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Powerful Photoshop Layers: Working with Layers
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Photoshop offers very powerful layer capabilities, which can cause
confusion. It is also quite common to find many who fail to use layer
functions that would help to speed their work.
The basic operation of a raster program depends on a selected layer.
You do not have to build multiple layers, but you do need at least one
layer. Pasting an item or creating text in Photoshop automatically creates
a new layer. For any other operation, you will have to manually add
a layer before drawing. If you do not add a layer, the object will be
drawn on the currently selected layer and drawn objects will merge together
automatically.
Create a new layer
There are several ways to create a new layer. Select Layer>New>Layer
from the Main Menu or use SHIFT+CTRL (Command) + L. I find I most often
use the Layers palette for layers operations. With the Layer tab active,
click on the side arrow to activate the pop out menu. Click on New Layer.
The New Layer window will appear. I advise that you type in a name for
your layer, since working with even a few layers will become confusing.
Choose a name that you will be able to identify, even if you return
to the document months later. Click OK and your new layer will appear
immediately above the layer that was selected when you created the new
layer.
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You can also duplicate a layer, which will copy the selected area and
create a new layer to place the copy. Select the layer you wish to copy.
Activate the side pop out menu and choose Duplicate Layer. Windows users
can also right click on a layer and choose Duplicate Layer from the
flyout menu. You will be presented with the Layers Option window, and
can rename the copied layer from the Photoshop default, which is the
name of the current layer with "copy" added.
When the copy is created, it is placed immediately on top of the original
layer, which makes it seem as if nothing has happened. Use the Move
tool to move the layer and you will see the new layer as well as the
original layer. See the sample at the left which shows the original
layer, with the copied layer listed directly above in the Layers Palette.
The Move tool was used to move the the copied layer to the right.
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The triangle area was selected on the layer labeled
"Red triangle." When Layer via Cut was applied, the selected
area was moved to a new layer with a default name. It is best to rename
generic layer names to meaningful names to save much time as the image
is created.
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Create a layer from a selection
You may wish to copy only a portion of a layer, or perhaps you would
prefer that one area of a layer was on its own layer. You can copy or
cut any selection to a new layer easily. Activate the layer (click on
it) that contains the information you wish to duplicate or move to a
new layer and select the area you would like to work with. Choose Layer>New>Layer
via Copy or Layer via Cut from the main menu. For a quicker method,
right click (Windows) or Command click (Mac) on the layer containing
the selected area, and choose the Layer via Copy or Layer via Cut from
the flyout menu. The selected area will be duplicated to a new layer
if you chose to copy, or moved if you chose the cut option.
I often use the layer via copy or duplicate layer functions when creating
navigation elements. Careful naming as you create repeating elements
is essential for efficient production.
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Rename a layer
If you do not name a layer as you create it, or if you are not presented
with the choice to assign a name to a layer, you can easily rename any
layer. Double click on the layer in the Layers palette and type a new
name into the Name area of the Layer Options window. This window is
also available through a right click (Command click) or the side flyout
menu.
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Change Layer Position
Solid areas in layers will hide the layers below in the stacking order.
Quite often, you will find that you need to change the order of the
layers. This is a very simple operation in Photoshop. Simply click and
drag the layer to the position you desire. As you are dragging, a clenched
hand will appear. Release the mouse when the layer is in the position
you require.
Share layers between documents
You can also drag a layer from one Photoshop document to another. Have
both documents open – the one containing the layer you wish to
copy, and the document that will receive the layer. Click and drag the
layer from the original document to the document where you would like
to add the layer. The layer will appear in the new document exactly
as it was in the original document, but it will also remain in the original
location.
I use this feature a lot for creating client comps, when I am using
much of the same information for more than one version of the same site.
Keep it in mind as you design your layers and you can save a lot of
time, plus provide consistency between versions.
Carry on to take a look at some of the more advanced tools to work
with Photoshop layers.
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Next page
Powerful Photoshop Layers Tutorial Index
Powerful Photoshop Layers Start
Working with Layers
Linking and Merging Layers
Layer Effects Basics
Layer Effects Settings
Super Power Layer Tools
  
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