Layers in Photoshop

Layers in Photoshop

The layers in the Photoshop tool allows us to work on multiple images by placing them on top of each other without causing any changes to the other images or without mixing the pixels of other images. The layers in photoshop can be added or deleted at any time as per the user's choice. 

Layers are one of the most important tools in Adobe Photoshop, which makes it a wonderful image editing tool.

Types of Layers in Photoshop

The Photoshop tool provides five types of layers, which are Image, Adjustment, Shape, Fill and Type. Among all five types of layers, the Image layer is the most widely used. Below is a short description of each layer:

  • Image layers: The image layer in photoshop can be referred to as the digital version of an acetate sheet. In photoshop, blank layers can be created and later on, we can add images to those blank layers. Moreover, we can create new layers with the help of the image itself. You can add as many layers as you want, depending upon system storage.

Photoshop also allows us to edit a layer in the image without interrupting the other layers.

  • Adjustment layers: The color and some specific properties like brightness, contrast and hue of an image can be modified with the help of these Adjustment layers. You should always use an adjustment layer for applying corrections to your image rather than directly applying them to the image; with the help of an adjustment layer, we can apply all the corrections without causing a permanent effect to the image pixels. Thus, the Adjustment layer is also called the Non-destructive layers.

Adjustment layers apply the corrections selected by the user to all the layers that are present below it. It does not affect the layers that are present above it. They are very convenient to use as you can view or modify the corrections or adjustments made by you at any time.

  • Fill layers: With the help of Fill layers, the user can add a solid color, pattern or some gradient to any image in Photoshop. Layer masks are also available in these layers. The layer operations like merge, duplicate, edit, delete etc. are also available in these kinds of layers like the adjustment layers.  The user can also restrict the effect of the fill layer to only a selected portion of the image.
  • Shape layers: We can also draw certain shapes in Photoshop with the help of basic drawing tools. These shapes or objects can be resized freely anytime without causing any deterioration to the objects. The user can set the blend mode along with the opacity of the Shape layers. When we simplify a shape layer, the vector paths used in shape gets converted to pixels.  After simplifying a shape layer, we can even apply filters to these layers.
  • Type layers: If we want to add some text to our images, we can use the Type tool and start writing anything on the image. Photoshop let us select the text properties like Font type, Font family, Font size etc. All these options are available in the Options Bar. To create a Type layer, we have to click on the Commit option that is available under the Options Bar. The Type layer appears with a T icon in the layers panel.
  • Content layers: Different types of content layers like images, shapes and texts fall under the content layer category.

How to Create Adjustment Layers

Below are the steps to create an adjustment layer:

Step 1. Go to the Layers panel and select the layer below which you want to add the adjustment layer.

Layers in Photoshop

Step 2. Now, we have to click on the adjustment option available at the bottom in the layers panel and then choose the required adjustments that you want to apply to the layer.

Layers in Photoshop

Step 3. After completing the above step, the adjustment layer will have appeared. Now, you will be able to select and customize any adjustment in the properties panel. If you make any change to the adjustment layer, it will affect every layer that comes below this adjustment layer.

Layers in Photoshop

How to Create a new blank layer

While editing our photos, sometimes we need to create a new blank layer in the editing canvas. For creating a new blank layer, Go to the Layers panel. In the layers panel, click on the New Layer option available in the lower–right corner of the panel. The new layer that you have created will be visible in the layers panel.

How to Duplicating a layer

There will be many instances while doing the editing work where you will need to duplicate a layer that you will be working on. Duplicating a layer means making the exact copy of the layer. This feature is very helpful in trying different edits in a layer without destroying the original layer. You should follow the below steps to make a duplicate layer in photoshop:

Step 1: Select the layer which you want to duplicate. Then right-click on the layer to see the various options.

Step 2: From the available options, select the Duplicate Layer option.

Layers in Photoshop

Step 3: Click on the OK button to create the duplicate layer.

Layers in Photoshop

Step 4. After clicking on the OK button, the duplicate layer will appear in the layers panel.

How to Delete a layer

While working on any image in the photoshop, if we wish to delete a layer, we can do this in a few seconds. For deleting a layer, we have to select the layer to delete and press the Delete key on your keyboard. Instead, you can drag and drop the desired layer to the Trash icon given in the lower–right part of the Layers panel.

Layers in Photoshop
Layers in Photoshop

How to Display and Hide the Layers

Layers play an important role in the looks and design of an image. If we wish to hide or show a layer for some reason, we can do it easily by clicking on the Eye icon present just beside the desired layer. To show or hide it again, we have to click again on the Eye icon.

Layers in Photoshop
Layers in Photoshop

How to Reorder Layers

The order of the layers determines how an image will look. The looks and properties of an image depend crucially on the order of the layers. If you want to reorder the layers in the stack of the layers for improving the quality or design of your images, you can do that very easily. To reordering the layers, you have to select the desired layer and then drag it to the position you want.