Photoshop - Working with layers - The Basics

I was recently asked to explain how I use layers in Photoshop. So while trying to put my thoughts together, I decided I might as well share it with everyone who’s interested.

I’ll show how to do very basic adjustments so you get a feel for how layers work. Once you’re comfortable with that you can move on to using layers to create art effects.

Please keep in mind that I’m a Photoshop user... I’m in no way an expert!
This is just my way of working with layers. There are many different ways, & they all work.

Why use layers ? :
Our reasons for using layers are many & varied. We might be doing vector-like illustrations, Or composing an intricate fantasy photomanipulation.
It may be a simple matter of applying text over an image.
You may just want to do basic tone & colour adjustments of your photographs.
Whatever your reason, using layers is almost essential.
I say this for one very important reason. If you apply adjustments of any type to your original image, you will be altering it permanently. There’s no going back. Pixels get moved around & destroyed, every brush or keystroke seriously alters the quality of your image.
However, working in layers is non-destructive. The original image sits at the bottom of your stack, untouched, unaltered, safe from damage.
All of your edits are stacked on top of the original, & then “flattened”, usually upon completion, or when you’re ready to move on to the next stage of editing.

I’ll use this image of a bunch of people looking a Trojan warplane, to demonstrate the basics of using layers.

I’m using PS CS3, & I’m not sure how similar the layout of PS Elements is, so this will either be helpful to you, or just confusing…. it should be fairly similar though.

Let’s get started :

1) Open your image in Photoshop, & save it straight away as a psd (Photoshop file format) I’ve decided to call this one “enter the trojan”.

2) Now have a good look at the image & decide what needs doing.
Does it needs cropping? Some people choose to crop at the start, but for some strange reason I’ll often wait until I’m somewhere through my editing process. I like to wait to see how the image is evolving….

Does anything need cloning out?
This image has a rather annoying person disappearing out of the left side of the frame, so Ill be getting rid of him, as well as cleaning up a few distracting white spots on the airfield in the background.

3) Look to the right of your screen & you’ll see your layers palette.
At the top right of that you’ll see 3 little horizontal lines stacked on top of each other with an arrow next to them. Left click on this & you’ll get a drop-down box. this is your most important box for using layers.

Click on duplicate layer, & rename it as you wish.
I’m calling it “clone”.

You’ll see the duplicate layer appear above the background layer in your layers palette.

Make sure the clone layer is selected (it’ll be highlighted in grey), & you’re ready to work on that layer.
Now select your clone tool & go to work.

All done? If you’re happy with your work make sure you save.

Now, remembering what I said about your background (original) layer remaining untouched, here’s a little demo.
Do you see that little eye beside your “clone” layer?
Click on it…. Hello!! Your cloning has gone! Click on it again….. it’s back!!!
OK, we could have fun with this all day, but do you see how the background image is unchanged? Cool huh?

Let’s move on….

I’ve got blown out highlights in my clouds which are a problem & the mid-tones are a bit too dark.
I’ll deal with the clouds first by using a curves adjustment layer.

4) All the way down at the bottom of your layers palette, you’ll see a toolbar. look for the circle that’s half black & half white.
This is the “create new fill or adjustment layer” button.
Click on it & select “curves”.

5) Grab the little white dot on the line in the top right corner. Now drag it a smidgen down to the right. That should take care of the blown out clouds.
Click OK.

Do you see you now have a curves layer?
(Because I use CS3, it automatically gives me a layer mask box on this layer. It’s that white box in your curves layer. But we’re not going to get into masks today)

Now to fix the mid-tones. For this I’m going to add a Levels layer.
6) Just like in step 4), click on the “create new fill or adjustment layer” button & this time select “Levels”.

7) This will open a box with a levels histogram in it.
To lighten your mid-tones slide the grey arrow in the middle of the histogram to the left until you’re happy.
Click OK, & you’ll see your levels layer sitting above the curves layer.

Now, what if you wanted to do some dodge & burn?
There’s a number of ways to dodge & burn, so I’ll show you one that I use quite often.

8) Remember those 3 little horizontal lines that you clicked on to duplicate the layer? (step 3)
Click on that again, & this time select “New Layer”.

9) In the dialogue box, change the name to “dodge & burn”,
click on the “mode” dropdown box, & select “overlay”,
then check the box “Fill with overlay-neutral color (50% gray)
it should look something like this :

Then click OK.

You’ll now see a layer called “dodge & burn” in your layers palette. It should be on the top of the pile. If it isn’t, simply drag it to the top.
Any work you do to the top layer will be carried over to all the layers below.

10) Select your burn tool, set your range to Shadows, & Exposure around 20 (this will depend completely upon the type of image you’re working on), then get to work burning out the areas that you feel need deepening.

11) Then take your dodge tool, set your Exposure to around 20 & work over the areas that you think need a little more highlighting.

I’ve decided this image needs a bit more saturation.

12) Go back to the black/white circle (as mentioned in step 4), & this time look for Hue/Saturation.

Adjust your sliders as you see fit, then click OK.

At this stage I’m happy with my basic adjustments. It’s now at the stage where it’s ready for me to use it as a background image for something a little more creative.

13) If you haven’t been saving until now, you really must do it now.

14) Now we’re going to Flatten the file.
Go to those 3 little horizontal lines with the arrow again (step 3), & this time look for “Flatten Image”.

Click on it. You’ll see that all your layers have been “flattened into just one layer, & it’s now become your new background layer.

If you’re planning to print this, you’ll need to give it some sharpening.
There are so many ways to sharpen, but at the moment I’m a bit partial to using the “high pass” filter.

15) To do this you’ll need to use a duplicate layer (remember step 3?)
I’m re-naming it “High Pass Sharpening”.

16) Go to your “filter” drop down box on your top tool bar, & select, “other”, “high pass”.

17) Adjust your radius slider until you see a good amount of line detail while keeping the tones in gray. Click OK.

You’re probably wondering what’s happened to your image. We’ll fix that right now.

18) Look above your “high pass” layer, & you’ll see Opacity set at 100%, to the left of that the word “normal” in a drop-down box.
Click on that drop-down box & select “overlay”.

Presto! You’ve got your image back, & it’s been sharpened.
Toggle the “eye” off & on to see the effect.

19) If it’s too sharpened for your taste, you can adjust the opacity of that layer.
Find the “opacity” slider above the layer, & adjust it as you like.
I’m setting this one to 50%.

20) Save this as a new psd file ( I’m calling this one “enter the trojan HP sharp”), & flatten it as before.

21) Now all you need to do is save it in the Format of choice.
I routinely save all my images as TIFF files, & then save again as JPEG.
Remember to do all you backups now so you don’t forget later.

All finished! Now you have an image that is fine as is, or ready for you to get a little creative & do further editing.

The final image :

You might also want to look at Texturing an Image in Photoshop for Absolute Beginners for further editing ideas.

[ One last point : I put a lot of time & effort into creating these tutorials. Please don’t disrespect me by claiming them as your own.]