Graphics Programs Reference
In-Depth Information
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New Layer via Copy
. To copy your selection to a new layer, press Ctrl+J/
⌘
-J or go to
Layer→New→“Layer via Copy.” (If you don't select anything beforehand, then Ele-
ments copies your
whole
layer, making this a good shortcut for creating a duplicate lay-
er.)
▪
New Layer via Cut
. To cut your selection out of your old layer and put it on a new layer
by itself, press Shift+Ctrl+J/Shift-
⌘
-J or go to Layer→New→“Layer via Cut.” Just re-
member that this command leaves a hole in the original layer. (If you cut something from
a Background layer, the hole is filled with your current background color.) If you want to
cut and move
everything
on a layer, press Ctrl+A/
⌘
-A before you cut, although usually
it's easier just to move the layer instead. To do that, drag the layer up or down the stack
in the Layers panel until it's where you want it.
TIP
Elements gives you a quick way to use a layer as the basis for a new document. Instead of
copying and pasting, you can create a new document by going to Layer→Duplicate Layer
or by clicking the four-line square in the upper right of the Layers panel and choosing
Duplicate Layer. Either way, you get a dialog box with a Document drop-down menu that
lets you place the duplicate layer into the file you're currently working on, into any image
currently open in the Editor, or into a new document of its own. You can also create a new
document based on only
part
of a layer by selecting the area you want, pressing Ctrl+C/
⌘
-C to copy it, and then going to File→New→“Image from Clipboard.”
Managing Layers
The Layers panel lets you manipulate layers in all kinds of ways, but you need to understand
a few more of the panel's cryptic icons. Some of the things you can do with layers may seem
obscure when you first read about them, but once you actually use layers, you'll quickly see
why these options exist. The next few sections explain how to manipulate layers in several
different ways: Hide them, group them, change how they look, and combine them.
Hiding Layers
You can turn layers' visibility off and on at will, which is tremendously useful. For example,
if the image you're working on has a busy background, it can be hard to see what you're do-
