How to work with layers in Photoshop

Layers in Photoshop can be thought of as a bundle of transparent glass, each of which caused its own separate image. Any of them can be edited without changing the other. And the total image consists of a combination of all layers

What layers

By using layers you can drastically change the image without screwing up the original. For example, a single layer you can add for color correction, one for sharpening, and the third for any additional items. The use of layers gives you the ability to:

- change the size of an individual object without affecting other elements of the image;
- to combine multiple images into one to create a collage;
- move the image elements relative to each other;
- "hide" part of the image, revealing the contents of the lower layers;
- change the layer's blending mode — method interaction between color pixels are located on different layers;
- to adjust the color and lighting of images without changing the source code.

When you save your work in psd or tiff Photoshop remembers all created layers. This gives you the opportunity at any time to continue editing the image, change some effects or create new ones.

The Layers Palette — Layers

To work with layers, creating, duplicating, combining, move, or delete is a special palette. It is called Layers, Layers. To open the layers palette, click Window — a "Window" and select Layers — Layers from the drop-down list. You can also use the hot key F7.

Each layer that exists in the document corresponds to a certain row of the Layers palette where you will see a thumbnail image of the layer by its name. The thumbnail can be increased. To do this, go to the palette (by clicking the small button top right) and select Panel options "panel Settings". You will be offered a choice of several thumbnails of different sizes.

At the top of the layers palette is the string to filter layers by parameters. The choice of parameters is made from the drop-down menu or using the icons located on the right. This feature first appeared in version of Adobe Photoshop CS6 and helps you quickly find layers with defined properties.

Below is the line that gives the option to choose the layer's blending mode from the scrolling menu, set the degree of opacity and fill. And, in addition, apply one of the four kinds of locks, each of which isolates a layer from changes in certain parameters: Lock transparent pixels protects the transparent pixels, Lock image pixel stores the color pixels, Lock position and prohibits movement of the layer and Lock all — completely blocks the layer from any changes.

To the left of the layer thumbnail icon located in the eye. If you click on it with the left mouse button, the layer becomes invisible. And the icon changes to a closed eye. Enable layer visibility, you can re-click. To make invisible all the layers except the selected one, press the Alt key and click on the "Eye" icon next to that layer.

At the bottom of the Layers palette is a row of buttons. You can use them to perform basic tasks when working with layers is to link selected layers, apply layer effects, add mask to the active layer, add an adjustment layer, group layers create a new layer or delete selected.

When working in photoshop all actions apply only to the active layer. To make the layer active, simply select it by clicking on its corresponding row in the Layers panel. If a layer is selected, its line is colored in blue. To simultaneously select multiple layers, hold the Ctrl key and successively click on the line with their names.

If you click the right mouse button on the line with the name of the layer opens a dropdown menu with a list of all possible commands. Unavailable actions are displayed in a light gray color.