8 Important Things When Using Layer Styles and Filter Effects

1. Apply Layer Styles Unlike filters, layer styles allow you to edit applied effects dynamically without having to create a smart object version of the image layer first. This means that you can apply editable effects to a selected image, shape, or type layer without permanently altering any pixels. Because they work nondestructively, layer styles are referred to as live effects.
2. Select any type, shape, or image layer containing transparent or masked areas (including image layers converted to smart objects) and use any of the three methods described in the chapter to access the Layer Style dialog box.
3. Save Custom Styles The Styles palette in Photoshop allows you to save your favorite layer style combinations for later use.
4. Apply layer styles to a selected layer in the Layers palette by using the Layer Style dialog box. Choose Window ➢Styles to display the Styles palette.
5. Apply “Smart Filters” to Your Print Images With Photoshop CS3, any of the default filters that are installed with the application are automatically treated as “live” effects when applied to smart objects. This means that you can now preserve the ability to  edit most filters that are applied to smart objects. These “smart filters” behave very much like adjustment layers, allowing you to alter settings at any time after the effect is applied, without losing pixel data or compromising image quality.
6. To apply a smart filter, you must first convert the image layer into a smart object. To do so, choose Convert To Smart Object from the Layers palette flyout menu or from the Layer ➢Smart Objects submenu. You can also choose Filter --> Convert For Smart Filters. After the layer is converted, Photoshop displays a Smart Object icon in the bottomright corner of the layer image thumbnail in the Layers palette.
7. Create Eye-Catching Print Graphics with the Filter Gallery The Filter Gallery allows you to choose from a select group of filter effects and apply several of them to an image at once. Filter Gallery effects can also be applied to smart objects as a smart filter.
8. From the Layers palette, select the layer that you would like to apply a Filter Gallery effect to. Access the Filter Gallery by choosing it from the Filter menu or by choosing any filter that is handled by the gallery interface, such as the Artistic, Brush Strokes, or Sketch subsets.