Section 5.8. Grouping Layers


5.8. Grouping Layers

There may be times when you want to make groups of layers as a part of your workflow. For example, there may be several masked Curve layers that affect different parts of the image in different ways. You want to keep all these layers together so you can move them or turn them off as a group.

Grouped layers differ from linked layers in that the entire group can be made to have a single characteristic, such as a Blend mode. In other words, the entire group can be treated as a single layer.

There are two ways to create a group, both are found on the Layers palette fly-out menu:

  • To create a group from existing layers, press Cmd/Ctrl and click on each layer you want to have in the group. Then choose "Group from Layers" from the fly-out menu.

  • To create an empty group, choose New Group from the fly-out menu. You can add new layers to that group at any time. Add a new blank layer by selecting the Group and then clicking the New Layer icon.

You can add an existing layer by simply dragging it to the Group layer where you want it to reside.

Layer Features That Arrived with CS2

On the rare chance that you're not fully familiar with layers or some of the new features in Photoshop CS2, here's a quick rundown.


Layer linking

Layer linking allows you to treat multiple layers as a single entity. So you can move or transform all the layers together into a new position or drag them into a new Group (see the section, "Grouping Layers"). You would want to transform linked layers if, for instance, you had already masked some Adjustment layers to affect targeted portions of the image so that the targeted areas remained proportionate. You can link layers temporarily by pressing Cmd/Ctrl and clicking all the layers you want to link together. If they're all next to one another, just select the top or bottom layer in that series, press Shift, and click the layer on the other end of the series. If you want to unlink layers, select those you want to unlink and click the Link icon.


Layer mask linking

Speaking of keeping masks in line with the image when you transform, make sure you link the mask to the image. Layer masks are linked by default, but you can unlink them by simply clicking the link icon that is in between the image or adjustment icon and the mask. Usually, it's the layer mask that's active (selected) by default because you will likely want to edit the mask by painting in it or adding a selection to it. If you want to make the image active, unlink the mask and then click the image. When either the mask or the image is selected, a black frame surrounds it so you can immediately see which is active.


Lock transparent pixels

If you have moved a portion of the image to a new layer or extracted the image from its layer, or have text or a shape on a layer, the area surrounding that shape will be transparent. By default, you can tell which parts of the layer are transparent because you see a checkerboard pattern through the clear parts of the layer. There will be times when you want to filter or fill a layer so that only the image pixels are affected. Whenever that's the case, click the Lock Transparent Pixels icon.


Lock image pixels

Clicking the Lock Image Pixels icon ensures that only transparent areas will be affected. Be aware that locking image pixels is destructive because if you fill the transparent area, it changes the pixels permanently (unless you Undo while that step is still in the History palette).


Lock layer position

Clicking this icon ensures that this layer will retain its position, which will keep you from accidentally bumping the layer out of position when using the Move tool.


Lock all

The Lock All tool doesn't lock all the layersit locks all the locking options for the currently selected layer. Of course, you could lock one at a time, but why waste the time?





Digital Photography(c) Expert Techniques
Digital Photography Expert Techniques
ISBN: 0596526903
EAN: 2147483647
Year: 2004
Pages: 124
Authors: Ken Milburn

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