Extended Studies - Intro to Adobe Photoshop

10/28/15 Instructor: Kristy Depper E-mail: kdepper@gmail.com 1

Working with Adjustment Layers . An adjustment layer applies color and tonal adjustments to your image without permanently changing pixel values. For example, rather than making a Levels or Curves adjustment directly on your image, you can create a Levels or Curves adjustment layer. The color and tone adjustments are stored in the adjustment layer and apply to all the layers below it. Adjustment layers have the same opacity and blending mode options as image layers. You can rearrange, delete, hide, and duplicate them just as you do image layers. By default, adjustment layers have layer masks, as indicated by the mask icon to the left of the layer thumbnail. If a selection is active when you create the adjustment or fill layer, a layer mask is created as well as the adjustment layer. Advantages of adjustment layers:

• !Nondestructive edits. You can try different settings and re-edit the adjustment layer at any time. You can also reduce the effect of the adjustment by lowering the opacity of the adjustment layer.

• !Reduced loss of image data through combined multiple adjustments. Each time you adjust pixel values directly, you lose some image data. You can use multiple adjustment layers and make small adjustments. Photoshop combines all the adjustments before it applies them to the image.

• !Selective editing. Paint on the adjustment layer’s image mask to apply an adjustment to part of an image. Later you can control which parts of the image are adjusted by re-editing the layer mask. You can vary the adjustment by painting on the mask with different tones of gray.

• !Ability to apply adjustments to multiple images. Copy and paste adjustment layers between images to apply the same color and tone adjustments.

Extended Studies - Intro to Adobe Photoshop

10/28/15 Instructor: Kristy Depper E-mail: kdepper@gmail.com 2

To create an adjustment layer or fill layer ! Do one of the following:

1. !Click the New Adjustment Layer button at the bottom of the Layers palette, and choose a layer type.

2. !Choose Layer > New Fill Layer, and choose an option from the submenu. Then

name the layer, set other layer options, and click OK.

3. !Choose Layer > New Adjustment Layer, and choose an option from the submenu. Then name the layer, set other layer options, and click OK.

!Note: To confine the effects of the adjustment layer or fill layer to a selected area, make a selection. When you use a selection, you create an adjustment layer or fill layer confined by a layer mask. Advanced Tip: Clipping Masks To confine the effects of an adjustment layer to the layer directly below it you can clip it to that layer. The resulting adjustment is confined to the layers inside the group. (Alternatively, you can create a layer set that uses any blending mode other than Pass Through.)

To create a clipping mask

1. Arrange the layers in the Layers palette so that the base layer with the mask is below the layers that you want to mask.

Do one of the following: 2. Hold down Alt (Windows) or Option (Mac OS), position the pointer over the line

dividing two layers in the Layers palette (the pointer changes to two overlapping circles), and click.

OR: 3. !Select a layer in the Layers palette, and choose Layer > Create Clipping Mask

Adjustment and fill layer types !**For complete information on the options for each adjustment layer type, search for that adjustment in Photoshop Help. !Solid Color: Specify a color.

Extended Studies - Intro to Adobe Photoshop

10/28/15 Instructor: Kristy Depper E-mail: kdepper@gmail.com 3

!Gradient: Click the gradient to display the Gradient Editor, or click the inverted arrow and choose a gradient from the pop‑up palette. Set additional options if desired. Style specifies the shape of the gradient. Angle specifies the angle at which the gradient is applied. Scale changes the size of the gradient. Reverse flips the orientation of the gradient. Dither reduces banding by applying dithering to the gradient. Align With Layer uses the bounding box of the layer to calculate the gradient fill. You can drag in the image window to move the center of the gradient. ! Pattern: Click the pattern, and choose a pattern from the pop‑up palette. Click Scale, and enter a value or drag the slider to scale the pattern. Click Snap To Origin to make the origin of the pattern the same as the origin of the document. Select Link With Layer if you want the pattern to move along with the layer as the layer moves. When Link With Layer is selected, you can drag in the image to position the pattern while the Pattern Fill dialog box is open. !Levels: Specify values for the highlights, shadows, and midtones. ! Curves: Adjust the intensity values of pixels along a 0–255 scale while keeping up to 15 other values constant. ! Color Balance: Drag a slider toward a color that you want to increase in the image; drag a slider away from a color that you want to decrease. ! Brightness/Contrast: Specify values for Brightness and Contrast. ! Hue/Saturation: Choose which colors to edit, and specify values for Hue, Saturation, and Lightness. ! Selective Color: Choose the color you want to adjust, and drag the sliders to increase or decrease the components in the selected color. ! Channel Mixer: Modify the color values in a channel by mixing them with other channels. ! Gradient Map: Choose a gradient and set gradient options. ! Photo Filter: Make color adjustments by simulating the effect of a filter in front of a camera lens. ! Invert: Inverted adjustment layers don’t have options. ! Threshold Specify a threshold level. ! Posterize Specify the number of tonal levels for each color channel.