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Tip #9: Photo Layers 01
By: Tedric Garrison (Photoshop 7)
One of the most common uses for Photoshop (any version) is to combine
two or more images to create a new image. In this process, each new image
you add also creates what we call a "Layer". The things you can do with
"layers" is almost endless. This is the first of several tips that will talk about
Layers.
Open the two images you want to join. One needs to be larger than the
other. The larger of the two is the background layer. Take the arrow
pointer (first tool in the second column) and left click on the smaller image
(in this case, the balloon). Keeping the left mouse button pushed in, drag
the small image onto the large image. When you do this a copy of the
second image is visible on top of the background image.
If you go across the top row of options until it says window and then click
on Layers, the Layers Dialog Box will open. The Layer that is highlighted
in blue is considered the "Active Layer" and is the only layer that can be
effected at this time. At this point you can go over to your eraser tool
(6th down on the left side) and erase all that is not wanted. (In this case,
the light blue sky.)
To erase effectively, you may want to blow the background up so you can
see finer detail. Use the eye glass tool (11th down on the right side.) Once
you have the sky totally taken out, you have two options. You can save it as
is with layers open, or you can flatten the image so that both pictures now
become one.
The advantage of saving with layers open is you can always reopen it and
continue to work on it, and or add to it even more. The disadvantage is
that it does take up a lot more space.Photoshop Tip #9: Tedric Garrison tedric@betterphototips.com
