PhotoPlus X2 User Guide - Serif

144 Layers and Masks
• As a property of the pixels laid down by individual tools (Paintbrush, Clone,
Eraser, Fill, Smudge, QuickShape, and more). When you paint on-screen with
one of these tools, you're applying pixels—pixels that are more or less opaque,
depending on the tool's opacity setting. Note that once you've applied paint to
a region, that's it—you've changed the opacity of pixels there. Subsequently
changing a tool's opacity setting won't alter brush strokes you've already laid
down!
• As a property of individual standard layers. The layer's opacity setting affects
all the pixels on the layer, and is cumulative with the opacity of individual
pixels already there.
A tool or layer's blend mode interacts with its opacity setting to produce varying
results. For details, see Using blend modes on p. 141.
To set a tool's opacity:
• Select the tool (e.g., Paintbrush Tool) and from the Context toolbar either
enter a percentage Opacity value directly or use the slider (click the option's
right arrow button).
To set a layer's opacity:
• Select the layer in the Layers tab and adjust the Opacity setting at the top of
the tab—either enter a percentage Opacity value directly or use the slider
(click the option's right arrow button). The layer's opacity will change onscreen
as the slider is adjusted.
OR
Right-click a layer name and choose Properties..., then enter a percentage
value for Opacity.
To read the opacity values of pixels on the active layer:
1. Select the Colour Pickup tool from the Tools tab and move it around the
image.
2. Read the value shown for "O" (Opacity) on the HintLine (e.g., O:80%). The
readout updates constantly, showing the opacity value of each pixel under the
cursor.
For more useful hints and tips about using opacity, see PhotoPlus help.