Photoshop cs5 by steve Johnson part 19 ppsx

For example, if you merge one layer into another that uses the Darken blending mode, the two merged layers will both use Darken.. Using Merge Layer Options Merge Down Select the Layers

The Merge Down option lets you merge one selected layer into the layer directly below it in the layer stacking order Merged layers take

on the characteristics of the layer into which they are being merged

For example, if you merge one layer into another that uses the Darken blending mode, the two merged layers will both use Darken Or, if you merge a layer into the Background layer, the merged layer becomes a part of the Background The Merge Visible option enables you to merge all of the layers that have the Show option enabled with just one click

Using Merge

Layer Options

Merge Down

Select the Layers panel.

Select the layers you want to

merge

Click the Layers Options button,

and then click Merge Down (for

single selection) or Merge Layers

(for multiple selection)

The selected layers merge into the

next layer down When you use

the Merge Down command, the

top layer will take on the name and

characteristics of the bottom layer

TIMESAVER Press Ctrl+E (Win)

or A+E (Mac) to merge layers

down

Merge Visible

Select the Layers panel.

Click the Show option for all layers

you want to merge

Click the Layers Options button,

and then click Merge Visible.

All layers with the Show option

enabled are merged together

TIMESAVER Press Alt (Win) or

Option (Mac), click the Layer

menu, and then click Merge

Visible to merge all visible layers

into a new layer

3

2

1

3

2

3

3

2

2

1

Merge down

Merge visible

If you're currently looking at the Layers panel, and wondering where the linking button is, don't worry It's not missing; it's just been moved

Linking multiple layers is a snap Simply select one or more layers and then click the Link Layers button at the bottom of the Layers panel You can link two or more layers or groups Unlike selected multiple layers, linked layers retain their relationship (stay together) until you unlink them, which allows you to move or resize the layers as a unit

Linking and Unlinking

Layers

Link Layers

Open a multi-layered document

Select the Layers panel.

Select two or more layers

Click the Link Layers button,

located at the bottom of the

Layers panel

The selected layers are now

linked A link icon appears next to

the linked layers

Unlink Layers

Open a multi-layered document

that contains links

Select the Layers panel.

Select a layer that contains the

link icon

TIMESAVER To unlink several

linked layers, select them before

continuing

Click the Link Layers button,

4

3

2

1

4

3

2

3

4

Layers are linked

2

removed

Layer Blending Modes are one of the most creative areas within the Layers panel With blending modes, you can instruct Photoshop to mix the image information between two or more layers For example, using the Multiply blending mode instructs Photoshop to multiply the color of one layer with that of another layer, resulting in a darker color Blending modes give you control over Photoshop images above and beyond what you would expect to find in the "analog" world

Working with Layer

Blending Modes

Mix Layer Information with

Blending Modes

Open a multi-layered document

Select the Layers panel.

Select a layer

Since blending modes affect all

layers below the one to which the

blending mode is applied, select

the layer directly above the layer

you want to blend

Click the Blending Mode list

arrow, and then select a blending

mode

Photoshop uses the selected

blending mode to visually blend

the image through all the layers

below the blending mode layer

4

3

2

1

1

2

3

The snow layer blended with the backyard layer.

4 Did You Know?

You can control the number of layers

to which a blending mode is applied

Hold down the Alt (Win) or Option

(Mac) key, and then click on the visible

line separating the adjustment layer

from the next lower layer

The opacity in a layer determines the transparency of the layer beneath

it A layer with a low opacity percentage appears as nearly transparent, while a large opacity percentage appears as nearly opaque You can apply opacity to one or more (New !) selected layers in the Layers

panel You cannot change the opacity of a background layer or a locked layer However, you can convert a background layer to a normal layer and then you can apply opacity to it In addition to setting opacity, you can also set a fill opacity Opacity affects layer styles and blending modes, while fill opacity affects pixels painted in a layer or shapes drawn on a layer without affecting the opacity applied to any layer effects

Setting Layer Opacity

Set Layer Opacity and Fill

Opacity

Select the Layers panel.

Select the layers you want to

change

To set opacity, enter a percentage

value in the Opacity box or drag

the Opacity slider

To set a fill opacity, enter a

percentage value in the Fill Opacity

box or drag the Fill Opacity slider

4

3

2

1

3

The snow layer opacity set to show through the backyard layer.

1

4 2

There are times when you will need a copy of a Photoshop layer

Duplicating a layer is a simple process that creates a pixel-to-pixel copy of the selected layer Once the copied layer is created, it becomes

a separate image within the document You can then begin to make changes to the new layer Duplicating a layer gives you the ability to control each layer separately and to apply nondestructive effects to your image by making them on a copy of the image instead of the original

Duplicating a Layer

Duplicate a Layer

Select the Layers panel.

Select the layer you want to

duplicate

Click the Layers Options button,

and then click Duplicate Layer.

Enter a name for the new layer

To place the layer in another open

document, click the Document list

arrow, and then select a

document

Click OK.

6

5

4

3

2

1 2

5

Did You Know?

You can duplicate a layer with the

Create New Layer button Drag the

layer over the Create New Layer

button and Photoshop creates an exact

copy of the layer and appends the

word copy at the end of the original

layer name

While Photoshop lets you add layers to a document (up to 8,000), it also lets you delete layers Remember that once you've deleted a layer and saved the document, there is no way to recover the deleted layer

However, while the document is open, there is always the chance of recovering the deleted layer through the History panel You can delete shown or hidden layers using different commands If you have some empty layers, you can delete them all at once using the Delete All Empty Layers command (New !) on the Scripts submenu on the File

menu

Deleting Layers

Delete Layers

Select the Layers panel.

Select the layers you want to

delete

Click the Delete Layer button on

the Layers panel, and then click

Yes.

◆ To delete layers without

displaying the confirmation

dialog box, hold down the Alt

(Win) or Option (Mac) key, and

then click the Delete Layer

button

3

2

1

Did You Know?

You can delete layers from the Layers

panel by dragging Click the layers you

want to delete, and then drag it to the

Delete Layer button

You can delete hidden layers from the

Layers panel Select the Layers panel,

click the Layers Options button, and

then click Delete Hidden Layers

You can delete empty layers from the

Selected layers are removed from the Layers panel.

2

3 1