Photoshop Elements 8 for Windows: The Missing Manual

Creating Layers

As you learned earlier in the chapter, your image doesn't automatically have multiple layers. Lots of newcomers to Elements expect the program to be smart enough to put each object in a photo onto its own layer. It's a lovely dream, but Elements isn't that brainy. To experience the joy of layers, you first need to add at least one layer to your image; you'll learn how in the next few sections.

Tip

It may help you to follow along through the next few sections if you get out a photo of your own or create a new file to use for practice. (See Creating a New File for details on how to create a new file; if you do that, choose a white background.) Or, you can download either gardenpartywin.psd or daisies.jpg from the Missing CD page at www.missingmanuals.com.

Adding a Layer

Elements gives you several ways to add new layers. You can use any of the following methods:

• Choose Layer → New → Layer.

• Press Shift+Ctrl+N.

• In the Layers panel, click the "Create a new layer" icon (the little square shown in Figure 6-5).

Figure 6-5. More controls in the Layers panel. At the bottom left of the panel, click the little "Create a new layer" icon when you want to quickly add a new layer.

When you create a new layer using any of these commands, the layer starts out empty. You don't see a change in your image until you use the layer for something (painting on it, for example). If you look at the Layers ...