Notes in Layers

[kmckinney]

I'd love to see a dropdown in each layer to record filters\gardients\patterns used. Kim from Wisconsin

[NMarti]

Kim
Exactly what I was going to suggest - show what styles are applied to the layers! Would be very helpful in re-creating an effect.

[willpresley]

Oh I definitely like that idea -- now can we please get to PSE 5 with some of these modifications...

[Diana]

This would be a great feature if we had it, but in the meantime, there are a couple ways to make notes of the steps you’ve done in your image documents. I learned this in a class I took from Janee of myjanee.com. She suggests:

Make a new layer above all the others in your image document. Using the Type tool, write in the steps you’ve done or make any notes you wish to keep track of. Then turn off the visibility eye for this layer. Be sure to save your PSD file with its layers.

Another idea is to rename the layers in your Layers Palette with meaningful titles. For example, use "color 4F72AD 50%" to remind yourself you colorized this layer to that particular color, and gave it 50% opacity. You can do the same to list filters and settings.

Janee also gave this Tip in another lesson: Make a Layer Style Library. If you discover a combination of Styles that you like, save it as a PSD file, naming it Mystyles. Pile up new styles on their own layers as you discover them. This file could hold 99 different styles.

To use one of your saved styles for another document, open your Mystyles library file, click the layer of the style you wish to duplicate and then click Layer > Layer Styles > Copy Style. Then activate the layer in your document where you want to use this style and click Layer > Layer Styles > Paste Style.

Hope someone finds this useful.

Diana

[jo]

An invisible type layer is a great idea!

[Mary]

Thanks Diana - those are SUPER tips - I have never seen them mentioned before and I certainly intend to use them!