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Introduction to Using Adobe Photoshop CS4

Jul 30, 2009

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This chapter is from the book 

Photoshop CS4, Volume 2: Visual QuickStart Guide

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Using the Layers panel

Every new image contains either a Back ground or a transparent layer, on top of which you can add layers of many kinds, such as:

Image layers, which can contain all opaque pixels or a combination of opaque, transparent, and semitransparent pixels.
Adjustment layers and fill layers, which apply editable tonal or color adjustments to underlying layers.
Editable type layers, which are created with the Horizontal Type or Vertical Type tool.
Smart Object layers, which are created when you bring an Illustrator vector file, another Photoshop file, or a raw file into a Photoshop document via File > Place, or when you convert a standard layer. Double-click a Smart Object layer and the object reopens in its original application for editing; save and close it and the object updates in Photoshop. Apply a filter to a Smart Object layer and it becomes an editable and removable Smart Filter.
Shape layers, which contain vector shapes.

You will use the Layers panel A in most or all of your Photoshop sessions. It lets you create, select, show and hide, duplicate, group, restack, link, merge, flatten, and delete layers; change the layer blending mode, opacity, and fill opacity; apply editable effects; attach layer and vector masks; move layer content; and copy layers between files.

A This figure shows almost every conceivable Layers panel feature. As you work, your panel list may become as long as this one, but it won’t look as complex because you’ll probably use fewer types of layers and masks at a given time.

Quick Summary: Using the Layers Panel

Task	Method
Create a new layer, 100% opacity and fill	Click the New Layer button.
Choose options (name, identifying color, etc.) for a layer as you create it	Alt-click/Option-click the New Layer button or press Ctrl-Shift-N/Cmd-Shift-N.
Copy selected pixels to a new layer	Press Ctrl-J/Cmd-J; or right-click/Control-click in the document window and choose Layer via Copy.
Duplicate the Background, a layer, or a layer group	Click the Background, a layer, or a layer group, then press Ctrl-J/ Cmd-J; or drag it onto the New Layer button.
Select multiple layers	Shift-click or Ctrl-click/Cmd-click to the right of the layer names.
Select all layers (not the Background)	Press Ctrl-Alt-A/Cmd-Option-A.
Select all layers of a similar kind (e.g., all image layers or all adjustment layers)	Right-click/Control-click a layer and choose Select Similar Layers.
Select a layer or layer group below the pointer that contains visible pixels	Choose the Move tool (V), check Auto-Select and choose Group or Layer on the Options bar, then click visible pixels.
Open the Layer Style dialog	Double-click next to or below a layer name.
Convert the Background to a layer	Alt-double-click/Option-double-click the Background (or double-click it with no modifier key to choose options).
Create a Background if there is none	Click a layer, then choose Layer > New > Background from Layer.
Create a layer group from existing layers	Select multiple layers, then press Ctrl-G/Cmd-G.
Ungroup a group and keep the layers	Click the layer group, then press Ctrl-Shift-G/Cmd-Shift-G.
Delete a group and its contents	Right-click/Control-click a layer group and choose Delete Group, then click Group and Contents.
Delete a layer or group	Click the layer to be deleted, then press Backspace/Delete.
Hide or show all layers except one	Alt-click/Option-click one visibility icon; or right-click/Control-click in the visibility column and choose Show or Hide All Other Layers.
Reposition a layer group in the document	Choose the Move tool (V), check Auto-Select and choose Group on the Options bar, then drag in the document window (or to move just one layer in a group, choose Layer instead).
Choose panel options	Right-click/Control-click a layer thumbnail; choose from the menu.
Change the color behind the visibility icon	Right-click/Control-click the visibility column and choose a color (for color coding layers or layer groups).
Merge layers	Click the upper of two layers (the bottom one must be an image layer) or select multiple layers, then right-click/Control-click and choose Merge Down or Merge Layers (Ctrl-E/Cmd-E). Merge Visible (Ctrl-Shift-E/Cmd-Shift-E) merges all visible layers.
Flatten layers (and discard hidden layers)	Right-click/Control-click any layer and choose Flatten Image.
Copy and merge layers	Select multiple layers, then hold down Alt/Option and choose Merge Visible from the panel menu.

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