Photoshop Elements 3 for Windows and Macintosh: Visual QuickStart Guide

Creating Masking Effects

with Layer Groups

Layer groups provide a simple and quite

intuitive way to create a sophisticated mask-

ing effect in Photoshop Elements. Any object

placed on a layer, including photographic

images and lines of editable text, can be used

as the basis for masking any number of layer

objects above it. Think of the lower, or base

layer, as a window through which the upper

layers are allowed to show through. So, for

example, you could have a favorite fishing

trip photo framed within the shape of a boat

or fish, or a photograph of a forest placed

within the word TREES (Figure 5.47). Once

grouped, any layer within the group can be

repositioned independently of the others,

or the entire group can be linked and moved

as one.

Figure 5.48 In this figure, the TREES text layer serves

as the base layer. It will soon be grouped with the

branches layer (Layer 1), which is selected directly

above it.

Figure 5.47 This project is composed of two layers:

a photograph of cedar branches and the TREE text

layer. The branches photo completely covers the text

layer in the image on the left, but when grouped with

the TREES layer, the branches peek through only

where the text is visible.

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Chapter 5

Creating Masking Effects with Layer Groups

Figure 5.50 A Grouped Layer icon appears after a

layer group is created.

Figure 5.49 Choose Group with

Previous to create a layer group.

To create a layer group:

1.

On the Layers palette, identify the layer

that you want to use as your base layer

(Figure 5.48).

Your layers must be arranged so that the

layer (or layers) you want to group are

directly above the base layer.

2.

Still on the Layers palette, select the

layer above the base layer; then from

the Layer menu choose Group with

Previous (Figure 5.49), or press Ctrl+G/

Command+G.

The two layers are now grouped, and the

upper layer is visible only in those areas

where the base layer object is present.

On the Layers palette, the base layer’s

name is underlined, and the grouped

layer’s name and thumbnail are indented.

An icon, placed to the left of the thumb-

nail, further identifies grouped layers

(Figure 5.50).

To ungroup layers:

1.

On the Layers palette, select the base

layer.

2.

From the Layer menu, choose Ungroup, or

press Shift+Ctrl+G/Shift+Command+G.

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Working with Layers

Creating Masking Effects with Layer Groups