Tutorial 2 : Working with layers

Week 2 tutorial is about working with layers. This is quite important when we create our masterpieces.The layers give the subjects we created a level of different view. We can also modify the certain subjects with some effects in certain layer.

First of all, sure we need to create a new file [Ctrl + N].Set a file name and size of canvas that you need. 

This is how it exactly look like after you create a new canvas.

Double click on the background layer to unlock it, change the layer's name from "Layer 0" to "background" so that it will be easier to differentiate.

Click on the "Create a new layer" button or press Shirt+Ctrl+N to create a new layer.

Use the Rectangle Marquee Tool to draw a rectangle or create any shape you like by other tools. Press Shift+F5 to fill in any color or pattern to the rectangle outline shape that we create just now.You may change the blending mode or opacity as you like.

Create a new layer, right-click >>Layer Properties to change the layer's name and draw another shape you like and fill it up with color or pattern as above.

Press T or click on the "T" letter on the tool panel to activate Type Tool.Type any words you want.For your information, anything that being type will have a own text layer.   

If you don't like the color being fill just now or you want change it to pattern.Press Ctrl and click on the layer thumbnail to load selection and then press Delete key to clear the color filled.Fill in again with color or pattern you like.

Then change the rectangle to rounded-rectangle by modify the feather of edges[ Shirt+F6 ]. I'm applied 10 feather radius pixels in this work. After we modify the feather of edges,we can see the selection loaded become rounded. Select >> Inverse >> Delete to apply the roundness to the subjects. You may change the background by drag into another picture you want or fill it in with pattern/color as your wish and you can change the mode and opacity to make the background look nicer. This action can be done directly on the background layer because we had unlock the background layer at the beginning. If you don't want to unlock it and prefer to keep a lowest layer for any other changes. You may create a new layer on the background layer.

Create another new layer and fill with brushes that suitable for your masterpieces. It would be encourage if you apply each brushes on each layer so that you can changes/modify/delete it separately without changing other, 

And lastly,don;t forget to add your name/copyright/watermark onto every masterpieces that you have done to prevent any copy.

Finish.

click to view full size.