Layers - Adobe Photoshop Elements 11 for Photographers - page 284

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The buttons at the top of the Layers Palette can be used to quickly add, link, lock or delete layers. These same
options are repeated in the entries of the Layer menu. (1) New layer. (2) New Adjustment or Fill layer.
(3) Link layers. (4) Lock Transparency. (5) Lock All. (6) Delete.

When the full image is saved as an Elements file in PSD format, all the individual layers are
maintained and can be manipulated individually when the picture is opened next. This is
not true if the image is saved in other formats like standard JPEG. Here, the information
contained in each layer is merged together at the time of saving to form one flat file.

Clicking the eye icon
removes that layer
from view in the im-
age.

Layer types

Image layers
Several different types of layers can
be added to an Elements image; of
these the most simple, and probably
the most obvious, is the image layer.
When an image part is copied and
pasted it automatically makes a new
layer. This is true whether the picture part came from the original image or from another
picture that is already opened.

When this new layer is selected as the working layer it can be moved around the image surface
using the Move tool. The contents can also be changed in size and shape using one of the
four options found in the Transform menu (Image > Transform > Free Transform or Skew or
Distort or Perspective). These features allow you to manipulate the layer to fit the other compo-
nents of the image.

Background layers
The background layer is a special
image layer. Its dimensions define the
image size. It is also locked by default,
meaning that it cannot be moved.