Help , Please

BM
Posted By
bijan_moghadam
Nov 30, 2003
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141
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5
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Closed
I am new to elements . When I open new pictures in elements it all goes to the same layer . how would i assign a separate layer to each picture. Even when I create a new file, it ends up in the same layer. Much thanks in advance
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BH
Beth_Haney
Nov 30, 2003
bijan, I’m not sure exactly what your question is. Are you trying to place more than one picture in the same image file?

I think of you describe to us what you’re trying to accomplish we’ll be able to help you.
BM
bijan_moghadam
Nov 30, 2003
Hi Beth, the book gives an example of layers with a head of a lion, a map , the word AFRICA and etc . But each one has its own layer. I saw a practice in the photoshop magazine, where it says to open a picture of a skyline which I did. Then to open a close up picture and use the Ellptical Marqee selecting the face and use move tool to drag it to the skyline picture . In this example, the skyline and the face had their own layers, but when I try to do this, everything is in one layer already . When I open a picture of a skyline it has its own layer but when I open a close up picture to use the Marqee on the face, it is in the same layer as the skyline . How would i assign a layer to a new picture . When I use a Marqee , do I need to cut it to move it and then assign a layer to it . Once again I apprecite your help
BH
Beth_Haney
Nov 30, 2003
Hmmm. I’m thinking!

First, you do have your Layers palette open, don’t you? I thought so.

Ok, step 1, you have the image open with the skyline you want to use as the background of your new picture. You leave that open on your desktop, and while it’s the active image you’re looking at just one layer in the Layers palette.

Now you open a second image that has a face you want to copy on to the image with the skyline, right? And now you are seeing the image of the skyline on your desktop behind the "face" picture, but what you’re seeing in the Layers palette is just one layer showing the picture with the face on it, right? And you use the elliptical marquee to select the face, change to the Move tool, and then drag it to the first image that has the skyline you want to use.

I just tried this, and the face that has been dragged on to the skyline automatically places itself on a new layer, just as promised.

I come back to your sentence, "but when I open a close up picture to use the Marqee on the face, it is in the same layer as the skyline". Are you sure it’s really in the same layer with the skyline, or are you getting confused by the fact the Layers Palette will change to reflect the image that’s active on the desktop? You CAN have two images open at the same time on your desktop, but you CANNOT have a separate Layers palette open for each one. Until you merge the two images, each one will show only one layer in the palette.

How far have you gotten? Have you tried moving the face to the image of the skyline yet? If not, do that and then report back. I may be missing something critical (that’s been known to happen more than once), but I suspect you’re getting confused by what you’re seeing in the palette and then not going any farther in your project.
BM
bijan_moghadam
Nov 30, 2003
Hi Beth, here is what you said :

You CAN have two images open at the same time on your desktop, but
you CANNOT have a separate Layers palette open for each one.<<<<

That was exactly my problem and I did not go forward as I thought I needed the layers to show in the palette at all times .

I like to thank you very much . Now I understand how the layers works .
BH
Beth_Haney
Nov 30, 2003
You’re welcome! And I’m glad you now have gotten a good introduction to layers, because they’re very important to getting the most versatility from Elements. Congratulations! And come back when you have more questions. Or just hang out. There’s a lot to be learned just from reading the posts.

How to Improve Photoshop Performance

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