Layers in Paint Shop Pro 5

Using layers in Paint Shop Pro 5 is an easy process once you understand the basics and the basics are pretty easy to understand.  First thing we need to do is look at the palettes we are going to use.  After you get a look at those, then we'll get into a project.

This is the layers palette.  If it doesn't open when you open Paint Shop Pro 5 you can open it from the layers menu on the tool bar.

To add a new layer you just need to click on the button in the lower left corner of the palette.

>>New Layer

Whether you use the palette to create a new layer or the layer menu on the toolbar, another screen will pop up for you to fill out.  For this basic instruction on layers the only item we will be using is the first one where you name the layer.   This makes editing much easier.  Next to the new layer button is the garbage can button.  If you really muck up a layer and want to start over all you have to do is select the layer and delete it with the garbage can button.

Below you can see that I have added two layers.  The red, green, blue icons tell you that the layers are turned on and visible in your canvas.  When they are invisible those icons will be gray.  The padlock icons allow you to lock layers.   The slider bars control the transparency of the layer.  For the purposes of this instruction we won't get into the other options.

The last thing before we get started is the tool control palette.   This is where you can set how your tools work.  I usually leave these palettes open while I'm working.  If they get in my way I use the tab key to close them.   When I need them again I only have to hit the tab key and they will open.

Now let's get on with the tutorial and the fun stuff.  First thing to do is open a new image with a white background.  Create a new layer and choose white for the foreground color and black for the foreground color.  Flood fill the new layer with black.  Choose the line tool and bezier.  To keep track of where you are you might want to get a piece of paper and a pencil.  When you mouse over your canvas, you can look in the lower left corner of main PSP5 interface and you will see coordinates there which reflect where the mouse is pointing on your canvas.  When you start your bezier line make a note of where the line started and where the line ends.   Draw a straight line from left to right.  Curve your line similar to the top of the shape below and create another straight line just beneath it starting and ending at the same coordinates as the first line.  Curve the line similar to the bottom of the shape below.  Make sure all your lines are connecting and flood fill the inside of the shape with white.

FIG 1. 

For the next part I opened a canvas with a transparent background.   No matter what color you make your eyeball, you want to choose from the color palette a medium tone and a light tone of the same shade.  The darkest of the two will be the foreground and the lightest the background.  Click on the flood fill tool and choose linear gradient on the tools control tab.  After choosing a linear gradient, at the bottom of that tab is a button labeled options.   Click on that and set the gradient to about 270 or so.  Click ok.  Using the selection tool set to a circle, position your cursor on the center of your transparent canvas and draw a circle that is a little larger than the largest white section of your first canvas.   Flood fill the selection.  Choosing the darkest tone of the color you are using for the foreground, and the shapes tool set to circle and outline size 2, create the dark circle around the outside edge of the eyeball.  Using the shapes tool set to circle and filled an choose black as your foreground color.  Create the black section of the eyeball.  (You can get much more fancy than I did here by adding lines to the colored section of the eyeball before you add the black circle.)  Now, using white as the foreground color, and a new layer, place a highlight on the black section of the eyeball. (You might try to make it just a bit more off center than I did.) Change to the smudge tool and very lightly smudge a little section to the outside of the eyeball as shown below.

FIG 2. 

In the layers menu choose merge all.  Using the magic wand tool, click anywhere on the transparent part of the canvas and then from the selections menu choose invert.  From the edit menu click on copy.  Select the original canvas.   From the edit menu click on paste...paste as a new layer.  Move the eyeball to where you want it.  One of the great benefits of painting each separate element to a different layer is that you can move them where you want without altering any of the rest of the image.  When you have done that, you should have something that looks like below.

FIG 3. 

Choose the layer that has the black background by clicking on it on the layers palette.  Hold your left mouse button down on that button and move the button above the eyeball layer you just made.

FIG 4. 

Turn off the eyeball layer.  Pick a nice face color (better than my pink  :0) and flood fill the black with the new color.  Turn your eyeball layer back on and your image should now look something like below.

FIG 5. 

Create a new layer.  To give the upper and lower eyelid a little highlight, using the spray can tool set to a low to medium density, with white as the foreground color, very carefully follow the line of the upper and lower lid.  If your line is too harsh, use the smudge tool to move the paint around to soften it up.   Below is close to what the layer should look like by itself when you're done.

FIG 6. 

And below is what it looks like with all the layers turned on.

FIG 7. 

Turn all layers off but the layer similar to FIG 4.  Create a new layer and move it to just above the FIG 4 layer.  Using the magic wand tool on the FIG 4 layer, select anywhere not in the eye shape.  Select the new layer. From the image menu click on effect and drop shadow.  Now you will have to play with settings to get a shadow similar to the one below.  The pink color you see is where I did some touch up to my image.  Once you have the drop shadow in place you may need to use the smudge tool to make it smoother and fit the entire line of the upper lid.

FIG 8. 

Below is what your image should look like now with all the layers turned on.

FIG 9. 

Create a new layer.  This is fairly simple.  Using the paint brush set to anywhere from 1-3 in size create your eyelashes.

FIG 10. 

Below is what your image should look like with all layers turned on.

FIG 11. 

Create a new layer.  Place it just above the FIG 4 layer.  Using the magic want tool on the FIG 4 layer, make a selection inside of the eye shape area.   Select the new layer.  From the image menu on the tool bar select effects and drop shadow.  Play with the settings until you have something similar to the image below.

FIG 12. 

Your image should look similar to the one below with all the layers turned on.

FIG 13. 

Create a new layer.  Move it to just above the FIG 4 layer.   Using the magic wand tool make a selection inside the eye shape.  From the image menu click on effects and then drop shadow.  Play with the settings until you have something similar to below.

FIG 14. 

Walla, with all the layers on you should have something similar to below.   Now you can save the image as a .psp file which will save all your layer information and not compress the image so you can work on it again later.  I created this image for a logo, (guess which one?), and after I saved it as a .psp file I created several copies of it and closed my original.  I then was able to merge layers, move things around, and add text.

FIG 15. 

Finished products look like below.  As you can see I was able to rotate and move things where I wanted them.

Working with layers can save you lots of redo time by allowing you to place separate elements on different layers.  You can then move them around to get them right where you want them.  Keep in mind when using layers that each layer takes up a lot of RAM.  If you find you are getting too many layers, you may have to merge a couple of layers to reduce the system resources you are using.

One of the really fun things I use layers for is creating floral arrangements in pots and vases.  With the pot or vase on one layer and each stem, flower, leaf on their own separate layers you can move each element with ease for perfect placement.  Floral arrangements are only one of the many great uses for layers in PSP5.  As you saw in this tutorial, you can get pretty complex in your drawing using layers.

All images on this page are copyright and may not be copied without the permission of Vikki Dawson.