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Photoshop Masking & Compositing Ch. 6 Part 1 of 2
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Photoshop Masking & Compositing - Chapter 6 – Layers Are Your Friends
Photoshop Masking & Compositing, by Katrin Eismann
Chapter 6, Layers Are Your Friends (Pages 163 – 205)
HOUSEKEEPING NOTES
The author, Ms. Eismann (In Introduction P.xv) writes … “I did concentrate on the latest version of Photoshop CS when writing this book.”…
There are some differences between Photoshop CS, which the text is based on and Photoshop CS2 which are not always evident. I point this out to alert you to the need to determine for yourself the accuracy of the material as it may apply to your particular application.
One of the main differences affecting this chapter is terminology. I provide the following citation from Adobe as an example.
Photoshop CS or earlier actions that reference layer sets ...
Document 331346. Last edited. Photoshop CS or earlier actions that reference
layer sets may not work in Photoshop CS2. ...
28k / http://www.adobe.com/support/techdocs/331346.html
Ms. Eismann thoughtfully provides information (see Introduction P. xv) to her web site http://www.photoshopmasking.com/ which I recommend visiting prior to beginning your reading if you have not recently obtained your copy of this book. This site contains errata information applicable to owners of the first printing of the book, current printings have already been revised. In addition the following resources are available on her site:
Sample images used in the text
Errata text corrections
Errata image corrections
Appendices:
B “The Business of Imagemaking”
C “Scanning Resolution”
With those ‘housekeeping’ notes completed, let’s take a tour of Chapter 6: Layers Are Your Friends.
The material we will be looking at includes:
Types of Layers
Working with Layers
Layer Palette Anatomy
Finessing Layers
Working with Image Effects Layers
The author notes, “The four essential skills that dedicated Photoshop users need to understand are correcting and managing color, making selections, working with layers, and masking.” The chapter then begins by covering the basics of working with layers and describing the various types of layers.
We should all know, and it is pointed out several times in this chapter, that the Background Layer represents our original data and we should always use other layers to avoid damaging our original data. … “An essential concept to understand when working with layers is the safety-feature factor – when you alter one layer, you are affecting only it and not the rest of the image.”…
TYPES OF LAYERS - There are two general types of layers:
1 – Image Layers – These layers carry pixel and vector-image information. Image layers include:
Adjustment – enable the application of global and selective tonal and color corrections
Background – original data (you should never work directly on it)
Duplicate – an exact copy of another layer that will be in exact alignment
Empty – permit you to paint, clone and heal without affecting the pixel data of underlying layers
Merged – a flattened layer created from all visible layers
Partial – same as duplicate layer but with only a selected portion of the image
2 – Effect Layers – These layers are used to add tonal, color, pattern and texture effects.
Effect layers include:
Fill - used to add solid color, gradient or pattern fills as a separate layer
Neutral – filled with white, gray, or black. They can be used with a specific layer
blending mode to create lighting effects, sharpen files and create film grain
Type - created when you activate the Type tool and click anywhere on the image
Layer styles – although not considered an actual layer, Photoshop counts layer styles
when calculating the internal layer count.
WORKING WITH LAYERS
“Many compositing artists start each image with a blank document (File > New) and drag the image elements into the new working surface. This is a valid method for ensuring you don’t inadvertently overwrite important information.”
The benefit to using layers in your Photoshop workflow is that in addition to allowing you to make non-destructive changes to your image, layers support layer masks, opacity and fill changes, and Advanced Blending Options.
Layer naming and the ability to easily navigate through your composite, especially at a later date, requires that you name your layers as you create them with a meaningful name rather than accept the Photoshop default naming convention of Layer 1, Layer2, or Layer 1 copy, etc. Meaningful names that may be used could include such terms as, Levels Adjustment, Curves Adjustment, Gradient, or Sharpening.
…“To name a layer, simply double-click on the existing name of the layer in the Layers palette and type in a meaningful name.”…
Layer Sets (Layer Groups in CS2)
Layer Sets are a means of efficiently dealing with large numbers of layers and layer effects. Simply put, layer sets are folders into which you can store related layers. If you routinely use only a few layers in your image workflow, this portion of text will not concern you. It would be worthwhile reading however to be familiar with the process for future growth as layer sets are an aid to organization and permit you to manage a large number of layers more efficiently.
The author describes three methods for creating and deleting a layer set. These include 1 – selecting New Layer Set from the Layers Palette, 2 – Linking all the desired layers and then using the Layers Palette fly-out menu and selecting New Set from Linked and 3 – link the desired layers and them down to the Layer Set button at the bottom of the Layers Palette (this is the authors personal favorite).
(In PS CS2 you need to remember that all of the text referring to Layer Sets is called Layer Groups. For instance on P. 171 the first method listed for creating a Layer Set is accomplished in PS CS2 by Selecting Group Layers from the Layer menu)
As with layers, you should never accept the Photoshop naming convention and should give your layer sets a meaningful name at the time of creation. You can also color code your layers and layer sets to aid in organization and identification.
To color code layers or layer sets, select the layer or set, right click to bring up the menu and select Layer Properties. The layer properties menu screen will appear and with it you can name or rename a layer/layer set and optionally select one of 7 colors to assign to your layer/layer set (red, orange, yellow, green, blue, violet or gray).
I have personally found that color coding the layers I frequently find myself going back to, such as Sharpening (orange), Blur (blue) and Lens Correction (red), has been helpful and a timesaver when dealing with multiple files that require modification. As an aside, I am always using File > Scripts > Image Processor, so I have also color coded those three menu entries (red) which I also find to be helpful.
How conservative you will need to be in the use of layers will obviously be dictated, as are many other workflow decisions, by the capacity of your hard drive.
The author describes a conservative Photoshop user as … “someone who doesn’t throw away layers unless they’re absolutely wrong or unnecessary-but who also has a large hard drive to accommodate all those extra files.” …
The author points out that there is, of course, a down or dark side to the use of layers and even layer sets. This down side comes under the heading of ‘There is no Free Lunch’, and the use of layers comes at the cost of increased file size as well as increased memory usage. Photoshop does not see all layers the same way when it computes file size. If you work with 8 bit images, the most efficient layers are the Fill and Adjustment layers (if you don’t use the layer mask on them). The least efficient are Duplicated and Merged layers. The use of 16 bit images will obviously have an even greater impact on file size and memory usage.
LAYER PALETTE ANATOMY
The layers palette is where you activate, change, affect, delete and manage layers. It is divided into 5 distinct areas – Attributes, Visibility & linking, Position & naming, buttons, and a fly-out menu.
The author refers to the layer palette as the … “command central for image compositing. It’s the first place to look to activate, change, affect, delete or manage layers” …
The next several pages provide detailed descriptions of each component of the Layers Palette Attributes accompanied by images to depict the outcome of their use.
“Every type of Photoshop layer (except for the Background Layer) supports blending modes.” The author encourages experimentation to view some of the unexpected outcomes. The blending modes influence how a layer interacts with the layers below it. You should also remember that layers can be moved up or down which will in turn influence the layers acted upon.
(To be continued)
Photoshop Masking & Compositing, by Katrin Eismann
Chapter 6, Layers Are Your Friends (Pages 163 – 205)
HOUSEKEEPING NOTES
The author, Ms. Eismann (In Introduction P.xv) writes … “I did concentrate on the latest version of Photoshop CS when writing this book.”…
There are some differences between Photoshop CS, which the text is based on and Photoshop CS2 which are not always evident. I point this out to alert you to the need to determine for yourself the accuracy of the material as it may apply to your particular application.
One of the main differences affecting this chapter is terminology. I provide the following citation from Adobe as an example.
Photoshop CS or earlier actions that reference layer sets ...
Document 331346. Last edited. Photoshop CS or earlier actions that reference
layer sets may not work in Photoshop CS2. ...
28k / http://www.adobe.com/support/techdocs/331346.html
Ms. Eismann thoughtfully provides information (see Introduction P. xv) to her web site http://www.photoshopmasking.com/ which I recommend visiting prior to beginning your reading if you have not recently obtained your copy of this book. This site contains errata information applicable to owners of the first printing of the book, current printings have already been revised. In addition the following resources are available on her site:
Sample images used in the text
Errata text corrections
Errata image corrections
Appendices:
B “The Business of Imagemaking”
C “Scanning Resolution”
With those ‘housekeeping’ notes completed, let’s take a tour of Chapter 6: Layers Are Your Friends.
The material we will be looking at includes:
Types of Layers
Working with Layers
Layer Palette Anatomy
Finessing Layers
Working with Image Effects Layers
The author notes, “The four essential skills that dedicated Photoshop users need to understand are correcting and managing color, making selections, working with layers, and masking.” The chapter then begins by covering the basics of working with layers and describing the various types of layers.
We should all know, and it is pointed out several times in this chapter, that the Background Layer represents our original data and we should always use other layers to avoid damaging our original data. … “An essential concept to understand when working with layers is the safety-feature factor – when you alter one layer, you are affecting only it and not the rest of the image.”…
TYPES OF LAYERS - There are two general types of layers:
1 – Image Layers – These layers carry pixel and vector-image information. Image layers include:
Adjustment – enable the application of global and selective tonal and color corrections
Background – original data (you should never work directly on it)
Duplicate – an exact copy of another layer that will be in exact alignment
Empty – permit you to paint, clone and heal without affecting the pixel data of underlying layers
Merged – a flattened layer created from all visible layers
Partial – same as duplicate layer but with only a selected portion of the image
2 – Effect Layers – These layers are used to add tonal, color, pattern and texture effects.
Effect layers include:
Fill - used to add solid color, gradient or pattern fills as a separate layer
Neutral – filled with white, gray, or black. They can be used with a specific layer
blending mode to create lighting effects, sharpen files and create film grain
Type - created when you activate the Type tool and click anywhere on the image
Layer styles – although not considered an actual layer, Photoshop counts layer styles
when calculating the internal layer count.
WORKING WITH LAYERS
“Many compositing artists start each image with a blank document (File > New) and drag the image elements into the new working surface. This is a valid method for ensuring you don’t inadvertently overwrite important information.”
The benefit to using layers in your Photoshop workflow is that in addition to allowing you to make non-destructive changes to your image, layers support layer masks, opacity and fill changes, and Advanced Blending Options.
Layer naming and the ability to easily navigate through your composite, especially at a later date, requires that you name your layers as you create them with a meaningful name rather than accept the Photoshop default naming convention of Layer 1, Layer2, or Layer 1 copy, etc. Meaningful names that may be used could include such terms as, Levels Adjustment, Curves Adjustment, Gradient, or Sharpening.
…“To name a layer, simply double-click on the existing name of the layer in the Layers palette and type in a meaningful name.”…
Layer Sets (Layer Groups in CS2)
Layer Sets are a means of efficiently dealing with large numbers of layers and layer effects. Simply put, layer sets are folders into which you can store related layers. If you routinely use only a few layers in your image workflow, this portion of text will not concern you. It would be worthwhile reading however to be familiar with the process for future growth as layer sets are an aid to organization and permit you to manage a large number of layers more efficiently.
The author describes three methods for creating and deleting a layer set. These include 1 – selecting New Layer Set from the Layers Palette, 2 – Linking all the desired layers and then using the Layers Palette fly-out menu and selecting New Set from Linked and 3 – link the desired layers and them down to the Layer Set button at the bottom of the Layers Palette (this is the authors personal favorite).
(In PS CS2 you need to remember that all of the text referring to Layer Sets is called Layer Groups. For instance on P. 171 the first method listed for creating a Layer Set is accomplished in PS CS2 by Selecting Group Layers from the Layer menu)
As with layers, you should never accept the Photoshop naming convention and should give your layer sets a meaningful name at the time of creation. You can also color code your layers and layer sets to aid in organization and identification.
To color code layers or layer sets, select the layer or set, right click to bring up the menu and select Layer Properties. The layer properties menu screen will appear and with it you can name or rename a layer/layer set and optionally select one of 7 colors to assign to your layer/layer set (red, orange, yellow, green, blue, violet or gray).
I have personally found that color coding the layers I frequently find myself going back to, such as Sharpening (orange), Blur (blue) and Lens Correction (red), has been helpful and a timesaver when dealing with multiple files that require modification. As an aside, I am always using File > Scripts > Image Processor, so I have also color coded those three menu entries (red) which I also find to be helpful.
How conservative you will need to be in the use of layers will obviously be dictated, as are many other workflow decisions, by the capacity of your hard drive.
The author describes a conservative Photoshop user as … “someone who doesn’t throw away layers unless they’re absolutely wrong or unnecessary-but who also has a large hard drive to accommodate all those extra files.” …
The author points out that there is, of course, a down or dark side to the use of layers and even layer sets. This down side comes under the heading of ‘There is no Free Lunch’, and the use of layers comes at the cost of increased file size as well as increased memory usage. Photoshop does not see all layers the same way when it computes file size. If you work with 8 bit images, the most efficient layers are the Fill and Adjustment layers (if you don’t use the layer mask on them). The least efficient are Duplicated and Merged layers. The use of 16 bit images will obviously have an even greater impact on file size and memory usage.
LAYER PALETTE ANATOMY
The layers palette is where you activate, change, affect, delete and manage layers. It is divided into 5 distinct areas – Attributes, Visibility & linking, Position & naming, buttons, and a fly-out menu.
The author refers to the layer palette as the … “command central for image compositing. It’s the first place to look to activate, change, affect, delete or manage layers” …
The next several pages provide detailed descriptions of each component of the Layers Palette Attributes accompanied by images to depict the outcome of their use.
“Every type of Photoshop layer (except for the Background Layer) supports blending modes.” The author encourages experimentation to view some of the unexpected outcomes. The blending modes influence how a layer interacts with the layers below it. You should also remember that layers can be moved up or down which will in turn influence the layers acted upon.
(To be continued)
www.artguertin-photography.com
"There is no limit to what a man can do so long as he does not care who gets the credit."
- Philip Hyde (1922-2006)
"There is no limit to what a man can do so long as he does not care who gets the credit."
- Philip Hyde (1922-2006)
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