Utilizing Layer Style Effects

With the exception of the Drop Shadow effect (and sometimes Outer Glow), layer styles are best when applied to type layers, shape layers, or any layers containing filled selections or brushstrokes— not extracted image layers. The best use for these effects is  for creating logos, type effects, emblems, and buttons. Here’s a brief summary of what each effect does:

Drop Shadow applies a basic drop shadow—not a perspective drop shadow—to the images, type, or shapes that are contained within the layer. Photoshop allows you to specify the color, opacity, blend mode, position, size, and contour of the effect. Layer style drop shadows work well with everything, including catalog product shots, logotype, and shape layers. Keep in mind however, that a similar drop shadow effect is available in both InDesign CS3 and Quark-XPress 7 and can be applied to transparent images (or images with clipping paths embedded) that are placed in a layout. I often prefer to place transparent images and add drop shadows directly in the layout application. That way I can see how the drop shadow is going to look in my layout as I’m adding it to the placed graphic.

Inner Shadow applies a basic drop shadow to the inside boundaries of any images, type, or  shapes that are contained within the layer. As with Drop Shadow, Photoshop allows you to specify the color, opacity, blend mode, position, size, and contour of the shadow.

Outer Glow applies a halo effect around any images, type, or shapes that are contained within the layer. The effect is similar to Drop Shadow, but without the Angle setting. It works well with extracted images as well as with type and shapes.

Inner Glow applies the glow effect to the inside boundaries of any images, type, or shapes that are contained within the layer. The effect is similar to Inner Shadow, but without the Angle setting. Inner Glow is great for creating buttons and type effects.

Bevel And Emboss applies a three-dimensional edge effect to any images, type, or shapes that are contained within the layer. You can specify which edge effect to apply from the Style drop-down list. Options include Outer Bevel, Inner Bevel, Emboss, Pillow Emboss, and Stroke Emboss. Of all these options, Inner Bevel and Pillow Emboss are the most commonly used. Note that the Stroke layer style must be enabled in order to apply the Stroke Emboss effect. Enable the Contour option to add variations to  the opacity, creating a rippled lighting effect; enable the Texture option to stamp a textured pattern into the layer. Contours and textures can be specified by using the Contour Picker and the Texture Picker.

Color, Gradient, and Pattern Overlay coats the layer with a solid color, gradient, or pattern, respectively. These effects work best when combined with other layer styles, such as Bevel And Emboss. To really make the most of these overlay effects, try experimenting with the Blend Mode setting for each.

Stroke places a colored outline around any images, type, or shapes that are contained within the layer. Applying the Stroke layer style is a good alternative to using the Edit --> Stroke command, because (as you now know) layer styles can be edited long after  they are applied, whereas menu commands cannot.