Layers When an artist creates a picture using a brush and paint they would build up the picture using layers. Here are the layers that a typical artist would create. They would choose the paper - Layer one (background) They would sketch out the image - Layer two They would shade in certain areas - Layer three They would apply colour - Layer four They would apply detail - Layer Five Layers built up in this way are difficult to revisit as they are done for real. However if they are done digitally layers can be revisited and edited as individual skins to a painting. Layers are then flattened depending on your use for them and your picture is complete. |  |
 | Opposite I have transformed an image using four layers, I then flattened the layers into one. Layers > flatten Short Cut MAC - CMD/Shift/E PC - CTRL/Shift/E |
The best way to understand layers is just to experiment with them however before you do let me break down even further the steps I took to create the image above. I begun by opening up two images (layer 1 and the texture layer which as you can see above ends up being layer 3). |
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I then needed to add a different kind of layer - an adjustment layer. these are layers that altar the image in some way. There are many types of adjustment layers but in this case we needed an adjustment layer that would change my background layer into Monochrome. |  |
As you can see by adding a black and white adjustment layer from the menu indicated. it has automatically placed it within the Layers palette as a second layer. The background layer is now beneath a layer - image we are viewing from the top, so whatever is stacked on top is what we see first. |  |
I then used the move tool (V) and then dragged the texture image into the background image. This was then added as a third layer, by doing this I no longer was able to view the background image. In order to see the background layer through the texture layer I needed to blend the texture layer. By doing this I was giving it a transparency setting, using the blend mode drop done menu I chose 'Multiply' as you can see opposite. This allowed the texture to feel apart of the image giving the image a new energy. I then added a fresh untouched layer, layers are normally clear unless you copy one that is in your palette  |  |
The symbol above is the new layer icon and can be found left of the trash can below the layers pallet. Should you wish to duplicate an existing layer simply drag it down to this icon and release it. This will create a duplicate layer over your original layer. Once I had created a fourth layer I then made sure it was highlighted in blue. This ensures that you are drawing onto that layer and no other. I chose some pre-set butterfly brushes and painted them on. You can keep things organised by labelling your layers, you can do this by double clicking on the existing title. To further your organisational skills you may want to put certain layers in to specific folders. To do this just press on the folder Icon left of the Layers icon, a folder will open above the last layer in the palette. Label your folder as you would a layer and then drag and drop the layers you wish to categorise into the folders name. |  |
   | If you wish to learn more about layers and their extraordinary uses then choose a link opposite. Or any of the videos below Videos - Coming soon
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