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Dative
Known Participant
October 9, 2022
Question

What is stopping the adjustment layers from working?

  • October 9, 2022
  • 2 replies
  • 559 views

Hi,


I'm a graphic designer, currently working with an illustrator who I have no direct contact with. All of the illustrations they've sent over are slightly translucent but the opacity hasn't been lowered (not sure if this will give a clue as to how this has been done), I'm trying to add a levels layer to darken one of them slightly but it has no effect (no adjustment layers are having any effect). I've checked everywhere I could possibly think to look for anything that may be creating this effect/blocking adjustment layers but can't find anything. Has anyone got any ideas?


Thanks!

    This topic has been closed for replies.

    2 replies

    D Fosse
    Community Expert
    D FosseCommunity Expert
    Community Expert
    October 9, 2022

    If the image has transparency, an adjustment layer won't do anything about that.

     

    What you need to do in that case is to duplicate the layer and merge them. Depending on how transparent it is, you may need to do it several times if the aim is full opacity. But it's impossible to say without an example.

      c.pfaffenbichler
      Community Expert
      c.pfaffenbichlerCommunity Expert
      Community Expert
      October 9, 2022
      What you need to do in that case is to duplicate the layer and merge them. 

      Or use Layer > Layer Mask > From Transparency and then edit the Layer Mask (with Curves or painting or …). 

        Leslie Moak Murray
        Community Expert
        Leslie Moak MurrayCommunity Expert
        Community Expert
        October 9, 2022

        Or maybe try putting it on top of a new layer which you fill with black (or try various dark fills), then adjust the opacity of that new underlayer as needed.

          c.pfaffenbichler
          Community Expert
          c.pfaffenbichlerCommunity Expert
          Community Expert
          October 9, 2022

          Could you please post a screenshot taken at View > 100% with the pertinent Panels (Toolbar, Layers, Channels, Options Bar, …) visible? 

            D
            DativeAuthor
            Known Participant
            October 9, 2022

            I can't share the work so it would need to be identified without screenshots. I was just hoping for a list of very much less obvious reasons why an adjustment layer may not be functioning as it should. It's something to do with how it's been drawn, the levels layer does seem to be applying but only to the highlights of the illustration.

            If it's not possible to identify without screenshots, no problem!

            c.pfaffenbichler
            Community Expert
            c.pfaffenbichlerCommunity Expert
            Community Expert
            October 9, 2022

            If you cannot provide meaningful information you shouldn’t expect meaningful advice – no problem. 

             

            So far we cannot see where you put the Adjustment Layer relative to the Layer it is intended to affect, whether the Layer could be affected by the Adjustment in question at all (so the Properties Panel should also be included in the screenshot), what role Groups and Layer Masks might play, … 

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