Adobe Photoshop CS4 - Intermediate  

Lesson 2  All of the Photoshop lessons apply to Adobe Photoshop CS2, CS3, and CS4 versions.  Learn about Adobe Photoshop layers

In this lesson, we'll explore some of the details of working with layers. Layers are a powerful tool for editing and combining your images!

Every new image in Photoshop starts with one layer. New images with a white or color background—as well as images imported from a digital camera or scanner—initially have a single background layer named Background. New images with a transparent background initially have a single layer named Layer 1.

You can use the Layers palette or the Layer menu to add new layers to an image file. Each new layer is completely transparent until you add content to it. This transparency lets the content of layers below to show through, and the document window shows the combined content from the individual layers, as shown in Figure 2-1. Layers enable you to create and manipulate individual objects. Changes you make to the contents on one layer don't affect the contents of any other layer. You can move, resize, and otherwise change and correct a layer's content.

 

Figure 2-1: Content from individual layers combines to form an overall image. 

As Figure 2-1 shows, Photoshop treats layer content in a specific fashion. Each layer's content is stacked on top of the content of any layer(s) below it. For example, if your image has a Mountains layer at the bottom of the list and a layer named ground above it, the ground layer's contents will appear on top of (in front of) the Mountain layer's contents. You can therefore combine multiple objects to create an overall image, controlling which objects appear in the foreground and background.

Use the Layers palette, as shown in Figure 2-2, and the Layer menu to work with and organize layers. Use the buttons along the bottom of the Layers palette to perform the most common layer operations. From the right, the key buttons are Delete layer (trash can), Create a new layer (page), and Create a new group (folder).

 

Figure 2-2: Perform layer operations with the Layers palette.

To make changes to a layer or layers, first select the layer(s) in the Layers palette. Click a layer's name or a layer thumbnail in the Layers palette to select the layer. To select multiple adjoining layers in the palette, click the topmost layer and then Shift+click the lowest layer. To select multiple nonadjoining layers, click the first layer to select in the Layers palette and then Ctrl+click any additional layers. If you've selected multiple layers, changes you make apply to all the layers. For example, using the Move tool moves the content on all the selected layers.

If a layer includes special content, such as a mask, it might have multiple thumbnails. To select the layer, click the layer thumbnail, not the mask thumbnail.

Not all file formats can save layers. For example, JPEG/JPG (Joint Photographic Experts Group) files cannot store separate layer information. So, if you add layers into a file using a

format that doesn't support layers, and then try to save the file, the Save As dialog box appears, with the default Photoshop file format (PSD) specified. This prompts you to save a version of the file in PSD format, preserving the layer information you've added. Saving as a JPG file flattens the image and loses layer information.

Working with layers In this section, you'll learn how to perform common layer tasks.

Adding a layer To add a new layer:

1. Select the layer above which you want to insert the new layer. 2. Click the Create a new layer button on the Layers palette. Photoshop will create a new

layer to the stack, calling it Layer n (where n is the layer's number).

To provide more detail about the new layer, select Layer > New > Layer (Shift+Ctrl+N) from the main menu, and then type a name for the layer in the Name text box in the New Layer dialog box, as shown in Figure 2-3.

 

Figure 2-3: The Create a new layer button on the Layers palette creates a new layer with a simple name; creating a new layer using the menu offers more options. 

If you use the Create a new layer button to add new layers, Photoshop names the layers sequentially as Layer 1, Layer 2, and so on. If an existing layer has content that you want to reuse on other layers, you can simply copy the layer. The fastest way to copy a layer is to drag it onto the Create a new layer button; however, the Layer menu also offers commands for copying or duplicating the selected layer.

You can also select from the Color, Mode, and Opacity drop-down lists. The Color option applies a color to the layer name in the Layers palette; it doesn't fill the layer with a color. The Mode and Opacity settings affect the layer's blending, as you'll learn later in this lesson.

Deleting a layer To delete a selected layer, click the Delete layer button at the bottom of the Layers palette, or select Layer > Delete > Layer, or simply select the layer and use the Delete key on your keyboard. Click Yes in the dialog box that prompts you to confirm the deletion.

Changing layer order The order in which the Layers palette lists the layers determines how the content in the various layers stacks or overlaps in the overall image. To move object A in front of object B, for example, you have to move object A's layer above object B's layer in the Layers palette. To move a layer in the Layers palette, simply drag it to the new position.

You can't move the Background layer in the list, so if you need to stack that layer's content in another position, copy the layer, hide or delete the original background layer, and then move the copy.

Hiding and redisplaying layers You can hide layers anytime you want. Hiding some layers enables you to view and work with the content of another layer. To hide a layer, first select the layer, and then select Layer > Hide Layers from the main menu or click the visibility icon (the eye icon) to the left of the layer in the Layers palette. To redisplay a selected layer, select Layer > Show Layers or click the empty visibility icon box to the left of the layer name. The eye reappears to indicate that the layer is visible.

Grouping layers You can make changes on several layers at once by organizing the layers into groups. For example, if you select a layer group and use the Move tool in the document window, the content of all the group's layers moves. To group layers, click the Create a new group icon on the Layers palette, and then drag layers into the group. Or select the layers that you want to group, and then select Layer > New > Group from Layers. Type a name for the group in the New Group from Layers dialog box that appears, select any other settings for the group, and then click OK.

To select a whole group, click the group name layer in the Layers palette. You can also collapse a group, as shown in Figure 2-4, to make more room in the Layers palette to see other layers you want to work with. To collapse and expand a group, click the triangle icon beside the group name in the Layers palette.

 

Figure 2-4: The Text Layers group is expanded, and the Mountains and Trees group is collapsed.

To rename a layer or group, double-click the name in the Layers palette, type a new name, and then press Enter.

You can also group selected layers into a Smart Object, which contains editable raster or vector data. To group layers into a Smart Object, select Layer > Smart Objects > Convert to Smart Object. After you create a Smart Object, you can then export it (by selecting Layer > Smart Objects > Export Contents) and place it in other image files (by selecting File > Place). You can edit a placed Smart Object by double-clicking its layer thumbnail in the Layers palette.

Smart Objects allow you to edit raster or vector content. Converting a layer or layer group into a Smart Object preserves the original data so that you can make nondestructive changes, and any images into which the Smart Object is imported will be updated with any changes you make to the original.

Experimenting with layers You can learn about the power of layers in a few simple steps:

1. Create a new image of any size with a white background. 2. Add a new layer and name it Circle. 3. Use the Ellipse tool to draw a circle on the Circle layer, filling the pixels with the

foreground color of your preference. We used a Hex value of #003366 in Figure 2-5.

Click the Fill pixels button on the Options bar to have the tool fill the pixels with color. The last section in this lesson explains other methods for adding shapes.

4. Add a new blank layer and rename this layer Shape. 5. Use the Custom Shape tool and select the 12-pointed flower shape from the Options

bar, and then add it to the Shape layer by clicking and dragging it to the desired size, positioning it on the circle. Fill the pixels using another foreground color on the new layer. We used a Hex value of #f6ff00 in Figure 2-5.

6. Drag the Circle layer above the Shape layer in the Layers palette. The circle now covers some or all of the flower shape.

7. Drag the Circle layer back to its original position so that the flower shape is visible once again.

8. Delete the Shape layer. 9. Undo the deletion. 10. Save the image as Practice_Layers.psd and leave it open for further work.

 

Figure 2-5: Experimenting with layers. 

New in CS4: auto-aligning layers In Adobe Photoshop CS4, you can now align selected layers to certain reference points, such as left edges or top edges. To align layers:

1. Select the layers you want to align.

2. Select Layer > Align and then select the point to which you want to align the layers.

There are six very useful choices for automatic layer alignment:

• Top Edges: Aligns layers by finding the topmost edge of any colors within the selected layers and aligning the tops of all the selected layers to that edge.

• Vertical Centers: Measures the heights of the selected layer images, finds the centers of each, and aligns them to a single point.

• Bottom Edges: Aligns layers by finding the bottom-most edge of any colors within the selected layers and aligning the bottoms of all the selected layers to that edge.

• Left Edges: Aligns layers by finding the leftmost edge of any colors within the selected layers and aligning the left edges of all the selected layers to that edge.

• Horizontal Centers: Measures the widths of the selected layer images, finds the centers of each, and aligns them to a single point.

• Right Edges: Aligns layers by finding the rightmost edge of any colors within the selected layers and aligning the right edges of all the selected layers to that edge.

Now that you have a better understanding of layers and what you can do with them, let's look at Blending Modes.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Explore the blending modes  You may find that you want to blend content from various layers to achieve a more natural look, a softer look, or another special effect in an image. You can select a layer blending mode for the selected layer to control how its colored pixels mix with the pixels on layers below. For example, in Figure 2-6, the Hard Light layer blending mode was applied to the Type layer, thus blending the text color with that of the circle layer beneath it. 

 

Figure 2-6: Original image and Hard Light layer blending mode applied.

The default layer blending mode for layers is Normal, or no blending (for a layer group, the Pass Through mode indicates no blending). You can pick from many available layer blending modes. You may want to review the Basics class for definitions of the Blending modes.

Photoshop's Help system provides a detailed description of how Photoshop calculates pixel colors for each of the layer blending modes.

Using the Layers palette is the simplest way to apply a blend:

1. Select the layer to which you want to apply a blend. 2. From the Blending mode drop-down list at the top left of the Layers palette (the drop-

down list directly below the Layers tab), select the desired layer blending mode. 3. Use the Opacity and Fill settings near the top of the Layers palette to further adjust the

blending.

For even more control over a layer's blending, such as choosing to blend only a particular color channel on the layer or to blend only pixels with a certain color on the layer, use the Blending Options settings in the Layer Style dialog box. This dialog box also offers a number of layer styles for creating additional special effects with a layer. For example, you can add the Drop Shadow style to a text layer to make it stand forward of the layers beneath it, or you can apply a glow to an object on another layer to make it appear lighted and more dimensional.

To use the Layer Style dialog box to work with blending or to apply a layer style:

1. Select the layer you want to adjust in the Layers palette. 2. Select Layer > Layer Style > Blending Options, or select the fx (Layer Style, also

called Effects) icon near the bottom right of the Layers palette, and select Blending Options. The Layer Style dialog box appears, with the Blending Options settings displayed, as shown in Figure 2-7.

 

Figure 2-7: The Layer Style dialog box. 

3. Select the desired blending settings. 4. In the list at the left side of the dialog box, check the name of a style to apply.

Selecting the checkbox beside a style name applies the style but doesn't display its settings, so be sure to click the style name itself if you want to see the settings.

5. Select the desired style settings, and then click OK to apply the changes to the layer.

You can't apply a layer style to a layer group.

Knowing which blending and layer styles to apply to achieve a particular look in an image comes with experience. Start building that experience now by working with some basic blending and layer style options:

1. If necessary, reopen the Practice_Layers.psd file, which you created in the previous section.

2. Use the Opacity drop-down list in the Layers palette to reduce the opacity of the Circle layer to 50%.

3. Use the Blending mode drop-down list in the Layers palette to apply the Darken blending mode to the Shape layer.

4. Use the Layers palette to apply other blending modes, such as Overlay and Exclusion, to the Shape layer, noting how the layer's appearance changes for each mode.

5. Use the Layers palette to reapply the Normal blending mode to the Shape layer and to reset the Opacity setting for the Circle layer to 100%.

6. Select the Shape layer in the Layers palette. 7. Select Layer > Layer Style > Blending Options. The Layer Style dialog box appears. 8. In the Blend Mode drop-down list, select Linear Light. 9. Select the Stroke layer style, change Size to 10px, and click the Color box to open the

Color Picker and then select another stroke color. We used a Hex value of #6abd45 for Figure 2-8. Click OK to apply the color to the Stroke style.

10. Click OK to apply your changes to the Shape layer. 11. Select the Circle layer in the Layers palette. 12. Select Layer > Layer Style > Blending Options. The Layer Style dialog box appears. 13. Select the Outer Glow layer style, and then set Blend Mode to Normal, Opacity to

100%, and Size to 250 px. Click the Set color of glow box (under the Noise label) to open the Color Picker and then select a new glow color. We chose a Hex value of #4ca5ab for Figure 2-8. Click OK to apply the color to the Outer Glow style.

14. Click OK to apply your changes to the Circle layer. Your image should resemble the one shown in Figure 2-8. Save and close the file.

 

Figure 2-8: Enhance your images using layer blending and styles. 

The number of combinations of Blending Options and Layer Styles is nearly infinite! We encourage you to experiment with them, stepping forward and backward, and saving test files so you can go back and refer to favorite combinations of effects.

Just as analog (film) photography uses lens filters in both shooting and processing, Photoshop CS4 enables you to add filter effects with similar—and often surprising—results. In the next lesson, we'll take a look at Filters and Photo Filters.

 

 

 

 

Learn about filters and photo filters  As you saw in the previous section, you can create numerous looks and effects using layer blending and styles. Photoshop CS4 also offers dozens of filter effect presets you can apply to achieve special effects on a layer or selection. In addition, photo filters let you to work with image color, similar to shooting or processing film photographs with lens filters.

Applying a filter Some of the effects you can achieve using filter presets would otherwise require dozens of steps and manual changes, resulting in effects that would be difficult to reproduce by hand. Figure 2-9 shows two versions of the same image; the Watercolor filter has been applied to the lower image.

 

Figure 2-9: Original image, and with the Watercolor filter applied. 

The filter categories are Artistic, Blur, Brush Strokes, Distort, Noise, Pixelate, Render, Sharpen, Sketch, Stylize, Render, Video, and Other. The Filter menu lists these categories; move your mouse over a category to display the filters available for that category. You can filter all or part of a layer.

The Digimarc option at the bottom of the Filter menu is for applying digital watermarking to an image. You have to register with an online service to use this feature.

To apply a filter to an image:

1. From the Layers palette, select the layer containing the content you want to filter. 2. If needed, use any selection tool or method to select a specific area to filter. If you don't

make a selection, Photoshop applies the filter to the whole layer.

If you want to add a filter effect to a layer containing a vector shape or type, you need to rasterize the layer before you can apply a filter to it. Rasterizing converts the vector content to raster, or pixel-based, content. You use the applicable command on the Layer > Rasterize submenu to rasterize the layer. If you forget this step, Photoshop prompts you to rasterize before applying a filter. Lesson 4 explains how to add and work with type layers.

3. Select the Filter menu. 4. Point to the desired filter category, and then select the filter you want. Some filters, such

as the Sharpen filter, apply immediately to the layer or selection. You can fine-tune the application of other filters by selecting additional filter settings. When you select one of these filters, a dialog box with the filter's settings or the Filter Gallery (shown in Figure 2-10) appears.

 

Figure 2-10: Use the Filter Gallery to select filter settings or apply multiple filters.

5. Select the filter settings you want and then click OK to apply the filter.

If you're working in the Filter Gallery, you can select and apply multiple filters before clicking OK to apply them all at once. To apply a second filter, click the New effect layer icon near the bottom right of the Filter Gallery dialog box. Select the new filter layer from the drop-down list in the upper-right part of the window, and then click the desired filter thumbnail from the list in the center of the window to change the layer to that type of filter. Delete filters from the list that appears in the Filter Gallery list by selecting the applied Filter and the clicking the Delete icon at the lower right of the dialog box.

If you want to preserve the original content of a layer without the filtering, copy the layer and apply the filtering to the copy.

Applying a photo filter Photoshop CS4 includes another type of filter called a photo filter. In the real world, a photographer might attach a photo filter to a camera lens to correct for particular lighting conditions, such as fluorescent lighting, or to create a special lighting effect, such as warming

up the tones of an image. You can use Photoshop's photo filters in much the same way, to apply a tint to an image to either correct or intensify color appearance.

To apply a photo filter to an image file:

1. From the Layers palette, select the layer that holds the content you want to filter. 2. If needed, use any selection tool or method to select a specific area to filter. If you don't

make a selection, Photoshop applies the filter to the whole layer. 3. Select Image > Adjustments > Photo Filter. The Photo Filter dialog box appears, as

shown in Figure 2-11.

Figure 2-11: The Photo Filter dialog box.

4. Select a preset filter to apply from the Filter drop-down list, or click the Color option button and then click the color box beside it to use the Color Picker to select a custom filter color.

5. Drag the Density slider to indicate how much of the filter tint to apply, and then click OK to apply the selected photo filter.

The Photo Filter dialog box doesn't include a preview, but you can drag the dialog box out of the way to preview the filter effect in the document window.

Practicing with filters You can have a lot of fun with filters, which makes it easy to change the look of an image. Experiment a bit with filters now, by trying the following:

1. Download Daisy_and_Buttercup.psd file (right-click and select Save Target As and change the file extension to .psd) and open it in Adobe Photoshop.

2. Use the Elliptical Marquee tool to select the yellow area near the center of the flower. 3. Apply the Yellow photo filter at 50% density, and then deselect the selected area. 4. Apply the Crystallize filter from the Pixelate filter group, using the default Cell Size

setting of 10 as your preference. Your image should look similar to the one in Figure 2-12.

Figure 2-12: The Crystallize filter gives the flower a blocky appearance, as though viewing it through uneven glass.

5. Remove the filter, and then use the Twirl filter from the Distort group to apply 65 degrees of twirling to the flower. Your image should look similar to the one in Figure 2-13.

Figure 2-13: Twirl effect on an image.

6. Remove the filter and then use the Filter Gallery to apply the Paint Daubs and Watercolor filters, using the default settings. Your final image should look similar to the one in Figure 2-14.

Figure 2-14: Use filters to turn a photograph into a watercolor painting.

7. Remove the filters and leave the file open for later work.

Use adjustment and fill layers Throughout the Photoshop CS4 classes, we often suggest that you make a copy of a layer and apply changes to the copy so that the original content remains in the image file along with the edited version. Using an adjustment layer or fill layer to make certain changes and additions saves you the trouble of copying the content layer.

New in CS4: using the Adjustments Panel Adobe Photoshop CS4 offers a new Adjustments Panel, displayed by default as one of the right-hand panel sets in the Essentials workspace view. Many of the steps described in the next sections are available as shortcuts or presets with the Adjustments Panel, including automatically creating an adjustment layer when you select one of the preset adjustments.

Adding an Adjustment layer Use Adjustment layers to apply color corrections and effects to an image. You can apply Levels, Curves, Color Balance, Brightness/Contrast, Hue/Saturation, Selective Color, Channel Mixer, Gradient Map, Photo Filter, Invert, Threshold, and Posterize adjustment layers.

Adjustment layer changes apply to all the layers below the Adjustment layer in the Layers palette. If you want to make adjustments to only a single layer or selected layers, apply the desired change directly rather than using an Adjustment layer.

To add an Adjustment layer to make a color correction to an image:

1. In the Layers palette, select the layer above which you want to insert the adjustment layer.

2. If needed, use any selection tool or method to select a specific area to filter. If you don't make a selection, Photoshop applies the color change to the whole layer. If you do make a selection, Photoshop creates a mask around the selection to block application of the filter in areas outside the selection.

Masking techniques are covered later in the Advanced Adobe Photoshop CS4 class.

3. Select Layer > New Adjustment Layer, and then select the type of adjustment layer you'd like to add. The New Layer dialog box appears, prompting you to name the adjustment layer (using the Adjustments Panel to make your changes creates the adjustment layer automatically, naming it for the adjustment you have chosen, such as Hue/Saturation, and numbering it).

4. Type a layer name in the Name text box, specify any other layer settings, and then click OK. A dialog box with the settings for the selected type of adjustment layer appears. For example, Figure 2-15 shows the Levels dialog box that appears when you add a new Levels adjustment layer using the main menu.

Figure 2-15: The Levels adjustment layer dialog box.

The dialog boxes for the various types of adjustment layers offer the same options as when you're applying a color correction directly to a layer. Photoshop Help and other lessons in this series of Photoshop classes provide information about the various types of color corrections available in Photoshop.

5. Specify the desired settings in the dialog box, and then click OK to finish adding the adjustment layer.

After you've added a fill layer or an adjustment layer to an image, you can treat it like any other layer. You can move it in the Layers palette, change its blending settings, and so on.

Working with fill layers Photoshop offers three different types of fill layers: Solid Color, Gradient, and Pattern. As when adding an adjustment layer, select the layer above which you want to insert the fill layer, and then make any selection needed to control the image area where the layer's fill will be applied. Select Layer > New Adjustment Layer, and then select the type of fill layer to add. After you specify the layer name and other settings in the New Layer dialog box, you can finish creating the new layer.

The fill layers are described as follows:

• Solid Color: Use the Color Picker that appears to select the color to apply. • Gradient: Select gradient settings in the Gradient Fill dialog box that appears. Select the

desired gradient type from the Gradient drop-down list or click the gradient itself so the Gradient Editor dialog box appears, where you can create a custom gradient. Specify Style, Angle, Scale, and other settings, and then click OK to finish creating the layer.

When you're adding a gradient fill layer, select the foreground and background colors for the gradient before you start adding the adjustment layer. The default gradient color fades from the foreground color to transparency, but you can select another type of gradient.

• Pattern: Use the Pattern Fill dialog box, as shown in Figure 2-16, to select the pattern to apply in the fill layer. Clicking the drop-down arrow beside the pattern box at the left opens the Pattern picker, where you select the pattern to apply. Next, change the pattern scale (resulting in a larger or smaller pattern) and check the Link with Layer checkbox if you want to link it with the layer.

Figure 2-16: The Pattern Fill dialog box.

While the Pattern Fill dialog box is open, the Move tool is active so that you can use it to drag the pattern to another position in the document window. If you reposition the pattern but don't like the result, click the Snap to Origin button. Click OK to finish creating the pattern fill layer.

Adding adjustment and fill layers To practice adding an adjustment layer and a fill layer, perform the following steps:

1. If necessary, reopen the Daisy_and_Buttercup.psd file (right-click and select Save Target As and change the file extension to .psd) from the previous section.

2. Insert a new Levels adjustment layer, keeping Levels 1 as the layer name. 3. In the Levels Adjustment Panel, drag the far left Output Levels slider (below the

histogram or graph in the dialog box) to the right until the leftmost Output Levels text box displays 40, or type the value 40 in the first Output Levels field.

4. Hide and redisplay the Levels 1 level to compare how the image looks with and without the adjustment layer.

5. Select Layer 1 in the Layers palette.

Step 5 is necessary because each adjustment layer and each fill layer includes a mask by default. When a layer with a mask is selected, you can't select foreground and background colors—only shades of gray for mask editing.

6. Select a green foreground color. We chose a Hex value of #116d25 for Figure 2-17. 7. Insert a new Gradient fill layer and keep Gradient Fill 1 as the layer name. 8. In the Gradient Fill dialog box, change the Angle setting to 65 degrees, and then click

OK. 9. Use the Layers palette to apply the Overlay layer blending mode to the Gradient Fill 1

layer. 10. If it is not already at the top of the Layers palette, drag the Gradient Fill 1 layer above the

Levels 1 layer in the Layers palette. 11. Save the file as Daisy_and_Buttercup_LG in the default Photoshop File format (.psd)

to preserve the added layer information, and then close the file. Figure 2-17 shows how the image looks with the new layers.

Figure 2-17: Special layers add a gradient and color change to this image.

Understand shape layers When you select one of the shape tools from the toolbox, the options bar includes—among other items—three buttons, as shown in Figure 2-18, that let you select how to create the shape.

Figure 2-18: The Options bar includes Shape layers, Paths, and Fill pixels buttons.

These buttons are explained here:

• Shape layers: Click this button to use the Shape tool to add a new layer for the shape and to add the shape as a vector mask. Adding the shape in this way ensures that you can resize or transform it later. To add the shape, select the Shape layer and then select one of the commands on the Edit > Transform Path submenu. Drag the handles to transform the shape as needed, and then press Enter or click the checkmark icon (Commit transform) at the far right end of the Options bar.

• Paths: Click this button to use the Shape tool to add a new path on the current layer.

A path is a nonprinting vector outline. You can use the Paths palette to work with paths, which you can load as selections, strokes, or fills.

• Fill pixels: Click this button to paint the shape (in the foreground color) over pixels on the current layer. This creates a raster shape rather than a vector shape. If you want to create a shape this way, it's a good practice to create a new layer and add the shape on that layer. That way, adding the shape doesn't alter pixels on another layer. The disadvantage to using the Fill pixels option is that the shape might become jagged around the edges if you enlarge it. So, if you think you may need to resize a shape at a later time, add it by using the Shape layers button, instead.

Try using each of the shape options:

1. Create a new image file and select Default Photoshop Size from the Preset drop-down list to create a 7 by 5 RGB color image with 72-pixel-per-inch resolution and a white background.

2. Select the desired foreground color and shape tool. In Figure 2-19, we used a foreground color with the Hex value #a20fd9, and the Polygon tool from the Shape options, with 8 sides.

3. Click the Shape layers icon on the Options bar and drag in the image to draw the shape. 4. Add a new layer in the image and rename it Pixels. 5. Click the Fill pixels button on the Options bar and add the shape on the Pixels layer. 6. Select the Shape1 layer, and then select Edit > Free Transform (Ctrl+T). 7. Drag the handles to resize the shape, and then press Enter. 8. Select the Pixels layer, and then select Edit > Free Transform to dramatically increase

the size of the shape. Depending on the type of shape you added, you may start to see jagged pixels along the shape's edge. Press Enter.

Figure 2-19: Using the Shape layers, Paths, and Fill Pixels options.

9. Close the file without saving it.

Conclusion In this lesson, you began composing more sophisticated and interesting images by using layers and filters. Before moving on, do the assignment and take the quiz for this lesson to reinforce what you've learned. In Lesson 3, you'll learn how to work with the History palette and History brush.

Congratulations on completing the lesson!

Layer and filter basics assignment Work with image layers In this assignment, you'll practice working with image layers and styles. Work through the following steps:

1. Open the Dogwood.psd file (right-click and select Save Target As and change the file extension to .psd) in Adobe® Photoshop®.

2. Add a new Color Balance adjustment layer and name this layer More Blue. In the Adjustments panel, leave Midtones selected in the Tone Balance area. Drag the Yellow-Blue slider until the far right Color Levels text box reads +60.

3. Select a pale yellow foreground color. For Figure 2-20, we chose a Hex value of #eaee83.

4. Select the Custom Shape tool and use the Options bar to select the starburst shape. 5. Select the Shape layers button on the Options bar. 6. Draw three small stars in the image. 7. Rename the new shape layers Stars 1, Stars 2, and Stars 3. 8. Create a new layer group named Stars, and then drag the three star layers into it.

Be sure to drag by the left thumbnail (the layer thumbnail), not the vector mask thumbnail on the right.

9. Apply an Outer Glow layer style to each of the star layers, using the default settings for each.

10. Collapse the Stars layer group. 11. Move the More Blue layer above the Stars group. The image should appear to be a

deeper blue overall.

Be careful not to drag the More Blue layer into the Stars group. You might have to drag a little higher than you'd expect to move the layer above the group.

12. Show and hide the More Blue layer a few times and observe the changes in the image color.

Figure 2-20: The top image shows the image with the More Blue adjustment layer visible, resulting in a deeper blue image, while the lower image shows the More Blue adjustment layer hidden

13. Make sure the More Blue layer is displayed and move it back below the Stars group. 14. Save and close the file.