Lesson 3 and 4: Photoshop - What are Layers?

What are we aiming for in Photoshop?

Photoshop is basically three things:

Selecting, Moving, and Blending.

You'll hear me talk about these three things and use similar words that mean one of these three areas. I might be cutting (selecting), layering (moving) and composing (blending). 

1. Learning about layers - Drag an image into Photoshop and make a base layer for your artwork.

File>> New >> Print >> 24 x 36 Inches >> Decent name for the artwork 

In this part we are going to learn: What are layers? What can layers do?

First we need a background layer. When you drag in the image, you are in 'FREE TRANSFORM'. 

1.1: Rotate with the corners.

1.2: Experiment with shift click, alt click and Ctrl Click. 

1.3: What happens when you click and drag the corners when holding Ctrl, Alt or Shift?

2. Managing Layers - Right click a layer - Layer Properties - Colour

Right Click your layer to 'RASTERIZE' it so you can edit it.

2.1: Drag a planet into the space background

2.2: Right click and bring up 'Layer Properties'

2.3: Experiment with the sliders in the colour properties of the planet. What happens?

Right Click your layer to 'RASTERIZE' it so you can edit it.

2.4: Save your image somewhere, maybe on your desktop, ready to upload to Google Drive later. 

File >> Save / Save As... and put it on your Desktop. It should have a name by now. If it doesn't give it s proper name: YOUR NAME CLASS SCI FI ART POSTER or something like that.

3. Editing with a New 'pre-edited' Layer

3.1: We have learned how to create and edit by selecting colours and cutting things out using the MAGIC WAND and the QUICK SELECTION TOOL. 

Make a cut-out of the Astronaut as in last lesson or the first part of this video. Save it and drag it into the background you have in your layer 1.

3.2: Arrange the astronaut so that they are in a good position on the page.

When the 'Free Transform' box is highlighted, Right Click to see the 'FLIP' option

3.4 - Should you finish, find other planet or moon images on UnSplash.com and practice the selecting technique with colour properties as in the video.

You might want to add a creative layer to your nebular. I looked on Unsplash and found the bubble shaped planet.

>> I downloaded it.

>> dragged it into a new layer and arranged it carefully on the artwork.

>> Rasterized the layer

>> Rotated it and cut the black colour from the image using 'Quick Selction'

>> I then, Right Clicked on the layer to open Layer Properties/ Blend Options and used the screen mode and colours in inner and outer glow.

Look here: