I used to draw everything on one layer in Photoshop, now I have like 50 per piece

For the first year I made art, I just painted everything on a single layer because it felt simpler. Then I tried to change the background on a portrait last month and had to redo the whole thing. I watched a video from a pro who showed their messy layer stack, and it clicked for me. Now I separate hair, skin, clothes, and even highlights onto their own layers. Does anyone else have a rule for when to make a new layer?

3 comments

3 Comments

rose_craig9711d ago

I get what you mean about it slowing you down, but for me, the time spent making layers is saved later. Even with hair and skin, I might want to adjust the hair color without affecting the skin tone. Having them separate lets me fix small mistakes without redoing whole sections. It feels like a safety net that gives me more freedom to experiment.

the_lee11d ago

You said you separate hair, skin, and clothes onto their own layers. I actually find that slows me down a ton. For me, if it's on the same material or overlapping a lot, like hair and skin, it stays on one layer. I only split things off when I know for sure I'll want to move or recolor them later, like a background or specific accessory.

jake1894d ago

Yeah, it's all about finding that sweet spot, right? I used to over-layer everything and it just made a mess. Now I ask myself, "Will I actually tweak this later?" If the hair shape is totally locked in, maybe it can stay with the skin. But a jacket over a shirt? Always separate, because you just know you'll want to move that collar.