Absolute Beginner's Guide to Digital Photography

In Adobe Photoshop, layers are stored in the Layers palette. To see the Layers

palette, choose Window, Show Layers. The order of the layers in the palette matches

the top-to-bottom order of the layers in the image. The eye icon is present when a

layer is visible. Making layers temporarily invisible is helpful when editing other

layers.

Many types of editing can be done to only one layer at a time. You must click to

select the layer you want to edit; the selected layer is called the active layer. When a

layer is active its name is in boldface, and its bar is highlighted. When a layer that

contains an image is active, it will also display a paintbrush icon next to its name

bar. Adjustment layers and type layers don’t contain images.

Creating Image Layers

How are image layers created in Photoshop and Photoshop Elements? Follow these

steps:

1. Open an image in Photoshop.


2. Choose Layer, New Layer. You can also select the New Layer icon in the
   Layers palette (see Figure 16.3). Choose Window, Layers to view the palette.

CHAPTER 16 THE IMPORTANCE OF LAYERS AND MASKS 237

FIGURE 16.2
Type layers
enable you to
edit type with-
out sacrificing
the image or
the text.

FIGURE 16.3
Select the New
Layer icon in
the Layers
palette to create
a new layer.