Distributing layers

You can distribute your layers in your document in a number of different ways. Both Photoshop and ImageReady have tools that let you distribute the layers in commonly used formations, and you can can customize the distribution as well. For instance, you might have layers that you want to align by centers but that might cause some overlap. So you can distribute the space between the layers evenly to remedy the problem.

To evenly distribute layers and layer groups:

Link three or more layers (Photoshop) or select multiple layers or a layer group with the Move tool (ImageReady).
Choose Layers > Distribute Linked (Photoshop) or Edit > Distribute Linked Layers (ImageReady) from the main menu, or in the options bar, click a Distribution button. Each of these buttons works on linked layers in Photoshop, or multiple selected layers or layer groups in ImageReady:

Top edges spaces the layers evenly starting from the top pixel on each layer.
Vertical Centers spaces the layers evenly starting from the vertical center pixel of each layer.
Bottom Edges spaces the layers evenly starting from the bottom pixel of each layer.
Left Edges spaces the layers evenly starting from the left pixel of each layer.
Horizontal Centers spaces the layers evenly starting from the horizontal center of each layer.
Right Edges spaces the layers evenly starting from the right pixel on each layer.

Layers spaced unevenly (top) and spaced evenly (bottom)

To distribute layers unevenly (ImageReady):

Select the Move tool.
Select the layers you wish to space.
Enter a number in the Distribute Spacing box to the right of the Distribution buttons in the options bar. This number equals the number of pixels that will separate the layers. You can choose different numbers for different combinations of layers or layer groups to create an uneven spacing pattern.
Choose one of the Distribute Vertically or Distribute Horizontally buttons to finish the distribution process.