The Layer Menu

Here we will discuss General Information about Layers, for more about Layers, Please visit The Layers Chapter
In the Layer Menu, there are the following submenus:

1- New : it creates a new layer, it has many options and choices for the new layer you want to create.


--- Layer : to create a new layer , when you choose the layer command a pop-up menu will appear, that menu contains the following options

Name: there you can enter the name you desire for the new layer.

If you want to create a clipping mask using the previous layer check the box next to Use Previous layer to create clipping mask.
Color: here you can choose the color you desire for the new layer.
Mode and Opacity: here you can choose the desired blending mode for the new layer and the transparency percentage as well.

        --- Background From Layer : this command will convert the background into a layer.
        ---  Group : this command will create a container that you can drag layers into to be treated as one layer without the need to merge the layers.
        --- Group from Layers : this container will automatically gather the layers within it.
        --- Layer Via Copy : it will create a copy of the selected layer.
        --- Layer Via Cut : this command will allow you to copy a selected area in an image and take it to a new layer without damaging the original layer.

2-Duplicate Layer : this command will give an identical copy of the selected layer.When you select the duplicate layer command, a pop-up menu will appear, this pop-up menu contains the following options.
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Information box: It will tell you that the layer you are about to create is a duplicate from (specific layer you chose), you can’t edit that part, it’s an information box.
As: here you can enter the name you desire for the new layer.
Destination: here you choose where you want your duplicate layer to be located if you want it to stay in the same document you’re working on, don’t change the default settings of the document, by default the duplicate will be located in the same document you’re working on, if you want the duplicate layer to be located on a new document or any other available document, click the arrow in the box next to the document command, a list will appear showing you all available documents and will give the choice to create a new document.
After you choose the desired destination give your layer a name and click ok.

3- Delete: this command will give you the ability to delete the layer that you don’t want anymore; you have two options when you select the delete command.


Layer >> this will delete the selected layer or layers.
Hidden >> this will delete the hidden layers that don’t have the visibility icon next to them (the eye icon).
 

 4- Layer Properties : when you choose the layer properties command, a pop-up menu will appear giving you the name of the selected layer and its color.

 

5- Layer Style: this command will give you  the ability to add styles to your selected layer, these styles are:

Drop shadow.
Inner shadow.
Outer glow.
Inner glow.
Bevel and emboss.
Satin.
Color Overlay.
Gradient overlay.
Pattern overlay.
Stroke

To know how each works, please click here

It also contains the following menus:
Copy Layer Style : the ability to copy all the changes you added to a layer and add them to another layer.
Paste Layer Style : to add a layer style that you copied from another layer.
Clear Layer : this command will remove the style you added to a layer.
Global Light : this command will give the effect of a light hitting the image from an angle that you specify.
Create Layer : This will put the effects of the selected layer on separate layers.
Hide All Effects : this command as its name implies hides all the effects you added to a layer without deleting them.
Scale Effects : this command will give you the ability to scale the effects you applied to an image without affecting the image itself.

7- New Fill layer: this command will give you the option to create a new layer with a linked layer with three different fill options:


 Solid, Color, Gradient, or  Pattern.

 

When you choose one of the options, a pop-up menu will appear, this menu contains the following:

1. Name: here you can enter the name of the new fill layer.
2. You can choose to use the previous layer to create a clipping mask by checking the small box under the name.
3. Color : You can tag your layer with a colored box.
4. Select the desired blending mode and transparency percentage then click OK.
   
    

 this command will add a new layer that contains the following adjustment effects:


 

1. Levels.
2. Curves.
3. Color balance.
4. Brightness/contrast.
5. Black & white.
6. Hue/saturation.
7. Selective color.
8. Channel mixer. Gradient map.
9. Photo filter.
10. Exposure.
11. Invert
12. Threshold.

  13.  Posterize.

to know about each, please visit the Color Adjustment page


 

this command will give you the ability to change and edit the content of the selected layer, if you choose the change layer command, a sub-menu with many options will appear. The options are:

1. Solid color : To fill with solid color and this would open the color picker window for you to choose a color
2. Gradient : To fill with a gradient
3. Pattern : To fill with a pattern
   To know about the options below please visit the Color adjustment page
4. Levels
5. Curves.
6. Color balance.
7. Brightness/contrast.
8. Black & white.
9. Hue/saturation.
10. Selective color.
11. Channel mixer.
12. Gradient map.
13. Photo filter.
14. Exposure.
15. Invert.
16. Threshold.
17. Posterize.
    
    
    10 - Layer Content Options : This would reopen the window that you previously chose to fill the content of the layer with.
    11 - Layer Mask
    12 - Vector Mask
    
    13- Create Clipping Mask : it’s another feature in Adobe Photoshop that you can use to create great designs in your projects the main concept of clipping mask is to create same kind of a transparent mask that reveals parts of a picture the way you desire.
    I’m going to give you an easy example so that you can understand how the clipping mask works.

1. Go ahead and create a new document that has a transparent background.
2. Bring any picture you want and place it as a layer above the transparent background.
3. Select a brush from your toll box and select any color you want it doesn’t matter, now make the image layer invisible by clicking on the visibility icon next to it in the layers palette (the eye).
4. Select the background layer and draw a zigzag line or any shape you want.
    
5. Now click on the visibility icon again to reveal the image once more, press the Alt button on your key board and put your pointer between the image layer and background till you see two overlapping circles icon and click once.
   
   
   
   
6. You’ll see that most of the images disappeared, and the only part that remained is the part that filled the zig zag line only and that’s what’s called the clipping mask.
    
   
   14 - Smart Object
   15 - Video Layers
   16 - 3D Layers 
   17- Type 
   
   
   18 - Rasterize: some commands like gradient painting tools, filters are not available in some layer command that will make these layers editable is (Rasterize).Go to the menu bar >> select layers and choose rasterize, a sub-menu will appear, that sub-menu contains all the layers that you need to rasterize before you edit, and theses layers are:
   Type.
   Shape.
   Fill content.
   Vector mask.
   Smart mask.
   Video.
   3D.
   
   
   19 - New Layer Based Slice: A layer based slice embraces all the pixels within a layer, which will be automatically adjusted if you change or edit the content of that layer.

20 - Group Layers : it’s a way of making a container that you can drag layers into to make your work easier by knowing where the layers you’re searching for are. You’ll notice when you go to the menu bar and selecting layer >> Group layers or use the keyboard shortcut Ctrl+G that the group you just created (look at the layers palette) contained the layer beneath it automatically, if you want that group to contain all the layers beneath it drag the layers to the group so that they can be a part of it.

22 - Align Layers To Selection :it’s a way to position your layers the way you want according to several options given to you by Photoshop.If you have four layers that contain different shapes and you want to align these layers according to a specific point in your screen, all you need to do is:

1.      Select the layers you want to align.
2.      Go to the menu bar >> select layer then choose align.
3.      A pop-up menu will appear giving you the following options for alignment:
a.      Top Edges.
b.      Vertical centers.
c.       Bottom Edges.
d.      Left Edges.
e.      Horizontal centers.
f.    Right Edges.

23 - Distribute: the process of positioning layers according to several spacing methods given by Photoshop.

How to use Distribute:
1.      Select the layers you want to apply the distribute command on, make sure that they are three layers or more not less than that.
2.      Go to the menu-bar, select layer then go down to distribute:
a.      If you want the layers distributed with even spaces starting from the top pixel of each layer you have select the option (top edges).
b.      If you want the layers distributed with even spaces starting from their vertical center pixel select (vertical centers).
c.       If you want the layers to be distributed with even spaces starting from their bottom pixel select (bottom edges).
d.      If you want the layers to be distributed with even spaces starting from their left pixel in each of the layer select (left edge).
e.      If you want the layers to be distributed with even spaces starting from their horizontal center pixel in each of the layers select (horizontal centers).
f.        If you want the layers to be distributed evenly from their right pixel in each of the layers select the option (right edges).

1. The first way to lock a layer or a group of layers is by selecting the layer you want in the layers palette and then click on the lock icon , or if you have many layers you can put them in a group and lock that group.
2. The second way to lock a layer or a group of layers by going to the menu bar (make sure that the layers are selected) select layer >> lock layer.
3. A pop-up menu will appear giving you the lock option that you can choose and they are:

1. Transparency >> that option will make the transparent parts of the layer not editable.
2. Position >> that option will give you the ability to edit and change the layers content but you can’t move the layer using the move tool because it’s locked in it’s position.
3. Image: that option will make the whole image within the layer not editable but you still can move the layer using the move tool.

Select two or more layers in the layers palette, then click on the link icon (the chain) at the bottom of the palette.

39 - Flatten Image : it’s the process of combining all the layers you created in your project and converting them into on single background. This is also a single step process, just go to the menu bar, select layer, then select flatten image and that’s it.

1.      Defringe: this command will help replacing the pixels of  a background that was selected with an image, for example if you select a red object on a yellow background and then you moved that selection parts of the yellow background will be included in that selection so that defringe command will replace the yellow pixels with red pixels and that’s what’s call (Defringe).

      To do that after you moved your selection go to the menu bar >> layer >>      matting then choose defringe.

2.      Remove Black and White Matte: these options are used when you have an anti aliased selection against a white or black background, this will cause some kind of color mixture at the edges of the object, mixture like gray pixels at the edges, for example a black anti aliased text on a white background this command will easily remove the gray pixels that are visible at the edges and corners of the text.