PaintShop Layers
Paint Shop Layers Are Our Friends!
PaintShop
layers are very useful and the can cause a new digital editor
terror. Despite you initial skepticism if you persevere then you
will find your projects going to a new level.
There are only a few things you absolutely have to understand when
working with PaintShop Pro and this is one of them.
Once you understand layers your digital imaging
projects will go to a whole new level.
I understand the confusion because I was a newbie once and layers were
a complete and
utter mystery to me.
The original tutorial was prepared with an earlier version of PaintShop
Pro and the information is still accurate for the latest version (X6).
General
Stuff
When you create or import an image
in Corel PaintShop Pro, the image has a single layer.
Depending
on the type of image you create or import, the single layer is labeled
as Background, Raster, Vector, or Art Media.
When you open a photo,
scan, or screen capture, the single layer is labeled as Background on
the Layers palette.
For most simple corrections and
retouching, you do not have to add layers to an image.
However, it is a
good practice to duplicate the single layer before making image
corrections, so that you preserve the original image on its own layer.
If you intend to do more complex work — such as
adding elements to the
image, creating photo compositions, adding text, or applying other
effects — the use of PaintShop layers is highly recommended.
What
Are PaintShop Layers?
Think of PaintShop layers as sheets of acetate stacked one on top of
the other above your image. Making adjustments on the layer
above
your original image means the original is not being modified but its
appearance is changing.
You
can have as many layers as you wish so don't be stingy with them.
If you are burning or dodging an image don't do it all on one
layer - add additional layers for different items and give each layer a
name so you can find it if you need it.
So what are the values of working on Layers?
PaintShop Layers
Benefits
In actual fact learning how to use Paint Shop layers is a joyous
journey and there
are some very good reasons why you should learn everything you can
about them!
Image Protection
When you are working on a layer you are not working on the original
image and that's a good thing.
Say,
for instance, you are doing some adjustments on a valuable image and
being a good digital imager you are saving your work regularly.
The
time
comes when you realize you have gone too far and want to get back to
the starting point only to discover - to
your horror - that you were
working on the original image and it is the only one you have of that
subject and now it is headed for the trash.
That won't happen if you're working on a layer!
Use Multiple Layers To
Save Time
There'll come a time when you are retouching an image and
everything is perfect except for one little area. If you were
regularly adding new PaintShop layers (and naming them) it is easy to
locate the
offending area and eliminate that particular layer.
If, on the
other hand, you completed hours of work on a single layer and realized
something was amiss - well - out goes the layer and you get to start
all over again.
Decrease The Impact
Of an Adjustment
The opacity of each layer can be lowered making it easy to decrease the
effect of an adjustment.
Add
Layer Effects
There are really cool ways that one layer can react with other layers.
Effects like drop shadows and emboss among others.
See The Results Of
An Adjustment
Layers can be turned off and back on to see the results of an
adjustment you have made. This is very useful.
If you don't like what you see then modify the adjustment or throw out
the layer and start again!
The
PaintShop Layers Palette
This is where you control everything to do with PaintShop layers.
Its
just a tiny little thing, really but it's oh so useful!
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- Create New
Layer
- Delete Layer
- Layer Information
- Background (original
image)
- Copy of Background
- Raster Layers
- Layer Visibility
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Now for an explanation of the palette ...
Palette
Top
Number 1
is a drop down menu to select the different type of layer.
There are six layer type choices.
Number 2
is the Delete Layer icon - self explanatory, right?
Right
Side Of The Palette

Number 3
is the information for each layer.
The
number at the top (100 or 26 or 11 or whatever) is the Opacity of the
layer.
The opacity can be lowered by dragging the slider to the left.
To the right of the opacity setting is the Layer Effects Visibility
Toggle. If there are any effects appled to the
layer they can
be turned off and on by left clicking on this icon.
Right below the opacity setting is the layer Blend Mode drop down
menu. It defaults to Normal and can be changed to
one of twenty different options. This will be covered in more
detail later.
To the right of the Blend Mode drop down menu us a little lock.
Left clicking will lock out any further changes to the layer.
The bottom control is the Link
Layer Toggle. Layers can be
linked and when one linked layer is moved with the Move Tool all of the
linked layers move together.
Left Side Of The Palette

Number 4
is the Background Layer - the original image.
You cannot do anything to this layer - unless you change its
name then it acts like any other layer. The name is changed
by double clicking on it.
Number 5
is a copy
of the background. It is created by right clicking on the
Background layer and selecting Duplicate from the options available.
Number 6
are the
thumbnails of the raster layers. There can be as many raster
layers as you want. It is a good idea to name each layer
according to what part of the image they are modifying.
Number 7 sets
the visibility of each layer. When the
little eyeball is visible then the information on that layer is visible
and when the little eyeball is not visible then the information on the
layer is not
visible.
This means you can turn a layers visibility off and on by
clicking the eyeball to see the result of any adjustment made on that
layer.
Confused?
Well thats OK if you are because learning often has
to move through confusion because if you don't know anything about a
subject then you can't be confused!
And always remember ...
Layers Are Your Friends!
Raster
Layer Examples
Basic Paint Shop
layer manipulation is the
starting point to
understanding how to use this powerful feature of Paint Shop Pro.
Clicking on the thumbnail will take you to a thorough discussion of
basic layers.
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