Using the Layers Panel

The Layers panel allows you to break your image up into layers that can be independently moved, edited, and rearranged. To get the idea, imagine you have three clear sheets of glass. Each sheet has some image painted on part of the glass. You can stack the glass sheets on top of each other. The image on the top sheet might hide parts of the images below in some regions, and allow the images below to be seen in other regions. You can change the stacking order by putting the top sheet on the bottom. You can move the center sheet to the left or right in relation to the top sheet. You can remove a sheet from the stack so that only two are seen.

Imagine if you could also make the image on one of the glass sheets partly transparent, or blend it with the image on the sheet below, or make it look like it has beveled edges.

You can do all these things and more with the Layer stack in Photoshop. We’ll look at the Layers panel in greater depth in future lessons. For now, let’s just do a couple basic tasks.

1. If the Layers panel is not currently visible on the right of the screen somewhere, go to Window > Layers.
2. I like to make the Layers panel taller than it usually is by default. Using what you learned in Lesson 1, adjust the height of the Layers panel. I did it by dragging its top edge up.

Layers Panel

3. Use the Layers panel’s scroll bar to scroll up and down and view the layers in the layer stack for your image.

Layer panel scroll bar

4. Notice that each layer has a small picture on the left representing what image is on that particular layer. This is called the “layer thumbnail”.
5. Notice also that the top layer has a name, “frame”. That was created by the Wood Frame action; the action created a new layer, and also renamed it so that it is descriptive. Other layers, such as “Background copy,” have not yet been renamed.
6. Double-click directly on the text that says, “Background copy”. You should see the text selected with a blue background. If a dialog box pops up, it is because you double-clicked next to, but not right on top of, the text. Close the dialog box and try again.

Select the layer name

7. Type in a new name: Quadrant Colors.
8. Rename the Layer 1 layer as: Watercolor.

Rename the layers

9. On the far left of each layer is a small “eye” icon. It is called “Indicates layer visibility”. Click on the eye icon next to the Quadrant Colors layer. The Quadrant Color image hides, revealing your earlier Watercolor image. The frame is still visible.

Hide the Quadrant Colors layer

10. Click on the eye icon next to the Quadrant Colors layer again. The Quadrant Color image reappears.
11. Click on Quadrant Colors layer bar to select the layer. The bar appears blue.

Reveal the Quadrant Colors layer and select it

12. In the upper-right corner of the Layers panel, change the Opacity of the layer to 50%: double-click on the text “100%”, type in 50, and press Enter (Mac: Return). This makes the Quadrant Color layer half-transparent and half-opaque.

Reduce Opacity

Image after opacity change

13. In the upper-left corner of the Layers panel, change the blend mode to Hue: click on the small black triangle, then select Hue from the list (it is near the bottom). This blends the hues of the Quadrant Colors layer with the Watercolor layer below.

Select the Hue blend mode

14. Save your file.

Jellyfish with mixed layers

Next: Using the Using the Horizontal Text Tool and Control Panel