Layers Palette Comparison

This Sailboat image is used in the "How To Use Layers" example beginning on pg. 150 of the book. The reflection layer has not yet been added to the image.

PSP v.5 Layers Palette for Sailboat Image
This is the PSP 5 Layer Palette for the Sailboat image example above. The "reflection" layer has not yet been added to the image. In this example, the "Sailboat" layer is currently the selected or active layer. The depressed layer name button denotes that this is the selected or active layer in the image. The background layer has been hidden. The outlined layer icon and undepressed layer button to the right of the layer name denotes a hidden layer. The opacity slider is set to 100 and the Layer Blend Mode is set to Normal. These settings correspond with the PSP 6 layer palette example below.
PSP v.6 Layers Palette for Sailboat Image
This is the PSP 6 Layer palette for the Sailboat image example above. The "reflection" layer has not yet been added to the image. In this example, the "Sailboat" layer is currently the selected or active layer. The highlighted layer name area denotes that this is the selected or active layer in the image. The background layer has been hidden. The red "X" over the glasses icon denotes a hidden layer. The opacity slider is set to 100 and the Layer Blend Mode is set to Normal. These settings correspond with the PSP 5 layer palette example above. Additionally in this example, both layers are raster layers (not adjustment or vector layers) as denoted by the RGB icon located on the right side of each layer. [See image below for examples of vector and adjustment layer icons.] Also note that the layer group toggle and mask toggle are hidden under their own tabs within the palette.

PSP v.5 Layers Palette for Sailboat Image

This is the PSP 5 Layer Palette for the Sailboat image example above. The "reflection" layer has not yet been added to the image.

In this example, the "Sailboat" layer is currently the selected or active layer. The depressed layer name button denotes that this is the selected or active layer in the image. The background layer has been hidden. The outlined layer icon and undepressed layer button to the right of the layer name denotes a hidden layer. The opacity slider is set to 100 and the Layer Blend Mode is set to Normal. These settings correspond with the PSP 6 layer palette example below.

PSP v.6 Layers Palette for Sailboat Image

This is the PSP 6 Layer palette for the Sailboat image example above. The "reflection" layer has not yet been added to the image.

In this example, the "Sailboat" layer is currently the selected or active layer. The highlighted layer name area denotes that this is the selected or active layer in the image. The background layer has been hidden. The red "X" over the glasses icon denotes a hidden layer. The opacity slider is set to 100 and the Layer Blend Mode is set to Normal. These settings correspond with the PSP 5 layer palette example above.

Additionally in this example, both layers are raster layers (not adjustment or vector layers) as denoted by the RGB icon located on the right side of each layer. [See image below for examples of vector and adjustment layer icons.]

Also note that the layer group toggle and mask toggle are hidden under their own tabs within the palette.

PSP v.6 Layers Palette Sampler

The image and corresponding layer palette below shows 3 types of layers available in version 6: Raster, Vector and Adjustment. Also shown as sub-layers under the Vector layer are various Vector objects (different shapes and text) that have been created from PSP 6's Preset Shapes and Text tools.

Raster Layers: Although not specified, Raster layers are what we work with in PSP v.5 and what we ultimately convert all layers/images to before we publish our images on the web. All image file formats (JPG, GIF and PNG) currently supported by web browsers are all raster images (not vector).

Raster layers (and raster images) are built using a set number of pixels. The computer assigns and keeps track of a color and brightness value for each pixel and saves that information. Pixels themselves cannot be resized so when a raster image is resized, pixels must be added or subtracted which produces a loss of quality in the image.

Vector Layers: Vector layers (and vector objects) are a brand new addition to PSP 6. Unlike raster images which work by assigning color values to pixels, vector objects are based on complicated mathematical calculations that keep track of various relationships between lines and colors. The really cool thing about vector objects is that they can be resized on the fly with no visible loss of quality. The objects are actually recalculated and redrawn by the computer each time they are resized. Once the object is rasterized it cannot be converted back to a vector object. It is sometimes useful to create the images/graphics as vectors using vector layers before converting them to raster layers/images.

Question: Why do we need to study vectors when all images for the web eventually must be "rasterized"?
Answer: There are a couple really good reasons. Sometimes you don't know exactly what size you want an object (shape or text) within your image to be. Creating it as a vector object allows you to resize the object to exactly the correct size without any loss of quality before you flatten (rasterize) the image. Also, because of the way they are calculated, vector objects produce extremely smooth curved lines.

Adjustment Layers: The final layer type shown here is an "adjustment" layer. Adjustment layers are used to make various adjustments to images without disturbing or changing the original image underneath unless or until the image is flattened. There are many adjustment layer types available in PSP 6: Brightness/Contrast, Color Balance and Hue/Saturation to name just a few. When the image is flattened (converted to a raster image or "rasterized") the information on the adjustment layer becomes part of the image.