Creating new layers and layer sets

You can create empty layers and add content to them, or you can create new layers from existing content. When you create a new layer, it appears either above the selected layer or within the selected layer set in the Layers palette.

To create a new layer or layer set using default options:

Click the New Layer button  or New Layer Set button  in the Layers palette.

To create a new layer or layer set and specify options:

1. Do one of the following:
• Choose Layer > New > Layer or choose Layer > New > Layer Set.
• Choose New Layer or New Layer Set from the Layers palette menu.
• Alt-click (Windows) or Option-click (Mac OS) the New Layer button or New Layer Set button in the Layers palette.
• Ctrl-click (Windows) or Command-click (Mac OS) the New Layer button or New Layer Set button in the Layers palette to add a layer below the currently selected layer.
2. Set layer options, and click OK:
• Name to specify a name for the layer or layer set. (See Renaming layers.)
• Use Layer Below to Create Clipping Mask. This option is not available for layer sets. (See Creating clipping masks.)
• Color to assign a color to the layer or layer set. (See Color coding layers.)
• Mode to specify a blending mode for the layer or layer set. (See Choosing a blending mode.)
• Opacity to specify an opacity level for the layer or layer set. (See Setting layer opacity.)
• (Photoshop) Fill with Mode-neutral color to fill the layer with a preset, neutral color. (See Filling new layers with a neutral color.)

To create a new layer that uses the style of an existing layer, see Applying preset styles.

To create a new layer with the same effects as an existing layer (ImageReady):

1. Select the existing layer in the Layers palette.
2. Drag the layer to the New Layer button at the bottom of the Layers palette. The newly created layer contains all the effects of the existing one.

To copy a layer set:

Drag an existing layer set to the New Layer button.

To convert a selection into a new layer:

1. Make a selection.
2. Do one of the following:
• Choose Layer > New > Layer Via Copy to copy the selection into a new layer.
• Choose Layer > New > Layer Via Cut to cut the selection and paste it into a new layer.

To create a new layer set from linked layers:

Choose Layer > New > Layer Set from Linked. (See Linking layers.)

To add new or existing layers to a layer set:

Do one of the following:

• Select the layer set in the Layers palette and click the New Layer button .
• Drag a layer to the layer set folder.
• Drag a layer set folder into another layer set folder. The layer set and all of its layers move.

To nest layer sets:

Drag an existing layer set to the New Layer Set button .