Using Layers

In this tutorial you will learn:
- Layers
- Move Object tool
- Eraser
- Text insertion
- Saving you image in the right format

Although it might not seem like it to begin with, layers are probably the most useful tool you'll find on Photoshop. Whilst they may take a little getting used to, once you get the hang of them you'll wonder how you ever edited anything without them!

It is important that you are able to use layers in oirder to progress onto the other tutorials I will be posting!

So what are they for?

There are endless uses for layers, to give you an idea here are a few common examples:

- Selecting specific parts of the image you would like to edit.
- Making copies of the original image, which you can adjust rather than messing with the original image. If you make a mistake, or don't like the outcome, you can simply delete the layer and you're back to the unchanged version.
- Overlay images onto your existing one(s), be it text or other graphics, you can move them around on top of the image and select where you would like them to go.
- Colour a photograph or graphic differently using fill effects and other such things.

When using layers, I find it helps to look at them as if they are over head projection sheets; they can be overlapped to create different images, take one away or add one, and you have something completely different, and something that can be easily modified and moved around if you aren't happy with it.

Practise...

I am starting off with this image:
(You can use this one or your own - completely up to you!)

The easiest way to put an image into Photoshop, is to Save to your desktop, then when you have opened Photoshop, File > Open and choose the image from the list.

To create a new layer, you simply click this button in the Layers Palette on the right hand side of your screen.

You can draw on this layer, paste in images, or create text... whatever you want! I'm going to be pasting in this Chanel logo. To paste in an image, you can drag and drop it in directly from the Internet Explorer/Firefox/Safari page, or save to desktop then Open it in from there!

Remember:
Copy = Ctrl + C (PC) Command + C (Mac)
Paste = Ctrl + P (PC) Command + P (Mac)

I can then use this tool to move it around on my image, and place it accordingly.

(I also resized the logo along the way, if anyone does not know how to do this leave a comment and I will add this step in.)

Remember, there is no limit on the amount of layers you can create.

I will now add some text.

When you are happy with the text, double click the mouse to confirm what you have done. This will get rid of the underlines you can see in the above image. ^

Once you are satisfied with the image as a whole, you can then go to Layer > Flatten Image.

To save: File > Save
Remember, when saving to save as JPEG/PNG or PSD - JPEG/PNG will 'flatten' the image, so layers cannot be edited; saving as PSD will allow you to carry on editing layers next session.

Finished image:

Ta da! Practise and experiment with layers as much as you like until you are happy using them, and everything else will be easy :) If you have any questions regarding layers, please leave a comment on this post and I will do my best to answer!