Photoshop Elements 5: The Missing Manual

150 Photoshop Elements 5: The Missing Manual

Managing Layers

Once you’ve selected what you want to move or copy, your new layer is only a

couple of keystrokes away.

• New Layer via Copy. The easiest way to copy your selection to a new layer is to

press Ctrl+J. You can also go to Layer ➝ New ➝ Layer via Copy. Whichever you

use, if you didn’t select anything before you use these keystrokes, your whole

layer gets copied, so it’s also a good shortcut for making a duplicate layer.

• New Layer via Cut. To cut your selection out of your old layer and put it on a

layer by itself, press Ctrl+Shift+J, or go to Layer ➝ New ➝ Layer via Cut. Just

remember that you’ll leave a hole in your original layer when you do this.

If for some reason you want to cut and move the entire contents of a layer, you can

press Ctrl+A first, although usually it’s easier just to move your layer instead.

TIP If you want to use a layer as the basis for a new document, Elements gives you a quick way

to do so. Instead of copying and pasting, you can create a new document by going to Layer

➝

Duplicate Layer. You get a dialog box containing a pull-down menu that gives you the option of

placing the duplicate layer into your existing image, into any image currently open in the Editor, or

into a new document of its own. (This maneuver only works from the menu. Ctrl+J doesn’t bring

up the dialog box.)

Managing Layers

The Layers palette lets ...