ADOBE PHOTOSHOP ELEMENTS 9

USING PHOTOSHOP ELEMENTS 9
Using layers
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More Help topics
“Merging adjustment layers” on page 74
“Simplify a layer” on page 63
Merge layers into another layer
Use this procedure when you want to keep the layers you are merging intact. The result is a new merged layer plus all
the original layers.
1 In the Edit workspace, click the eye icon next to layers you don’t want to merge, and make sure that the eye icon is
visible for the layers you do want to merge.
2 Specify a layer in which to merge all visible layers. You can either create a new layer in which to merge or select an
existing layer in the Layers panel.
3 Hold down Alt (Option in Mac OS), and choose Merge Visible from either the Layers menu or the Layers panel
More menu. Photoshop Elements merges a copy of all visible layers into the selected layer.
More Help topics
“Understanding layers” on page 57
“Merging adjustment layers” on page 74
Flatten an image
When you flatten an image, Photoshop Elements merges all visible layers into the background, greatly reducing the
file size. Flattening an image discards all hidden layers, and fills any transparent areas with white. In most cases, you
won’t want to flatten a file until you’ve finished editing individual layers.
1 Make sure that the layers you want to keep in your image are visible.
2 Choose Flatten Image from either the Layer menu or the Layers panel More menu.
You can see the difference between your image’s layered file size and its flattened file size by choosing Document Sizes
from the status bar pop-up menu at the bottom of the image window.
More Help topics
“Understanding layers” on page 57
Opacity and blending modes
About opacity and blending options in layers
For a video about this process, see www.adobe.com/go/lrvid2306_pse9_en.
A layer’s opacity determines the degree to which it obscures or reveals the layer beneath it. A layer with 1% opacity is
nearly transparent, while a layer with 100% opacity is opaque. Transparent areas remain transparent regardless of the
opacity setting.
You use layer blending modes to determine how a layer blends with the pixels in layers beneath it. Using blending
modes, you can create various special effects.
Last updated 1/27/2011