All About Photoshop Layer and Layer Palette

Understand Photoshop Layer, Layer Mask and Layer Palette Components

Photoshop Layer Palette:

**Position you mouse over each part on layer palette above to see description or click to follow the link.
What is Layer? Layer Blending Mode and Opacity Layer Effect and Layer Style A: Shape Layer B: Type Layer C: Adjustment Layer	D: Vector Mask E: Layer Set F: Clipping Mask G: Layer Mask: H: Linked Layer I: Background Layer

To better understand the basic concept and get the ideas how to apply each function of photoshop layer, please follow our upcoming Photoshop Layer Tutorial.

What’s new in Photoshop CS3 Layer Palette

The Layer Palette in Photoshop CS3 is very similar to earlier version of Photoshop. There are change in some Create New Button at bottom of layer palette. There are also remove link layer column next to each layer to one button at bottom of the palette. In Photoshop CS3 you can link layer by use Ctrl(Command) or Shift and click to select multiple layers to move all the layers together. Or use Links Button to permanently link the selected layers.

Working with Layer Palette

• Photoshop Layer Tutorial
• To Create New Layer
• To Create New Layer Set
• To Create New Layer Mask
• To Create New Vector Mask
• To Create Clipping Mask
• To Delete Layer, Adjustment Layer, Shape Layer or Layer Set
• To Duplicate Layer, Adjustment Layer, Shape Layer or Layer Set

To create, edit or delete all the Photoshop Layer Components please refer to our quick reference here. (Coming Soon)

About Photoshop Layer and Layer Palette

Photoshop Layer

Photoshop Layer is like stacked of images printed on acetate . The area that contain no color (pixel) can be revealed to see layer underneath it, called transparency area. In one photoshop image can contain one or more layers.

Background Layer: is special layer with no transparency area it common to other file format that not support layer (JPEG, BMP and etc.). When you open those file format in Photoshop you will have only a Background Layer. In one image file can contain only one Background Layer. In Photoshop, Background Layer can not be edit Layer Blending Mode Opacity or Layer Mask. When you finished edit image file with layer and would like to distribute using other file format (such as JPEG for publish on website) you have to Flatten Image to combine all layers to one Background Layer that will compatible to other file format. See also Photoshop: Merge Layer, Merge Visible and Flatten Image Command.

Note: You can convert Background Layer to Layer by select menu Layer » New » Layer from Background. Or Double-Click at Background Layer this will pop-up New Layer dialog, name the new layer name as need and click OK.
To convert Layer to Background Layer select layer you want to convert and select menu Layer » New » Background from Layer.

Type Layer: is special layer that can contain only text. It can be create automatically when you use Type Tool to type in any texts. The type layer is vector base, very similar to type in Adobe Illustrator, so you can not use any filter or editing tool to edit it unless you Rasterize it to pixel layer. Once you rasterize type layer you cannot change font face, font size or editing paragraph format using Character or Paragraph palette.

Note: To Raterize Type Layer, Right-Click(Windows) or Control Click (Mac OS) at type layer and select Rasterize Layer. Or using menu Layer » Rasterize » Type. Please note that, once you rasterize layer you cannot convert to back to Type layer.

Working with Layer:

• Create New Layer
• Delete Layer
• Duplicate Layer

Clipping Mask (Layer Clipping)

Clipping Mask, also call group in photoshop 6 and earlier, let you use content of the base layer to masked-out the layer above it. The masking area are determined by the area that not transparent of base layer. The Layer Mask of base layer also effect the layer in clipping. You can use one base layer to clipping many layers.

Tips: You can also use clipping mask with Adjustment Layer to apply the Layer Mask of Base layer to all other Adjustment Layer.

From figure above: "Curve 1" is Adjustment layer apply with Layer Mask, it’s effect all layers below it in the area filled with white in its Layer Mask. Adjustment layer "Hue/Saturation 2" , which clip with "Curve 1", also effect all layers below. But only in the area that effected by "Curve 1"

To Create Clipping Mask

Do one of the following:

• Hold down Alt (Option), position the pointer over the line between two layers in the Layers palette (the pointer changes to two overlapping circles ), and click.
• Select a layer in the Layers palette, and choose Layer » Create Clipping Mask or Press Ctrl(Command) + G.
  For Photoshop CS3, you can select multiple layer using Shift + Click or Ctrl(Control) + Click. Then choose Layer » Create Clipping Mask or Press Ctrl(Command) + Shift + G to create clipping mask to selected layers.
• Link the desired layers in the Layers palette. Then choose Layer » Create Clipping Mask from Linked or Press Ctrl(Command) + G .

Adjustment Layer

Adjustment Layer is special layer that will apply color adjustment (ex. Curve, Level or Hue/Saturation) to all layer below it with out actually apply it to image. With Adjustment layer you can temporary turn the color adjustment on or off by click at its Eye icon in layer palette to make them visible or invisible. You can use Layer Mask or Layer Clipping to mask out the effect of each Adjustment Layer. The Photoshop Adjustment Layer also allow you to adjust layer opacity to decrease each adjustment layer effect or change layer Blending Mode as regular Photoshop Layer.

From figure above "Curve 1" will effect only "Layer 1" which is its clipping. The "Hue/Saturation 1" will effect all layers below it. And "Curve 2" will also effect all layers below it but only in white area in its Layer mask.

To Create New Adjustment Layer:

Select the topmost layer that you like to effect by new adjustment. Click at New Adjustment Layer Button at bottom of layer palette and choose type of adjustment you want to create.

You can also create new adjustment layer with clipping mask by hold-down Alt(Option) and choose the New Adjustment Layer Button . This will open "New Layer" dialog, check "Use Previous Layer to Create Clipping Mask" and click ok.

Layer Set (Layer Group)

Layer Set , call Layer Group in current Photoshop CS3, is collection of layers just like you organize your file into folder. The Layer set can be collapse or expanded to hide or show the list of layers in the set within Layer Palette. With Layer set you can move all layers in set together or masking them by create Layer Mask to there set, just like you create Layer Mask to layer. You can also group many layer sets together in one Layer set.

Layer Effect and Style

Layer Effect allow you to easily add variety of effect (drop shadow, grow, emboss) into the content of layer. In one layer you can add many layer effects. Layer Style is photoshop preset, combine of one or more layer effects, allow you to save or load your custom style as a preset or file to re-use with other project. There are many photoshop style presets available to download both for freeware and shareware.

You can create layer effect by click to select the layer and use New Layer Style Button at bottom of layer palette and select effect you want to create. Or using menu Layer » Layer Style. You can also use eye icon next to the layer effect or layer style to temporary hide or show the layer style like regular layer.

Tips: You may know that Opacity option at top-right of layer palette is for adjust each layer opacity. When you decrease opacity both layer effect and content of current layer opacity also decrease. You can use layer fill option instead, to decrease opacity of content of the layer with out making any change to layer effect’s opacity. See also Photoshop Blending Mode.

You can easily load or save new style preset using Style Palette Menu at photoshop Style Palette

Linked Layer:

You can use link option in Photoshop layer palette to link multiple layers and use Move Tool
to move it around together.

In Photoshop CS2 or earlier you can link layer by:

1. Select first layer that you want to link.
2. Click the link column next to all the layers you want to link with, the layer that already linked will show link icon next to them.

In Photoshop CS3 you can link layer by:

Use Ctrl(Command) + Click to select layer one-by-one or use Shift + Click to key to select contiguous layers. After select all layers you want to link click Links Button at bottom of layer palette.

See also Using Move Tool to move multiple layers

Working with Layer Palette

To create New Layer:

Do one of following:

• Click New Layer Button at bottom of Layer Palette .
• Use Layer Palette Menu , Select New Layer.
• Press Ctrl(Command) + Shift + N .

To create New Layer Set or Layer Group (CS3):

Do one of following:

• Click New Layer Set Button at bottom of Layer Palette .
• Use Layer Palette Menu , Select New Layer Set…
• Click and drag layer or layer set to New Layer Set Button . This will add layer or layer set you selected to new layer set.

To add layer to layer set drag it to new layer set you just create. Please note that, for layer with clipping mask, if you add the main layer to new set it will also add all the layers in its clipping.

For Photoshop CS3 user, you can select multiple layers or layer sets (Ctrl(Command) or Shift and Click to select multiple layers or layer sets). Then drag them in to layer set to add them all at once.

Tips: With Adobe Photoshop CS3, you can quickly create layer set and add one or more selected layers or layer sets to the newly create layer set in one simple task. Just select all the layers or layer sets you like to add to new set and drag it to New Layer Set Button .

To delete Layer , Adjustment Layer, Shape Layer or Layer Set

Do one of following:

• Drag the layer you want to delete to Trash Button at bottom of Layer Palette .
• Click to select layer or layer set you want to delete and click Trash Button
• Click to select layer or layer set you want to delete and Use Layer Palette Menu , Select Delete Layer.
• Right-Click(Windows) or Control + Click (Mac OS) at the layer you want to delete and choose Delete Layer.

Note: To use Layer Palette Menu or click the Trash Button to delete layer or layer set will pop-up the "Confirm Delete Layer" dialog. But if you drag layer to trash will not have any confirmation windows.

Tips: With latest version of Photoshop, Adobe Photoshop CS3, you can use Ctrl + Click or Shift + Click to select multiple layers and bulk delete the selected layers.

To Duplicate Layer , Adjustment Layer, Shape Layer or Layer Set

Do one of following:

• Drag the layer you want to duplicate to New Layer Button at bottom of Layer Palette .
• Click to select layer you want to duplicate and Use Layer Palette Menu , Select Duplicate Layer.
• Right-Click(Windows) or Control + Click (Mac OS) at the layer you want to duplicate and choose Duplicate Layer.

For Photoshop CS3 user, you can also duplicate multiple layer by multiple select the layer and do one of the action above.

Related Article:

• Photoshop Layer Tutorial
• Photoshop Layer Mask and Vector Mask
• Using Photoshop Pen Tool and Shape Tool
• Photoshop Path, Shape layer and Fill pixel
• Photoshop Merge Layer, Merge Visible and Flatten Image Command
• Photoshop Hue/Saturation Command
• Photoshop Blending Mode Quick Reference
• Using Photoshop Move Tool
• Using Photoshop Type Tool

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