Copy link to clipboard
Copied
So I skectched out a wolf, and I wanted to make my entire sketch an "object" so I could just click on it anywhere and move or transform it, (instead of having each line being an individual/its own path) So I played around with clipping masks and Vector masks and layer styles (because I am trying my best to relearn PS) and I couldnt figure out how to make the drawing its own... thing... seperate from the BG, well now, every new layer I open, comes with a transparent background.... How do i fix this? (Kudos if you can help me with my original issue too!)
[Duplicate threads with replies — posted one hour apart — merged by moderator. Please post once, thank you!]
Are you familiar with Smart Objects? You could continue to paint different strokes on different layers which gives you maximum flexibility when it comes to editing individual elements. Selecting these layers within the Layers panel, right mouse click on a non-thumbnail part of the layer and choose "Convert to Smart Object". This Smart Object can be manipulated as a single entity. Double clicking on the Smart Object thumbnail within the Layers panel opens the Smart Object (essentially an embedded
...Copy link to clipboard
Copied
Copy link to clipboard
Copied
By default, new layers are transparent. If they were filled with say a solid white, all of the pixels on the layers below would be obscured.
Copy link to clipboard
Copied
I must be having an off day because the root of my problem was two things...
A. My layer oppacity was down to like 12% lol and
B. I had the blending mode set to something other than "Normal"
Once corrected, everything was fixed...
However... I just dont remember my little layer thumbnails showing the gray and white checker grid, I thought they always displayed white... It was a long night hahaha. Thank you for everything!!
Copy link to clipboard
Copied
Ah the good old accidentally change the opacity or blending mode story. We've all been there mate 😉 Good to hear you are back on track.
Copy link to clipboard
Copied
Yea, lol, I got my degree in graphic design in 2006...... and back then, I was (I felt like I was) pretty proficient at PS and AI, however, we are talkin Photoshop... cs1? I think? I definitely know the latest version of illustrator (which I had purchased for $800.00 usd as an actual hard copy software) was AI 10 lol and my life shot off in another direction and I never did anything with my degree or passion.... until here some 16 years later, my brother bought me a brand new Wacom tablet! Which also to my surprise, had a freaking screen!! Lol the ones we used in school was I think 5 inches by 8 inches, flat black and horrible parallax haha! So needless to say I was FREAKIN STOKED! So, here I am... and I will be back with more ?'s in the near future!
Copy link to clipboard
Copied
Welcome back. Best of luck getting back into design.
Copy link to clipboard
Copied
Are you familiar with Smart Objects? You could continue to paint different strokes on different layers which gives you maximum flexibility when it comes to editing individual elements. Selecting these layers within the Layers panel, right mouse click on a non-thumbnail part of the layer and choose "Convert to Smart Object". This Smart Object can be manipulated as a single entity. Double clicking on the Smart Object thumbnail within the Layers panel opens the Smart Object (essentially an embedded Photoshop file) and gives you access to the original unaltered layers. Make changes, save and close the Smart Object to return to your main composition.
Copy link to clipboard
Copied
This worked exactly as I wanted it to! Thank you again!!!
Copy link to clipboard
Copied
Excellent. Thank you.
Copy link to clipboard
Copied
Copy link to clipboard
Copied
If I am understanding you correctly, you need to do two things:
1) Convert from a Background image "layer" to a standard layer (Layer > New > Layer from Background)
2) Remove all white outside of the outer edges of the image so that the background is transparent. There are many ways to do this, search for info on "remove background" or "remove white background" etc.
Copy link to clipboard
Copied
I found out my first issue with the background was my own error and the other was suggested to me to use "Smart Objects" and that ended up working out exactly as I was hoping it would. I do appreciate the reminder, however, that I have multiple options under the Layer drop down. Thank you!!!