Introduction to photoshop Basics

Layers

 In this small section I want to just show you what a layer basically is, and how to work with them on a very basic level in the Layers Palate.

 Layers are pretty self explanatory, but they can become confusing if you have never worked in a similar program. They allow you to build up your pictures in a number of “Layers” or “Levels”. This provides a number of benefits. For a starters it gives you greater flexibility when it comes to modifying certain parts of your image. They can produce dramatic effects and they give greater order in complex pieces etc etc.

The Layers Palate displays your current layers present in the document. Layers stack from bottom to top, this means that if you place a layer at the top of the palate then it will be ‘on top’ of all of your other artwork, and will therefore become visible, over other objects that are ‘below’ it or beneath it in the Layers Palate. There are many other layer properties that can be changed via the Layers Palate. Note to the left of the layer thumbnails. There is 2 columns of boxes; on the left hand column there is an icon of an eye all the way down. The eyes presence indicates that that layer is currently visible, by clicking the eye icon and removing it you can turn the visibility of the layer off. The column on the right displays a little brush in the box next to the currently active layer, showing you which layer you are currently working on.

Note the 6 buttons along the bottom of the palate, I will number them 1 - 6 from left to right.

So the first button (No. 1) is the layers effects (or styles) button (displayed as a little F). This provides you with a number of effects that can be applied to the objects on the currently selected layer.

Button 2 is the layer mask tool. I wont go into masks now as they would prolly come under an advanced tutorial, but in a nutshell you can apply ‘Masks’ to layers so as to create specific effects, or block out certain areas of the layer.

Button 3 is the create layer set icon. This is for organising your layers better When working on more complex pieces your number of levels can increase to the hundreds, so organising them better can be a mighty time saver. To create a layer set simply click the icon and it will place a set (or folder) above your currently selected layer. You can then simply drag and drop layers into the folder. Notice the little arrow to the left of the folder that allows you to expand and collapse the set. You can also hide and unhide entire sets at once.

Button 4 is the fill/adjustment layer icon. This allows you to create specialist layers instantly, for example, try creating a hue/saturation layer on top of your layer stack and view the results. As you progress through Photoshop you will use this option frequently, for now though it is probably an area you will not use

Button 5, the create new layer button (CTRL + SHIFT + N), you should be aware of this button and try and get into the habit of creating new layers for individual parts of your picture, as your skill increases having different sections on separate layers will provide you with far greater flexibility in the long run.

Button 6 is the trash can icon, awwwwwwwww bless it, you can drag and drop layers into the bin, or just click it with the layer you want to delete currently selected.

Towards the top of the Layers Palate you will notice both the Opacity slider and the Fill slider. Similar to the options for your Brush tool you can alter these properties for an entire layer as well. There is also the “layer modes” drop down, I wont go into the various modes etc as there are loads, and I’m not even sure what a few of them technically do, but the best way is to just flick through them and see their effects.

Layers can be duplicated easily, either right click on the layer and select duplicate layer, or drag and drop the layer onto the “New Layer” icon. Duplicating layers can be invaluable when working with shapes, textures etc

Layer Tips

*Get into the habit of using layers; it is the key to being able to master Photoshop

*Try experimenting by duplicating layers and changing the layer modes about, you can produce some awesome looking stuff