In chapter 3 you got acquainted with masks as with one of methods of selection of graphic objects in point images and the powerful tool of their editing. Another, more explicit, the method of determination of graphic objects and the tool for their configuration is based on the concept of the multilayer images.

That it is more preferable: layers or masks? For those who already worked with Photoshop, the answer to this question is obvious: both that and another. Layers and masks are not equivalent by the possibilities and, as a rule, are shared. Photoshop gives diversity of methods for implementation of your intentions, and the same result can be received different ways. When you get hand in on usage of all tools of the program will analyze possible candidate solutions of a task in view and to select from them the most rational and corresponding to your style of operation.

If you the beginner in handling of point images do not hasten to catch at the first method which has come to to you mind of achievement of the necessary result, and spend some minutes on продумывание other variants. At first, these frequently spare some minutes to you hours which can be necessary on alteration "from zero" all operation in case of failure. Secondly, to you, possibly, it will be possible to find the most rational decision reducing temporal expenses not only for the given task, but also for similar to it. Besides be not afraid to experiment and be mistaken, when you have a free time for program mastering.

The layer is a computer metaphor of the material object — sheet of the transparent tracing-paper (or films). Computer "tracing-paper" is absolutely transparent: even the ten layers does not distort a picture on lowermost of them.

The layer supposed on the main picture, possesses the same parameters, as all document (the sizes, resolution, a color model): it gives the chance to you to move fragments of the image from a layer on a layer, to experiment, try various modes of superimposing пикселов, at all without being afraid that any series of wrong actions spoils the image.

In the course of learning of given chapter you create the elementary mounting (fig. 4.1). It serves as a prototype of the board of the certain agency which is engaged in the organization of automobile rounds, on the countries of Europe. Thus you will take those advantages which are given by application of layers in interaction with masks and channels.

For control of layers, along with menu Layer (Layer), is used a special palette which is called Layers (Layers).

1. Open a file Europe.pdf with applied diskettes. This vector image of a card of Europe on which the part of the countries is selected by color. At loading of file Photoshop requests of you rasterization parameters in dialog box Rasterize Generic PDF Format (Rasterization of format PDF). Leave the offered image size such, what it is (600х560 пикселов), color model RGB, cancel smoothing.

2. Open palette Layers (Layers) command Show Layers (to Show layers) menu Window (Window). Each line in a palette represents an image layer.

Further we should manipulate circuits of the different countries separately. Knowing that Photoshop allows to store the selected areas in channels, it is possible for each of the selected countries to create the individual channel. Then will enough load the saved mask, instead of to select a circuit every time anew. However this method not the most rational. If, for example, we need to move the country image on a card the mask saved in the channel, becomes incorrect: after all it remains on a former place.

Layers allow to store masks together with images that completely solves a problem of their correspondence. Therefore we create for each country not a mask, and a layer.

3. Install working and background default colors click on icon Default Foreground and Background Colors (Working and background default colors) or key press.

4. On a toolbar activate tool Magic Wand (Magic wand).

5. Select on the image territory of France (red color).

6. In menu Layer (Layer) select point New (New), and then execute command Layer Via Cut (the Layer a cutting). This command also can be found in the shortcut menu, opening click of the right mouse button within the selected area.

New layer Layer 2 is as a result formed. About it, the line with a miniature reflecting contents of a layer testifies appeared in palette Layers (Layers). This line is in a palette above layer Layer 1 that corresponds to position of a layer and in the document. High layers partially or completely superimpose the lower.

7. Click the mouse on an icon of "Eyes" of layer Layer 2 which, as well as in palette Channels (Channels), controls visibility, a layer. As layer Layer 2 became invisible, century a document window is displayed only layer Layer 1 (fig. 4.3,). It is the same card, but now on it instead of selected before territory "the hole" designated by a background in a gray chess cell was formed. Thus the program shows absence пикселов on a layer, i.e. in this place it is transparent.

In

8. Click on icons of "Eyes" of both layers then there is visible only layer Layer 2 (fig. 4.3,) where there is 1 fragment of a card cut from layer Layer.

9. Include visibility of both layers (fig. 4.3,). Through the transparent sections of a high layer the image on underlaying layer Layer 1 is visible.

10. The line Layer 2 in a palette of layers is selected by dark blue color, and in it to the left of a miniature there is an icon with the brush image (fig. 4.3,). It means that the given layer active and only on it there will be all changes at document editing. Activate layer Layer 1, clicking the mouse on its miniature.

11. With tool Magic Wand (Magic wand) select on layer Layer 1 territory of Germany

12. From submenu New (Layer) (New) menu Layer or the palette shortcut menu select command Layer Via Copy (the Layer copying). In the document there was one more layer Layer 3 which was allocated over the leaking.

13. Cancel visibility of all layers, except layer Layer 1 (for this purpose click on its icon of visibility at pushed ALT key). As you can see, this time the copy of the fragment transferred on a separate layer, remained and on initial. Again include visibility of all layers repeated click on an icon of "Eyes" at pushed ALT key.

(The Layer copying) and Layer Via Cut (the Layer a cutting) it is possible to replace commands Layer Via Copy with pair customary commands Copy to (Copy) and Paste to (Interpose) menu Edit (Editing).

14. Select with tool Magic Wand (Magic wand) territory of Sweden on layer Layer 1 for what do not forget it to activate beforehand.

15. Select command Copy to (Copy) menu Edit (Editing).

At creation of layers the program automatically appropriates it names: Layer 1, Layer 2, Layer 3 and etc. But much more conveniently if layers have the intelligent names reflecting their contents.

1. Select layer Layer 2 in palette Layers (Layers).

2. Select command Layer Properties (Property of a layer) in menu Layer (Layer) or the menu palettes Layers (Layers). Instead it is possible to make also double click by the mouse on a layer name in palette Layers (Layers) at pushed ALT key.

3. (Fig. 4.4) Layer Properties (Properties of a layer) is in the opened dialog box a data entry field of name Name (Name). Enter into it name France.

4. List Color (Colour) is more low allocated. Here the arbitrary color in which the line of a layer in palette Layers (Layers) will be colored that facilitates orientation in a great number of lines of a palette is selected. While it is not a lot of layers, it is not necessary to do it.

5. Push the button APPRX. Layer Layer 2 received new name France which is displayed in its line palettes Layers (Layers).

6. Rename layer Layer 1 in Europe, Layer 3 — in Germany, a Layer 4 — in Sweden (fig. 4.5).

The object allocated on a layer can be manipulated easily, without affecting thus other parts of the image.

1. Select in palette Layers (Layers) layer France with mouse click on its line.

2. On a toolbar select tool Move (Relocation).

3. Deliver the cursor on the territory of France selected with red color, push the left mouse button and move the mouse to the right (fig. 4.6).

4. Release the mouse button. The layer (is more exact, its contents) was moved. Position of remaining layers remains former.

Tool Move (Relocation) gives two more convenient possibilities:

1. Click in the document in the territory of Germany colored in yellow color, pushing thus CTRL key. Pay attention that thus (selected in palette Layers (Layers)) layer Germany containing the necessary card became leaking. So that to work with a layer, not mandatory to search for it in palette Layers (Layers), and it is possible to specify in it directly in an image window.

2. Bring the mouse cursor to document area where layers France and Germany are intersected.

3. Click the right key of the mouse, opening the shortcut menu. In it the list of all objects which are in a point of click (fig. 4.7) contains. To activate a layer, select it from it the menu.

The combination of several images makes an essence of any mounting. Photoshop allows to transfer fragments of one image to another.

1. Without closing the document Europe.pdf, load a file Relief.jpg with applied diskettes. It also contains a card of Europe, but not political, and a relief. The document contains unique layer Background which we will name further background. This layer has a row of singularities, about them will be told more low.

2. Allocate on the screen of a window of open documents so that both were visible.

3. Pass to a document window Europe.pdf.

4. Bring the mouse to layer France in palette Layers (Layers), and push the left mouse button.

5. Move the mouse cursor to a document window Relief.jpg. Thus round the document there will be a thin black frame.

6. Release the mouse button. In the document Relief.jpg there was the new layer France transferred from the document Europe.pdf.

The method described above works irrespective of the current tool. Nevertheless, for layer transfer is better tool Move (Relocation) approaches, after all layer position is mandatory should be corrected. Tool Move (Relocation) allows to drag also a layer in other document passing palette Layers (Layers).

1. Select tool Move (Relocation) for program toolbars.

2. Click the mouse in the document Europe.pdf in territory of Germany, retaining thus CTRL key. Layer Germany should become leaking.

3. Push the left mouse button and, without releasing it, move the cursor to the document Relief.jpg. Layer Germany is copied in other document.

And, at last, to move a fragment of one image to another, not mandatory even beforehand to make out it in the form of a separate layer.

1. Pass to the document Europe.pdf.

2. Activate on a toolbar tool Magic Wand (Magic wand). Select on a card territory of Sweden.

3. Select tool Move (Relocation). Drag the mouse the selected area in a document window Relief.jpg how just did it with layers. The result that the document Relief.jpg appeared a new layer. Name it Sweden.

For copying of fragments of the image in other documents pair of commands Copy familiar to you approaches also to (Copy) and Paste to (Interpose) from menu Edit (Editing).

1. Copy the selected area in a clipboard command Copy to (Copy).

2. Pass to other document, and execute command Paste to (Interpose). The fragment which is in a clipboard, Photoshop allocates on a separate layer.

Can happen so that you need to create a layer copy in the same document. The most simple method, as usual, is drag and drop by the mouse:

Pass to the document Europe.pdf.

1. Place the cursor for a line of layer France in palette Layers (Layers).

2. Push the left mouse button and, without releasing it, drag the cursor to button Create New Layer (to Create a new layer) on a palette control bar.

In the document there was a new layer, a copy of layer France, which name (France copy) Underlines, its origin. At creation of a copy of layer Photoshop automatically appropriates to it a name of an initial layer with word adding copy (copy). The second copy of a layer (or a copy copy) would receive name France copy 2, the third — France copy 3 and etc.

"The regular" method of copying of layers both in one document, and between different, is implemented by command Duplicate Layer (layer Duplication). She can be selected or in menu Layer (Layer), or from the menu palettes Layers (Layers). It opens the dialog box with the same name represented on fig. 4.8;

Information field Duplicate to (Double) fills out a name of a current layer. Field As (As) is intended for input of a name of a copy of a layer. Photoshop fills it by default how it is described above. List Document (Document) contains the list of all documents opened in the program and allows to create a copy of a current layer in any of them. The special attention is deserved by a variant, New (New), also available in this list. If it for a layer copy the new document which name is necessary to enter in the field Name (Name) will be created is selected. The document will have the same sizes and a color model, as initial.

The superfluous layer is easy for deleting.

1. Select a line of layer France copy in palette Layers (Layers).

2. Click on button Delete Current Layer (to Delete a current layer) on a control bar palettes Layers (Layers). The layer is remote.

It is convenient to delete a layer, simply dragging its line in a palette to button Delete Current Layer (to Delete a current layer). It relieves of necessity to change a current layer of the document.

Layers in the document are superimposed against each other. Being on them objects can partially or superimpose the underlaying completely. The order of superimposing of layers is defined by their layout in palette Layers (Layers); the above the line of a layer in a palette, the above it appears and in the document.

1. Place the mouse cursor for a line of layer France in palette Layers (Layers).

2. Push the mouse button and, without releasing it, drag the given line below layer Germany. When the cursor appears between layers Germany and Sweden, release the mouse button. The layer occupies new position, and in the document a circuit of France it appears is partially superimposed by a circuit of Germany.

For change of the order of layers in list Arrange (Mounting) of menu Layer (Layer) specialized commands are collected:

• Bring to Front (Uppermost). Moves the active layer over all remaining. Keyboard equivalent Ctrl + Shift +].
• Send to Back (Lowermost). Puts the active layer below all layers available in the document. Keyboard equivalent Ctrl + Shift + f.
• Bring Forward (to Shift forward). Moves a layer on one position upwards. Keyboard equivalent Ctrl +].
• Send Backward (to Shift back). Moves a layer on one position downwards. Keyboard equivalent Ctrl +].

Convenience of these commands consists that for them there are keyboard equivalents.