Elements 5:unlocking background layer

[fkelvin]

I'm completely new to Photoshop, and am stuck in Layers. I cannot unlock the Background layer, which seems to be blocking the functionality of Layers.

Can you help? Using the Help advice in Photoshop has not worked at all.

Thanks for any assistance with this dumb question.

Freddie

[chas3stix]

Freddie,
Welcome to the forum. The lock is there so you don't destroy your original photo. Whether by accident or on purpose. Hit control J and make a duplicate of your backround layer. Now you can change anything on that layer and save your original backround layer. Hope this helps.
Chas

[Cmcburnett]

Welcome to the forum. If you need any more help, just let us know. Good luck.

[mrod]

Hi Freddie-

As Chas mentioned, making a copy of the background layer is usually a great practice. I do that almost all the time as well.

However, if there ever is a time you want/need to unlock the background layer (actually, you're turning it into a regular, or raster layer) there are several ways:

- Go to Layer>New>Layer from Background
- Double-click the Background layer. Give it a name if you wish, or just press OK. It'll be named Layer 0 if you don't type in anything.
- Hold down alt (MAC: option) and double-click the background layer. This will bypass the New Layer dialog box that opens in the previous method and simply converts the Background layer to a normal, raster layer named Layer 0

But, all that being said, duplicating the background is a good habit to get into. Ctrl (or Command on the Mac) + J, or, if you like menus, Layer>New>Layer via Copy.

Mike

[kimi_boo]

Welcome Freddie,

You may want to consider our Layers course. In 21 days you begin to understand. :D

here is the link..
http://www.photoshopelementsuser.com/training_courses/

[fkelvin]

Thanks for being so helpful. It's very reassuring to have discovered such a great group. I'm using a book called Teach Yourself Visually: Photoshop Elements 4. I wonder if any of have any of you used it?
This book been quite helpful for a technophobe like me...all pictures and utterly devoid of textual meanderings. There are , apparently, many other books in the Visual Series.

Thanks again

Freddie

[Robyn]

Hi Freddie.............welcome to our forum family.

[Wendy]

Hi Freddy ...

... and welcome :)

Those sort of books are OK but you do tend to grow out of them pretty quickly ... anytime you need help then just ask and one of us will talk you through things :)

Wendy