Photoshop Layer Tips

Do you have layers? No? Well, you certainly can't photoshop. Why do you say that? Because layers can be said to be the core of Photoshop, almost all applications in Photoshop are layered, and many powerful image processing functions are provided by layers, and in the past Photosho there are many special effects we have to make through channels or paths. And in the 6.0 version, basically all the special effects we can use layer to make, and more convenient and quick, mastered the layer skills, you can say mastered Photoshop. So in this chapter, we will spend a considerable amount of space to introduce the relevant layer techniques. No more nonsense, let us into the magical layer of the world bar.

Open the Layers Panel or Layer menu, alas, those instructions can really scare people to death, if you do not even basic layer operation, or to get some of the layer based on the article to see. We're not going to be so detailed, we're just talking about skills. (It's been said many times!!! Nonsense! Good Let's talk about skills.

Basic Layer Tips:

When you open an image, there is usually only one background layer, the background is very special, many operations can not be done above, so we have two methods to create a general layer. Double-click the background layer, and then click OK. The background layer is transformed into a generic layer. Or we want to keep the background layer, you can right-click the background layer, in the pop-up menu select duplicate Layer (copy Layer) dialog box, you can choose to copy the Picture House to the current file or a new file. We select the current file, then click OK, a common layer with the same background layer of meat appears. Instead, we can change the normal layer to the background layer, execute menu Layer (layer)-new (new layer)-background from Layer (layer to background layer) command, you can convert the general layer to the background layer, note that in the conversion process, The original transparent part of the layer will be filled in the current set background color, so before converting or first the background color definition well.

We often mess up carefully crafted layers because of carelessness. So Adobe has also provided us with a new, intimate feature-lock layer, we can lock the selected layer, so as not to accidentally destroy the layer, the provision of locking features: transparent edit lock (as in the past to maintain the transparency function is the same), Image editing Lock (cannot fill or color edit the layer), warp edit lock (does not allow the layer to move or transform edit), completely lock the layer (do nothing). In addition, when you want to lock multiple layers together, we generally use the menu command layer-lock all linked Layers (lock all linked layers) so that you can lock settings for multiple layers that have been linked.

The layer is too much trouble to look at, I forgot which layer is what content. To prevent this from happening, PHOTOSHOP 6.0 adds a new feature-layer group. We can manage the layers in groups, so it's much more convenient. Click the Create new set (new layer Group) command on the Layer Control Panel to create a new empty layer group, and then we can categorize the layers into different layer groups for layer management. Alternatively, a simpler way to link the layers that need to be grouped together and then-layer the set from linked through Layer-new (the new layer group), you can put our linked layers into a layer group.

Do you often cut the next image and paste it into another file? So you must always touch the edges of the image or the black or white edges of the original background? How to solve it? By using Photoshop's trimming (matting) function, you can get rid of them. Executes the layer-matting command, where Defringe is used to eliminate jagged, 3lian footage from the edge of the image, remove white matte to erase the edges of the image, remove black matte to erase the dark edges of the image.

Often on the image deformation, constantly call the various deformation instructions really annoying, in fact, as long as the selection of mobile tools, and then the control bar above the show bounding box (showing the deformation control box) dozen on the hook, you can make a variety of deformation of the layer. Provide the following tips.

To do scaling the deformation is the ground, hold down the SHIFT key, you can do proportional scaling

Hold down the CTRL key and move the mouse to the control point to distort the distortion

Hold down the Ctrl+alt+shift key, then put the mouse near the control point, you can do perspective deformation.

If the deformation effect is not sufficient, you can perform edit (edit)-transform (-again), which can be performed again with the last deformation operation. (shortcut key for ctrl+shift+t, here I found a trick, and then hold down the ALT key, you can do repeated deformation copy, in doing special effects map, such as line diagram is quite convenient)

Advanced Layer Techniques

Now we start to talk about Photoshop the most wonderful advanced layer techniques, learned it, there is no image can not be done, must learn by heart.

Let's look at the layer mask first. I believe everyone is put down to it. Indeed, its function is really too powerful, in the image fusion is absolutely Photoshop King of, using it, you can make people do not believe that the effects of the image.

Create a layer mask, click on the Add a mask (new layer Mask) button on the Layers panel, create a layer mask, and create a full white mask on the layer (all images are opaque). We can also hold down the ALT key and click again, so we can create a full black mask (all the images are all transparent). When you create a mask on a layer that already has a selection, you can create a mask by Layer-add Layer Mask (add a layer mask)-reveal Selection (display selection), so that all images that are not selected are hidden. If you select Hide Selection (hidden selection), all selected parts will be hidden.

Once the mask is created, we can edit it, using either a fill or a drawing tool to edit the mask. Just remember that black represents transparency, white is opaque, gray means translucent, you can create a stunning effect image by your creative. We can watch the layer mask fill at any time, just hold down the alt-click Mask Preview on the layers panel to watch, and then return. While holding down the SHIFT key and clicking the preview, you can temporarily turn off the mask, and then the new click to restore the display. You can also delete the mask after the layer is edited, just catch the masking layer and drag it to the bottom of the Trash can, the dialog box will appear to ask you whether to save the effect, choose to save it.

A path mask is another type of mask, which is not the same as a normal mask, so it is not overly introduced. Just remember that the two types of masks can be used at the same time. So we can do a lot of magical effects, generally we use the path mask to the image background, with a common mask for the image effects of transparent settings.

A fill layer is added to the PHOTOSHOP6.0. It allows for monochrome, gradient, and pattern fills, which are similar to the way you use ordinary fill instructions, but are editable with a layer mask that is unmatched by a common fill instruction. As long as we use the layer masking technique mentioned above, we will make a much stronger fill effect than the single fill instruction.
Adjust the layer. This is the most powerful color adjustment feature Photoshop offers us, normal color adjustment can not be compared with the adjustment layer, it has a very strong repetitive editing features, we can modify at any time, and it is the same as normal layer, with the process color mode, opacity and layer mask function, This makes its color adjustment function far stronger than the normal color adjustment instructions, so I strongly recommend that you adjust the color adjustment layer. Because in the color technique chapter has introduced the color adjustment instruction, here will no longer repeat the color adjustment technique. It's just that we have to work on the layer mask, otherwise it's a waste of good stuff.

Now let's introduce another heavyweight layer tool that Photoshop brings to us: layer effects. There has been a layer effect in previous versions of Photoshop, and many of the effects that we used to have only channels or paths to make are easy to do with one or two layer effects, and Photoshop 6.0 is a much more powerful feature. Can be said to be the most essential part of Photoshop, the rational use of layer effects, will give you the image to bring incredible results. The following is a series of effects that the layer effects function brings us.

Outer Shadow (Drop Shadow), inner Shadow (Inner Shadow), outer glow (Outer Grow), Inner Glow (Inner Grow), bevel and Emboss (bevel and Emboss), glazing (stain), overlay color Overlay), overlay gradients (gradient Overlay), overlay patterns (pattern Overlay), and Stroke (Stroke) 10 layer effects. And they can be mixed and used.

To use these effects, you can choose a variety of layer effects as long as you perform Layer (layer)-layer Styles (layer style), and double click on the add a new style on the layers panel to add a different style to the same purpose. In addition, we should remember that after creating a variety of special effects we can save it as a style, the same effect in the future as long as the use of style. Because time is limited, we do not do detailed introduction, only focuses on the use of the need to pay attention to the main points and related skills.

Layer Color Effects: we can set in the general settings for the process color mode, opacity, and so on. Then in the advanced setting we can set the opacity of the fill and channel opacity (remember that you can set its opacity for different channels). The image can be hollowed out (none for normal display, shalow the image down to the bottom layer of layer set). Select deep to knock out all layers underneath, up to the background layer, and group functions. Finally, we note that if the mix is set, it will be much easier to process the image if we use it well here.

First in the blend if (mixed if) pop-up menu, select the display of the image, can be a grayscale or arbitrary channels of the image. Then we turn our attention to the two gray bands below, the above indicates the selected layer (this Layer), the small black triangle on the left represents the dark part of the image, the small white triangle on the right represents the light part of the image, and the black triangle to the right can hide the dark part of the image, Drag the small white triangle to the left to hide the light area of the image. In addition, if we hold down the ALT key, we can drag the small triangle separately to make the visible part of the image soft to the place where the invisible part transitions. Here I want to tell you, this is actually a good go to the background tool, we may disagree, but when you open a background is full black or white image and use this function to the background of it will realize its powerful and convenient. Don't believe it? Open the picture of the duck that you brought in Photoshop 6.0 and try it yourself!

The lower gray band represents the lower layer of the selected layer, and the grayscale band is the same as the one above, and the flexible application allows the top and bottom layers to seamlessly join together.

Other special effects and the previous version of Photoshop is not very different, we should all use, both do not use, more practice that is, we do not do detailed introduction, just to introduce the outline of the setting.

Outlines are a new feature that is most used in the special effects features we've described above, and we can call Phostoshop's built-in outlines and create new or edited contour maps of our own. The concrete method everybody own to realize that, the same special effect, uses the different contour chart also to be able to obtain the different effect, therefore everybody must try yo.

Layer This chapter on this, actually did not finish, many of the brilliant features we have not fully covered, such as layer process color operations, layer styles and so on. Have time to continue to write these things for everyone else, such as advanced background skills-extraction and Photoshop added super deformation function-liquefaction deformation I will definitely write it for everyone. Well, really can't say again, goodbye.

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