> PHOTOSHOP USER>^ AUGUST 2019[ 118 ]
ANSWERS TO PHOTOSHOP AND GEAR-RELATED QUESTIONS
A layer group is a subset of the layers in an image, created
in the Layers panel. They are most common in highly com-
plex projects, such as image composites and illustrations,
although they can be useful in any image-editing project.
Layer groups can simplify the Layers panel, making it
easier to identify and select the layer on which you want
to work. The layers within a layer group can be hidden or
exposed in the panel by clicking the small triangle to the left
of the group’s name. (By default, Photoshop names layer
groups as Group 1, Group 2, etc. You can, of course, dou-
ble-click the layer group’s name and rename it something
that’s more readily identifiable—and more useful—such as
“Birds in Sky” or “Left Eye Adjustments.”)
Adjustment layers become much more powerful when
used in conjunction with layer groups. You can create a layer
group, add an adjustment layer above the layer group in
the Layers panel, and then “clip” the adjustment to all of
the layers within the group and only those layers within the
group. (In the Layers panel, Option-click [PC: Alt-click] on
the line between the adjustment layer and the group or layer
below to create a clipping mask, restricting the adjustment
to that group or layer and preventing it from being applied
to any other layers below.) That’s a lot easier than adding
or duplicating the same adjustment layer for each of several
layers in a project (and, again, it helps keep the Layers panel
more manageable). Adjustment layers can be added within
a layer group, too, so that they’re applied to some, but not
all, of the layers in the group.You can also add layer masks to layer groups, just as you
would add a mask to an individual layer. Click on the group’s
name in the Layers panel and then click the Add Layer Mask
icon (circle in a square) at the bottom of the panel. Use black
in the mask to hide areas, white to keep areas visible, and
areas of gray to show content with reduced opacity. Masks
applied to groups are in addition to masks applied to layers
within the group. Any area visible on a layer but hidden by
the group’s mask will be hidden; areas hidden by a layer’s
mask but not hidden by the group’s mask remain hidden.
To create a layer group, select two or more layers (Shift-
click) in the Layers panel and then click the Create a New
Group icon (it looks like a file folder) to the left of the Create
a New Layer icon at the bottom of the panel or use the pan-
el’s menu command New Group from Layers. Layer groups
can be nested, too—an existing layer group can be included
in a new layer group.
In terms of the appearance of your artwork, there’s no
actual difference between a layer group and a smart object.
In terms of functionality, editing the content of a layer group
is a bit simpler than editing a smart object. To make a change
to a layer group, you simply expand the group, select the
layer (or adjustment layer), and make your changes. In con-
trast, when working with a smart object, you edit content
by double-clicking the smart object, which then opens in
a separate image window, select the layer (or adjustment
layer), make your changes, use the Save command, then the
Close command. nIn a recent column about Levels and Curves, you mentioned “layer groups.” What are they and
how can I use them in my image editing? —LouisePETERBAUER
From the Help Desk