22 min read

Layers and Layer Groups

Stack, name, order, hide, lock and group layers; use opacity; and keep a poster file organised.

What Are Layers?

The poster's layers. Items higher in the stack cover those below.

A poster can quickly have 30 or more layers. Groups are folders for layers. 1 Select related layers (for example all the text layers). 2 Press Ctrl + G (or Layer \to Group Layers). 3 Double-click the group name and call it Text . Groups can be hidden, moved and locked together. A clear structure might be: Logo \cdot Text \cdot Graphics \cdot Photo \cdot Background .

Opacity makes a whole layer see-through (100% solid, 0% invisible). Fill affects only the layer's pixels, not its effects. Blend modes (the drop-down that says Normal) change how a layer mixes with the ones below — for example Multiply darkens, Screen lightens and Overlay adds contrast. Try them on a texture or a colour layer over a photo.

Practice

Which layer appears in front on the canvas?

What Are Layers?

The poster's layers. Items higher in the stack cover those below.

Working in the Layers Panel

Layer Groups

A poster can quickly have 30 or more layers. Groups are folders for layers. 1 Select related layers (for example all the text layers). 2 Press Ctrl + G (or Layer \to Group Layers). 3 Double-click the group name and call it Text . Groups can be hidden, moved and locked together. A clear structure might be: Logo \cdot Text \cdot Graphics \cdot Photo \cdot Background .

Opacity and Blend Modes

Opacity makes a whole layer see-through (100% solid, 0% invisible). Fill affects only the layer's pixels, not its effects. Blend modes (the drop-down that says Normal) change how a layer mixes with the ones below — for example Multiply darkens, Screen lightens and Overlay adds contrast. Try them on a texture or a colour layer over a photo.

Practice

Which layer appears in front on the canvas?