Layer Basics

In this lesson I will be showing you how to use the Layers palette in Photoshop to apply some simple creative
enhancements to a graphics file.

I'm assuming that you have little knowledge of Photoshop, but are familiar with Windows, Files, Folders... blah blah

Here is the base picture 400px X 400px @72dpi

You won't always have such a nice picture to work on! As you can see the model is placed on a white background, which makes any Photoshop enhancements easier.

During this lesson you can use this picture (right-click> save as...) or use your own graphics file.

Start Photoshop, and reset the palettes - Window>Workspace>Reset Palette Locations

Open the file that you are going to enhance - File>Open.


The Layers Palette is shown here, and there are many features in such a small palette, and I'll only be showing you some of them during this lesson. It is grouped with Channels & Paths, by default.

You can see a tiny thumbnail image version of the file you are working on. Next to this are two other icons. The brush signifies that this layer is active, and anything that you do i.e. erase/draw/paint, will be done to this layer. The eye icon signifies that this layer is visible. Click on it and you can turn on/off the layer.

Step 1. Click on the Background layer (currently the only layer) and then drag it to the small icon, as shown by the red arrow.

Here's the result of the previous step.

You can see 2 layers, and they are identical, the new one has automatically been called Background copy. It has a tiny thumbnail image version of the file, the eye & the brush. If you look at the working file you'll see that it has not changed ... yet.

Step 2. Click on the small arrow, as shown by the red arrow, and a list box will open. Choose overlay. This is known as the BLENDING MODE.

Now you should see a difference!

Here is the original graphic file, that has been duplicated in the layers palette, and had it's blending mode changed to Overlay.

You may have noticed that in the list box there were 22 different blending modes! Try a few out, you'll get interesting results.

If you are new to Photoshop, then you'll be quite surprised at what this simple process has done. But we're not finished yet...

Next we're going to add a bit of 'soft focus' to the picture. Make sure that Background Copy Layer is active - check that paintbrush icon is ON!!

Step 3. Click on Filter >Blur > Gaussian Blur ...

This presents you with a simple preview window and a slider. For this graphic I set the slider to 20. Feel free to experiment with this value.

Layers palette again. If you look carefully at the Background copy mini icon, it is blurred! But the actual graphic is not too blurred, in fact it just has a 'soft focus' effect - Just what we wanted.

Step 4. If you look at where the red arrow is, you can see a value of 35% in the small box. Click on the arrow and you'll get a mini slider. This sets the layer's opacity i.e. how see-though or solid it is. Play with this until you have the result you like.

Each graphic is unique, as is each artist. By experimenting with layers, blending modes, Gaussian Blur filter and Layer opacity you can achieve unique results.

 


The final graphic. The effect is quite subtle. Compare this to the original above and you should notice the difference.

Hope you had fun with this lesson.

Any questions?

Email me!

 

Next lesson - Adjustment layers