Managing Layers

Although there aren’t many layers to keep track of with this logo, you’ll find the more complex the images you create the more you’ll need to know how to manage layers. Managing layers is helpful not only for you but also for other collaborators who might work with your images.

If you’re an organizational freak, you may find the following methods useful in your web design work.

Changing the Order of Layers

To change the stacking order of layers, click and drag the layer you wish to move above or below the other layers. The pointer should turn into a closed fist as you grab and drag a layer, as shown in figure below. A solid black line points out when a layer is ready to be dropped. To drop a layer, release your mouse button.

Try dragging the Co. Name layer above the Subtext layer.

Note

The order of layers is important, especially when layers overlap each other. For example, you wouldn’t want to move the Background layer to the top of your Layers palette, because it would cover up all other layers.

Creating Layer Sets

Another useful organizing tool is to group layers of similar content into layer sets. Layer sets are folders into which you can collect several individual layers.

Notice that our logo image has two layers that contain text. Let’s group these into a layer set. Perform the following:

1. The Layer Set folder will display above the currently active layer. We’ll want our layer set to display above the Co. Name layer (which should now be above the Subtext layer), so select the Co. Name layer.
2. Select the New Group button at the bottom of the Layers palette. A new layer set folder displays above the Subtext layer.
3. The layer set defaults to the name Group x, where x stands for the number of layer sets you’ve created (since last closing Photoshop). Double-click on this Group x text.
4. You can now edit the layer set name. Change it to Text.
5. Click on the Co. Name layer and drag it over the folder icon associated with your new layer set. Release your mouse. You’ve just placed the Co. Name layer into this layer set.
6. Do the same for the Subtext layer. Drag it over the folder icon associated with your new layer set. When the folder opens, release your mouse. You’ve just placed the Subtext layer into this layer set.
7. You can expand or collapse the layer set (to view or hide its contents) by clicking on the gray arrow next to the Text layer set. Figure below shows the expanded Text layer set with your text layers now organized inside.

Save the changes you’ve made to the Bing_logo.psd file. You’ll return to it later.

In this tutorial:

1. Working with Layers
2. What are Layers
3. The Layer Palette
4. The Background Layer
5. Using Layer Styles
6. Adding Patterns to your Layers
7. Managing Layers