Learning to work with layers
You do not see it so far and you do not understand, but you and I ended up with three layers of images on our canvas (kollazh). Perhaps I should explain how this is. Imagine that you have a stack of paper on your desk. This pack has three sheets. Sheets lie exactly under each other. The bottom sheet is our sky. Leaf in the middle - it depicts the sun. Top sheet - a cloud.
You and I can swap sheets — for example, place the sun on top of a cloud. We can add a new sheet (with another cloud, or another image). These are the layers in Photoshop. To operate with layers, we will call a window with a special menu: Window - Layers.
You and I can swap sheets — for example, place the sun on top of a cloud. We can add a new sheet (with another cloud, or another image). These are the layers in Photoshop. To operate with layers, we will call a window with a special menu: Window - Layers.
By default, layers are called Layer1, Layer2, Layer3, etc. In order of their creation. We can give the layers their names in order to be comfortable working. To do this, double-click with the left mouse on the name of the layer, now you can give it your name. After you have entered the layer name, press the Enter button on your keyboard.
To create a new layer, select the Layer - New Layer item in the main menu.
Suppose you want to move a drawing with a cloud within your sheet (canvas). To do this, switch to a layer with a cloud (click on the desired layer in the menu with layers of the mouse).
Please note: the eye icon is near the visible layers, if you remove the eye icon in front of the layer (by clicking on it with the left mouse button), the layer will not be visible in the image. In order for it to become visible again - click the mouse again at the place where the eye icon should be.
Another point: the brush icon is located near the layer being edited: i.e. if you want to move the cloud, and your brush is at the layer with the sun, then you will move the sun by mistake, so make sure that the brush is on the right layer.
If you remember, we need two evil clouds to translate our ideas. To do this, we will create a second layer with the cloud - creating a copy of the first. To do this, we need to switch to a layer with a cloud (click the left mouse button on it), now hold down the left mouse button, dragging the layer with the cloud to the icon representing sheets of paper.
To create a new layer, select the Layer - New Layer item in the main menu.
Suppose you want to move a drawing with a cloud within your sheet (canvas). To do this, switch to a layer with a cloud (click on the desired layer in the menu with layers of the mouse).
Please note: the eye icon is near the visible layers, if you remove the eye icon in front of the layer (by clicking on it with the left mouse button), the layer will not be visible in the image. In order for it to become visible again - click the mouse again at the place where the eye icon should be.
Another point: the brush icon is located near the layer being edited: i.e. if you want to move the cloud, and your brush is at the layer with the sun, then you will move the sun by mistake, so make sure that the brush is on the right layer.
If you remember, we need two evil clouds to translate our ideas. To do this, we will create a second layer with the cloud - creating a copy of the first. To do this, we need to switch to a layer with a cloud (click the left mouse button on it), now hold down the left mouse button, dragging the layer with the cloud to the icon representing sheets of paper.
As a result, we will have with you a new layer, which will have in its name the name of the copied + copy layer.
If you want to remove a layer, then our actions are similar to what we did during the copying of the layer, only this time we drag the layer onto the icon with the image of the trash can.
If you want to remove a layer, then our actions are similar to what we did during the copying of the layer, only this time we drag the layer onto the icon with the image of the trash can.
Resize the image, move the image on the sheet, rotate, etc.
But back to our image. Let's move the new layer with the cloud a little bit. To do this, switch to it on the panel with layers. Then on the toolbar, select the Move tool (black arrow with plus), now we can move our cloud either by clicking on it and holding the left mouse button, or using the arrow buttons on our keyboard.
In the figure above, you can see that we have slightly expanded our cloud. How you can do this: choose a layer with a cloud, Move tool on the toolbar, now we press Ctrl + T on the keyboard (in the Edit menu - Free Transform), now by dragging the corners of the frame that appears around the picture, you can reduce or enlarge the image with a cloud in size (we need to reduce it in order to reduce proportionally - hold the Shift button on your keyboard during the procedure), as well as rotate the drawing around its axis (near the corner set the cursor with the mouse, see that it changes to a curved arrow).
When we finish all the operations, press the Enter button on our keyboard to exit the Free Transform mode.
For what we want to end up with, we don’t need to rotate the cloud (so if you rotate it, cancel your action), we need to flip it horizontally (flipped). Select in the menu: Edit - Transform.
In the drop-down menu, you need to select the item Flip Horizontal to flip the picture horizontally. Vertically - Flip Vertical.
Pay attention to other items in the drop-down menu: Rotate - you can rotate your picture not only manually, as I explained earlier, but also by setting the exact number of degrees to rotate through Rotate. Rotate 180 - rotate 180 degrees, Rotate 90CW - rotate 90 degrees clockwise, Rotate 90CCW - rotate 90 degrees counterclockwise.
What else: Scale - resize the image (as well as with the Free Transform, but without rotation). Skew - tilt the picture. Distort - image distortion. Perspective - perspective.
When we finish all the operations, press the Enter button on our keyboard to exit the Free Transform mode.
For what we want to end up with, we don’t need to rotate the cloud (so if you rotate it, cancel your action), we need to flip it horizontally (flipped). Select in the menu: Edit - Transform.
In the drop-down menu, you need to select the item Flip Horizontal to flip the picture horizontally. Vertically - Flip Vertical.
Pay attention to other items in the drop-down menu: Rotate - you can rotate your picture not only manually, as I explained earlier, but also by setting the exact number of degrees to rotate through Rotate. Rotate 180 - rotate 180 degrees, Rotate 90CW - rotate 90 degrees clockwise, Rotate 90CCW - rotate 90 degrees counterclockwise.
What else: Scale - resize the image (as well as with the Free Transform, but without rotation). Skew - tilt the picture. Distort - image distortion. Perspective - perspective.
Look at this example - this is how our suns and clouds should be located relative to each other. To do this, you have to independently, switching from layer to layer, drag the sun and clouds relative to each other, as indicated in the example, using the Move Tool (black arrow with a plus).
The cloud that we created by copying layers, you had to reduce and expand horizontally, as I have already explained. However, at this point, you may have one inconsistency with the example - you have a small cloud over the sun, while in the example it is under it. What to do? As you remember, I said that the layers can be interchanged, which means we can put a layer with a small cloud under the layer with the sun.
To do this, select a layer with a small cloud on the panel with layers, click on it with the left mouse button, holding it, drag the layer with the cloud under the layer with the sun on our panel with layers. Nothing complicated.
The cloud that we created by copying layers, you had to reduce and expand horizontally, as I have already explained. However, at this point, you may have one inconsistency with the example - you have a small cloud over the sun, while in the example it is under it. What to do? As you remember, I said that the layers can be interchanged, which means we can put a layer with a small cloud under the layer with the sun.
To do this, select a layer with a small cloud on the panel with layers, click on it with the left mouse button, holding it, drag the layer with the cloud under the layer with the sun on our panel with layers. Nothing complicated.
Change the size of the canvas (trimming)
We have set a somewhat large size for our image. How to trim our canvas? Select the tool Crop Tool on the toolbar. Left-click anywhere in our host, stretching the selection that appears. We can correct the selection by pulling the corners or faces with the mouse. If we press Enter, the darkened area will be clipped, which is what we need.
Gradients
If you remember, using the example in the collage at the beginning of our lesson, which we set ourselves the task of doing, the sky is not just blue, our sky is gradually changing from dark blue to light blue. A smooth transition from one color to another is called a gradient.
To create a gradient in our image, first switch to the sky layer in the panels with layers. Then select the Gradient Tool tool on the toolbar. It is not visible to us now, but if you left-click on the Paint Bucket Tool and hold down the mouse button for a few seconds, a menu will pop up in which you can select the Gradient Tool.
Remember for the future, if you click on the tool in the black arrow in the lower right corner, a drop-down menu will appear where you can select additional tools.
Remember for the future, if you click on the tool in the black arrow in the lower right corner, a drop-down menu will appear where you can select additional tools.
When you select a tool, a socket should be opened with additional options for this tool (see the figure). If you do not have such a panel, then you need to call it through the main menu - Window - Options.
For the Gradient Tool on the options panel, we can select the gradient type using the drop-down menu, as well as clicking on one of the five icons.
So let's start with a drop-down menu, where you can choose the type of gradient fill. If you hover the mouse over one of the squares in the drop-down menu, a prompt will appear on what type of fill you will have if you select this square in the drop-down menu.
We are interested in the fill - Foreground to Background - a gradient from the primary color (foreground - in our case it is blue) to the background color (underlay - should be white, if it is not, change the color of the lower square on the toolbar to white before than the gradient fill).
To select the Foreground to Background fill pattern, select the upper left square in the menu with gradients.
Now you need to choose a fill method. We choose the fill method using the five icons on the panel with additional options for the Gradient Tool (i.e., all there). If you hover the mouse over any icon, then again get a hint for what it is intended. We are interested in you Linear Gradient - linear fill (ie, on the specified line). The first to the left icon is responsible for the linear fill - click on it.
In the picture-illustration, the other options are not visible, but, nevertheless, we will need them to complete our task: we are primarily interested in - mode - fill mode (we need normal), and - opacity - opacity - choose an opacity of 50-60 percent (100 percent - not at all transparent fill, the lower the rate, the more transparent our fill will be).
Now, when we have chosen the necessary options, we will make the transition of sky color from dark blue to light blue, as intended. To do this, switch to the layer with our sky on the panel with layers, if you have not done so already. Now make sure, just in case, that you have selected the Gradient Tool and have all the options we need for this tool. Next, click the left mouse button almost in the upper left corner of our picture. Holding the mouse button down, drag the line that appeared as a result of the previous action into the opposite corner (lower right), release the mouse button, almost bringing the line to the very corner, and ... we get a gradient linear fill 
, as we wanted. Now our picture should look like this:
So let's start with a drop-down menu, where you can choose the type of gradient fill. If you hover the mouse over one of the squares in the drop-down menu, a prompt will appear on what type of fill you will have if you select this square in the drop-down menu.
We are interested in the fill - Foreground to Background - a gradient from the primary color (foreground - in our case it is blue) to the background color (underlay - should be white, if it is not, change the color of the lower square on the toolbar to white before than the gradient fill).
To select the Foreground to Background fill pattern, select the upper left square in the menu with gradients.
Now you need to choose a fill method. We choose the fill method using the five icons on the panel with additional options for the Gradient Tool (i.e., all there). If you hover the mouse over any icon, then again get a hint for what it is intended. We are interested in you Linear Gradient - linear fill (ie, on the specified line). The first to the left icon is responsible for the linear fill - click on it.
In the picture-illustration, the other options are not visible, but, nevertheless, we will need them to complete our task: we are primarily interested in - mode - fill mode (we need normal), and - opacity - opacity - choose an opacity of 50-60 percent (100 percent - not at all transparent fill, the lower the rate, the more transparent our fill will be).
, as we wanted. Now our picture should look like this:Those. we created our first collage, and we can be proud of this fact, because we had to do a very difficult job.
Saving the resulting image for the web and for further editing
But our first lesson does not end there, because we still need to save our images on our computer so that we can continue to use it on our pages (for this we need the formats * .jpg, * .gif, * .png), and we also need to save it in such a format so that we can later make changes to our image without any problems, if we want.
So, you probably already know, and if you do not know, then take note of - * .jpg, * .gif, * .png - the names of graphic files saved in web formats, i.e. in such formats that any browser will understand and display such a picture.
Before saving the picture for the web, we will save it for further editing in a special format for the program Adobe Photoshop - * .psd.
Select in the main menu File - Save As. A window will appear with save options. We choose the name of the picture, the PSD format, and where our image file will be stored on our computer (see illustration).
When we have done this operation, you can save our image in the format for the web.
To save a picture for the web, select in the main menu File - Save for web. A panel will appear, in which the right will look at your picture before saving, and to the left, what it will look like when you save it in the selected format with the options selected. We need to choose the format jpeg. The Quality option (quality) that will appear when you select this format, put on the value 42-62 - for the web, this image quality is enough. We click on the Save button and in the appeared window we select exactly where the picture will be stored on your computer.
What is the difference between PSD and web formats? PSD saves layers and other options that you made with a picture, when you open your PSD file in Photoshop, you will see the picture in the same quality and can continue to work calmly on it. JPG, GIF, PNG - special formats for the web that compress the image, while it significantly loses quality (but for the web a lot is not needed :), which makes it difficult to further edit, again in these formats information about layers is not stored and much more.
Those. you need to always save your work in PSD format in order to be able to sometime correct something, change it, etc. In JPG, GIF, PNG formats, you need to save your work, if you want to post your picture on the site so that everyone can see it, in other formats, pictures on web pages will not be displayed.
So, you probably already know, and if you do not know, then take note of - * .jpg, * .gif, * .png - the names of graphic files saved in web formats, i.e. in such formats that any browser will understand and display such a picture.
Before saving the picture for the web, we will save it for further editing in a special format for the program Adobe Photoshop - * .psd.
Select in the main menu File - Save As. A window will appear with save options. We choose the name of the picture, the PSD format, and where our image file will be stored on our computer (see illustration).
When we have done this operation, you can save our image in the format for the web.
To save a picture for the web, select in the main menu File - Save for web. A panel will appear, in which the right will look at your picture before saving, and to the left, what it will look like when you save it in the selected format with the options selected. We need to choose the format jpeg. The Quality option (quality) that will appear when you select this format, put on the value 42-62 - for the web, this image quality is enough. We click on the Save button and in the appeared window we select exactly where the picture will be stored on your computer.
What is the difference between PSD and web formats? PSD saves layers and other options that you made with a picture, when you open your PSD file in Photoshop, you will see the picture in the same quality and can continue to work calmly on it. JPG, GIF, PNG - special formats for the web that compress the image, while it significantly loses quality (but for the web a lot is not needed :), which makes it difficult to further edit, again in these formats information about layers is not stored and much more.
Those. you need to always save your work in PSD format in order to be able to sometime correct something, change it, etc. In JPG, GIF, PNG formats, you need to save your work, if you want to post your picture on the site so that everyone can see it, in other formats, pictures on web pages will not be displayed.
A few words to last
Perhaps this first lesson scared you a little, so I consider it necessary to tell you not to be intimidated in vain - it’s difficult only at the beginning, working periodically in Photoshop, you will gradually master this multifunctional and best available graphic editor. You never know what you can do till you try.
However, nothing just does not come - without constant practice, without curiosity, without diligence, you cannot learn anything. Therefore, it is best if you once again go through the just studied, and, for example, try out the options of the Gradient Tool (gradient), which we have not used. Create a new image, experiment, switch and change the gradient fill options, see what and how.
To help you, there will be pop-up hints that don’t know English - take the simplest English-Russian dictionary, and everything will immediately become clear and understandable. Naturally, my advice concerns not only the Gradient Tool, but also others that we have learned in this lesson.
However, nothing just does not come - without constant practice, without curiosity, without diligence, you cannot learn anything. Therefore, it is best if you once again go through the just studied, and, for example, try out the options of the Gradient Tool (gradient), which we have not used. Create a new image, experiment, switch and change the gradient fill options, see what and how.
To help you, there will be pop-up hints that don’t know English - take the simplest English-Russian dictionary, and everything will immediately become clear and understandable. Naturally, my advice concerns not only the Gradient Tool, but also others that we have learned in this lesson.
That's probably all for today
