When you consider that part of the reason we work with layers is because we do not want to risk spoiling the underlying image, the following question arises. What do we do if we have invested a lot of work into a layer and we do not want to risk spoiling it?

 

The answer is to make a duplicate of the layer you want to keep safe. This will let you try out additional edits to the layer without altering the original.

 

To make a duplicate layer, first select the layer you want to copy from the layers palette, and then click the menu arrow in the top left of the palette to expose the menu items.

 

 

Click on the Duplicate Layer item in the menu to open the following dialog box.

 

Enter a name for the duplicate layer in the specified field and click the OK button to create it. If you expand the drop list labelled Document, you can choose any of the images that are currently open as the destination for the duplicate layer. By default, the destination that is specified will be the image that contains the layer you are duplicating.

 

When you click OK, the duplicate layer will become the top layer in the Layers palette. To avoid confusion, make the original layer (the source of the duplication) invisible (by clicking the eye icon).

 

Now you can edit the copy without affecting the original layer.

 

You can also create a duplicate layer by dragging and dropping the layer you want to copy down to the new layer icon (just to the left of the trash can in the Layers palette). When you do this, a copy of the layer will appear in the Layers palette list.