How to invert a single layer?

[gkmachine]

This is driving me nuts.

I just want to invert a layer.

I have a record sleeve to design. The text is hand-written, for which I received a scan, so it's a jpg and the writing is in black pen. I want to see how it looks with the writing in white so assumed a simple invert would do the trick. But if adding an adjustment it inverts the entire sleeve design.

I then tried selecting only the elements of that layer (it seemed to be able to outline the text quite well) and invert solely the selection. Nothing happened.

Then I went on YouTube and looked at various tutorials. None of these seemed to do anything. They ranged from what I was doing (most of them were inverting photos) to more complex things like adding colour filters and procedural textures and then separating C, M Y and K and so on....but again....no success.

This should be incredibly simple and possible at the click of a button I would think....what the hell am I missing? I've a feeling it's so glaringly obvious that anyone reading my post will think I'm a complete moron.

Thanks in advance.

Gordon

PS I've got Designer and Photo

 

 

 

Edited December 5, 2022 by gkmachine

[gkmachine]

IGNORE IGNORE....I clicked on the auto contrast button TWICE and that did it...

[smadell]

Hey, @gkmachine - I know you said to “ignore” all of this, but your solution may not give you a suitable answer for next time.

To invert a single layer, select the layer (in the Layers panel) and choose “Invert” from the Layer menu. Or, press Command-I (Control-I on Windows).

The bigger problem is how to add an adjustment (ANY adjustment) so that it only affects a single layer. To do this, the adjustment must be a child of the layer it is meant to work on. (This is analogous to Photoshop’s “clipping layers”.) Add the adjustment and, in the Layers panel, drag it onto the thumbnail of the layer you want it to affect. It will be placed below and slightly indented, indicating its status as a child layer. You can also make this the default behavior using the Assistant, although you’ll most likely want to keep the default behavior of adding most adjustments as separate layers, only making occasional adjustments children.