How to Cheat in Photoshop

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Posted on 12/01/08 01:38:58 AM

cy98
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Posts: 115

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layers and erasing

If one has more than one layer, can they erase parts of layer 3 without affecting layers 1 & 2? Have tried the various layer locks but perhaps don't have right combination. These are cut and paste layers.

Thanks

Posted on 12/01/08 01:42:30 AM

Pierre
Constructional Confabulator
Posts: 637

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Re: layers and erasing

You can actually erase from only ONE layer at a time, and that's the active one (hilighted in the Layers palette). If you've copied your layers to test, thus they're all the same visually, if you erase on layer 2, it will not show because layer 3 is over it.

Does that make sense?

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Posted on 12/01/08 03:24:13 AM

cy98
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Posts: 115

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Re: layers and erasing

Not really as this is not what I see. Starting with the background, I added layer 1 to parts of the background. I added layer 2 and tried to erase parts of it, but it also erased layer 1 so I ended up with the background image again. Only layer 2 was active (blue). Does this make sense? Perhaps I need to change the order of where the layers are?

Posted on 12/01/08 3:25:28 PM

Pierre
Constructional Confabulator
Posts: 637

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Re: layers and erasing

Mmh... I can't replicate what you're describing. See what I have: a white background, layer 1 with color, Layer 2 with color that I erased partially and it did not touch layer 1... Can you post a screen shot of your example??

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Posted on 13/01/08 01:14:17 AM

cy98
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Posts: 115

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Re: layers and erasing

Since it worked for you I played around with the settings a little bit and discovered that I had erase to history checked so both layers would be erased down to the background.

Thanks for your help.

Posted on 13/01/08 02:24:10 AM

Pierre
Constructional Confabulator
Posts: 637

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Re: layers and erasing

Ha! Well, you just taught me something!

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Posted on 24/01/08 2:07:08 PM

Icelandr
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Posts: 5

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Re: layers and erasing

Here is a little trick for you guys...

If you want to erase from a layer... but not damage the image in that layer, do the following.

At the bottom of the layer palette you can see 7 icons. The 3rd is for LAYER MASKS. This will enable you to erase from the layer without damaging the image.

1. First select a layer you want to erase from.
2. Click on the 3rd Icon for LAYER MASKS.
3. Select a brush.
4. Start painting in the LAYER MASK with BLACK to erase or WHITE to add it back.

NOTE: This will not work on a BACKGROUND layer. You must first convert it to a regular layer by double clicking on the Background layer and then simply hit OK.

Try this and you will unlock a new world of PHOTOSHOP!

Posted on 24/01/08 2:37:26 PM

cy98
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Posts: 115

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Re: layers and erasing

Thanks for the step by step procedure. I will try that. Sounds good, although I have never figured out what the difference is between this method and just using the eraser brush.

Posted on 24/01/08 6:33:25 PM

Icelandr
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Posts: 5

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Re: layers and erasing

Difference is that you are not really destroying the image by "erasing" the pixels, but simply by "hiding" them.

Posted on 24/01/08 7:20:39 PM

David Asch
Tech Support
Posts: 1913

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