Layers How-To


	Introduction to Layers Written by: Siegfried Seierlein Last Updated: 7^th June 2008 Layers is one of the most powerful functions in Photoshop Elements. It is possible to develop excellent post processing and picture editing skills by mastering layers. Layers can also enable a new world of creativity to the photographer who is comfortable with working with layers. When new to Photoshop Elements, should one start by learning basic picture editing skills, the different selection tools, layers or brush tools? My personal advice is, start with layers as layers will step by step introduce you to most of the different picture editing functions in Elements. To give you an idea. With layers you can do non destructive picture editing, you can practice using the different selection tools available in Elements, you can practice working with brushes, with filters, using overlays, one can learn all about blending and so much more. There are books written on layers plus a number of highly regarded web sites offer interesting training modules on how to work with layers. On the Photography is Fun web site I decided to publish basic information only that will be available to help you get started with layers. From my own experience I found it difficult to work with layers because it was difficult to identify and to understand the most critical techniques required to master layers. With this and with the articles that will follow I will present layers to you in a way that will make it possible for you to really understand the basics and to then build from there step by step. Why is it difficult for most people to master basic layer techniques? One of the reason I believe is basic and related to the fact that there are so many different training videos and tutorials in the media and the web. The result of using these resources is that the average person learn shortcuts, special techniques and in some cases advanced techniques without mastering the basics. 1. What is Layers? For my fellow photographers who has experience with 35 mm film photography you can think of layers as the transparent slides that the lecturer used together with an overhead projector in the lecture room. I think those transparent slides were one of the best ways to present tricky concepts. Using the overhead projector it was possible to lay a clean transparent slide (empty layer) over a slide with a drawing or a picture (picture layer) and to then write on the top transparent slide while discussing concepts or solutions. When finished no damage were made to the important drawing or picture layers. Think off these slides as working with layers.



		The above illustration is an example of how three layers are used to build one final picture. The final picture consist of three different layers, first the layer with the picture frame (layer 1), then the layer with the little transport vehicle (layer 2) and finally the layer with the hotel swimming pool area (layer 3). When working on this example in Photoshop Elements, the Elements Workspace plus the Layers Pallet will typically look like in the picture below.



2. Basic Description of the Elements Layers Pallet There are differences between the Photoshop Elements Layer’s Pallet and the layer’s pallet of the professional version of Adobe Photoshop. When studying the differences between the Layer Pallets of Photoshop CS and Photoshop Elements you will notice that there are more buttons and functions build into the CS Layers Pallet. I will not discuss those differences here, important for you to know is that they there. If you therefore see a tutorial in the media make sure it discuss the Elements Layers Pallet and not Photoshop CS layers pallet. The picture below is a typical view of the Photoshop Elements Layers Pallet plus it briefly describes each of the functions available in the Photoshop Elements Layers Pallet.

Most of the descriptions are self explanatory and I will therefore not further discuss them here. In this article I will discuss the most important aspects of the layers pallet. The discussion will be very focused and the aim of the discussion is to help you understand the most important aspects of the layers pallet.

The Picture below show the key functional areas of the Layers Pallet. First important area is the “Define Blending Mode” area marked in red. This area has two main functions, Blending mode and Opacity. Blending mode is a article by itself and I will only briefly discuss it here. In the picture below you can see which layer is the top layer and which is the bottom layer. When you click with your mouse on the Blending Mode drop down menu then you will see a long list of options. Blending Modes determine how the top layer will interact with the bottom layer. As your skills develop you will learn that Blending Modes are one of the most powerful functions of the Layers Pallet. The Next functional area is the “Layers Function Buttons” marked with a green rectangular box. The function of each button is described in the above picture. Again as your skills improve you will see that these function buttons will become your main “tools” when working in the layers pallet. The next “button” I briefly like to discuss with you is the “human eye” seen to the left of each individual layer. If you want to turn off a layer, in other words the layer is not visible in the workspace, then move your mouse pointer over the eye on the left of the layer and click on it. The eye will go away which indicate that the layer is not visible in the Elements Workspace. To bring back the layer click on the space where the eye should be and the eye will turn on and the layer will be visible. The last area of importance we need to look at is the “Layers drop down Menu” from the main Elements menu toolbar. From this drop down menu you can control functions specific to layers. For example from this drop down menu it is possible to merge all the different layers in a picture to only one layer. This function is often used right at the end of a project. It could for example also happen that you decide to save the picture with all the layers as is. In this case one would save the picture in PSD format and for example not in JPEG format.

The final picture in this section shows the “Options” menu that for example enables the user to select the size of the picture in the picture frame in every layers pallet. To get to the Options menu click on the More button on the top right of the layers Pallet. At the bottom of the drop down menu select „Options“. Personally I prefer the one size bigger picture frame on the layers pallet. That way I feel one can at least see what is happening in the layer.

3. Short description of “How To” in terms of Layers

In this section I will briefly discuss how to use the layers pallet. I will use brief practical examples to explain the most basic function of the layers pallet. Should one activate the layers function or pallet inside Photoshop? No, the layers function is active, the moment you open a picture in Elements. You can try by opening any picture. The moment a picture is open in the workspace then you will see the same picture thumbnail open on the layers pallet on the right and the layer will be named, Background Layer.

The picture on the left is the layers pallet in Elements 6. The above pictures was from Elements 5. Elements 4 and 5 looks similar and Elements 6 has a totally different look and feel.

As you can see the picture open in the workspace automatically appear in the layers pallet and is named “Background”.

Next you will see that the background layer is locked by default. To unlock, double click on the name “Background” and a rename box will appear, type in a new name and click OK. The new name will appear next to the layer thumbnail and the lock sign will disappear.

Important basics:-

The active layer is always marked in blue or in the light gray color as in the above picture. For example a picture could consist of several layers. The layer that is visible in the workspace is the layer marked in blue or gray in the layers pallet. Any action you do will also happen on the active layer. To activate another layer, move the mouse over the layer and click on the layer.

To create a new layer or to create a duplicate layer of the existing or background layer do the following. To create a new layer click on the most left button on the layers function buttons as in the above picture. To duplicate a layer click on the layer and drag it to the most left button.

To delete a layer, click on the layer and drag it to the waste bin in the layers functions buttons.

The second left button with the white and black circle is the adjustments layers button. Instead of using the Enhance menu in the top menu bar in the workspace, click on the adjustments layers button and in the drop down menu select the adjustment you like to make. That will create a new layer and the nice thing about that is, you can hide the layer to see the effects of the adjustment or you can delete the layer if you not happy with the adjustment.


	Video on how to use Adjustment Layers

The picture to the left illustrates the adjustment layer drop down menu. I will write a separate article on the adjustment layers in the future.

As you can see you can easily start with using a saturation adjustment layer or the contrast or the levels layer.

The picture to the right shows the layers blending modes in the drop down menu. Keep in mind that the blending mode specify how the layer will interact with the layer below.

To give a good example you can start by opening a under exposed picture. Click on the open background layer and drag it to the most left, create a new layer button. There will now be two layers in the layer pallet, each with the same picture.

Make sure the top layer is selected, it should be blue or gray. Then click on the blending drop down menu and select “Lighten”. You will see that the picture now lightens up. You can control the amount of this lighten up with changing the opacity.

You can do the same with a over exposed picture. Instead of selecting “Lighten”, you will select “Darken” and again with the opacity you can control the effect.




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