Photoshop Elements /
Layers / 2 - All About Layers
Adjustment layers are special layers.
They're special for two reasons.
• They don't contain any pixels.
• They "broadcast" changes to other layers.
Two that you'll use often are the Levels adjustment layer and
the Hue/Saturation adjustment layer.
For example, a Levels adjustment layer can be used to transmit
a contrast change to the layer containing your photograph.
Similarly, a Hue/Saturation can be used to transmit a color change.
Conveniently, you can return to an adjustment, and refine your
changes at any time.
Click on the thumbnail of the layer.
The thumbnail for the window for the adjustment layer is the
icon on the left.
The white box on the right is the mask thumbnail.
When a layer is active, you can make changes to the layer.
A layer becomes active when you click the layer, and it becomes
highlighted in blue.
To delete a layer, click the layer where it's blue, hold, and
drag it onto the Trash icon at the top of the Layers palette.
Mac
As mentioned above, drag the layer onto the trash icon at the
top of the Layers palette.
Don't drag it down to the Trash icon in the Dock.
Of the Thumbnail of the
Layers
You can change the size of the thumbnail in the Layers palette.
Click More at the top of the palette, and go to Palette options.
You can hide a layer by clicking on the Eye icon for the layer.
This is useful when you want to compare how a photograph looks
with and without the effect of a layer.
You can also drag through the Eye icon column to change the visibility
of many layers at the same time.
To display just one layer, press and hold Alt, and click the
Eye icon for the layer.
All of the other layers will become hidden.
To reverse the action, press and hold Alt, and click the Eye
icon for the layer.
If you save your photograph as a JPEG, the layers are not saved.
To save the layers, save the photograph using the Photoshop file
format called PSD.
This is done by default.
Then, if you need a JPEG, save the photograph again as a JPEG.
You can change the opacity of a layer.
As you reduce the opacity from 100%, the layer becomes increasingly
translucent.
The layers below will be seen through the layer with reduced
opacity.
Opacity has two main uses:
1) Blending layers together
2) Reducing an effect
For example, let's say you used a Hue/Saturation adjustment layer
to increase the saturation of a color.
You can reduce this effect by lowering the opacity of the Hue/Saturation
adjustment layer.
Linking v. Grouping Layers
Linking
When you link layers together, they can do three things simultaneously.
1 - Moved in the Layers Palette
Linked layers can be moved as a group in the Layers palette.
Click one of the linked layers, hold, and drag.
2 - Move Tool
You can reposition the contents of linked layers simultaneously
with the Move tool.
3 - Rotate & Transform Commands
You can use the rotate and the various transform commands simultaneously
on the contents of linked layers.
Go to
Free Transform Command.
How to Link Layers
To link layers, press Ctrl and click each layer.
Then, click the chain icon at the top of the Layers palette,
to the right of the Delete layer icon (trash can).
To unlink, select one of the linked layers and click the chain
icon at the top of the Layers palette.
When you group layers together, the grouped layers influence
each other, and no other layers.
An adjustment layer affects all of the layers below.
Let's say there's a Levels adjustment layer.
And, there are three layers below it: Layer X, Layer Y, and Layer
Z.
The Levels adjustment layer is affecting Layers X, Y, and Z.
By grouping the Levels adjustment layer with Layer X, the affect
of the adjustment layer is confined to Layer X.
Layers Y and Z are no longer affected by the Levels adjustment
layer.
How to Group & Ungroup Layers
Do one of the following.
Method #1
Group
1) Select the top layer.
2) Press Ctrl + g.
Ungroup
1) Select the top layer.
2) Press Shift + Ctrl + g.
Method #2
Group
1) Press and hold Alt.
2) Place the cursor between the top layer and the layer below.
3) Click when the cursor changes to the grouping icon (double
circles).
Ungroup
1) Press Alt.
2) Place the cursor between the grouped layers.
3) Click when the cursor changes to the grouping icon (double
circles).
Method #3
Group
1) Select the top layer.
2) Go to Layer > Group with Previous.
Ungroup
1) Select the top layer.
2) Go to Layer > Ungroup.
Tiny Black Arrow
A tiny black arrow appears in the top layer when its grouped
with the layer below.
Clipping Masks
For more about complex grouping, go to
Layer Groups & Clipping Masks.
When you merge layers, they're combined.
For example, if you're doing a collage of a landscape, you could
merge all of the layers that contain clouds.
Merging layers reduces the size of the file, which will speed
up subsequent editing actions.
Be cautious, because the merged layers are permanently merged
once you close the photograph.
There are several ways to merge layers.
Method #1
Highlight the layers by pressing Ctrl and clicking on each one,
and then go to Layer > Merge or press Ctrl + e.
Method #2
Deselect the Eye icon on the layers you don't want to merge.
Then, go to Layer > Merge Visible or press Ctrl + Shift + e.
(Stamp Visible
or Claw Command)
Go to
Composite Layer.
If you use this command, all of the layers will be merged.
Like merging layers, flattening is permanent once you close the
file.
You may need to flatten the layers before printing the photograph,
for example.
Save the photograph under a different name, before flattening,
to have both flattened and unflattened versions.
Go to Layer > Flatten.
If a layer contains text or shapes, you'll be prompted to simplify
the layer when merging the layer with others.
Once simplified, you can't edit the text or shape.
Moving a Layer to Another Photograph
If you haven't already done so, go to
Move a Layer.
