The order that your image layers are stacked in has a direct affect on the appearance of your image. Because each individual layer can contain different information and effects, the question of which layer goes on top of which is an important one.

 

For an example, have a look at the following Flower image.

 

 

The first layer, named title, contains the text elements of the image. To move this layer, simply place your mouse pointer on it in the Layers palette, click and hold your left mouse button, and drag the layer to a new position in the palette’s layer list. You will see your mouse pointer turn into a hand as long as the layer you are dragging is over a place where it can be dropped.

 

If you drag the layer item you are moving onto the border between two other adjacent layer items in the list, releasing your mouse button will drop your layer between the two other items. You can use this drag and drop technique to arrange as many layers as you wish, into whatever combinations you prefer.

 

The layers in an image are seen relative to their position from top to bottom in the layers palette. The top layer in the layers palette will be the top layer in the image. For instance, if this layer is completely filled with image data and is 100 percent opaque, you will not see any of the other layers underneath. The same can be said for each layer in succession down to the bottom of the list.

 

In the following flower image, the title layer has been dragged down to the spot between the layers sunflower 1 and flower background.

 

 

You can now see how the words “Gardening Chi the new flower power” are partially hidden by the layers above.

 

You can also reposition a layer over its underlying image data by moving it with the move tool. You can select the move tool by pressing the V key, or by clicking on the move button at the top right of the toolbox (it looks like an arrow head beside a small set of crossed arrows).

 

When the move tool is selected, your mouse pointer will look like an arrow with crossed compass arrows beside it. Make sure the layer you want to move around is selected in the Layers palette, and then click on the image and hold your left mouse button to drag the layer over the image. When the layer is positioned the way you want, release your mouse button. You can drag a layer up, down, left, right, and diagonally until you are satisfied with your image composition.

 

 

Notice the position of the text in this image.

 

By making the title layer active in the layers palette, and selecting the Move tool, the layer with the text can be dragged over the image to a new position.

 

 

By using the Move tool, you can even drag a layer from one image to another if they are both open at the same time.