Editing Layers - Adobe PHOTOSHOP 6.0 Manual

CHAPTER 8
216
Using Layers
• Horizontal Centers to space the linked layers
evenly starting from the horizontal centermost
pixel on each layer.
• Right Edges to space the linked layers evenly
starting from the rightmost pixel on each layer.
Note: Photoshop aligns and distributes only those
layers whose pixels have greater than 50% opacity.
For example, the Align Linked > Top Edges
command aligns to the topmost pixel on the active
layer that is more than 50% opaque.

Editing layers

A newly created layer is transparent. You can
change the colors of pixels in a layer using the
painting and editing tools, and then apply layer
styles and filters to modify the layer's image data.
All painting and editing occurs on the active layer
(and in the active channel).
Sampling from all layers
By default, when working with the magic wand,
smudge, blur, sharpen, clone stamp, or pattern
stamp tool, you are applying color sampled only
from pixels on the active layer. This means you can
smudge or sample in a single layer even when
other layers are visible, and you can sample from
one layer and paint in another one.
Alternatively, you can choose to paint using
sampled data from all the visible layers. For
example, you can use the clone stamp tool to clone
an area containing pixels from all the visible layers
and layer sets.
To sample from all visible layers:
Click the magic wand tool ( ), smudge
1
tool ( ), blur tool ( ), sharpen tool ( ), paint
bucket tool ( ), or clone stamp tool ( ).
Select Use All Layers in the options bar.
2
Note: When you are using tools that sample image
data, painting or editing in a new layer where there
are no pixels produces the best results when Use All
Layers is selected.
Filling a new layer with a neutral color
Some filters (such as the Lighting Effects filter)
cannot be applied to layers with no pixels.
Selecting Fill with Neutral Color in the New Layer
dialog box resolves this problem by first filling the
layer with a preset, neutral color. If no effect is
applied, filling with a neutral color has no effect on
the remaining layers. The Fill with Neutral Color
option is not available for layers that use the
Normal, Dissolve, Hue, Saturation, Color,
or Luminosity modes. (See "Adding layers" on
page 210.)
Note: Not all filters produce a visible effect when
applied to a layer filled with a neutral color.
Specifying opacity
You can change the opacity of a layer or layers in a
set using the Opacity option in the Layers palette.
At 0% opacity, a layer is completely transparent;
at 100% opacity, a layer is completely opaque.
Note: You cannot change the opacity of a
background layer or a locked layer.