help with layers! adobe photoshop elements 2.0

BC
Posted By
bev_cyranowicz
Dec 27, 2003
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212
Replies
13
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Closed
Hi, i just got adobe photoshop elements 2.0 for xmas and havent a clue what im doing. so i have a zillion questions, and am desperate to find answers, as i have little patience. lol. am trying to work with layers, but when i open any picture it says i have one layer, which is the background and the whole picture is in there and locked. doesnt the program make the layers for me? do i have to do the layers myself? if so is there a uncomplicated way to do this? thanks!

happy new year everyone
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JC
Jane_Carter
Dec 27, 2003
Hi Bev, Don’t worry, I was a total beginner last March, and you will find the most wonderful help here!
Here is a start,
<http://www.arraich.com/elements/pse_basics1.htm>
And you will find many other tutorials, books, lessons, and great help to your questions here, as you get rolling with PSE.
Then you will become addicted, and the housework will suffer, but I won’t go into details about that.
Whats that smell coming from the kitchen,,,,,,,,,
Have fun,
Jane
GD
Grant_Dixon
Dec 27, 2003
Bev

Welcome to the most Elements friendly place it the universe.

When an image is imported it is always first background layer. There are certain advantage to this that you will find out as you go… but best to answer one question at a time. There are many ways to make layers first try going to the main menu click on Window and clicking on Layers. This will give you the Layers Pallet, so that you can see what you are working with. Then, for a while, go to the Layers in the main menu and select from there. As work with this you will see the new layers on Layers Pallet. To work on a particular layer click on that layer in the Layers Pallet.

Grant
BC
bev_cyranowicz
Dec 27, 2003
thanks! i know what you mean, housework is already suffering. i might as well be reading greek because i cant even get started and im already addicted! lol. i will check out that website and im so glad i found this message board (and all you nice helpful patient people), as the books dont help me at all. maybe i need a book for dummies. 🙂
GD
Grant_Dixon
Dec 27, 2003
Bev

You are new so I will repost a message I sent out earlier this week. About beginner books.

***********************************************************

While there are many many good books out there I have a favourite I recommend to beginners. This book will not tell you all the ‘ins’ and ‘outs’ but it will get you up an running in such a short time it is incredible. It consists of 50 exercises and you can easily do them all in a week; although you may want to savour them. The book is ’50 FAST DIGITAL PHOTO TECHNIQUES’, It is written by: Gregory Georges Publisher: Hungry Minds, Inc. 292 Pages, 32-page color insert CD-ROM included ISBN: 0-7645-3578-1 List price: $24.99 and you can get a look at it on this web site.

http://www.reallyusefulpage.com/50techniques/index.shtml

Once you have mastered this you can move on to more advanced books but you will easily be able to take part in the challenge after only a hand full of exercises out of this book.

Grant
TF
Terri_Foster
Dec 27, 2003
Jane has the right answer…that web site is one of the better ones. This forum is also a great place to learn things. Another tip would be to invest a photoshop elements book or two. (Make it a simple one that goes over the basics…save advanced theory for when you get the basics down.) Above all, don’t get frustrated…it may take a while to catch on to stuff but it’s well worth the effort. For some reason, when I first got elements layers gave me fits too. Sometimes, it comes down to you can over think stuff.
To unlock your background, click on the lock. You can also copy your background by dragging it to the middle icon (next to trash can…which by the way is where you drag a layer to delete…the other icon makes adjustment layers). If you click on the middle icon, it will make a blank layer onto which you can place a part of your picture on to be adjusted via selection. I hope this helps some…there’s tons more but then I’d be writing a manuel. Lots of luck, keep with it because once you learn how to use this program…it’s a blast.

Terri
WE
Wendy_E_Williams
Dec 28, 2003
Bev,

When you get stuck keep coming back and asking questions … I did and everyone helped me so much. You will be suprised how quickly you learn … just go to the website Jane mentioned and try out a simple tutorial.

Elements is adictive … housework takes a back seat and there is always something new to learn.

Wendy
NS
Nancy_S
Dec 28, 2003
Bev,

Here are two links for introductions using Layers and making Selections.

< http://www.elated.com/tutorials/graphics/photoshop/intro_lay ers/>

<http://www.espressographics.com/text/selections.html>
JF
Jodi_Frye
Dec 28, 2003
Wendy; "housework takes a back seat"…you got that right. I forced myself to get my house back in order this morning after the holiday tornado and thank goodness…my landlord (m~i~l) dropped in unexpectedly ‘while playing’ with the challenge images this afternoon…I’m sooooo glad I cleaned earlier !! Now I’m stuck on those darn gradients !!!
NS
Nancy_S
Dec 28, 2003
Did this translate to… mother-in-law = landlord?
JC
Jane_Carter
Dec 28, 2003
I planned to do some PSE fun/work tonite, but with the best meal of the season over with and a total sucess, all the family happy and the city folk home safely,,,,, I must admit that my husband and I had a few G+Ts tonight, and put on our favourite Blues CDs, and danced and sang,,,,,,,and took tonight off.
Will be back tomorrow, just gotta listen and dance to the best music(my *huge* Blues collection)once in a while.
Jane
GD
Grant_Dixon
Dec 28, 2003
Jane

A blues fan eh! Now I know why I love you.

Grant
JF
Jodi_Frye
Dec 28, 2003
Nancy, you are correct

<smiley of ‘blah!!!! face’>
BB
bob_bishop
Dec 28, 2003
Jane mentioned Jay Arraich’s tutorials. I agree they are very good. Jay also offers an advanced PSE book on a CD for around $60. Does anyone have any recommendations regarding his book? Thanks, Bob Bishop

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