- Chapter 7: Speedy Gonzalez: Layer Tips
- NAMING LAYERS (AND WHY YOU SHOULD)
- LOCK ALL THOSE LAYERS IN JUST ONE CLICK
- TOGGLE THROUGH THE BLEND MODEs
- HIDE YOUR OTHER LAYERS IN THE BLINK OF AN EYE
- WHY DRAGGING AND DROPPING STYLES ROCKS!
- APPLYING LAYER STYLES TO YOUR BACKGROUND LAYER
- LOCK, LOAD, AND MOVE LAYERS
- MANAGING YOUR LAYERS
- INSTANT OPACITY CHANGE
- COPY A LAYER IN THE SAME LOCATION IN ANOTHER DOCUMENT
- MOVING MULTIPLE LAYERS FROM DOCUMENT TO DOCUMENT
- CENTERING DRAGGED LAYERS THE EASY WAY
- EASIER DROP SHADOW ANGLE ADJUSTMENTS
- LAYER NAVIGATION SHORTCUT
- SUPER-FAST LAYER COPIES
- INSTANT LAYER ALIGNMENT
- SEPARATION ANXIETY: PUT A LAYER STYLE ON A SEPARATE LAYER
- LAYER EFFECTS REMOVAL SPEED TIP
- JUMP TO ANY LAYER JUST BY CLICKING IN YOUR IMAGE
- COLOR-CODING MADE EASY
- CAN'T PAINT ON A LAYER? HERE'S WHY
- SPEED UP PHOTOSHOP BY MERGING LAYERS
- LAYER SET SUPER-SPEED TIP
- SAVE ROOM IN YOUR LAYERS PALETTE
- CAN'T WE ALL JUST HAVE THE SAME STYLE?
- LAYER PALETTE NAVIGATION SPEED TIPS
- QUICK COPY YOUR LAYER MASK
- SELECT EVERYTHING ON YOUR LAYER IN ONE CLICK
- VIEW YOUR LAYER MASK AS A RUBYLITH
- SELECTING JUST ONE OBJECT ON A LAYER
- KEEP LAYER STYLES FROM AFFECTING NEW WORK
- UN-FILLING FOR FUN AND PROFIT
- OPACITY SLIDER SPEED TIPS
- CHANGE LAYER SET BLEND MODES WITH CAUTION
- AVOIDING THE LAYER MENU
- MORE CONTROL OVER BLENDS: ADVANCED BLENDING
- SHAPES WITHOUT THE SHAPE LAYER
- SECRET OPACITY SEE-THROUGH PART OF A LAYER TIP
SECRET OPACITY SEE-THROUGH PART OF A LAYER TIP
This is a pretty wild tiphow to make just one part of a layer have a lower opacity. We know it sounds impossible, but this is totally cool. Start by making a selection on any layer of the area that you want to become transparent, while the rest of the layer remains at 100%. Then go under the Edit menu and choose Fill. When the Fill dialog box appears, from the Blend Mode pop-up menu choose Clear. Then lower the Opacity of the fill to whatever percentage you'd like, then click OK and voilàpart of your layer has opacity, while the rest remains at 100%. Majorly cool! (Note: You have to think in reverse here. Clear set to 100% Opacity will make the selected area completely transparent.) Wait, what if you decide later that you want to "Fill it back in"? Here's how: Just start making copies of your layer, and as you do, you'll see the transparency disappear. You may have to make five or more copies, but son of a gun if it doesn't work. When it looks right, hide all but those copied layers, and from the Layers palette's pop-down menu, choose Merge Visible.