Adding layers and layer sets

You can create empty layers and add content to them, or you can create new layers from existing content. When you create a new layer, it appears either above the selected layer or within the selected layer set in the Layers palette.

Layer sets help you organize and manage layers. You can use layer sets to easily move layers as a group, to apply attributes and masks to groups of layers, and to reduce clutter in the Layers palette. You cannot create a new layer set within an existing layer set.

To add a new layer or layer set using default options:

Click the New Layer button or New Layer Set button in the Layers palette.

To add a new layer or layer set and specify options:

1. Do one of the following:
• Choose Layer > New > Layer or Layer > New > Layer Set.
• Choose New Layer or New Layer Set from the Layers palette menu.
• Alt-click (Windows) or Option-click (Mac OS) the New Layer button or New Layer Set button in the Layers palette.
• Ctrl-click (Windows) or Command-click (Mac OS) the New Layer button or New Layer Set button in the Layers palette to add a layer below the currently selected layer.
2. Set layer options, click OK:
• Name to specify a name for the layer or layer set. (See Renaming layers.)
• Group with Previous Layer to create a clipping group. This option is not available for layer sets. (See Creating clipping groups.)
• Color to assign a color to the layer or layer set. (See Color coding layers.)
• Mode to specify a blending mode for the layer or layer set. (See Choosing a blending mode.)
• Opacity to specify an opacity for the layer or layer set. (See Setting layer opacity.)
• (Photoshop) Fill with Mode-neutral color to fill the layer with a preset, neutral color. (See Filling new layers with a neutral color.)

To convert a selection into a new layer:

1. Make a selection. (See Making pixel selections.)
2. Do one of the following:
• Choose Layer > New > Layer Via Copy to copy the selection into a new layer.
• Choose Layer > New > Layer Via Cut to cut the selection and paste it into a new layer.

To create a new layer set from linked layers:

Choose Layer > New > Layer Set from Linked. (See Linking layers.)