A layer is the basic unit of drawing in Photoshop. All actions in this program are based on working with layers that overlap each other, creating a complex image.
Why are layers needed?
Layers are needed so that you can edit one part of an image without affecting other parts.
Imagine a simple picture: the sky, with a cloud on it, from behind which the sun peeks out. Each of these elements is located on a separate layer in Photoshop. The sky is the background, the sun is layered onto it (middle layer), and it, in turn, is covered by the front layer - the cloud.
Thanks to layers, you can take the sky separately and change its color. For example, make it darker, showing evening. You can take the sun and move it so that the cloud is no longer above it. All these operations can be performed in just a few clicks.
If there were no layers, to change the color of the sky you would first have to painstakingly select it in the drawing, to move the cloud you would also have to select it, and with the sun there would be even more problems, since it would have to be at least completed. And it’s not a fact that, by changing the color of the sky, you wouldn’t catch the edge of the cloud, or erase it completely by adding the sun.
In general, layers eliminate a lot of hassle, allowing you to work with parts of complex images efficiently and safely.
Working with layers
You can view and manage document layers (move, delete, create new ones) from a special palette, which is usually located in the lower right corner of the screen.
If you don’t have such a panel, turn it on by running the command Window -> Layers.
The first layer is created automatically along with the document, the rest are also created automatically during certain actions (for example, if you try to draw a shape, you will see that a new layer will be created for it). Sometimes you will add new layers manually. Ideally, each object should be located on a separate layer.
The button is responsible for creating a layer, and the button for deleting it. In general, you can perform a huge number of actions with layers: grouping, duplicating, changing colors, adjusting transparency, filtering, moving, etc., but in this article we will look at only part of the capabilities necessary to get started.
The layer above which this moment work in progress, highlighted in blue. This layer is called active. To activate a layer, just click on it with the mouse button.
1. Create new document with a white background.
2. Create a new layer by clicking the icon.
3. Rename the layer. To do this, double-click on the name, enter a name (for example, Top Layer) and either press Enter, or simply click in a free area of the screen.
The layer line consists of three elements: an icon with a drawn eye, a thumbnail of the layer, and its name. The eye means the layer is visible, clicking on the icon will hide the layer. The gray and white squares of the miniature, arranged in a checkerboard pattern, indicate its transparency.
4. Fill the layer with any color, gradient or pattern - select the Fill tool, select a color and click on the canvas (we talked about filling in the previous lesson).
5. Make the active layer invisible - turn it off by clicking on the icon with the eye. Reappeared on the canvas White background, because the layer on top of it is now disabled.
6. Make the layer visible again by clicking on the eye icon again.
Work with text
The group tools are responsible for adding text in Photoshop. Click on the icon located on the tool palette right click mouse or left-click twice to see the tools.
1. From the palette, select the Horizontal Text tool.
2. Click anywhere on the canvas and enter any text.
3. Pay attention to the options panel. Here you can set the direction (the inscription will be horizontal or vertical), font, style, size, alignment, color and text deformation.
Task: Learn to use layers
What we have: 10 minutes of free time
Layers are an integral and extremely important part of Photoshop, and knowing how to use them allows you to achieve truly amazing results.
With the help of this article, in 10 minutes you will be able to understand the essence of layers and immediately test your knowledge in practice.
For clarity, I suggest downloading and “taking apart” this picture:
In the downloaded archive you will find the file “senses.psd” - open it in Photoshop and read on.
Open picture:
Now look at Layers panel:
And if you can’t find it, check if it’s enabled:
So, in the layers panel we see 4 lines: fon, gory, serdechko And text.
These are the 4 Layers that make up the image. Try clicking on the “eye” next to the layer text:
Please note that the inscription “towards feelings” will disappear from the picture.
I think that you have already guessed what layers are needed for. To solidify your guesses, take a look at the following illustration:
As you can see, each element of the picture is on its own layer. This provides an invaluable opportunity to change image details individually, which is much more convenient than editing the entire image.
Now take a look at the bottom of the Layers panel:
Here you need to know only 2 buttons:
Create a New Layer
And Delete Layer, which is only available when the layer is selected:
Now create a new layer (button Create a New Layer) and select Brush:
Drag the brush over the image a couple of times:
Then move the newly created layer below gory:
Now the Mountains, Heart and Lettering are above the drawn strokes and overlap them.
After entering the name, press the Enter key and the layer will be renamed.
Now delete it using the button Delete Layer:
And again in front of you is the original image from which it all began.
Just like that, in 10 minutes (well, maybe 20), you could:
1. Understand what a Layer is
2. Hide and show the selected layer again
4. Move it
5. Rename
6. And delete
Success in creative work!
Working with layers in Adobe Photoshop
Sofya Skrylina, teacher of information technology at the Academy of Vocational Education (St. Petersburg)
Layers are perhaps the most essential tool for working with images in Photoshop, allowing you to break an image into parts and work with each of them independently of the rest. A layer can be compared to a transparent film placed over an image. Moreover, the transparency of the film is absolute: no number of layers will distort the image located on the lowest one. In this article, we will look at ways to split an image into layers, and also get acquainted with the types of layers and the features of their use.
Creating a Layer
A palette is used to work with image layers Layers(Layers). To create a blank layer, click on the blank sheet button. In this case, the layer will be created above the original one. If you click on the same button while holding down the Ctrl key, a layer will be created under the original layer (Fig. 1).
Copying images to layers
There are several ways to place an image on another image's layer.
Using a tool Moving
You first need to place the tabs of both documents next to each other by selecting the mode Place everything vertically(Tile All Vertically) or Arrange everything in a grid(Tile All in Grid). Both commands are in the menu Window(Window) -> Arrange(Arrange). And then the instrument Moving(Move) drag an image from one window to another. To move a fragment, it must first be selected (Fig. 2).
As a result of these actions in the palette Layers(Layers) a new layer will be automatically added on which the copied fragment will be located.
Paste via clipboard
To create a layer, you can use the clipboard into which the image or part of it is placed by executing the command Editing(Edit) -> Copy(Copy) or the key combination Ctrl+C (in Mac OS - Command+C). But to paste a fragment from the clipboard, a whole set of commands is used, depending on what result you want to get.
Team Insert
This command returns an image from the clipboard to a new document layer, automatically aligning it to the center of the canvas. The command is in the menu Editing(Edit) and has the keyboard equivalent of Ctrl+V (in Mac OS - Command+V).
Paste Special Commands
Paste special uses three commands located in the menu: Editing(Edit) -> Special insert (Paste Special).
Team Paste instead(Paste in Place) allows you to paste into the relative area of the image from which it was copied. In other words, if in the original document a fragment of an image is in the left corner, then when inserted it will be placed in the same corner of the target document.
So, in Fig. 3 A mouse image Magic Mouse is located in the lower left corner of the document. If you select it, copy it to the clipboard, and then open another document and paste using the command Paste instead(Paste in Place), the image will be placed in the lower left corner open document. In Fig. 3 b the result of the insertion is presented. In the palette Layers(Layers) a new layer with a mouse image was automatically added (Fig. 3 V).
Team Insert Paste into allows you to paste the contents of the clipboard into a selected area on the image. So, in Fig. 4 A The following is an image of water copied to the clipboard. And in Fig. 4 b this image is pasted into the selected area of the glass part.
Pay attention to the mask that appears in the row of the layer with the image of water, which is automatically created to hide parts that extend beyond the selection - they are indicated in black (Fig. 4 V). This is a layer mask, it allows you to save the entire image on the layer without removing hidden parts.
Team Paste outside(Paste Outside) pastes the image from the buffer around the selected area, cutting off everything that falls into it. Therefore, in order to obtain the collage presented in Fig. 5, you must first select the image of the statue, and then paste a photo of the landscape from the clipboard using the command Paste outside(Paste Outside).
Rice. 5. Result of the Paste Outside command applied to the selected area of the statue
Using Commands Cut to new layer And Copy to new layer
These commands are used to place a portion of an image on a new layer. You need to select a fragment, and then right-click inside the selection and from context menu select a team Copy to new layer(Layer via Copy) or Cut to new layer(Layer via Cut) - depending on whether you want to leave the original fragment on the original layer or not. In Fig. 6 A command selection shown Copy to new layer(Layer via Copy), and fig. 6 b shows the result of running this command. As a result of its execution, nothing seems to happen if you do not pay attention to the palette Layers(Layers). But the palette clearly shows us that the selected object is placed on a new transparent layer, which is located on upper level, and the original background layer remains unchanged.
Comment
Both commands will be contained in the context menu list only if one of the selection tools is active!
Both commands have keyboard equivalents. To copy, use the key combination Ctrl+J (in Mac OS - Command+J), and for cutting - Shift+Ctrl+J (in Mac OS - Shift+Command+J).
Using the command Place
Team Place(Place) is in the menu File(File) and is intended for embedding on a layer vector images, such as logos, diagrams, diagrams, etc., which were created in vector graphic editor. This command allows you to preserve the vector nature of the image, to which you can apply transformation commands without reducing its quality. Such objects are called smart objects; working with them was discussed in CompuArt No. 6’2012.
The layer on which the smart object is placed is indicated by an icon (Fig. 7), which tells you that you are working with a vector object.
Quickly place multiple images in one document
If you need to collect several photos in one document, you can use the command File(File) -> Scenarios(Scripts) ->→ Load files onto stack(Load Files into Stack). As a result, a dialog box appears in which you need to select image files by first clicking the button Review(Browse). Then the images of all selected files will be placed on separate layers of the new document.
Layer Masks
A mask is a halftone or full-color image that hides parts of the layer on which it is applied. For halftone masks, black, white, and gray represent the transparency of the mask. Black color indicates opaque areas of the mask (the layer is not visible through them); white - completely transparent areas of the mask, and through the gray layer it is partially visible. This mask placed on top of a layer is called a layer mask. Please note that these designations are relative. If necessary, colors can be swapped. Then opaque areas will be shown in white, transparent areas in black. However, in order not to get confused with the notation yourself, it is better not to change the default.
Attention!
The mask is not applied to the background layer. Before creating a layer mask, you need to convert the background layer to a normal layer.
Photoshop allows you to work with several types of masks: raster, vector and clipping.
Raster layer masks
Raster masks are created based on the selected area. It is necessary to select a fragment of the image, then at the bottom of the palette Layers(Layers) click the add mask button. As a result, the part of the layer that is not included in the selection area will be hidden behind the mask (Fig. 8).
Once you create a layer mask in the palette Layers(Layers), its thumbnail will be displayed not only on the layer, but also in the palettes Channels(Channels) and Properties(Properties). The Properties palette provides access to additional settings mask parameters: density, feathering, edge refinement and mask color inversion. Moreover, the properties palette allows you to work not only with raster masks, which are created based on a selection, but also with vector masks, created based on a vector path.
Vector layer masks
Creating a vector mask should begin by creating a path with any vector tool, for example Free figure(Custom Shape). Moreover, you should draw the figure in the mode Circuit(Path)! After creating a vector shape, you must click the Mask button on the properties panel (Fig. 9).
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Besides using the button Mask (Mask), you can, as in the case of a raster mask, click on the add mask button in the palette Layers (Layers), but with the Ctrl key pressed (in Mac OS - Command)!
Further customization of the mask occurs in the palette Properties(Properties) - fig. 10.
If desired, you can outline the outline, for example, with a brush, and place another layer under the layer with the mask (Fig. 11).
Clipping Masks
Unlike layer masks, a clipping mask is created not from a selection or vector path, but from an image on the layer. Then all layers above the clipping mask will be masked by this image. To create a clipping mask, you can run the command Create Clipping Mask(Create Clipping Mask) from the palette menu Layers(Layers) or press the key combination Alt+Ctrl+G (in Mac OS - Option+Command+G). You can also hover your mouse pointer with the Alt key pressed (in Mac OS Option) over the border of two layers, and when the pointer changes to a square with a curved arrow, click the mouse. In either case, a clipping group consisting of two layers will be created. The image of the bottom layer of this pair will turn into a clipping mask, and a designation in the form of a curved arrow will appear on the top layer. The bottom layer is also called the base layer of the clipping group. So, in Fig. Image 12 of the dress is a clipping mask for the top layer with a photo of yellow roses.
Types of layers
The most common and frequently used are ordinary layers, with which you can do almost anything: change the blending mode, apply layer effects to them, various blocking options, change the fill and opacity, make corrections, pass images through filters, etc. But we shouldn’t forget about other types of layers that make your work with Photoshop much more convenient.
Background
The background layer has special properties. This is the only layer that cannot contain transparent pixels and is always located below other layers. If we compare ordinary layers to transparent films with images printed on them, then the background layer is the sheet of paper underlying them.
For the background layer, you cannot change the blending mode, opacity, or fill. No layer effects can be applied to it (while the layer is locked), and in addition, it cannot be moved with the tool Moving(Move).
All images you take with your camera or scan have a single background layer.
To access the properties of the background layer, you must convert it to a regular layer. Enough for this in the palette Layers(Layers) produce according to its line double click and click OK in the automatically opened window New Layer(New Layer). Then the lock icon will disappear from the layer row, and its name will change to Layer 0 provided that you have not specified a different name in the New Layer window.
For inverse conversion regular layer to the background you need to run the command Layers Layer → New(New) → Convert to Back(Background From Layer).
Corrective
Adjustment layers are very convenient for experimenting with tonal and color correction Images. There are many tools, and it is certainly unknown which one will cope better in a given situation. Therefore, you can apply several correction options to an image, placing them on different adjustment layers, and then select the optimal result. You can always hide or delete an adjustment layer with an undesired result without making any changes to the original image.
To create an adjustment layer, use the button in the form of a black and white circle on the palette Layers(Layers), which expands a list containing the names of corrections: Levels(Levels), Curves(Curves) Color balance(Color Balance), etc. The result is a palette Properties(Properties), in which the layer parameters are configured (Fig. 13).
By default, adjustment layers have masks that are associated with them. If you do not make any selection before creating an adjustment layer, the adjustment will be applied to the entire underlying layer. The mask in this case will be white. If you first select a fragment, a mask will be applied to the adjustment layer, which will allow you to correct parts of the underlying layer (Fig. 14).
Rice. 14. An example of using an adjustment layer. On the left is the original image.
An adjustment layer affects all layers underneath it. If you want to make adjustments to only one underlying layer without affecting the others, then you need to create a clipping group from the adjustment layer and the image being adjusted. The base layer should be the image layer.
Pouring
To apply color, gradient, or pattern to an object, you can use three layer effects: Color overlay(Color Overlay) Gradient overlay(Gradient Overlay) or Pattern overlay(Pattern Overlay). For these purposes, you can also select the object to be repainted, create a new layer, paint the selection area with a uniform color, gradient or pattern, and then determine the blending mode that is most suitable for this case.
But you can do it differently: to repaint the object, create a fill layer. Like the adjustment layer, this layer is created with a transparent mask, by editing which you can protect the repainted object from the influence of the filling layer (Fig. 15).
Rice. 15. An example of using fill layers to repaint an object and apply texture. On the left is the original image.
To create a fill layer, you need to select the layer with the object to be repainted, and then click on the button. For the fill layer, the first three items in the drop-down list are applied.
Text
Four tools are used to add captions to an image: Horizontal text(Horizontal Type), Vertical text(Vertical Type) Horizontal text mask(Horizontal Type Mask) and Vertical text mask(Vertical Type Mask). But you can get by with just one tool. Horizontal text(Horizontal Type), because you can easily get vertical text from horizontal text by simply clicking a button on the tool’s property bar. And from the inscription, you can instantly go to the selection by clicking on the text layer thumbnail while pressing the Ctrl key (in Mac OS - Command).
After entering the text, you must confirm your entry, which can be done in several ways:
To edit a text layer you need to select a tool Horizontal text(Horizontal Type) and just click inside the label. The text layer is automatically activated, and an input cursor will appear inside the inscription (Fig. 16 A). There is another way to enter editing mode. To do this, just double-click on the text layer thumbnail in the palette Layers(Layers). In this case, the text will be highlighted, as in text editor(Fig. 16 b).
Rice. 16. Examples of entering text editing mode: a - click on the inscription in the document window with the Horizontal Text tool active; b - double-click on the text layer thumbnail in the Layers palette
Attention!
Double-click exactly on the thumbnail of the text layer. Otherwise, you will open the styles window or enter renaming mode.
In addition to short text, Photoshop allows you to work with block text consisting of several paragraphs. In addition, text can be entered inside a closed vector shape or path (Fig. 17).
The article was prepared based on materials from the book “Photoshop CS6. The most necessary" by Sofia Skrylina: http://www.bhv.ru/books/book.php?id=190413.
Working with layers
Many people have questions about how to drag a picture, how to move from layer to layer, or how to make a layer smaller, and so on...
Therefore, I decided to make a short tutorial that will describe in detail how to work with layers. I hope that after this many people will have no more difficulties and questions...
In this lesson, using the example of creating an original picture, we will consider questions such as:
1. Drag and drop a picture from one document to another.
2. Transformation.
3. Layer blending modes.
4. Transition through layers.
5. Erase a layer.
6. Selection along the contour.
7. Little tricks.
Create a new document (for example 450*300px). And fill it with black.
Now open any image and place it next to our document. Now ] select the Move tool (movement), then click on the picture that we want to drag. Left-click on the picture and drag (without releasing the mouse button!) to the desired document.
2. Transformation
The picture is not always the size we need, so there is a transformation (Ctrl+t). However, you also need to know how to use it!
Before proceeding to the transformation, check whether you are on the layer that you need to reduce. Yes - yes, exactly reduce it! Try not to enlarge the image using transformation, as you will lose the quality of the image!
After you are sure that everything is set correctly, press Ctrl+t. 8 nodes will appear along the contour of the picture. In order to make the image smaller (without distortion), you need to hold down the Shift key and drag any corner node (circled in red).
You can also use transformation rotate the picture. We knock out any corner node and move the mouse cursor to it. An arrow with two directions will appear. Now hold down the left mouse button and rotate clockwise or counterclockwise (depending on which node you select).
3. Layer blending modes
For each layer, you can set your own blending mode, which will help highlight your work and add zest using different combinations of some layers.
Options for the layer are selected in the top panel of the layers tab.
4. Transition through layers
To move through layers, just left-click on the gray field of the layer (which you need) in the layers palette.
As in my case... I see that my picture turns out very dark. So I go to the layer below and fill it with a gradient.
5. Erase a layer
Since I filled it with a gradient in a circle, I'm now not tired of the sharp edges of the image layer, so I want to erase it a little. To do this, I again go to the top layer, select the eraser tool, and then set the settings for it: soft brush with a size of 100px.
And I erase unnecessary parts of the picture.
6. Selection along the contour.
Now we need a picture without a background
(you can cut it yourself or download a scrap set).
We drag it onto our document and install it anywhere (using transformation if necessary).
Now let's create a new layer. Set it below the Vocaloid_-_Yokune_Ruko layer (in order to move the position of layers, you need to click on the layer you want to drag, hold down the left mouse button and drag it to the desired location).
Now, staying on the new layer, hold down Ctrl and click on the window (where it is shown what you have on this layer) of the Vocaloid_-_Yokune_Ruko layer. After this, a selection will appear on the new layer, which corresponds to the outline of the Vocaloid_-_Yokune_Ruko layer
Fill our selection with color using the Fill Tool. Select the transformation tool (Ctrl+T) and enlarge the monochromatic figure of Yokune_Ruko.
We will get a cast shadow effect.
7. Little tricks.
In order for your picture to look uniform, do not forget to supplement it with effects or brushes. Try to make sure that the brushes are both on top of all layers and between them. Also, do not forget to work with brushes on a new layer, since you can always delete or erase what is unnecessary and set the blending modes.
This material was prepared for you by the site team
In one of the previous articles, I talked about layers: what they are and where they are located. This article will talk about how to work with layers in Photoshop.
There are different layers in Photoshop. They all have their own special meaning. To make working in the program more convenient, you need to study all the intricacies. To do this, let's get acquainted with the types of layers that Photoshop creates during its work.
Most often, users work with image layers. These layers contain images in raster form (pixel representation of images). There are a lot of such layers, they all have the same type.
Text layers are a separate category. Each time you add a new caption to an image, a new text layer is created. You can make it an image layer, but after that you will no longer be able to edit the text. You can apply many different effects to this layer in its original form.
Vector shape layers don't work with pixels. This is a completely separate format of pictures that can be enlarged without loss of quality.
For example, you can change the color of a shape with one click. Such layers appear separately in the program when you use the shape tool. Shapes are selected in the corresponding item on the toolbar.
A fill layer is always created when you need to fill an entire object. This layer very conveniently adjusts the image that is underneath it using transparency and gradient. To activate this layer, you need to select the corresponding control at the bottom of the layers palette.
Layer for making corrections
This layer allows you to change the display of the document that is located under it. In this case, changes are made to this adjustment layer, and the original remains untouched. Such layers are used to change the color palette of the image and its lighting.
A good example showing how this layer works can be done by creating an adjustment layer that will apply a black and white mask. As a result, the entire image will be black and white, but if you turn off this layer, the picture will be in color, as before.
These layers do not contain pixels, they store instructions for the program that are executed after analysis.
The standard controls have a button to create an adjustment layer or a fill layer. It's called "New Adjustment Layer". Also, the function of creating these layers is available in the standard layers palette for correction. The palette display is enabled using the drop-down menu Window – Adjustments.
Somewhat less common is working in Photoshop with smart objects, which are always placed on separate layers. Smart objects handle some files that were not created in Photoshop. This may be a document in Raw format. Moving smart objects to a new layer makes it possible to basicly work with elements from foreign files.
To create a smart object in Photoshop, you need to right-click to the right of the layer icon and select the appropriate item in the menu that opens.
Well, the last type of layer is for real professionals who work with 3D graphics and video files in Photoshop. Photoshop Extended users have this opportunity, where they can import all these objects and make some adjustments, for example, change the color of some element in the video. All this can be done only in these layers.
That's all. Thank you for your attention.
Best regards, Ul Sartakov
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