Adobe 13101332 User Guide - Page 296

Adobe Photoshop Help Using Help | Contents | Index Using Layers Back 296 • (ImageReady) Double-click a layer thumbnail, and enter a value in the Opacity text box or drag the Opacity pop-up slider. Choosing a blending mode A layer's blending mode determines how its pixels blend with underlying pixels in the image. You can create a variety of special effects using blending modes. By default, the blending mode of a layer set is Pass Through, which means that the layer set has no blending properties of its own.When you choose a different blending mode for a layer set, you effectively change the order in which the entire image is composited. All of the layers in the layer set are composited first. The composited layer set is then treated as a single image, and blended with the rest of the image using the selected blending mode. Thus, if you choose a blending mode other than Pass Through for the layer set, none of the adjustment layers or layer blending modes inside the layer set will apply to layers outside the set. For a description of each blending mode, see "Selecting a blending mode" on page 241. Note: There is no Clear blending mode for layers. In addition, the Color Dodge, Color Burn, Darken, Lighten, Difference, and Exclusion modes are unavailable for Lab images. To specify a blending mode for a layer or layer set: 1 Select a layer or layer set in the Layers palette. 2 Choose a blending mode: • In the Layers palette, choose an option from the Blend Mode pop-up menu. • (Photoshop) Double-click a layer thumbnail, choose Layer > Layer Style > Blending Options, or choose Blending Options from the Layers palette menu. Choose an option from the Blend Mode pop-up menu. Note: To view blending options for a text layer in Photoshop, choose Layer > Layer Style > Blending Options, or choose Blending Options from the Layers palette menu. • (ImageReady) Double-click a layer thumbnail, and choose an option from the Blend Mode pop-up menu. Filling new layers with a neutral color Some filters (such as the Lighting Effects filter) cannot be applied to layers with no pixels. Selecting Fill with Mode-neutral color in the New Layer dialog box resolves this problem by first filling the layer with a preset, neutral color. The neutral color is assigned based on the layer's blending mode and is invisible. If no effect is applied, filling with a neutral color has no effect on the remaining layers. The Fill with Neutral Color option is not available for layers that use the Normal, Dissolve, Hue, Saturation, Color, or Luminosity modes. Specifying fill opacity In addition to setting opacity for a layer, which affects any layer styles and blending modes applied to the layer, you can specify a fill opacity for layers. Fill opacity affects pixels painted in a layer or shapes drawn on a layer without affecting the opacity of any layer effects that have been applied to the layer. Using Help | Contents | Index Back 296