non hidden layer wont display

Question

good afternoon. I know it is me, but i cant figure out what I am doing. I have an image that I am using as a background. I have created 3 layers of different colorizations that all show on my background copy when i unhide them. I created a 4th layer of painted on colors. when it is unhidden, the painted areas arent showing. they show in the thumbnails on the layer panel but not on the main canvas. I tried doing the paint additions onto some of the previously created layers as well with the same (non) result. What am I doing wrong? Thank you in advance for your help!

Greg_S. · Answer

I don't think you are understanding the concept of layers in photoshop. What you are seeing in your screenshot is whatever appears on the top layer named Red Window 2. If you were to hide that top layer, all you would see is whatever appears on Red Window 1. If you made additional changes that can't be seen when you make the top layer visible, it is because you have probably added the color to a lower layer and that color won't show through the top layer which is visible.

It appears to me that what you have done is open the background photo and copied it (which is always a good idea). You have then copied the layer again and renamed it as Blue Porch. You have painted over that layer with the blue and copied the layer again and renamed it Red Window 1. The copy contains the original and all of the coloring you performed on the Blue Porch layer. You have then painted red on that layer which now contains the orginal background, modified by the blue and red that has been painted on. You have now copied the latest layer and renamed it Red Window 2. This layer contains all modifications made before and any you added to the second window. If you were to hide the top layer, you would see whatever is on Red Window 1. But if you were to only hide any of the lower layers, nothing will change because all you can see is the top layer.

Please take a look at this Helpx article concerning layers. Hopefully, it will explain what is happening more clearly than I can do.

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