Photoshop Essentials: Layers

In this second tutorial from the Adobe Photoshop Essentials series, we are going to take an in-depth look into layers. In other words, we are going to take a look at the basic interaction between layers, and the layers palette.

Basically layers are the individual modifiable elements that compose the image. The final product from Photoshop might look like one single flat image, but the reality is quite different, complex images are usually composed of many stacked layers. For example the image below is composed of 4 different layers.

Just to refresh your memory from the previous lesson, the image below represents the Layers Palette. Within the layers palette you can find all the layers that compose your image. Inside this layers palette you can see the 4 layers, that composed the previous image. So the layers are stacked on one another, at the bottom we have the background layer covering the whole canvas, then on top of it we have the green circle, then the yellow circle, then the red circle.

But besides showing the position of the layers, the layers palette is responsible for others things too. Take the numbers on the layers palette presented on the image below as a guidance of what part of the palette I am explaining.

In the first section of the layers palette we have the Layer Filtering options. In simple terms, all you can do here is select which layers you want to be presented in the layers palette. In a scenario where you have 100 plus layers, it would be time consuming finding a specific type of layer. Looking at the icons from left to right you can sort the layers by: Raster Layers, Adjustment Layers, Type Layers, Shape Layers, and Smart Objects.

• The Blending Mode for the layer determines how two layer are blended into each other. Currently the blend mode is set to normal, so the top layer will simply cover the layers below it. We will go in more detail concerning the blending mode later.
• Opacity is responsible for the visibility of the complete layer including the layer styles applied to the layer.

• The first icon is Lock Transparent Pixels which locks the transparency of the layer, meaning you can only edit the opaque portion of the layer.
• The second icon is Lock Image Pixels and when activated will prevent the layer from being edited with the painting tools. The third icon is Lock Position which will locks the position of the layer. Finally Lock All  locks the layer completely.
• The Fill Option only interacts with the visibility of the layer excluding the layer styles, unlike the Opacity Option which interacts with the layer and the layer styles attached to that layer.
• With the lock properties you have the option to lock layers fully or partially. For example if you are done editing one layer you can lock it fully, or you can lock the layer only partially.

In the final section we have Link Layers, Layer Style, Layer Mask, Adjustment Layer, Create Group, New Layer, and Delete Layer.

• Link Layers by selecting two different layers, and clicking on the link layers button, you will interlock the two layers. In other words if you move one layer, the other interlocked layer will move along accordingly. 
• With the Layer Style button, you can add a layer style to a layer. By selecting a layer, and clicking the layer styles button, the layer styles palette will open. (We will cover layer styles in-depth in Part 3)
• In order to mask a layer you will need to use the Layer Mask. You can do this by selecting a layer first, then click on the layer mask button in order to create a mask for the layer. (We will cover masks in-depth in Part 5)
• Just like the previous scenarios Adjustment Layer is not much different. By clicking on the adjustment layer button, you will open the adjustment layer menu, so you can create an adjustment layer. (We will cover adjustment layers in-depth in Part 4)
• The Create Group is rather self explanatory. Select two or more layers, then click on the Create Group button, and automatically the selected layers will be placed in one group.
• Similarly the New Layer is not much different. This is a short cut for creating a new layer, or alternatively you can press ctrl + shift + n.
• And finally we have the Delete Layer button. Select a layer first, then click on the Delete Layer icon, and the selected layer will get deleted.

The blending mode in Photoshop defines how the pixels in the image interact with the painting and editing tools, or how one layer interacts with the layers below. For now we are going to focus just with the blending properties between layers.