PROGRAM BASIC: Understanding Layers in PSP

From YourSITE.com

*Program Basic
PROGRAM BASIC: Understanding Layers in PSP
By Lucrecia Gray
Aug 3, 2006, 03:21

This tutorial is going to cover the very basics of layers in PSP.
* papers and elements used in this tutorial are from Robin Cabana’s Chase Kit Extras

Layers are what make these more advanced programs more versatile – but they are also a little overwhelming to the new user. If you can imagine starting a layout with a blank piece of paper, and working your way to a finished piece, you would be building it up layer by layer.
When you open a paper in PSP, it will default to a Background layer. In order to make any changes to this layer, such as using the deform tool, you will need to change it to a Raster layer.

Layers build up from the bottom upward as they are open. It is helpful if you name your layers . Just right double click on the layer to bring up the properties box.

In version 8 you can hold the curser over the layer palette to see what item is on that layer. In version X, you can display a thumbnail of each layer.

Now you have your layers named, but you want to move them to a different order so the ribbon is under the tag. You simply click on the ribbon layer and drag it below the tag.

The most common shortcut keys in the layers palette.

If you click on the eye, you can hide a layer while you are working

You can link layers together if you want to move them together but do not want to merge them. Click on the chain “layer link toggle” on the layer you want to link – Now when you move one, the other stays with it.