Know the Basic of Photoshop Layer

In this section we will talk about the basic of Photoshop layer. Photoshop and its layer are inseparable and the most important feature of Photoshop. You cannot do anything without layers. However, a beginner would not know anything about it.

Find out more about Photoshop layer with the contents below.

Table of Contents
• 1. What is Layer?
• 2. Layer Structure at a Glance
• 3. Background Layer
• 4. Layer Palette Names

It is hard to understand what a layer is with its name. The term [clear film] might describe the nature of it better.

You can paint, write, and put a picture on a layer. Photoshop works are consisted of multiple layers.

As an example, I divided an apple illustration into three parts (fruit, hull, leaf).

When looked from above, it looks like an apple. When looked from the side, you can see the leaf, hull, and fruit are separated.

The blank parts are transparent so you can see through the illustration under even when the layers are overlapped.  Transparent layers appear as checkered backgrounds.

Switch the order of the fruit and leaf layers. Because the order is rearranged, the leaf and hull appear at the back of the fruit.

The top layer displays in front. You can see that ordering is crucial with layers.

If you set the canvas color something other than clear or open an image when creating a new file, a background layer is created.

You can find a layer named background with a lock icon in the layer palette.

A background layer is different from the normal (transparent) ones. You can perform certain actions but limited.

Double click the background layer In order to transform a background layer into a normal one so that you can perform actions like normal ones.

(Retaled Articles:How to Turn Background Transparent in Photoshop)

Layer Palette has a lot of features.

1) Thumbnail: Displays layer images.
2) Display/Non-Display Layer: Switch by clicking the eye icon.
3) Layer Link: Operate multiple layers at the same time.
4) Add Layer Style: Adds textures and shadows to layer images.
5) Add Layer Mask: Removes (hides) unwanted parts without editing layer images.
6) Fill or Create a New Adjustment Layer: Edit images without editing layers directly.
7) Create a New Group: Group layers for convenience.
8 ) New Layer: Adds layers or copy a layer by dragging it to the icon.
9) Delete Layer: Dustbin. Drag a layer to the icon.
10) Lock: Disables editing or moving.
11) Generate Mode: Change the mode and combines it with the layer image below.
12) Search Layer: Search a layer for its type (useful when there are many layers).
13) Fill: Adjust layer opacity. Cannot be applied with Style Effect.
14) Opacity Level: Adjusts layer image opacity including Style Effect. The image under can be seen when the opacity is low.
15) Layer Manu: Displays the features not displayed in Layer Palette.

You can also find different menus by right clicking each layer.

この投稿文は次の言語で読めます: Japanese

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