Can't Create Layers

[Russell33403226iwa5]

Newbie question here.  Just bought PE24.  I have the layers tab open on the right. WhenI load a picture it becomes the Background layer.  However, when I click New Layer, and label it Layer 1, I then load a new picture, it now shows as background layer on the right.  Why doesn't it show below the Background layer instead of becoming the Bckground layer?  If I click the first picture, it now shows as the Background layer.  I've locked the first picture, but the second picture still takes over as the Background layer when I click on it. What am I doing wrong?  thanks

[Glenn 8675309]

New layers are added at the top of the layers panel.   Equate the layers panel to a sandwich:   the bottom layer of bread would be the background, the smoked turkey you just added goes right on top  that first layer. 

BAckground layers, by default, are locked  just so you don't mess up your background. 

"...However, when I click New Layer, and label it Layer 1, I then load a new picture,"  How exactly do you "load a new picture"?

SCREENSHOTS ALWAYS HELP!

[Russell33403226iwa5]

After I click New Layer and name it Layer 1, I then go to File, Open, and add a new picture to the board.  Shouldn't that become Layer 1?

[hatstead · Accepted solution]

1. Open picture A and open picture B. You should see A&B in the photobin as open files

2. To make visualization easier, click on "Layout" at the bottom and select columns. You should see A &B side by side

3. When you click on A, the bottom layer is "Background Layer". The same obtains to B. Now if you activate an adjustment layer or engage the type tool, for example, the new layer will show up above the Background layer. That is how it works.

4. If you wish to add something from B to A, use one of the selection tools, e.g. lasso tool,  to select the object on B, go to Edit>copy, then make A active, and go to Edit>paste. In the Layer's palette, you should see the Background layer and the object which you have selected as Layer 1. You can position the object with the move tool. 

[Russell33403226iwa5]

Thanks for your help.

[Gordon28893768yp7v]

Similar problem, I can select picture B then Copy and Paste it to picture A but it is locked i.e. I can't independently move picture B with the Hand Tool to reposition it on picture A like I have always done in the past without any problems. I suspect there has been an upgrade and some settings have changed. I'm not an expert, just know the basics so can't figure this one out (PSE 2023/21, December 2023). Any suggestions?

[Greg_S. · Accepted solution]

If I understand you correctly, you want to add the second picture as a layer on the first picture?  What you have done is open two separate pictures.  Each one is a separate document and has a background layer (and one of them has the new layer that is named Layer 1).

You can select either one by clicking on the tab at the top or the thumbnail in the Photo Bin at the bottom.

In my screenshot, I can add the horse to the landscape photo by simply click and dragging the thumbnail of the horse up from the Photo Bin to the landscape photo which is active in the editing window.  You will see in the following screenshot that the horse photo is now a layer (which has been named for the source photo file) and that I still have the empty Layer 1 on top of the layer panel.  Note that before I placed the horse photo into the landscape, I deleted the background so that only the horse is visible.  But that's another story.

Hopefully, between Glenn, Hatstead and me, we have answered your question.   (There is almost always more than one way to accomplish a task in Elements.)  If you need more information about layers, I suggest you look at this linked Helpx Article.

[Greg_S.]

@Russell33403226iwa5, I suggest you read this discussion on the forum, not via email. Your question has been answered with screenshots that you can't see in email notifications. 

[Greg_S.]

@Gordon28893768yp7v, your screenshot shows you are using the Hand Tool.   You need to use the Move Tool: