Layer Alignment
Dateline: 09/14/99
Layers haven't changed much in this version of Photoshop, but there is one notable improvement regarding layers that is worthy of mention... layer alignment. New layer alignment and distribution commands allow you to arrange linked layers in relation to each other or to a selection.
Align
Linked
You must have two or more linked layers, or a single layer and a marquee selection
in order to use the align linked commands. If you have made a marquee selection,
the layer(s) are aligned to the marquee, otherwise, all layers are aligned to
the selected layer. The following examples will illustrate this. Below you see
the original image, use it as a reference point while I show you the results
of the alignment commands.
The next example shows all the layers vertical center aligned to a marquee selection. In this case, the selection was the entire image. The horizontal position or each number has not changed, but the numbers have moved to the vertical center of the marquee.
(Roll your cursor over the image to see the original image again.)
The third example below shows all the layers horizontal center aligned to the same selection. Here the vertical position remains the same, and they are horizontally aligned in the center of the marquee selection.
(Roll your cursor over the image to see the original image again.)
The fourth example shows the layers left aligned to the selection. Again, the vertical position is the same, but the left edges are aligned to the left edge of the marquee.
(Roll your cursor over the image to see the original image again.)
If we remove the selection, you will see the results are slightly different. In the example below, I have selected layer 2 and center aligned the remaining layers to the layer 2. If you look back to the original image, you'll see that the 2 is in the same position, and the other numbers moved into alignment with the 2.
(Roll your cursor over the image to see the original image again.)
In the next example, I selected layer 4 and bottom aligned the other layers to the layer 4. Look again at the original image, and notice that the number 4 has not changed position, but the other layers moved so that the bottom edges were even with the number 4.
(Roll your cursor over the image to see the original image again.)
Distribute
Layers
The distribute commands allow you to evenly space the contents of layers according
to the horizontal or vertical center, or the top, bottom, left, or right edge
of the selected layer. I've rearranged the layers in the original image to make
these examples more obvious to you. Below you see the original image.
The first example shows the results of distribute linked > horizontal centered. Notice that the 1 and 4 did not move, but the 2 and 3 have shifted and are now evenly spaced horizontally between the 1 and 4. (Roll your cursor over the image to see the original image again.)
(Roll your cursor over the image to see the original image again.)
Suppose I want to evenly space all the numbers in the vertical center of my image. First, we should select all (ctrl-A) since we want to align the layers in relation to the entire image and link all four layers. Then we'll go to layer > align > vertical center.
(Roll your cursor over the image to see the original image.)
Next, we need to move the 1 and the 4 to the far edges. First, unlink the layers. Select only the 1 layer, go to layer > align to selection > Left. Next, select the 4 layer, go to layer > align to selection > right. The results should look like this:
(Roll your cursor over the image to see the previous image.)
Finally, you'll need to link all the layers again, then go to layer > distribute linked > horizontal centered.
(Roll your cursor over the image to see the previous image.)
I hope this gives you a better understating of the new layer alignment commands and reveals just how useful they can be.
Return to the Introduction/Table of
Contents.
Go to the Next Page: Layer Effects
Also see: Photoshop Resources
 |
Sue Chastain |
Screen shots captured with Corel Capture 9.
