Layers Class Day 1

[Suzeque4]

Hi!!
I'm new to the forum. Been struggling to teach myself Photoshop Elements and decided to sign up for the Layers Class. Just finished the first lesson and am trying to duplicate the actions using PSE4.0, but I'm having all sorts of problems.

First of all, the photo sizes are different. The daisies are just too big.

Second, I followed the steps from the video (I think!) but am unable to get both photos in the editor box. Plus both layers are locked so there's no way I can use the move tool.

What am I doing wrong?

Thanks for suggestions......

[kimi_boo]

Welcome...

Lets see if I can help.

First go to Windows, Images and pick Cascade. You will see windows at the top.

To unlock your background layer just double click on it in the layer palette and pick yes when Elements wants to rename it.

You can use Ctrl T as a shortcut for free transform. Hold down the shift key while you change your size to keep your proportions correct.

Hopefully some of this will help. :D

[Suzeque4]

Thank you! I'm off to give it a try. :)

[Suzeque4]

Still having problems. When I resize the daisies I'm locked out of everything else. Is there a way to keep the resizing and continue to the next step?

Thanks.

[Wendy]

Hi ..

You just need to commit the transform ... look at the top of the screen and you will see a button to do that. Or just click inside the transform box :)

Wendy

[Suzeque4]

Thanks. Worked like a charm. Why didn't I think of that?

I had some trouble getting the photos to both display in the editing space even after using Cascade as suggested. After giving it some thought I recognized that the images were side-by-side in the example so I used Windows>Images>Tile. I was then able to drag the daisies over the background to create the new layer. Used the resizing tips and was ready to continue.

I figure Matt must have the opacity set somewhat less than 100% when he does the erasing bit, even though that's what shows in the video, because I can still see part of the daisies through the orange. Did a little experimenting with that. :)

Now mine looks almost like the example!

Thank you both!!

[gailani]

:( :( Hi -

I'm new to this forum and not sure where/how to post questions, so if I'm in the wrong place, would someone please tell me how I'm supposed to do this!!

I just started lesson one and had some of the same issues as the previous person - the layers being locked. The information posted on how to get around this helped - thanks.

But now I'm trying to do the erase, and all I'm getting is gray squares instead of the orange as shown in the video.

Can someone please tell me what I'm doing wrong. Thanks.

Gail - a struggling newbie!!

[gailani]

Hi - it's me again. I have Photoshop Elements 4.0 on a Mac, and do NOT have a transform or commit button. Not sure if I need to do this or not.

Thanks again for any info.

Gail:eek:

[Wendy]

I just posted this in the thread where you originally posted your message:

Hi Gail ...

When you erase then soever what is beneath the image shows in the gap you have erase ... in this case you have nothhing below and the checkerboard tells you that the area is trnsparent

The commit transform buttons & cancel transform buttons show up when you use Image Transform ... once you have used it on something then look at the top of the screen and you will see two icons.

One is a circle with a line across it (cancel transform)
and the other a checkmark (commit transform)

Clicking on one or the other lets you accept or discard the transform

Wendy