Adobe Photoshop CS3 - Manual (Page 300)

PHOTOSHOP CS3
User Guide
293
Specify fill opacity for a layer
In addition to setting opacity, which affects any layer styles and blending modes applied to the layer, you can specify
a fill opacity for layers. Fill opacity affects pixels painted in a layer or shapes drawn on a layer without affecting the
opacity of any layer effects that have been applied to the layer.
For example, if your layer contains a drawn shape or text that uses a drop shadow layer effect, adjust the fill opacity
to change the opacity of the shape or text itself without changing the opacity of the shadow.
❖ Do one of the following:
• In the Layers palette, enter a value in the Fill Opacity text box or drag the Fill Opacity pop-up slider.
• Double-click a layer thumbnail, choose Layer > Layer Style > Blending Options, and enter a value in the Fill
Opacity text box or drag the Fill Opacity pop-up slider.
Note: To view blending options for a text layer, choose Layer > Layer Style > Blending Options, or choose Blending
Options from the Add A Layer Style button at the bottom of the Layers palette. Enter a value in the Fill Opacity text box.
Specify a blending mode for a layer or group
A layer’s blending mode determines how its pixels blend with underlying pixels in the image. You can create a variety
of special effects using blending modes.
By default, the blending mode of a layer group is Pass Through, which means that the group has no blending
properties of its own. When you choose a different blending mode for a group, you effectively change the order in
which the image components are put together. All of the layers in the group are put together first. The composite
group is then treated as a single image and blended with the rest of the image using the selected blending mode. Thus,
if you choose a blending mode other than Pass Through for the group, none of the adjustment layers or layer
blending modes inside the group will apply to layers outside the group.
Note: There is no Clear blending mode for layers. In addition, the Color Dodge, Color Burn, Darken, Lighten, Difference,
and Exclusion modes are unavailable for Lab images. Layer blending modes available for 32-bit files are Normal,
Dissolve, Darken, Multiply, Linear Dodge (Add), Color Darken, Lighten, Color Lighten, Difference, Hue, Saturation,
Color, and Luminosity.
1 Select a layer or group from the Layers palette.
2 Choose a blending mode:
• From the Layers palette, choose an option from the Blend Mode pop-up menu.
• Choose Layer > Layer Style > Blending Options, and then choose an option from the Blend Mode pop-up menu.
For a video on using blending modes, see www.adobe.com/go/vid0012 .
See also
“List of blending modes” on page 344
Filling new layers with a neutral color
You can’t apply certain filters (such as the Lighting Effects filter) to layers with no pixels. Selecting Fill With (Mode)-
Neutral Color in the New Layer dialog box resolves this problem by first filling the layer with a preset, neutral color.
This invisible, neutral color is assigned according to the layer’s blending mode. If no effect is applied, filling with a
neutral color has no effect on the remaining layers. The Fill With Neutral Color option is not available for layers that
use the Normal, Dissolve, Hard Mix, Hue, Saturation, Color, or Luminosity modes.