Skip to main content

Layer Comps

Lesson 105 from: Adobe Photoshop: The Complete Guide Bootcamp

Ben Willmore

buy this class

$00

$00
Sale Ends Soon!

starting under

$13/month*

Unlock this classplus 2200+ more >

Lesson Info

105. Layer Comps

Next Lesson: Black-Only Shadows

Lessons

Class Trailer
1

Introduction To Adobe Photoshop

04:05
2

Bridge vs. Lightroom

06:39
3

Tour of Photoshop Interface

18:21
4

Overview of Bridge Workspace

07:42
5

Overview of Lightroom Workspace

11:21
6

Lightroom Preferences - Saving Documents

08:19
7

How To Use Camera Raw in Adobe Photoshop 2020

05:10
8

Overview of Basic Adjustment Sliders

13:09
9

Developing Raw Images

30:33
10

Editing with the Effects and HLS Tabs

09:12
11

How to Save Images

03:37
12

Using the Transform Tool

04:48
13

Making Selections in Adobe Photoshop 2020

06:03
14

Selection Tools

05:55
15

Combining Selection Tools

07:37
16

Using Automated Selection Tools

17:34
17

Quick Mask Mode

05:07
18

Select Menu Essentials

21:28
19

Using Layers in Adobe Photoshop 2020

13:00
20

Align Active Layers

07:29
21

Creating a New Layer

06:15
22

Creating a Clipping Mask

03:02
23

Using Effects on Layers

11:24
24

Using Adjustment Layers

16:44
25

Using the Shape Tool

04:39
26

Create a Layer Mask Using the Selection Tool

04:39
27

Masking Multiple Images Together

15:15
28

Using Layer Masks to Remove People

10:50
29

Using Layer Masks to Replace Sky

10:04
30

Adding Texture to Images

09:11
31

Layering to Create Realistic Depth

05:35
32

Adjustment Layers in Adobe Photoshop 2020

05:29
33

Optimizing Grayscale with Levels

10:59
34

Adjusting Levels with a Histogram

03:37
35

Understanding Curves

06:18
36

Editing an Image Using Curves

18:41
37

Editing with Shadows/Highlights Adjustment

07:19
38

Dodge and Burn Using Quick Mask Mode

07:14
39

Editing with Blending Modes

08:04
40

Color Theory

05:59
41

Curves for Color

16:52
42

Hue and Saturation Adjustments

08:59
43

Isolating Colors Using Hue/Saturation Adjustment

13:33
44

Match Colors Using Numbers

16:59
45

Adjusting Skin Tones

05:25
46

Retouching Essentials In Adobe Camera Raw

10:52
47

Retouching with the Spot Healing Brush

07:53
48

Retouching with the Clone Stamp

06:51
49

Retouching with the Healing Brush

04:34
50

Retouching Using Multiple Retouching Tools

13:07
51

Extending an Edge with Content Aware

03:42
52

Clone Between Documents

13:19
53

Crop Tool

10:07
54

Frame Tool

02:59
55

Eye Dropper and Color Sampler Tools

08:14
56

Paint Brush Tools

13:33
57

History Brush Tool

06:27
58

Eraser and Gradient Tools

03:06
59

Brush Flow and Opacity Settings

04:17
60

Blur and Shape Tools

11:06
61

Dissolve Mode

09:24
62

Multiply Mode

15:29
63

Screen Mode

14:08
64

Hard Light Mode

14:54
65

Hue, Saturation, and Color Modes

11:31
66

Smart Filters

11:32
67

High Pass Filter

13:40
68

Blur Filter

05:59
69

Filter Gallery

07:42
70

Adaptive Wide Angle Filter

04:43
71

Combing Filters and Features

04:45
72

Select and Mask

20:04
73

Manually Select and Mask

08:08
74

Creating a Clean Background

21:19
75

Changing the Background

13:34
76

Smart Object Overview

08:37
77

Nested Smart Objects

09:55
78

Scale and Warp Smart Objects

09:08
79

Replace Contents

06:55
80

Raw Smart Objects

10:20
81

Multiple Instances of a Smart Object

12:59
82

Creating a Mockup Using Smart Objects

05:42
83

Panoramas

13:15
84

HDR

11:20
85

Focus Stacking

04:02
86

Time-lapse

11:18
87

Light Painting Composite

08:05
88

Remove Moire Patterns

06:11
89

Remove Similar Objects At Once

09:52
90

Remove Objects Across an Entire Image

05:46
91

Replace a Repeating Pattern

06:50
92

Clone from Multiple Areas Using the Clone Source Panel

10:27
93

Remove an Object with a Complex Background

07:49
94

Frequency Separation to Remove Staining and Blemishes

12:27
95

Warping

11:03
96

Liquify

14:02
97

Puppet Warp

12:52
98

Displacement Map

10:36
99

Polar Coordinates

07:19
100

Organize Your Layers

11:02
101

Layer Styles: Bevel and Emboss

02:59
102

Layer Style: Knockout Deep

12:34
103

Blending Options: Blend if

13:18
104

Blending Options: Colorize Black and White Image

06:27
105

Layer Comps

08:30
106

Black-Only Shadows

06:07
107

Create a Content Aware Fill Action

08:46
108

Create a Desaturate Edges Action

07:42
109

Create an Antique Color Action

13:52
110

Create a Contour Map Action

10:20
111

Faux Sunset Action

07:20
112

Photo Credit Action

05:54
113

Create Sharable Actions

07:31
114

Common Troubleshooting Issues Part 1

10:23
115

Common Troubleshooting Issues Part 2

07:57
116

Image Compatibility with Lightroom

03:29
117

Scratch Disk Is Full

06:02
118

Preview Thumbnail

02:10

Lesson Info

Layer Comps

so enough about blending sliders. I use them all the time. The blend If sliders. And now let's look at other advanced features of working with layers. Let's say we have a client that hired me to replace the sky that's in here, because that's what the original sky looked like in the area on the right. The main thing is, the image was over. Exposed in the camera didn't capture enough detail to have color in the lower right. So I've already used the features that were taught in the session on advanced masking to remove the background on these trees. And if I turn off one of the layers that are here, let's see if I oh, I turn this layer mask off. This is what it looked like when the background had been removed. Then I have different options in here for skies. There's one. Here's a different one. Here's 3rd 1 and 1/ 1 and I want to present those to a client so they can see them. But I don't want them to see me playing in the layers panel where each time I turn one off, you see a checkerboar...

d, and then you turn another one on. And I have other fancy things going on in here. Like I'm gonna bring some of the original colors back in a tip that I showed you when we did advance masking. Anyway, I have a more complicated document that I want to show a client. I just somehow wanted present them with these options. So I'm going to use a feature called Layer Comp Sys. If I go to the layer menu or the window menu, I should say there's a trois called layer Camps and that causes this panel to come up when I get my documents set up. How I'd like to show a client I'll go to the bottom of the Layer cops window, and I'm going to click on the little plus sign. It's there to add a new layer comp in Win it, create a layer comp. I have the choice of what you to keep track of. Should it keep track of just the visibility of the layers that are my layers panel. She would also keep track of their position. So if I'm gonna be moving things around and want that on, should it keep track of layer styles, which means bevel in boss drop shadows and things like that, just in case I turned those on and off. In this particular case, it's not gonna matter, but I can turn on Ah, and then this is a more advanced feature that we won't even get Teoh in advanced layers because it has to do with smart objects and layer comes and we're just getting into lair cops. I'll leave that. Anyway, I'm gonna click. OK, so now we have our first layer competent layer Cops panel. Then I'm gonna change the appearance of my document by turning one layer off entering the next one on, and I'll create another new layer comp, and I'll just call that option, too. Then I'll switch it again and great another layer com called Option three and do it one more time. Now, if you look in the layer calms panel, you'll see the names of your layer calms. And over on the right side are those options that I had to choose from. You remember the check boxes? One was Did I want to keep track of the layers visibility and I had that turned on because the eyeball shows up here. Another is Do I wanted to keep track of the layers position? Well, that's the move tool. So that's that. Did I want to keep track of the layer styles, which would be the letter FX and then the final one. This looks kind of gray, and that's because I didn't choose the bottom check box, which had to do with Layer cops used with smart objects. So here's the name of our layer cops. We can change the name at any time, just double click on the name you can type in a different one. And then there is this little other column in that Cullen determines what layer comp we're currently looking at. So you see this one here? That's what we're looking at. So what I'm gonna do is good down that column on the left side, and I'm just going to click on the other areas, like the one next to Option three. And it's just gonna change which layers were visible, and I can go to the next one in the next one to cycle through those four different versions of this document. So now I could hide my layers panel and just have the layer comp. So pond when a client comes over and I can say, Well, what do you prefer? Option one. Option two. Option three her option for. But then the client calls and cancels our meeting and they still want to see this, but I need to email it to them. Well, if I go to the file menu, there should be a choice under export called Layer comes to files. If I choose that, then it asked me where should put it. I have mindset to my desktop where it actually looks a little deeper than my desktop. Ah, And then what should the file start with, Should it say new sky choices? Oops. I didn't mean to click up there in the top half toe fix that homeland. I accidentally clicked on the top and I got something typed in Let me hit the browse button and choose my desktop because if I have just some text typed in there, it might not go in a libel spot. Then this means Do you want to just export one, Which is the layer comp your currently looking at? We're not, and I'm gonna leave. That turned off so that I get a separate document for each file and I can tell which file format to use. I'll use J Peg. So now if I choose run, it's going to switch between all the different layer compass, and it's going to save out of JPEG file of what each one looked like. And if I were to go and look at my desktop, that's what I have right now is four brand newly created files sitting there on the desktop. But maybe the client requested they didn't want J pegs. They wanted a pdf file. Well, there's also a choice of layer comes to pdf. And so here it again asked me where would I like to save it if I want just the current layer calms or the ones that are selected or not? And otherwise, this would say about a pdf if I hit the run button. Not gonna actually run it, though. So what might we use layer comes for? Well, any time you have a complex document like I remember this one, Well, what if I wasn't sure about what pictures I was going to be using for each one of those Polaroids yet and I wanted to show somebody a bunch of different options. And so I had, like, five different choices for pictures for each one of those Polaroids. This would be a really complicated document, and just finding what layer it would take to turn on and off could be a challenge. Well, if I set it up once I save a layer comp that I can change the visibility of layers to swap out a different picture at another layer. Cop and I can easily then navigate that document using Layer com's or the more straightforward example might be a calendar. I want a layer con fridge month in as I choose the Different month. I want the text of the name of the month to change, which just change Which layer is visible cause I'd have one layer for each month, and I want to change the picture that's up there. I just have 12 pictures, and I'd be switching which ones visible, and then I would have the grid of numbers at the bottom. That would need to change, and that's what I have here. Here's January, February and so on so you can set that up in a single document. This is usually something somebody might set up Is 12 different documents, but with layer cops, we can easily save them right in the layer Cops panel. If you later on decide you want to change things like change which picture is visible for December? I could right now turn off the eyeball for whatever a picture that is and turn on the eyeball for a different one. And if I did, I would go to this layer comping might layer cops panel. And, uh, if I right click on it, I can say update layer comp, which means, you know, look at the layers that are currently visible, and I can also say only update the visibility. Don't update the position, you know, or just update position, that kind of stuff. There's a lot we can do it layer cops. It all depends on what kind of work you do as far as how useful you'll find them

Class Materials

Bonus Materials with Purchase

Lessons 1 - 6 - Handbook 1: Introduction to Adobe Photoshop
Lessons 7 - 12 - Handbook 2: How to Use Camera Raw
Lessons 13 - 18 - Handbook 3: Making Selections
Lessons 19 - 24 - Handbook 4: Using Layers
Lessons 25 - 30 - Handbook 5: Using Layer Masks
Lessons 31 - 38 - Handbook 6: Using Adjustment Layers
Lessons 39 - 44 - Handbook 7: Color Theory
Lessons 45 - 51 - Handbook 8: Retouching Essentials
Lessons 52 - 59 - Handbook 9: Tools Panel
Lessons 60 - 64 - Handbook 10: Layer Blending Modes
Lessons 65 - 70 - Handbook 11: How to Use Filters
Lessons 71 - 74 - Handbook 12: Advanced Masks
Lessons 75 - 81 - Handbook 13: Using Smart Objects
Lessons 82 - 86 - Handbook 14: Photography for Photoshop
Lessons 87 - 93 - Handbook 15: Advanced Photo Retouching
Lessons 94 - 98 - Handbook 16: Warp, Blend, Liquify
Lessons 99 - 105 - Handbook 17: Advanced Layers
Lessons 106 - 112 - Handbook 18: Actions
Lessons 113 - 117 - Handbook 19: Troubleshooting Issues
Practice Images 1: Introduction to Adobe Photoshop
Practice Images 2: How to Use Camera Raw
Practice Images 3: Making Selections
Practice Images 4: Using Layers
Practice Images 5: Using Layer Masks
Practice Images 6: Using Adjustment Layers
Practice Images 7: Color Theory
Practice Images 8: Retouching Essentials
Practice Images 9: Tools Panel
Practice Images 10: Layer Blending Modes
Practice Images 11: How to Use Filters
Practice Images 12: Advanced Masks
Practice Images 13: Using Smart Objects
Practice Images 14: Photography for Photoshop
Practice Images 15: Advanced Photo Retouching
Practice Images 16: Warp, Blend, Liquify
Practice Images 17: Advanced Layers
Practice Images 18: Actions
Practice Images 19: Troubleshooting Issues

Ratings and Reviews

Noel Ice
 

I am an avid reader of photoshop books, and an avid watcher of photoshop tutorials. I have attended (internet) several hundred of presentations. In the course of this endeavor, I have found my own favorite photoshop websites and instructors. Creative Live is probably the bargain out there as well as among the top three internet course sites. I have to say with great enthusiasm that the best Photoshop instructor is Ben Willmore. There are many great ones, but truly, he is the best I have come across, and, as indicated above, I have watched literally 100s of tutorials on Photoshop. I have seen all of Ben's courses, I think, and among them, this one is the best by far, and that is saying a lot, because that makes this course the best course on Photoshop to be found anywhere. I am going back and watching it twice. Not only is it comprehensive, but Ben is so familiar with his subject that he is able to explain it like no other. This is crème de la crème of Photoshop classes. I have been wanting to write this review for some time because I have been so thoroughly impressed with everything about this class!

ford smith
 

Highly recommended if you want to take your Photoshop skills to the next level. Ben Willmore is clear, concise, and professional. He also has a good speaking voice that is not distracting but also keeps you engaged. Lastly, I would recommend that as you become more advanced, increasing the speed of the video (one of the options given on the menu)...especially if you've gone through the course once before and maybe want to watch it again. The double speed is very efficient as you become more advanced in Photoshop. Thanks for the help Ben!

a Creativelive Student
 

Wow. I cannot communicate the value of this course!! The true value in this course is how the instructor identifies workflows you'll need before you'll ever realize it, repeats important information without it becoming annoying, and explains the "why" behind the techniques so well that even if you forget the exact method, you can figure it out via the principles learned. Excellent value, excellent material, excellent instructor!!!

Student Work

RELATED ARTICLES

RELATED ARTICLES