Layers under Background (Pixel)?

[Lykele]

Since I'm new with Affinity Photo I've been watching videos on Layers.  Actually, I think I have a good understanding of the Layers functions.  However, somewhere along the various videos I'm pretty sure I noticed Layers(?) under Background (Pixel).   Of course, maybe they weren't layers, but the video never discussed what they were.

So I guess my question is what, if anything, would I put under the Background (original photo).  Maybe it has nothing to do with layers, but something was there.

Thanks Jim

[Dan C]

Hi Lykele,

Welcome to the forums

Layers can certainly be useful beneath the Background layer, but it's not very often they're used for basic image editing.

Say you wanted to remove part of your image and used the erase brush, you'd have an image with a transparent (or white depending on your document settings) hole in it. You could then place a pixel layer beneath the background layer and place another image or paint onto this, so that it shows through the erased section of the Background image.

I hope this helps!

 

[R C-R]

One thing that may be confusing you a little is that in Affinity, "Background" is just a default layer name automatically assigned to certain layer types, but that name has no special significance. Like any other layer, its name can be changed to whatever you want, & it can be moved to any position in the layer stack -- it does not have to be the bottom/lowest/background layer in your project.

There can also be more than one layer named "Background" -- it is a common practice to duplicate the original "Background" layer & hide it as sort of an in-document backup, or for comparison with the edited version.

[Lykele]

Thanks for your input.  I can see now why I would put a layer below Background, but in reality I personally are unlikely to need that option.  So I'll just stay on the top half with my layers.  Also will try duplicating Background before starting any process.  I appreciate you help.