Hi. I'm new. Just starting to use this program. I can see a lot of potential here but am having trouble getting started. I'm trying to get through the Photoshop tutorials hoping this will help. Not ready to do anything fancy yet but would appreciate some basic information.

Right now any help with layers would be appreciated. Specifically, how to place an object on the layer, move it around, and make other changes once it's there. I've been able to put a png or photo object on a layer but once it's there it seems to be locked. I must be missing something basic because I'm not able to select it to resize, move or make other changes. I thought I had this figured out last week, but when I tried again this weekend whatever solution I had stumbled upon was lost from my memory.


Thanks
Carole

Hi Carole! Ok...I use PS7 so I hope I can help.

Let's say you want to work with a png image. This is what I would do. Open the png image and open a new document (say 8.5x11 if that's the size you scrap in). Now, select all (ctrl+a) of the png. Copy that (ctrl+c) and then paste it into your new doc (ctrl+v).

On the new doc you should now have two layers: the background and the png image. On the layers palatte, the PNG should layer should be above the background. Remember...the layers work from the bottom up. So, if the png layer is below the background you may not see it on the work screen.

Select the png layer by clicking on it once on the layers palatte. Now, try to "free transform" it. I use the hot key code of ctrl+t. A "bounding box" should appear around the png...it looks like think lines with tiny boxes in the corners at on the sides. You have a few options here...you can click on a corner and drag it out and you'll be resizing/warping your object. If you hold "shift" down while you click and drag on a corner the size will maintain proportion while resizing. Once your object is the size you want, hit "return" and the bounding box will disappear and your png will be resized.

I'm not sure why you couldn't resize earlier. Objects drawn directly on the background cannot typically be moved/altered easily. When you open a PNG, sometimes it will open as a single layer. If that happens, that means your png IS the background layer which means it's mucho tough to manipulate it. That's why I copy and paste into a new doc.

Hrmm...I think I'll stop now. I hope this helps. If not, just post back and we'll work through it. Trust me, once you get going it'll get easier and easier.

Good luck!

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Suzanne

even though i have PSE, i have never even played with it!

ok- i just opened it, and started playing with it. AND- this is what you need to do. for some freaky, odd reason, when you drag an element to a new image, instead of copying and pasting in PSE, it automatically locks the layer. you can either a) unlock it or b) just copy and paste the element instead of dragging it.

to unlock a layer in PSE, go to the layers palette (window>show layers if it's not already visible), and above the layers, you'll see a line that says 'LOCK' with two check boxes. if the one to the left of the padlock is checked, click on it. this will unlock the layer, and you can then resize it.

another tip- when you unlock the layer, or copy and paste a png into the new document, you can go ahead and resize it by dragging the corners of the box around it. when you go to move the item, just click and drag anywhere inside that box.

hth .

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Thanks for the quick replies. I'll try this when I get home and let you know how I do. I'm sure I'll have more questions as I learn. Hope you don't mind helping me out. I got pretty good resultes with DIP. However PSE came with dh's new camera and although I don't know much about it I can see that it offers more possibilites. Figured I might as well learn to use it since I already have it.


Carole