Applying a Layer Style to Other Layers

It's not unusual to come up with a great layer style on one layer and then apply the same effect to other layers. You can copy layer styles to other layers in three ways:

• Select a layer that uses the correct style, context-click the layer (Ctrl-click on Mac OS X or right-click on Windows) in the Layers palette and choose Copy Layer Style. Then select another layer, context-click the layer in the Layers palette, and choose Paste Layer Style. You can also choose Layer > Layer Style > Copy Layer Style or Paste Layer Style, but context-clicking is faster.

• In the Layers palette, Option/Alt+drag the layer style icon (Figure 12.6) from one layer to another. (If you drag the layer style icon without pressing Option/Alt, you'll move the layer style instead of copying it, which means you'll remove it from the source layer.)

  Figure 12.6. To copy the single note's layer style to the two beamed notes, I Option/Alt+drag the layer style icon from the "1 note" layer to the "2 notes" layer.

  

• Double-click a layer that uses the correct style, and in the Layer Style dialog box click New Style. Name the style, specify whether the style should include effects and blending options. Click OK to close the New Style dialog box and click OK again to close the Layer Style dialog box. This creates a layer style preset that you can apply to any other layer using the Layer Style dialog box or the Styles palette.

Curious about the layer styles included with Photoshop and how the styles combine effects to achieve their looks? When a layer style is applied, open the Layer Style dialog box and select any checked heading. You'll see the exact settings that make up that effect.