Modify Layer Effects With Contours; Set A Global Lighting Angle For All Layers - Adobe Photoshop CS6 User Manual

apply a glow that emanates from the inside edges of the layer's content.
Spread Expands the boundaries of the matte prior to blurring.
Style Specifies the style of a bevel: Inner Bevel creates a bevel on the inside edges of the layer contents; Outer Bevel creates a bevel on the
outside edges of the layer contents; Emboss simulates the effect of embossing the layer contents against the underlying layers; Pillow Emboss
simulates the effect of stamping the edges of the layer contents into the underlying layers; and Stroke Emboss confines embossing to the
boundaries of a stroke effect applied to the layer. (The Stroke Emboss effect is not visible if no stroke is applied to the layer.)
Technique Smooth, Chisel Hard, and Chisel Soft are available for bevel and emboss effects; Softer and Precise apply to Inner Glow and Outer
Glow effects.
Smooth Blurs the edges of a matte slightly and is useful for all types of mattes, whether their edges are soft or hard. It does not preserve
detailed features at larger sizes.
Chisel Hard Uses a distance measurement technique and is primarily useful on hard-edged mattes from anti-aliased shapes such as
type. It preserves detailed features better than the Smooth technique.
Chisel Soft Uses a modified distance measurement technique and, although not as accurate as Chisel Hard, is more useful on a larger
range of mattes. It preserves features better than the Smooth technique.
Softer Applies a blur and is useful on all types of mattes, whether their edges are soft or hard. At larger sizes, Softer does not preserve
detailed features.
Precise Uses a distance measurement technique to create a glow and is primarily useful on hard-edged mattes from anti-aliased shapes
such as type. It preserves features better than the Softer technique.
Texture Applies a texture. Use Scale to scale the size of the texture. Select Link With Layer if you want the texture to move along with the layer as
the layer moves. Invert inverts the texture. Depth varies the degree and direction (up/down) to which the texturing is applied. Snap To Origin
makes the origin of the pattern the same as the origin of the document (if Link With Layer is deselected) or places the origin in the upper-left
corner of the layer (if Link With Layer is selected). Drag the texture to position it in the layer.

Modify layer effects with contours

When you create custom layer styles, you can use contours to control the shape of Drop Shadow, Inner Shadow, Inner Glow, Outer Glow, Bevel
and Emboss, and Satin effects over a given range. For example, a Linear contour on a Drop Shadow causes the opacity to drop off in a linear
transition. Use a Custom contour to create a unique shadow transition.
You can select, reset, delete, or change the preview of contours in the Contour pop-up panel and Preset Manager.
Detail of Layer Style dialog box for Drop Shadow effect
A. Click to display the Contour Editor dialog box. B. Click to display the pop-up panel.
Create a custom contour
1. Select the Drop Shadow, Inner Shadow, Inner Glow, Outer Glow, Bevel and Emboss, Contour, or Satin effect in the Layer Style dialog box.
2. Click the contour thumbnail in the Layer Style dialog box.
3. Click the contour to add points, and drag to adjust the contour. Or enter values for Input and Output.
4. To create a sharp corner instead of a smooth curve, select a point and click Corner.
5. To save the contour to a file, click Save and name the contour.
6. To store a contour as a preset, choose New.
7. Click OK. New contours are added at the bottom of the pop-up panel.
Load a contour
Click the contour in the Layer Style dialog box, and in the Contour Editor dialog box, and then choose Load. Go to the folder containing the
contour library you want to load and click Open.
Delete a contour
Click the inverted arrow next to the currently selected contour to view the pop-up panel. Press Alt (Windows) or Option (Mac OS), and click the
contour you want to delete.

Set a global lighting angle for all layers

To the top
To the top