How to add an image to a layer?

[drbackspin]

I am evaluating a trial copy of Affinity Photo for desktop.  I have studied layers, and can add an image to the main background, but I cannot move or resize the added image. The added image is locked onto the background, and the background moves as I try and move the added image.    Maybe I'm not properly adding the image.  So how do I add a jpeg or png image to it's own layer so that I can move and resize the added image?  Thank you

[Gabe]

Hi @drbackspin,

Welcome to the forums. 

Can you please save your work and attach it here as an .afphoto file? 

Is your layer an image layer or a pixel layer? If it's image, you would have to rasterise it ( Right click > Rasterise )

In the meantime, you can check this video:

Thanks,

Gabe. 

[drbackspin]

Thank you so much, all I had to do was choose the move function.  When I drag an image to the background it is defined as an image layer by default, and I did not have to rastersize the image, it was a jpeg and it moved and resized just fine. Just so I know, how do I add the image to a pixel layer?  I created a pixel layer, but how do I add to it, because if I have the pixel layer highlighted, and I drag another jpeg image to the site, an image layer is created, and the pixel layer still remains in the list of layers as an empty layer I assume?  Thanks again. I have tried and tried to figure this out.

[MEB]

i drbackspin,
Welcome to Affinity Forums
When you open an image using the command File ▸ Open, it's opened as a locked pixel layer. To be able to move/resize it you need to unlock the background layer clicking the padlock icon in front of it in the Layers panel.

Image layers (look at the label after the layer's name in the Layers panel) are a special layer type that retains all the original image data - you can think of them as embedded images -. They are created when you use the Place Image Tool (in Affinity Designer only), the File ▸ Place command or when you simply drag them from the Finder (Mac) or File Explorer (Windows) to the canvas of an opened document. They can be transformed globally (rotated, skewed etc) without losing quality but they cannot be edited/manipulated at a pixel level. For that they must be rasterised first. To do it right-click on them in the Layers panel and select Rasterise. They are then converted to a pixel layer type which you can then manipulate at a pixel level.

 

[drbackspin]

Awesome, great explanation.  Would be nice if the Affinity Photo documentation was as helpful and explanatory, maybe it is but I just missed it.  Thank you so much though!!  Mark