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Lesson 6:   06-A   06-B   06-C   06-D

​Lesson 6 - Objectives 6-7 (Wednesday)

B06-06 Layer shortcuts you can use to speed up your workflow

Objectives:
  • Learn to use keyboard shortcuts for working with layers in Photoshop..​
Learn:
PC users, press CTRL for Command, ALT for Option in the commands below...
  • To unlock the background layer:
    • Double-click the word background in the layer while holding the Option key down.
    • Or you can just click on the lock to unlock the layer in Photoshop CC.
  • To duplicate an entire layer (or just what is selected on a layer) to a new layer
    • press Command-J
Picture
Video: Top Photoshop LAYERS Keyboard Shortcuts
  • To cycle through the blend modes for a selected layer, 
    • first make sure you've chosen a non-brush tool, such as the Move tool (V is the shortcut key for the Move tool). Then press Shift and the + or - keys.
  • Create a new layer
    • Command-Shift-N. To skip the dialog box while creating a new layer - Command-Option-Shift-N (CTRL-Shift-N and CTRL-ALT-Shift-N on PC)
  • To fill a layer with the foreground color
    • press Option-Delete (ALT-Backspace on a PC)
  • To fill a layer with the background color
    • press Command-Delete (CTRL-Delete on a PC)
  • To change the opacity of a selected layer,
    • first make sure you are in a non-brush tool such as the Move tool (V). Then you can press a number to change the opacity in 10% increments. 1=10%  2=20%  3=30%, etc.  0=100%  00=0% Pressing 2 numbers in quick succession will give you a specific percentage. Pressing 56 quickly will give you 56%.
  • To change the fill of a selected layer
    • You can control the selected layer's fill the same way as controlling the opacity, but you need to hold the Shift key down while pressing a number.
  • To change the selected layer,
    • you can repeatedly press Option-[ or Option-]. Each time you press Option-[ you'll select the next layer down the in the stack. Each time you press Option-] you'll select the next layer up in the stack. 
  • If you want to actually move the selected layer
    • it works just like changing the selected layer, only you use Command-[ or Command-].
  • To merge a selected layer into the layer underneath,
    • press Command-E
  • To take a composite snapshot of all the visible layers as a separate layer,
    • press Command-Option-Shift-E (Mac)
    • press CTRL-ALT-Shift-E (PC)

B06-07 Understanding color and color theory

Objectives:
  • Understand the basics of using color in your designs. Please spend an hour or so exploring color resources in this objective.
Learn:
In lesson 4, you read chapter 7 in the Non Designers Design Book - which was about color. You learned about the color wheel, the primary colors, secondary colors, and tertiary colors. You learned about color combinations you could create using the color wheel: Complimentary, triads, split complimentary, and analogous color combinations. You also learned that you could take any hue (pure color), add white to it to make a tint, add grey to it to make a tone, or add black to make a shade.

Let's learn a few more practical ways to harmonize color. You are assigned this week to read a John McWade article on color. You will also find the following helpful to read.
There is also a section on color in the resources of this site. I have also created Pinterest Boards - Design - Color and Color Palettes.

Canva.com also has a great section on color!  

The gallery below has examples of several color harmony schemes. The images were found on Pinterest.com.
Apply: Exercise B06-07 Design with color
Apply what you've learned in lesson six about using layers, grids, and color. Design your own graphic or document - a flyer, brochure, invitation, etc., that applies color harmonies that you've chosen. Save your file as B06-07_Your_Name.PSD. This will be submitted as part of the exercise files for lesson 6. This could also be used as your portfolio exhibit this week!

Optional resources to share with you! (Not required)

This page last updated June 3, 2020. ​