Looking at the Background and Layers in Photoshop

When you create a new image with white or background colored contents, scan an image into Photoshop, or open a file from a stock photography CD, Kodak Photo CD, or your own digital camera, you basically have a file with just a background. An image contains only one background, and you can’t do much to it. You can’t rearrange the background in the stack of layers — it’s always on the very bottom of the Layers palette. You can’t change the opacity or blend mode of a background either. What you can do is convert a background to a layer, and then the world’s at your feet. It’s no surprise that converting the background of an image into a layer is a common Photoshop activity. To convert a background into a layer, follow these steps:

1. Double-click Background in the Layers palette.
In addition, you can choose Layer-->New-->Layer from Background. Note that the name Background is italicized in the Layers palette.
2. Name the layer.
You can also color-code your layer by choosing Layer Properties from the palette pop-up menu. All this does is make your layer stand out more noticeably in the Layers palette. In addition, you can group the layer with the previous layer or change the blend mode, opacity, or fill settings. For now, leave all these options at the default settings.
3. Click OK.
Photoshop converts your background into a layer, as indicated in the Layers palette. Note that the layer name is no longer italicized. When you create a new image with transparent contents, the image doesn’t contain a background but instead is created with a single layer. You can also convert a layer into a background by selecting it and then choosing Layer-->New-->Background from Layer. Note that this layer is available only when no background exists and the bottom-most layer is selected.