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Photoshop Masking & Compositing Ch 6 (Part 2 of 2)
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Photoshop Masking & Compositing - Chapter 6 – Layers Are Your Friends (Part 2 of 2)
Photoshop Masking & Compositing, by Katrin Eismann
Chapter 6, Layers Are Your Friends (Pages 163 – 205)
A Blend Mode Shortcut Guide was provided which will save a lot of mouse movements.
Lock and Protect
Under the blending modes on the layers palette are 4 small icons that are used to lock (protect) Transparency, Pixels, Position or, All. These icons function as on/off by selecting (clicking on) them. When On a small lock is displayed on the far right of the selected layer(s) in the layers palette. The use of the locking layer attributes is a reversible method to protect layers from inadvertent moves or edits.
Lock Transparent Pixels – “is available for layers that contain transparency, such as partial image layers. Clicking it protects the clear areas of the layer”.
Lock Image Pixels – “will not let you use any painting tools on the layer, while allowing you to move and transform the layer contents”.
Lock Position - … “locks a layer into place and does not let you inadvertently move a layer” …
Lock All – “Applies all three of the lock and protect functions to a layer”.
:
The author then describes the functions of Visibility and Linking; Positioning and Naming.
Layer Buttons
The small icons located at the very bottom of the layers palette. These ‘buttons’ are shortcuts to many of the commands found on the Layer menu and the Layers palette fly out menu. The buttons from left to right are: Add layer style, Add layer mask, Create new set, Create new fill or adjustment layer, Create new layer and Delete layer.
The image component blending modes are used to change the individual attributes of the layer. They are: Hue, Saturation, Color and Luminosity.
The attributes of Opacity and Fill Opacity are then illustrated to show their potential.
The top right of the Layers palette contains a small right pointing, black triangle. This is used to open the Layers palette fly out menu (click to open). This menu, in addition to the features previously listed for the Layer Buttons, allows you to also Delete linked layers, Delete hidden layers and access palette options. The author feels that 3 of the functions available on the Layers palette fly out menu are important and that they need to be understood. These are:
Merge Down – “combines the active layer with layer below it. You cannot merge down image layers containing pixel content into Fill, Adjustment, or Type layers”. You should exercise caution with this Merge Down command as its use will remove the ability to edit or adjust the merged layers.
Merge Visible – This command should also be used with caution as it will combine all visible layers into one pixel based layer.
Flatten – Again, caution is advised as this will merge all visible layers into the Background layer. The author recommends avoiding this command and to select Flatten in the Save As dialog box instead.
This would come into play when you needed to flatten an image to create a JPEG file or flattened TIFF’s for page layout applications.
A caution is provided at this point in the text to remind everyone that the most destructive functions in Photoshop are Erase, Delete, Merge, Flatten and Rasterize. All of them are destructive – make sure that you are confident of your action and the outcome, or use a backup file or layer before doing so.
Moving and Transforming Layers
The only tool that moves pixel information is the Move tool. (Press v or (Cmd-click) [Ctrl-click] with any tool on the image to change it into the Move tool). Using the keyboard arrow keys you can nudge a layer one pixel at a time. Holding the shift key while pressing the arrow key moves the layer in 10 pixel increments.
There are three Move tool options:
Auto Select Layer – Not recommended for use because low opacity layers can fool the Move tool into selecting the wrong layer.
Show Bounding Box – adds a thin dotted line around each layer. Useful when trying to find the exact center of a layer.
Align and Distribute Layers - This is only active when layers are linked. It is used to line up text or shape layers.
To move layers between images, drag the desired layer from the image or the Layers palette. The author cautioned dragging a layer should be done with confidence, or Photoshop will warn you that the layer is locked.
To transform a layer, you can select Edit > Transform and then choose the option you need, however using Edit > Free Transform lets you edit, scale, rotate & access all the other controls by (Control-clicking) [right-clicking] and requires less mouse movements. The author uses this method exclusively.
The Transform commands use the interpolation settings in General Preferences (see Chapter 1). The recommended settings are: Bicubic Smoother for scaling up and Bicubic Sharper for scaling down.
Layer Problems?
A checklist to review if you encounter unexpected results while using layers consists of:
1 – Make sure that the layer you want to affect is the active layer.
2 – Is it the layer or the layer mask that is active?
3 – Is there an active selection?
4 – Are you using the right tool?
5 – Are you in Quick Mask mode?
As long as you don’t save a file there are several ways out of a layer problem. You can open the History palette and step backward until you reach a point you are comfortable with, or clicking on the topmost History icon will return you to the point where the file was initially opened.
A final solution would be to select File > Revert which will also take you back to the initial file opening.
Remember, if something does not appear to be working correctly, stop and identify the problem before you continue working on the file.
FINESSING LAYERS
Have you ever seen the TV commercials for the Ginzu knives? Well Layers are a lot like those knives. The knives let you slice, dice, carve and filet while Photoshop Layers let you arrange, group, clip and blend your way to photo perfection and just like the knives, layers permit you to create surprising effects quickly and efficiently.
Clipping Masks and Groups
This portion of the chapter is a bit fast paced, but it is accompanied by numerous figures and numbered steps to make the learning curve quite gentle.
A clipping mask is a fast and easy way to control how your layers interact. A clipping group always starts with a base layer that has pixels on transparency. After adding an adjustment, fill, neutral, or image layer on top of the base layer, select Layer > Create Clipping Mask, or (Cmd + G) [Ctrl + G] to group the upper layer with the group.
You can use a clipping mask whenever you need to control an effect for a layer with transparency.
Clipping mask are commonly used to insert images into text, which is used on Web sites and in a lot of movie posters. The author describes the workflow step by step and provides several figures to guide you along the way.
In working with Clipping Groups the author demonstrates by creating a blue sky with clouds to replace a drab, gray, & dreary sky in a landscape. She then proceeds to describe and demonstrate in detail how to use layers to create a ‘Knockout Effect’. The files used for this process are provided on the author’s website.
As the application of knockout effects is more oriented to presentations and illustrations rather than photography, in my opinion, I encourage those with interest in the subject to download the sample files and follow along with the text.
WORKING WITH IMAGE EFFECTS LAYERS
Adjustment, fill, neutral and layer styles are all effect layers. By now it should be apparent that the use of adjustment layers helps to maintain the integrity of your original data by providing a nondestructive way to alter the file using levels, curves, channel mixer, etc.
Fill layers were a feature designed for web designers, but can be used to add special effects and image patterns to photos.
Neutral layers can be used to add texture, film grain, and lighting effects. Neutral layer uses are covered further in chapters 12 & 13.
Layer styles are a flexible method for adding special effects to layers, most commonly used for type.
Global adjustments (always used on an adjustment layer) affect the entire image equally, as opposed to selective adjustments which target specific areas of an image. Global adjustments should be applied in the early stages of your workflow in order to have the best images available for your composite.
The author next discusses Levels and Curves, again with ample figures and sample images available from her website. I found the discussion to be repetitive of all the obligatory levels and curves material found in every Digital Photography and Photoshop text. I was quickly awakened when the author immediately followed this with …dare I say it? Auto Color Correction options in levels and curves, with the suggestion that starting with Photoshop 7, it was OK to use the auto (read magic) function in levels and curves! Actually, I must admit to having never tried the auto function myself. I was completely indoctrinated by Photoshop purist to avoid all Auto functions like the plague or I would never be deemed competent to work in Photoshop. There was even an unspoken hint that if I ever dared to use the Auto functions my hard drive would seize up and all my photo images, whether on the local hard drive or backed up elsewhere, would cease to exist. Well, she never actually says that one should now begin using the auto functions. She does admit to using them herself to see what the result will look like. She also says that after using the auto function, if necessary, you can add a slight S curve to kind of ‘fine tune’ the outcome.
This section does contain a very thorough explanation of the six settings that let you control how the auto function in levels and curves can be selected to control how the auto function operates and has convinced me to ‘experiment’ with the auto function on occasion.
Magical Shadow/Highlight
Caution! Shadow/Highlight is not an Adjustment layer. It is recommended that you duplicate the layer you want to adjust using Shadow/Highlight before selecting Image > Adjustments > Shadow/Highlight. This adjustment is controlled by a simple interface that consists of 2 slider controls. There is one slider for Shadow amount and one for highlight amount. While this appears simple there is something behind the curtain controlling the way these sliders operate. There are more options available in Shadow/Highlight so that you can control the amount, tonal width, radius, color correction & midtone contrast. To access these controls click on the show more options box at the bottom of the Shadow/Highlight control panel.
Shadow/Highlight adaptively compares and corrects each pixel, according to the surrounding luminance values. This means that Shadow/Highlight is able to process the image information in a manner that is similar to how we visually process when our eyes automatically adapt to changes in luminance so that we can see detail in both shadow and highlight. You control the adjustment with the sliders. The Shadow slider lightens dark areas and the Highlight slider darkens lighter areas.
Working with Neutral Layers
Neutral layers are black, white, or gray. When used with blending modes they are invisible surfaces on which you can apply a variety of filters and effects such as film grain, textures, tonal and lighting effects. The use of Neutral layers is necessary when you need to add film grain to composites to help hide any textural differences between image elements and is dealt with further in chapter 12.
In Conclusion…
The chapter title is Layers Are You Friends. In this chapter I believe the author succeeds in demonstrating and proving this statement. She introduces you to layers, explains the types of layers, their functions, benefits, and how to make practical use of them in your Photoshop workflow.
This is a foundation chapter that provides you with some of the knowledge required to proceed to compositing.
The author gives step by step instructions on the use of layers, accompanied with ample illustrations of the procedures and the outcomes. The sample files which are available on the author’s website www.photoshopmasking.com ,are invaluable in following her through the procedures she outlines. The author repeatedly emphasizes that layers are indeed your friends and are not only extremely useful in your workflow; their use will permit you to make alterations and corrections while maintaining the integrity of your original image.
Photoshop Masking & Compositing, by Katrin Eismann
Chapter 6, Layers Are Your Friends (Pages 163 – 205)
A Blend Mode Shortcut Guide was provided which will save a lot of mouse movements.
Lock and Protect
Under the blending modes on the layers palette are 4 small icons that are used to lock (protect) Transparency, Pixels, Position or, All. These icons function as on/off by selecting (clicking on) them. When On a small lock is displayed on the far right of the selected layer(s) in the layers palette. The use of the locking layer attributes is a reversible method to protect layers from inadvertent moves or edits.
Lock Transparent Pixels – “is available for layers that contain transparency, such as partial image layers. Clicking it protects the clear areas of the layer”.
Lock Image Pixels – “will not let you use any painting tools on the layer, while allowing you to move and transform the layer contents”.
Lock Position - … “locks a layer into place and does not let you inadvertently move a layer” …
Lock All – “Applies all three of the lock and protect functions to a layer”.
:
The author then describes the functions of Visibility and Linking; Positioning and Naming.
Layer Buttons
The small icons located at the very bottom of the layers palette. These ‘buttons’ are shortcuts to many of the commands found on the Layer menu and the Layers palette fly out menu. The buttons from left to right are: Add layer style, Add layer mask, Create new set, Create new fill or adjustment layer, Create new layer and Delete layer.
The image component blending modes are used to change the individual attributes of the layer. They are: Hue, Saturation, Color and Luminosity.
The attributes of Opacity and Fill Opacity are then illustrated to show their potential.
The top right of the Layers palette contains a small right pointing, black triangle. This is used to open the Layers palette fly out menu (click to open). This menu, in addition to the features previously listed for the Layer Buttons, allows you to also Delete linked layers, Delete hidden layers and access palette options. The author feels that 3 of the functions available on the Layers palette fly out menu are important and that they need to be understood. These are:
Merge Down – “combines the active layer with layer below it. You cannot merge down image layers containing pixel content into Fill, Adjustment, or Type layers”. You should exercise caution with this Merge Down command as its use will remove the ability to edit or adjust the merged layers.
Merge Visible – This command should also be used with caution as it will combine all visible layers into one pixel based layer.
Flatten – Again, caution is advised as this will merge all visible layers into the Background layer. The author recommends avoiding this command and to select Flatten in the Save As dialog box instead.
This would come into play when you needed to flatten an image to create a JPEG file or flattened TIFF’s for page layout applications.
A caution is provided at this point in the text to remind everyone that the most destructive functions in Photoshop are Erase, Delete, Merge, Flatten and Rasterize. All of them are destructive – make sure that you are confident of your action and the outcome, or use a backup file or layer before doing so.
Moving and Transforming Layers
The only tool that moves pixel information is the Move tool. (Press v or (Cmd-click) [Ctrl-click] with any tool on the image to change it into the Move tool). Using the keyboard arrow keys you can nudge a layer one pixel at a time. Holding the shift key while pressing the arrow key moves the layer in 10 pixel increments.
There are three Move tool options:
Auto Select Layer – Not recommended for use because low opacity layers can fool the Move tool into selecting the wrong layer.
Show Bounding Box – adds a thin dotted line around each layer. Useful when trying to find the exact center of a layer.
Align and Distribute Layers - This is only active when layers are linked. It is used to line up text or shape layers.
To move layers between images, drag the desired layer from the image or the Layers palette. The author cautioned dragging a layer should be done with confidence, or Photoshop will warn you that the layer is locked.
To transform a layer, you can select Edit > Transform and then choose the option you need, however using Edit > Free Transform lets you edit, scale, rotate & access all the other controls by (Control-clicking) [right-clicking] and requires less mouse movements. The author uses this method exclusively.
The Transform commands use the interpolation settings in General Preferences (see Chapter 1). The recommended settings are: Bicubic Smoother for scaling up and Bicubic Sharper for scaling down.
Layer Problems?
A checklist to review if you encounter unexpected results while using layers consists of:
1 – Make sure that the layer you want to affect is the active layer.
2 – Is it the layer or the layer mask that is active?
3 – Is there an active selection?
4 – Are you using the right tool?
5 – Are you in Quick Mask mode?
As long as you don’t save a file there are several ways out of a layer problem. You can open the History palette and step backward until you reach a point you are comfortable with, or clicking on the topmost History icon will return you to the point where the file was initially opened.
A final solution would be to select File > Revert which will also take you back to the initial file opening.
Remember, if something does not appear to be working correctly, stop and identify the problem before you continue working on the file.
FINESSING LAYERS
Have you ever seen the TV commercials for the Ginzu knives? Well Layers are a lot like those knives. The knives let you slice, dice, carve and filet while Photoshop Layers let you arrange, group, clip and blend your way to photo perfection and just like the knives, layers permit you to create surprising effects quickly and efficiently.
Clipping Masks and Groups
This portion of the chapter is a bit fast paced, but it is accompanied by numerous figures and numbered steps to make the learning curve quite gentle.
A clipping mask is a fast and easy way to control how your layers interact. A clipping group always starts with a base layer that has pixels on transparency. After adding an adjustment, fill, neutral, or image layer on top of the base layer, select Layer > Create Clipping Mask, or (Cmd + G) [Ctrl + G] to group the upper layer with the group.
You can use a clipping mask whenever you need to control an effect for a layer with transparency.
Clipping mask are commonly used to insert images into text, which is used on Web sites and in a lot of movie posters. The author describes the workflow step by step and provides several figures to guide you along the way.
In working with Clipping Groups the author demonstrates by creating a blue sky with clouds to replace a drab, gray, & dreary sky in a landscape. She then proceeds to describe and demonstrate in detail how to use layers to create a ‘Knockout Effect’. The files used for this process are provided on the author’s website.
As the application of knockout effects is more oriented to presentations and illustrations rather than photography, in my opinion, I encourage those with interest in the subject to download the sample files and follow along with the text.
WORKING WITH IMAGE EFFECTS LAYERS
Adjustment, fill, neutral and layer styles are all effect layers. By now it should be apparent that the use of adjustment layers helps to maintain the integrity of your original data by providing a nondestructive way to alter the file using levels, curves, channel mixer, etc.
Fill layers were a feature designed for web designers, but can be used to add special effects and image patterns to photos.
Neutral layers can be used to add texture, film grain, and lighting effects. Neutral layer uses are covered further in chapters 12 & 13.
Layer styles are a flexible method for adding special effects to layers, most commonly used for type.
Global adjustments (always used on an adjustment layer) affect the entire image equally, as opposed to selective adjustments which target specific areas of an image. Global adjustments should be applied in the early stages of your workflow in order to have the best images available for your composite.
The author next discusses Levels and Curves, again with ample figures and sample images available from her website. I found the discussion to be repetitive of all the obligatory levels and curves material found in every Digital Photography and Photoshop text. I was quickly awakened when the author immediately followed this with …dare I say it? Auto Color Correction options in levels and curves, with the suggestion that starting with Photoshop 7, it was OK to use the auto (read magic) function in levels and curves! Actually, I must admit to having never tried the auto function myself. I was completely indoctrinated by Photoshop purist to avoid all Auto functions like the plague or I would never be deemed competent to work in Photoshop. There was even an unspoken hint that if I ever dared to use the Auto functions my hard drive would seize up and all my photo images, whether on the local hard drive or backed up elsewhere, would cease to exist. Well, she never actually says that one should now begin using the auto functions. She does admit to using them herself to see what the result will look like. She also says that after using the auto function, if necessary, you can add a slight S curve to kind of ‘fine tune’ the outcome.
This section does contain a very thorough explanation of the six settings that let you control how the auto function in levels and curves can be selected to control how the auto function operates and has convinced me to ‘experiment’ with the auto function on occasion.
Magical Shadow/Highlight
Caution! Shadow/Highlight is not an Adjustment layer. It is recommended that you duplicate the layer you want to adjust using Shadow/Highlight before selecting Image > Adjustments > Shadow/Highlight. This adjustment is controlled by a simple interface that consists of 2 slider controls. There is one slider for Shadow amount and one for highlight amount. While this appears simple there is something behind the curtain controlling the way these sliders operate. There are more options available in Shadow/Highlight so that you can control the amount, tonal width, radius, color correction & midtone contrast. To access these controls click on the show more options box at the bottom of the Shadow/Highlight control panel.
Shadow/Highlight adaptively compares and corrects each pixel, according to the surrounding luminance values. This means that Shadow/Highlight is able to process the image information in a manner that is similar to how we visually process when our eyes automatically adapt to changes in luminance so that we can see detail in both shadow and highlight. You control the adjustment with the sliders. The Shadow slider lightens dark areas and the Highlight slider darkens lighter areas.
Working with Neutral Layers
Neutral layers are black, white, or gray. When used with blending modes they are invisible surfaces on which you can apply a variety of filters and effects such as film grain, textures, tonal and lighting effects. The use of Neutral layers is necessary when you need to add film grain to composites to help hide any textural differences between image elements and is dealt with further in chapter 12.
In Conclusion…
The chapter title is Layers Are You Friends. In this chapter I believe the author succeeds in demonstrating and proving this statement. She introduces you to layers, explains the types of layers, their functions, benefits, and how to make practical use of them in your Photoshop workflow.
This is a foundation chapter that provides you with some of the knowledge required to proceed to compositing.
The author gives step by step instructions on the use of layers, accompanied with ample illustrations of the procedures and the outcomes. The sample files which are available on the author’s website www.photoshopmasking.com ,are invaluable in following her through the procedures she outlines. The author repeatedly emphasizes that layers are indeed your friends and are not only extremely useful in your workflow; their use will permit you to make alterations and corrections while maintaining the integrity of your original image.
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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