How To Use Photoshop Layers: An Easy Introduction

Let’s talk about a layer.

Hey, now, get back here! Let me at least try!

Kthx.

Now, a lot of people think this a big, hard, kind of spooky concept and turn off their brain as soon as someone tries to explain what a layer is. But if I can understand it, anyone can understand it. So stick with me on this.

A layer is like a transparency you put on an overhead projector.

Let’s pretend that you’re holding two sheets of transparencies.

And that I’m rich and famous and wearing a lavender tutu.

Draw a box with a red marker on one and on the other, draw a circle with a green marker.

Now put one on top of the other (your choice; go wild!) and you’ve just created two layers! Yay, you!

Ok, I’m going to open a flat image (that means one layer). See in the Layers palette, there’s just one layer called “Background.”

Oh, look, it’s me! Hi, me!

Let’s also greet my zit which is large enough to be its own entity.

Oh, Dory, you lament, what with all your mad Photoshop skillz, why on God’s polluted earth would you put up this photo without making that monster of a zit disappear?

Because I’m a lazy bum. Moving on.

See the button in the lower right hand corner that looks like a little garbage can? Ok, now see the button to the left of it? Ok, now be the button.

Or just click it and shun my little Zen vibe I had going there. Thanks a lot, there, Killjoy.

With that one little click, you’ve created a new layer! Go, you!

Did you ever draw a mustache and beard on someone’s picture with a Sharpie? You’re about to!

Before we draw, ‘D’ makes sure the default colors are on; black foreground, white background.

Now to illustrate how your layer works, we’re gonna draw on it. Grab the pencil tool. ‘B’ grabs the brush and Shift + B will switch that to the pencil tool.

You now have a virtual black marker in your hand. How’s it feel? Mighty and powerful? Fabulous.

Just how big do you want that marker to be? Right click anywhere in the image to bring up this handy, dandy little box. I chose 20px, and 100% will make it not fuzzy at all. Now let’s have some fun! Go ahead and draw away!

Niiiiiiiiiiiiiice. Very nice. I now feel very manly and rugged. I have an irresistible urge to scratch myself inappropriately and belch loudly.

See the eyeball next to our new layer? Click that.

The layer that we drew the mustache and beard disappeared! I am again my very feminine and facial-hair-free self. Well, mostly. I’d like to take this opportunity to thank my ancestors for my polish heritage that means I have to get the proof of said heritage waxed off every 6-8 weeks.

I could go nuts here with all the mustache and chin hair and hot wax jokes, but you’re very busy and important and have many things yet to get done today. I can respect that. Moving on.

For my next trick, I’m going to show you yet another way to add a layer. There’s only roughly eleventy-jillion.

Ok, here’s my husband. Ain’t he a handsome feller, though?! I sure think so!