Layer Basics In Photoshop CS - Page 2 - Digital Art and Design

Move A Layer The order in which the layers are stacked in the Layers Palette determines the visible parts of the image. In our example, parts of the red and green circles are not visible because of the blue circle on top. You can move layers up and down in the stacking order. Let's move the Red Layer to the top of the stack. Click on the Red Layer to make it the active layer in the Layers Palette. Now, drag the layer to the top of the stack. Now the red circle is hiding part of the blue and green circles. Drag the Red Layer back to it original position under the Green Layer. The Background Layer The Background layer behaves differently from the other layers in the Layers Palette. If you click on the white Background layer (bottom layer) in the Layers Palette and then try to move this layer, you will quickly notice that you cannot move the layer. This is because the Background layer in a Photoshop image is fixed or locked. This prevents you from moving the layer but you can delete it. So we will do this next. Delete A Layer If you haven't already clicked on the white Background layer in the Layers Palette, do that now. Next, RIGHT click to get the pop-up menu and choose Delete Layer. Photoshop will open a box to ask you if you are sure that you want to delete this layer. Click Yes and the white Background layer will disappear. Layer Transparency Now look at the three layers that are still in the Layers Palette. You will see a checkboard pattern on each of the layers. This indicates that the colored circles are on a transparent background. If the circles were on a solid background, you would only be able to see the top blue circle. The other two circles would be hidden under the solid background of the Blue Layer. ← Back\|Next → Adobe^R product screen shot(s) reprinted with permission from Adobe Systems Incorporated. Adobe^R, Photoshop^R and Photoshop^R Album^TM are either registered trademarks or trademarks of Adobe Systems Incorporated in the United States and/or other countries.