Layer Styles in Photoshop

Layer Styles in Photoshop

Layer Styles are the effects and options you apply to a particular layer. This tutorial discusses the concept of Layer Styles and how to utilize them in your Photoshop documents.

Effects can be added to individual layers in Photoshop that automatically change as a layer is modified. The combination of effects on any given layer is called its Layer Style. We’ll teach you how to use and make your own layer styles in this tutorial.

What are Layer Styles?

Layer styles are special effects that can be quickly and easily applied to individual layers in Photoshop to drastically change the appearance of something in very little time. They can be preset, customized, or even saved and used for later.

One of the useful properties of Layer Styles are there relationship to the layer contents. Since the style is actually a separate entity that is just linked to the layer, it will continually update itself as a layers contents are edited or moved. Furthermore, the effects can easily be adjusted after applying them, making them non-destructive in nature.

Some shapes and text with and without layer styles applied.

Using Layer Style Presets

Photoshop comes packed with a good number of Layer Style Presets, all which are accessible through the Styles Palette (Window > Styles). To apply a Layer Style, select the Layer you’d like to work with in your document from the Layers Palette, and then select the Layer Style which you would like to apply.

A Text Layer Before and After a Layer Style Preset is applied to it.

After applying a Layer Style, the effects in the layer can be seen, adjusted, disabled or re enabled from the Layers Palette. Layers with effects applied to them will have a small round icon with an ‘f‘ in it. To expand or collapse the effects applied to a layer, click the arrow to the right of this icon.

When a layers effects have been expanded, you can quickly disable specific effects within the layer style by clicking the eye icon next to the effect. Just like a layer, these effects can become visible again by clicking the blank area (where the eye would reside) when an effect is disabled.

Making Quick Changes

You can make quick changes to a layers style by double clicking the ‘f‘ icon to pull up the Layer Style Options. From here, you can completely customize your layers style.

Creating your own Effects and Styles

To add your own layer effects, and create your own styles, go to Layer > Layer Style > Blending Options, or Right Click your Layer, and select Blending Options. This will bring up the Layer Style Options.

A. Style Presets – List of the Style Presets.

B. Effects – The various effects that can be used in a layer style. It’s important to note that by clicking on the name of any of the effects will enable that effect, and display the options for the individual effect.

C. Options / Settings – When the name for an effect is checked, it’s options will be shown here. When Blending Options is selected, settings such as Opacity, Fill, and other advanced options will be displayed.

D. Layer Style Preview – A preview of the Layer Style.

Effects (B) can be enabled by checking them, and likewise, disabled by unchecking them. To edit an effect, you need to click the name (rather than checkbox). The effects settings will be displayed in the Options area (C), where they can be easily adjusted. To apply a set of effects and options, simply press OK.

Layer Effects

Styles can be built with the following effects:

Drop Shadow – Creates a shadow behind the layers contents.

Inner Shadow – Creates a shadow on top of the layers contents.

Outer Glow - Creates a glow behind the layers contents. Cannot be distanced like the drop shadow.

Inner Glow – Creates a glow on top of the layers contents. Again, cannot be distanced like the inner shadow.

Bevel and Emboss - Used to create unique highlight and shadow effects on a layers contents.

Satin - Gives the layer contents a satin-like, glossy appearance.

Color Overlay - Fills the layer contents with a solid color.

Gradient Overlay - Fills the layer contents with a gradient.

Pattern Overlay - Fills the layer contents with a pattern.

Stroke - Creates an outline on layer contents using a solid color, gradient, or pattern.

Give it a Try!

Let’s try it out to make sure we've got a clear understanding of all this. We’re going to test our abilities by creating a basic layer style for some text. Go ahead and create a new document in Photoshop, and use the Type Tool to add some large, black text.

Right Click the text layer, and Select Blending Options.

First we’re going to add a Drop Shadow. Check the Drop Shadow Effect, and click on it to bring up it’s options. Set things up as shown in the diagram below:

As you’re making adjustments, you should be able to see changes being made in your actual document. Keeping an eye on your document while adding effects will allow you to better determine how to adjust settings.

You should be familiar with most of these sliders and types of settings from our Palettes Tutorial you may have read. The Angle setting may be a new one to you, but it’s very simple to work. You can either enter in a numeric value, or adjust the angle with your mouse by clicking on the wheel. Doing so will change the angle of your shadow.

Now let’s add a Bevel and Emboss. We’re going to create a bevel that is subtle, so that it doesn’t draw too much attention, but at the same time pops our text a bit. Again, mimic the settings shown in the diagram shown below.

Nothing really new here. You may want to experiment as I suggested earlier to have a better understanding of the different settings here, but most of them are pretty self-explanatory.

Now let’s add a Gradient Overlay.

By default, the Gradient Overlay will probably use a Foreground to Background gradient, which is not exactly what we are looking for (unless we’ve setup the Foreground and Background Colors in Photoshop specifically for this step). That’s OK though, because we can easily adjust the gradient from here.

Click on the gradient shown in the Gradient Picker (Black fading to White in the above diagram). This will bring up the Gradient Editor. From the Gradient Editor, you may choose a gradient preset, or create a new custom gradient of your own. Towards the bottom of the editor is the current gradient, with Opacity Stops (Determine how opaque the gradient is at a specific point) and Color Stops (Determine what colors are used in the Gradient). We can add, delete, and modify stops by clicking anywhere above or below the gradient, or by clicking on the stops themselves.

We only want to modify the current color stops. Double Click the first color stop, and apply the color #50a2e7, and then apply the color #75cefc to the right most stop. Click OK to Apply the Gradient.

Click OK to apply the layer style you've created.

Congratulations! You’re now skilled in the art of layer effects and styles!

Photoshop’s Pen Tool: The Comprehensive Guide

Photoshop’s Pen Tool: The Comprehensive Guide

The Pen Tool makes appearances across almost the entire Adobe product range. Its function and behavior varies depending on the application, but by mastering it youll find you work quicker, smoother and with better results. This guide will give you a comprehensive basis for working with the Pen Tool in Photoshop.

1. Functions

Pen tool : 
Click on the canvas to create paths with straight segments, click and drag to create paths with Bezier curves.

Freehand Pen tool : 

Click on the canvas and drag to draw paths freely, as though using a brush.

Add Anchor Point tool :

Click on a path segment to add anchor point.

Delete Anchor Point tool : 

Click on anchor point to remove from path.

Convert Point tool : 

Click on an anchor point and drag to create bezier handles where there were none, click on an anchor point with handles to a remove them.

2. Keyboard Shortcuts

P : Select Pen tool or Freeform Pen tool, depending on which was selected most recently

3. The Cursors

The Pen tool takes on different forms depending on what you’re doing when youre using it. Each one intuitively makes you aware of the action you are about to perform.
(Caps Lock to toggle between pointer and cross hair in some cases)

 Prepared to begin path

while midway through creating or editing a path

When mouse is pressed

Add an anchor point to path

Remove anchor point from path

When hovered over begin point of path; to close path

When hovered over endpoint of existing path; to continue path, or (if path is active) to edit that point

Prepared to convert existing anchor point

Freehand Pen Tool

Magnetic Freehand Pen Tool

Direct Selection Tool; Pen Tool with Command pressed

Path Selection Tool; Pen Tool with Command + Alt pressed

When hovered over canvas with Ctrl pressed; prepared for options menu

4. Secondary Mouse Controls (with path selected and Auto Add/Delete checked)

Pen tool hover over anchor point : changes to Delete anchor point tool
Pen tool hover over path segment : changes to Add anchor point tool

5. Keyboard Controls

Hold Ctrl and click on canvas. Opens up an options menu.

Hold Shift to constrain movements to 45°, 90°, 135° or 180° while creating or editing anchor points and handles.

Select anchor point with Direct selection tool and click Delete. Anchor and adjoining path segments are deleted leaving two paths.

Pen tool + Option (Alt): changes to Convert anchor point tool.

Pen tool + Option (Alt) while editing bezier curve: splits curve (unhinges handles).

Pen tool + Command whilst creating path: changes to Direct Selection tool allowing repositioning of previously drawn anchor points.

6. Options

The Options Bar (Window > Options), usually located at the top of your screen, provides the most important options for whichever tool is selected. This is also true of the Pen Tools and their options are outlined below:

Presets: Allows presets to be saved for whichever tool is selected. Define the options as discussed below and save as a Preset to quickly come back to those settings later.

Shape Layers: while this is selected, paths created will contribute to a shape, visible within the Paths palette and within the Layers palette as a vector mask.

Paths: while this is selected, paths created will contribute to a path, visible within the Paths palette.

Fill Pixels: The third path type option, available while one of the shape tools is selected. While this is selected, paths created will become filled areas.

Pen Tool: Selects the Pen Tool.

Freehand Pen Tool: Selects the Freehand Pen Tool.

Rubber Band: Available from within the Pen Options dropdown while the Pen Tool is selected. Rubber Band gives a visual of the path youre about to create, without you having the cursor pressed on the canvas.

Curve fit: Available from within the Freehand Pen Options dropdown while the Freehand Pen Tool is selected. Value entered determines the accuracy to which bezier handles will be added to your freely drawn path. The higher the value, the more accurate your result will be. A value of between 0.5 and 10 pixels is required.

Magnetic: Available from the Options bar and within the Freehand Pen Options dropdown while the Freehand Pen Tool is selected. When selected, paths drawn will magnetize to pixels. The Magnetic settings as shown below, determine the width of the area the path is prepared to jump across, the contrast of the pixels necessary to attract the path and the frequency of anchor points added to the path.

Pen Pressure: Available from within the Freehand Pen Options dropdown while the Freehand Pen Tool is selected. When selected, the pressure applied to a graphics tablet (if youre using one) influences the pen width.

Auto Add/Delete: Available when the Pen Tool is selected; allows adding and removing of anchor points with the normal Pen Tool (see Secondary Mouse Controls).

Pathfinder Tools: These allow addition, subtraction, intersection and exclusion of the paths you create.

Layer Style: Available when Shape Layer is selected; this applies layer styles to shapes on a new layer (if chain link is unselected) or to shapes on the current layer (if chain link is selected).

7. Other Shortcuts and Tips

(With path selected) Spacebar to give you access to the Hand tool. Move your screen without deselecting the path or changing tools.

Go to View > Snap To > Grid to allow precise creation of curves with the Pen Tool.

8. Best Practice Suggestions

Drag handles from the first anchor point when beginning a curved path.

Drag your handles around just one third of the curve youre creating for a smooth path.

Position anchor points on a curve where the paths begin to change direction, not in the middle of its curve.

Be sparing with your use of anchor points, fewer points = neater path.