ADOBE PHOTOSHOP ELEMENTS 9 CLASSROOM IN A BOOK
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There are several ways to merge layers. You can select a single layer and choose
Layer > Merge Down to merge the selected layer with the layer below it in the
Layers panel. You can select multiple layers and choose Layer > Merge Layers or
use the Layer > Merge Visible to merge all the layers currently set as visible in
the Layers panel. The Layer > Flatten Image command will merge all the layers
in an image. All of these commands can also be accessed from the Layers panel
Options menu or by right-clicking / Control-clicking a layer in the Layers panel.
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You can access the floating Smart Paint panel by clicking the colored thumbnail
in the tool options bar. You can drag the Smart Paint panel to position it
wherever convenient in the workspace.
Lesson 10: Working with text
This lesson is a fairly basic introduction to the text capabilities in Photoshop
Elements, with a few exercises on applying special type effects and layer styles.
All of the exercises are quite simple and quickly completed.
scheduling
Lesson 10 is a “stand-alone” lesson, though it does rely to some extent on layers
skills learned in Lessons 4, 7, and 8. The exercises are all quite independent and
could be separated and combined with projects in other lessons if you wished.
Goals for this lesson
The objectives for Lesson 10 are to introduce your students to the Type tool and to
reinforce their understanding of the use of layers, layer styles and effects.
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Your students should understand the concept of the image canvas and how to
enlarge it to create a border around a photo.
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They should understand the differences between pixel-based and vector
graphics and between live type on a text layer and a text layer that has been
“simplified” or rasterized. They should understand the effect of merging a Type
layer or flattening the image.
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They should be aware of the Type tool variants and the purpose of all of the
settings for the Type tool in the tool options bar.
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Students should know how to apply and edit a layer style.
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They should be comfortable with duplicating, locking, and moving layers, hiding
and revealing layers, deleting layers and layer styles, and working with layer
opacity and blending modes.
