Layers

Layers

Vikki Olds

1. I have many people ask me about using layers. There seems to be some mystery surrounding the use of layers so we'll go through this tutorial with the focus on using layers and why and how they make our job easier.
First create a new blank image.

2. In the Layers palette you should see one layer named Layer 1 as soon as you create the blank image.

3. One of the powers of using layers is to put each design element of an image on it's own layer. One of the reasons is because it makes it extremely easy to alter each element on its own instead of having to fight other elements.
To create a new layer click on the New Layer button shown with a red square around it in the image below.
After creating a new layer, double click on the layer name to rename it to something more appropriate.

4. Here is an overview of the layers for the completed image in this tutorial. As you can see I have different elements on different layers and each layer is named so that I know which layer to work on if I want to change an element.

5. On the sky layer I chose a blue foreground color from the color picker. I also selected the Paint brush tool and a brush for the sky. You'll also notice in the image above that I named the layer Sky.

6. Create a new layer and name it Dark Green. This will be the backing for our grass. Using the Paint brush tool create something similar to below.

7. Create a new layer and name it Stars.
Choose a Pink foreground color and the Paint brush tool. Choose the stars brush and paint some stars on the Stars layer.

8. Create a new layer and name it Grass 1.
Using the Paint brush tool with a grassy looking brush paint in some background grass.

9. Create a new layer and name it Egg 1.
Choose an eggshell foreground color.
Use the Circular shape tool and draw an egg shape. Using the Paint brush tool and a regular brush stroke some different colored lines on the egg. This will be much easier to do if you make a selection of the egg. To do that select the Magic Wand tool and click anywhere on the canvas. Go to Select>Inverse to select only the egg. Now you can draw on the egg without worrying about going over the edges.

While you're doing that you might want to add a little depth to the egg. Select the Burn tool and a large soft edged brush and run it around the outside edge of the egg, more on the bottom than the top.
Select the Dodge tool and run it up the middle of the egg to lighten it a little to give it a highlight effect.
If after you get your egg done you might want to rotate it a little bit. Go to Edit>Transform>Rotate and then drag the handles to rotate it how you want it.
If your egg is too big or too small you can always scale it up or down to size. Go to Edit>Transform>Scale then drag the handles to make it bigger or smaller.

10.
Just for fun I add a text layer.
To do this select the Text tool and click on the canvas where you want the text and type the text you want. This will create the text on a layer of its own.

11. Select the Egg 1 layer and go to Layer>Duplicate Layer. Name the duplicate layer Egg 2.
Using the Move tool move the egg to where you want it.

12. Create a new layer and name it Grass 2.
Using the Paint brush tool and a grassy looking brush paint the foreground grass.

13. Select the Egg 2 layer and go to Layer>Duplicate Layer. Name the new layer Egg 3.
Using the Move tool move the egg where you want it.
You can move layers around by selecting them in the layer palette and then dragging them up or down the stack. Try it and see what happens.
Move the Eggs up and down the stack. You can see that the Eggs will become totally visible or totally behind the grass depending on which way you move them. By moving the Stars layer up the stack you can place it in front of the text.
If you don't like an element of the design you can make it invisible or you can simply delete the whole layer. By using layers you have the power to change any part of your design simply by editing, hiding, adding or removing a layer when you place each element of your design on a layer.
As you can see layers can be a very powerful tool.

Have fun!