APhoto - Layers Confusion

[justinpbrown71]

I have an object I have cut from a photo image. I want to make 2 duplicates of the object & colour each of the 3 differently.

First I made 2 duplicates of the original (background) image.

I then succeeded in colouring one duplicate (following a video tutorial to create a new layer, a coloured version of the object which overlays the original duplicate). In the workspace the new pink layer is shown overlaying the original duplicate (I checked by moving it, which revealed the original duplicate beneath) & also the thumbnail in the layers list is coloured pink. These two layers have been auto-grouped I think, as they are now shown as one list entry, with a white arrow icon.

When I choose the other duplicate in the layers list the image in the workspace doesn't change, still the pink duplicate is shown, unless I deselect the pink coloured grouped layers in the list.

I don't understand how this works.

Ideally I would like to have all 3 of the objects in the workspace together so I can work on their colours by comparison. How do I do this? (To complete the project I want the 3 objects placed side-by-side & saved as one image).

I think I'm beginning to understand. The image object layers are stacked on top of each other, & the pink one is on top, that's why, even if I have a different one selected, the pink one still shows on top in the workspace (can this be changed without having to re-order the layers in the layer list?).

I tried holding ctrl & moving a layer to the side of the one showing (in the workspace), to work on it, but it disappears as it leaves the chequered background. Can I create a new layer of a large chequered background that I can place the 3 objects on to work on them?

 

[h_d]

 

2 hours ago, eightysevens said:

Can I create a new layer of a large chequered background that I can place the 3 objects on to work on them?

 

You can use the Resize Canvas command to give you a larger working area, and move your three layers around on that:

(You may need to unlock the original "Background" layer in the Layers panel before you can move its content around on the canvas.)

 

You can also temporarily hide and display layers by unchecking and checking the boxes in the Layers panel:

Cheers,

H

[justinpbrown71]

Thanks h_d, I've spent hours trying to figure this out.

Thanks for the instructions. That's solved my issues.

[justinpbrown71]

Also, is the a measuring rule tool that I can add along the edge of the chequered space so I don't have to count the tiny squares when I am aligning elements?

[walt.farrell]

10 minutes ago, eightysevens said:

Also, is the a measuring rule tool that I can add along the edge of the chequered space so I don't have to count the tiny squares when I am aligning elements?

Aside from the Rulers that you can enable along the top and left sides, no.

However, if you have the Move Tool selected, you can select an object, then hold the Ctrl key (Windows, perhaps Cmd on Mac) and as you move the mouse around you'll get measurements from the selected object to whatever object the cursor is over.