Adobe 29180155 User Guide - Page 100

ADOBE PHOTOSHOP ELEMENTS 4.0 95 User Guide To select all opaque areas on a layer You can quickly select all the opaque areas on a layer. This procedure is useful when you want to exclude transparent areas from a selection. 1 In the Layers palette, Command-click the layer thumbnail. 2 To add the pixels to an existing selection, press Command+Shift and click the layer thumbnail in the Layers palette. 3 To subtract the pixels from an existing selection, press Command+Option and click the layer thumbnail in the Layers palette. 4 To load the intersection of the pixels and an existing selection, press Command+Option+Shift and click the layer thumbnail in the Layers palette. See also "Understanding layers" on page 81 "About selections" on page 102 To customize the transparency grid The checkerboard grid identifies transparency in a layer. You can change the appearance of this grid; however, do not change it to solid white because you'll eliminate the visual distinction between opaque (white) and transparent (checkerboard). 1 In the Editor, choose Photoshop Elements > Preferences > Transparency. 2 Choose a pattern size from the Grid Size menu. 3 Choose a pattern color from the Grid Colors menu. To choose a custom color instead, click one of the two boxes below the Grid Colors menu and select a color from the Color Picker. See also "About the Layers palette" on page 82 "To use the Adobe Color Picker" on page 223 Adjustment and fill layers About adjustment and fill layers Adjustment layers let you experiment with color and make tonal adjustments without permanently modifying the pixels in an image. You can think of an adjustment layer as a veil coloring the underlying layers. By default, an adjustment layer affects all layers below it, although you can change this behavior. When you create an adjustment layer, the Layers palette displays a white box representing the adjustment for that layer. Fill layers let you fill a layer with a solid color, gradient, or pattern. Unlike adjustment layers, fill layers do not affect the layers below them. To paint on a fill layer, you must first convert it (simplify it) to a regular layer.