Types of Layers

There are many types of layers: Background, Raster, Vector, Art Media, Mask, Adjustment, Group, Floating Selection, and Edit Selection. The icon before the layer name on the Layers palette shows the type of layer. In addition, you can create layer groups, and promote selections to layers. Paint Shop Pro supports up to 500 layers. The actual number of layers allowed in an image may be limited by the amount of memory in your computer. For more information on raster and vector data, see About Raster and Vector Graphics.

Note: Only greyscale and 16 million color images can have multiple raster layers. Images of any color depth can include multiple vector layers.

Background Layer

The background layer is the bottom layer of an image. It is named “Background” on the Layers palette and cannot be renamed. When you import file formats such as JPEG, GIF, or PNG into Paint Shop Pro, they are one layer—the background layer.

The background layer contains raster data but cannot display transparency. You cannot change its order in the stack, its blend mode, or its opacity.

To move a background layer higher in the stacking order, promote it to a regular raster layer; see Promoting a Background Layer to a Regular Raster Layer.

If you create a new image with a transparent background, it does not have a background layer and its bottom layer is a raster layer named “Raster Layer 1”. You may move this layer anywhere within the stacking order, or change its opacity or blend mode.

Raster Layers

Raster layers are layers with raster data only. Raster data is composed of individual elements, called pixels, arranged in a grid. Each pixel has a specific location and color. Photographic images are composed of raster data. If you magnify raster data, you can see the individual pixels as squares of colors.

Use raster layers for displaying subtle changes in tones and colors. Or, use raster layers for objects and raster text on which you want to apply raster-only commands and tools. The effects commands, the painting tools, and many other tools apply only to raster layers.

Saving multi-layered images: When you create multi-layered images, you must save them in .PspImage format (Paint Shop Pro’s native format) to maintain all layer information. When you save to most other formats, all layers are merged into one background layer. When you save to .PSD (PhotoShop) format, the image maintains raster and adjustment layers, but vector layers and art media layers are converted to raster layers. Raster data must be on raster layers (a regular raster layer or the background layer). If you try to use a raster tool while a vector layer is selected, Paint Shop Pro prompts you to convert the vector layer into a raster layer.

Vector Layers

Vector layers are layers with only vector objects (lines and shapes), vector text, or vector groups. Vector objects and text are composed of geometric characteristics—lines, curves, and their locations. When you edit vector objects and text, you edit these lines and curves, rather than editing individual pixels. Vector graphics and vector text maintain their clarity and detail when scaled to any size or printed at any resolution.

Use vector layers to create objects or text that you can easily edit. To display the names of vector objects on a vector layer, click the plus sign in front of the layer name on the Layers palette.

Vector objects must be on vector layers. If you create a vector object while a raster layer is selected, Paint Shop Pro creates a vector layer just above the current layer. In addition, you cannot move a vector object to a non-vector layer.

Art Media Layers

Art Media layers are automatically created when you begin using any of the Art Media tools. In this regard, the layer-creation functionality is similar to the vector tools.

You can also create a new Art Media layer by choosing Layers > New Art Media layer.

Art Media layers can be converted to Raster layers, but not Vector layers.

Dry and Wet Art Media Layers

Paint strokes applied by the Oil Brush and Palette Knife are, by default, wet in terms of how strokes interact with other strokes by smearing/mixing together. You can, however, choose to dry the Art Media layer at any time. Conversely, you can choose to make a dry Art Media layer wet again:

Choose Layers > Dry Art Media layer (or right click on the Layers palette and choose Dry Art Media layer from the context menu) to dry the strokes applied by the Oil Brush or Palette Knife.
Choose Layers > Wet Art Media layer (or right click on the Layers palette and choose Wet Art Media layer from the context menu) to make dried Oil Brush or Palette Knife strokes wet again.

Note: Both the Dry Art Media layer command and the Wet Art Media layer command can be selectively undone in the History palette.

New Images with an Art Media Layer

When creating a new image via the New Image dialog, you can choose to create the image with an Art Media layer. Choose the Art Media Background option in the New Image dialog's Image Characteristics section.

Mask Layers

Mask layers show or hide portions of underlying layers. A mask is basically an adjustment layer that modifies opacity. Use masks to create sophisticated effects. For example, mask all details around the main subject in a photograph, or use a mask to create a picture frame that fades away at the center to reveal the subject.

Mask layers cannot be the bottom layer. You will not be able to delete other layers if deleting them causes a mask layer to become the bottom layer. For more information, see Working with Masks.

Adjustment Layers

Adjustment layers are correction layers that adjust the color or tone of underlying layers. Each adjustment layer makes the same correction as an equivalent command on the Adjust menu, but does not change image pixels like the command does.

Adjustment layers cannot be the bottom layer. You will not be able to delete other layers if deleting them causes an adjustment layer to become the bottom layer. For more information, see Using Adjustment Layers.