It can be a little frustrating sometimes when you create layer masks that by default they apply as a white filled layer mask, meaning that the layer is not effected by it. Annoyed by having to keep selecting all and filling with black… you’ll like this one then!
In previous versions of Photoshop you just dragged layer effects to duplicate them onto other layers, and dragged layer masks onto the new layer mask icon to duplicate onto other layers, this has changed in Photoshop CS2.
This ones another little known tip – even for expert Photoshop users! Did you know that you can bring up advanced layer options when you create a new layer… no, well read on and find out more!
A little known command in Photoshop this one, it’s not that it’s hidden away, it’s just that people seem to miss it! It’s great when you either have ALOT of layers with layer effects on or not a very fast computer… or a combination of both!
When you apply layer effects it takes quite alot of horsepower to display them, especially if it is a large document with many layer effects applied.
I’d suggest you hide them whilst you don’t need to see them – it really speeds up screen redraw and helps you work faster. Just Control or right click on any layer effect, go down near the bottom and you will see ‘Hide all effects’ – this is a global option that will hide all layer effects in the document, not just the layer you clicked on.
When you are ready to see your Photoshop file with all the layer effects turned on again, simply click in the same manner, and the option will now show as ‘Show all layer effects’.
If you have ever had to deal with studio shots that feature items with a white background, sometimes it can be infuriating that the white background isn’t, well, pure white! This can be particularly annoying if you are placing the image on a white page and don’t want to cut it out. There is a quick fix for this though and if you have not used them yet it’s time to start using Levels!
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