Graphics Programs Reference
In-Depth Information
Chapter Eight — Layers
Overview
One of the things that you will often hear touted about Photoshop, is that it is non-destruct-
ive. If you approach your image editing
PROPERLY
, you can always go back and start
over if you don't like what you have done. I emphasize the word
properly
, because not
everything in Photoshop is reversible and your choices will determine the degree of revers-
ibility available to you. How you save your work will also be important.
One of the primary reasons for Photoshop's non-destructive nature is
LAYERS
. Layers are
like a stack of transparencies (clear acetate) with some detail on each sheet. If you have a
source of light below the stack, you will see an image that is a composite of all the images
on all the transparent sheets. If you shuffle the stack and place it back over the light source,
you will see a composite image that is different from the original one. The amount of differ-
ence depends on what is on each sheet and how each sheet obscures something that is below
it.
The versatility of layers is further enhanced by our ability to control how each layer is used.
We can adjust size, opacity, and a number of other factors for each layer. We can also edit
each layer individually and specify how they interact with each other.
There are five basic types of layers that we will be discussing in this chapter —
Image Lay-
ers, Text Layers, Fill Layers, Shape Layers
and
Adjustment Layers
. Each of these layer
types plays an important role in creating an image that is more than the sum of its parts.
Chapter Eight Video Lesson
