Photoshop® CS4 All-in-One For Dummies®

Chapter 2. Managing Layers

In This Chapter

• Viewing, moving, and shuffling layers

• Aligning and distributing layers

• Linking and locking layers

• Creating layer sets

• Flattening and merging layers

• Using the Layer Comps panel

Hopefully, you had the time and inclination to check out the first chapter of Book V. That's where you get all the basic information on creating layers. In this chapter, you get the scoop on how to manage the layers you've created. And unlike some coworkers, clients, or family members, layers are downright agreeable to being managed — even micromanaged, for that matter. The beauty of layers is that they're so darn easy to get along with. You can hide them, shuffle them around, link and lock them, herd them into groups, and even smush them together into one loving, collective layer. Yes, Photoshop has a whole slew of ways to get your layers in the orderly and organized fashion you deserve.

Often, hiding all the layers in your image except for the one you want to edit is useful. You can focus on the element at hand without the distraction of all the other components of the image. You can hide a layer with a single quick click of the mouse button, as I describe in the following list:

• Hide all the layers but one. Select the layer you want to display. Alt-click (Option-click on the Mac) the eye icon for that layer in the left column of the Layers panel. To redisplay all the layers, ...