Selecting Everything on a Layer at Once!Once you have one or more objects on a layer, putting a selection around everything on that layer is a one-click affair. What's especially great about this ability is that not only does it select the hard-edged areas in a layer, but it also selects the soft-edged areas, such as drop shadows. It'll make sense in a moment. Step OneOpen a layered image in which one layer contains elements you want to select and alter. To instantly put a selection around everything on that layer, just Control-click on that layer's thumbnail in the Layers palette (not its name; its thumbnail). Step TwoFor one example of why you might want to do this, go to the top of the Layers palette while your selection is still in place and click the Create a New Layer icon. Now, choose a Foreground color and press Alt-Backspace to fill your selected area with that color. Next, change the blend mode of this new layer (at the top of the Layers palette) to Color, so now you have colored the layer's object(s). Lower the Opacity in the Layers palette to add a slight colored cast to your layer. Press Control-D to deselect. |