into the pixel content layers. Adjustment layers have many of the same characteristics as other layers. You can adjust their opacity and blending mode, and you can group them to apply the adjustment to specific layers. You can turn their visibility on and off to apply their effect or to preview the effect. Revised 12/2006 Janet W Lee jwlee@lmu.edu x8-7771 Page 10 of 13
Create an Adjustment Layer: Do one of the following: Click the New Adjustment Layer button at the bottom of the Layers palette, and choose a layer type. Choose Layer > New Adjustment Layer, and choose an option from the submenu. Then name the layer, set other layer options, and click OK. About Masks and Alpha Channels: When you select part of an image, the area that is not selected is masked or protected from editing. So, when you create a mask, you isolate and protect areas of an image as you apply color changes, filters, or other effects to the rest of the image. You can also use masks for complex image editing such as gradually applying color or filter effects to an image. In Photoshop, masks are stored in alpha channels. Masks and channels are grayscale images, so you can edit them like any other image. With masks and channels, areas painted black are protected, and areas painted white are editable. Photoshop lets you create masks in the following ways: Quick Mask mode lets you edit any selection as a mask. The advantage of editing your selection as a mask is that you can use almost any Photoshop tool or filter to modify the mask. For example, if you create a rectangular selection with the Marquee tool, you can enter Quick Mask mode and use the Paintbrush tool to expand or decrease the selection, or you can use a filter to distort the edges of the selection. You can also use selection tools, because the quick mask is not a selection. You can also save and load selections you make using Quick Mask mode in alpha channels. Alpha channels let you save and load selections. You can edit alpha channels using any of the editing tools. When a channel is selected in the Channels palette, foreground and background colors appear as grayscale values. Storing selections as alpha channels creates more permanent masks than the temporary masks of Quick Mask mode. You can reuse stored selections or even load them into another image. Revised 12/2006 Janet W Lee jwlee@lmu.edu x8-7771 Page 11 of 13
Create a Layer Mask: 1. Add a new layer above the image that you want to mask. 2. Fill the new layer with color black by pressing Alt + Del keys on the keyboard. This is the mask. 3. Use the Paintbrush tool to draw out the area that you want to reveal the image. 4. Use the Magic Wand tool to select the drawn area. 5. Press the Del key. Create an Alpha Channel: 1. Click on the Channel tab. 2. Click on the New Channel icon. 3. Use the Gradient tool to define a gradient pattern on the new channel. 4. Load the mask by clicking on the eye icon. NOTE: Black indicates hidden area; white indicates seethrough; and grey indicates half-and-half. About Masking Layers: You can use masks to show or hide portions of a layer or protect areas from edits. You can create two types of masks: Layer masks are resolution-dependent bitmap images that are created with the painting or selection tools. Vector masks are resolution independent and are created with a pen or shape tool. In the Layers palette, both the layer and vector masks appear as an additional thumbnail to the right of the layer thumbnail. For the layer mask, this thumbnail represents the grayscale channel that is created when you add the layer mask. The vector mask thumbnail represents a path that clips out the contents of the layer. You can edit a layer mask to add or subtract from the masked region. A layer mask is a grayscale image, so areas you paint in black are hidden, areas you paint in white are visible, and areas you paint in shades of gray appear in various levels of transparency. If you are using a layer mask to hide portions of a layer, you can apply the mask to discard the hidden portions. A vector mask creates a sharp-edged shape on a layer and is useful anytime you want to add a design element with clean, defined edges. After you create a layer with a vector mask, you can apply one or more layer styles to it, edit them if needed, and instantly have a usable button, panel, or other web-design element. Revised 12/2006 Janet W Lee jwlee@lmu.edu x8-7771 Page 12 of 13
Add a Quick Mask: 1. Using any selection tool, select the part of the image you want to change. 2. Click the Quick Mask mode button in the toolbox. A color overlay (similar to a rubylith) covers and protects the area outside the selection. Selected areas are left unprotected by this mask. By default, Quick Mask mode colors the protected area using a red, 50% opaque overlay. 3. To edit the mask, select a painting tool from the toolbox. The swatches in the toolbox automatically become black and white. 4. Paint with white to select more of an image (the color overlay is removed from areas painted with white). To deselect areas, paint over them with black (the color overlay covers areas painted with black). Painting with gray or another color creates a semitransparent area, useful for feathering or antialiased effects. (Semitransparent areas may not appear to be selected when you exit Quick Mask Mode, but they are.) 5. Click the Standard Mode button in the toolbox to turn off the quick mask and return to your original image. A selection border now surrounds the unprotected area of the quick mask. 6. Apply the desired changes to the image. Changes affect only the selected area. 7. Choose Select > Deselect to deselect the selection, or save the selection by choosing Select > Save Selection. Change Quick Mask Options: 1. Double-click the Quick Mask Mode button in the toolbox. 2. Choose from the following display options: Masked Areas Sets masked areas to black (opaque) and selected areas to white (transparent). Selected Areas Sets masked areas to white (transparent) and selected areas to black (opaque). To choose a new mask color, click the color box, and choose a new color. Create a Photomerge Composition: 1. Choose File > Automate > Photomerge. 2. In the Photomerge dialog box, choose an option from the Use pop-up menu: Files, Folders, Open Files. 3. Click the Browse button to navigate to the source files or folder you want to use to create the Photomerge composition. 4. When you ve added all the source files, click OK to create the Photomerge composition. To change the opacity, enter a value between 0% and 100%. NOTE: Both the color and opacity settings affect only the appearance of the mask and have no effect on how underlying areas are protected. Revised 12/2006 Janet W Lee jwlee@lmu.edu x8-7771 Page 13 of 13