Installing and using styles in Photoshop. Layer Styles: Introduction

Dedicated to Styles in Photoshop. What are styles? Why are they needed? What can you do with them? What styles are there and how to apply them? All these questions can be answered in this series of articles. I'll also go through each of the style effects and go over all the basic settings.

What are styles?

Styles, in general, are created exclusively for the web. A sort of analogue of symbols, only in Photoshop. Styles appeared as a response to styles in another, once competing program. Macromedia Fireworks , which is designed exclusively for web graphics. Then Adobe bought Macromedia and the competition is over. But the styles remain.

The best thing about styles is that they are not permanently applied like Filters. They are “stretched” in the form of a kind of “skin” over graphic elements. Styles are live effects that you can always go into and tweak the settings. Styles can be saved. They even need to be saved, this is their main meaning: creating a style, saving and subsequent application to all objects of the same type.

It turns out to be an analogue Appearance in Illustrator, except that Styles appeared in Photoshop 10-15 years earlier.

Where are styles located in Photoshop?

Styles are found in many places, menus, and panels. To apply a style to a layer, just go to the menu Layer > Layer Style and select the desired style. In the same menu there are other style settings which I will talk about later.

Another and most common way to apply styles is in the layers panel. Layers, which can be opened via Windows > Layers. How to use? You can double-click the middle part of the layer, or open the drop-down menu at the bottom of the panel - an icon with the inscription fx. This is another way to take advantage of style.

You can also use styles from the styles panel Style. You can open it via Windows > Styles. This panel contains all downloaded at the moment Photoshop styles. You can also create new styles through it. And delete the old ones. If you have never worked with styles, then most likely it contains default styles. These collections are found in Photoshop by default. Default styles can be safely deleted; if necessary, you can return them with one click from the drop-down menu in the same Styles panel.

Another way to manage styles is . This dialog box is the settings manager. It is not difficult to guess that it controls the saved settings. For example, styles. As well as brushes, shapes, curves and most of what can be saved in Photoshop as a template setting. Preset Manager- a rather ancient dialog box. Its advantage over the same style panel Styles is that through Preset Manager can be done group operations. For example, select a group of styles and save them as a single collection.

Styles are contained in all settings panels of all . For example, in the tool settings Rectangle Tool or Custom Shape Tool. The fact is that Styles are precisely intended for use in conjunction with these tools. That's why they are in their settings panels. You can select a tool Rectangle Tool and immediately attach a style to it. Then start drawing buttons for the site. This is what styles were created for.

How to use styles?

Style can be applied to anything and in any way. To a vector object, to a raster object, to a font, to a smart layer, or to a full-fledged photograph, although the latter makes no sense. Styles solve slightly different problems. In general, the style can be applied to absolutely any layer, even to fill layers and color correction layers, but it can only be applied to them in conjunction with a mask. Why?

The color correction layer and the fill layer are an endless canvas, expanding in all directions. When we apply a mask to these layers, the layer is given a shape. And along with the form, we get the opportunity to see styles. Analogy is an empty layer. You can also attach styles to it, but the effect will be visible only when at least some pixels appear on the layer.

The easiest way to use styles: select a tool Type Tool and type any text. Open Layer Styles using any of the methods described above. For example, from the layer panel - icon fx. or double click on the layer or in the menu - Layer > Layer Style. The Layer Styles dialog box appears. Layer Style.

There are 3 areas in the dialog:

Styles menu - left narrow area. Here is a list of all the styles for the layer, as well as the layer overlay settings and the styles window.
Style settings - medium large area. Here are the settings for the specific style selected.
Buttons - right narrow area. Here you can approve the layer, save it in the style or cancel the result of the settings, as well as a small preview window in which the final style is visible.

Choose any style, for example Drop Shadow - shadow, check the box in the left menu, scroll through the settings, click OK. And your first style is ready.

Styles panel

Let's talk about the style panel Styles. This panel doesn't have many options, to put it mildly. It, in fact, beautifully displays the loaded styles, allowing you to select and “put” the ones you need on layers in Photoshop. In the default layout, the panel contains standard styles, and a white crossed out icon indicates that the style has been cleared Clear Style.

Here's the thing. The style is applied to the layer and appears in the Layers panel. But even if you turn off all the style effects, the style does not disappear. He is simply invisible. The settings remain, the style remains, it’s just not active. Long attached lists of style effects to those layers where the style is not needed are sometimes annoying. But you can clear a layer from the style only by selecting from the menu Clear Layer Style. Or by clicking on the white icon with a red line.

At the bottom of the panel there are familiar functions:

Clear Layer Style— clears the layer of all styles.
Create New Style— the leaf icon creates a new style from scratch. You can also create a style simply by clicking on an empty part of the Styles panel.
Delete Style— to delete a style, you need to click on it and drag it onto the trash can icon.

In the upper right corner of the panel there is a drop-down menu icon, which contains a bunch of different and useful things. The menu is divided into subgroups according to meaning.

In the first group the only option is Create New Style, she also creates a new style.

The second group contains a method for displaying styles on the panel. List, icons, small or large.

Third Preset Manager, which causes the one discussed above.

The next group contains operations that control styles.

Reset Styles— returns styles to default state
Save Styles— saves the styles of the style panel in a special file. The same file can be uploaded back.
Load Styles— loads styles from a special file. This is done in order not to overload the panel with styles, but rather to keep everything of the same type across files.

The fifth group contains a list of template styles for Photoshop. You can load them into the style panel by simply selecting any from the list. Next press the button OK, this will replace the panel styles with new ones. Or Apprend- this will add styles to the existing ones.

The last group closes the styles panel Styles.

How to use the Styles panel?

To use saved styles, you need to create any layer - an image or an inscription. The layer needs to be selected, and in the styles panel click on the desired style.

Styles in the Layer Styles dialog box

Few people know, but styles can also be selected from the Layer Styles dialog box. They are located at the top of the menu. They're easy to miss because the tab looks like the name of a list rather than one of its sections. Essentially this is the same style panel, only built into the dialog box Layer Styles. It behaves exactly the same as the style panel. Everything is identical, even the drop-down menu.

How to add styles in Photoshop

Loading ready-made styles into Photoshop is very simple. Firstly, the entire Internet is filled with similar collections of styles for all occasions. Secondly, you can create your own styles and save their similar file. Styles are saved in the format ASL. To load styles, open the styles panel Style and in the upper right corner click the drop-down menu icon. From the menu select Load Styles to load styles into the panel. When pressed OK styles from the panel will be replaced with new ones. When pressed Apprend new styles will be added to the old ones.

The second way to load styles is through the Layer Styles dialog box. Layer Style in the tab Styles. This section is the same style panel, but built into this dialog box. Load Styles You must again select from the drop-down menu.

The third way to add styles is through the vector tools settings panels. In the settings of any vector drawing primitive there is a styles tab. It looks like the same style panel Styles. This time it's built into the vector tools settings. The method is the same. In the upper right corner there is a drop-down menu button in which you need to select Load Styles.

And with this I will complete the first generalized analysis of styles in Photoshop. In the following articles I will describe the operation and settings of each style separately.

Author Irina Spdarenko. A link to the article and author is required.

What are styles?

Styles in Photoshop are a set of layer effects. Combinations of these effects create styles. As a rule, this set imitates some material or effect, some state of matter. For example, sparkling gold, sparkling ice, colored glass, mosaic, etc.

When creating a composition, you simply draw the desired element and apply the appropriate style to it. Most often styles are used for quick creation text effects.

A number of styles are available in Photoshop by default.

You can view existing styles by opening the Styles window.

To do this, use the menu command Window > Styles.

How to apply a style

Create some image or inscription in a separate layer, then select some style in the Styles palette and look at the result. If you want to draw with a drawing tool (pencil or brush) immediately in a style, then first select a style and then draw.

If you do not find the style you need in the collection, you should download it from our website or elsewhere. The style file must have an ASL extension (the file can be in rar archive or zip, you need to unpack)

How to add styles

The style file with ASL resolution must be placed in the folder where the styles are stored and they will become available in Photoshop. If you have installed Photoshop program on the C: drive, then most likely you will have it in the \ folder Program Files\. The styles may be in the folder C:\Program Files\Adobe\Photoshop CS\Presets\Styles. But not necessarily, it depends on the version of Photoshop.

If the folder with styles is not found, then you need to know that styles do not have to be stored in this folder. They can be placed anywhere.

But then they will not appear on their own, and they must be downloaded.

How to load styles

Open Photoshop. On the right top corner The Styles panel has a small button with a triangle.

Click it and open a menu that lists the actions you can do with styles. To load a new set, click Load Styles, select the file with the ASL extension, click OK.

Or another way: Menu command Edit>Preset Manager, press the Load button.

How to change the style

Sometimes you like a style but aren't quite happy with it, for example the border is too wide or the color needs to be a little darker. Then you need to correct it - edit it.

Please note that in the Layers panel, symbols have appeared on the image of the layer in which you applied the style fx and a list of effects from which the style is composed appeared under the layer (If you don’t see the list of effects, click the triangular button next to the symbols).

Double-click on this layer in the Layers panel and open the Layer style settings dialog box. At the top right there is a Styles command that opens a window in which you can select or change the style

Experiment with effects and get a new style.

How to save a style in Photoshop

If the experiment was successful and you like the style, you should save the changes using the New Style button ( New style), located in the upper right corner of the Layer style panel, immediately below OK and Cancel. Click on it and a new style will appear in the Styles panel.

How to save a style in a separate file

Styles can only be saved as a set in one file. If you want to create a set of new styles, it is better to first clear the layers panel of unnecessary styles, then create new ones and save them separately. To save, click on the round button with a triangle and select Save Styles from the list.

It must be remembered that

The style affects all image details that are on the same layer. If you want to create an image using different styles, then create an image from different layers and apply effects for each layer separately.

If the style is not displayed quite adequately when applied, then change the resolution of the file you are working with. Menu Image>Image Size, in the parameters window, pay attention to the Resolution line. Some styles do not work correctly at a resolution of 300 dpi, but if you change the value to 72 dpi, then everything will be fine.

When the image size is changed, the style elements are scaled.

To avoid this, there is a simple way: add a new transparent layer and merge the style layer with this new one transparent layer(Team context menu Merge). After that, transform as you wish.

Instructions

IN latest versions The program has several types of ready-to-use styles. They are located in the Styles panel. To call this panel, open the Window menu - “Window” and select the appropriate line. A palette will open in front of you, showing examples of loaded styles. Styles are not applied to the entire image, but to individual layers. Using ready-made styles is quite simple. While on the desired layer, double-click on the icon with the selected sample.

To see all available style sets, click on the tiny triangle in the upper right corner of the palette. A window with options will appear in front of you, at the bottom of which there is a list of loaded styles. Click on the title the required set, for example, Abstract Style - “Abstract style”. A dialog box will open asking: Replace current style with the style from Abstract Style? - “Do you want to replace the established style with “Abstract style?” To agree to the program's offer, click OK. If you want to add a new set while keeping the previous ones, click the Append button.

By changing layer effects, you can edit ready-made styles, as well as create new ones. Click the fx icon at the bottom left of the Layers palette. The Layer Style dialog box will open, on the left side of which you will see a list of sections. The first of them is Styles - “Styles” is intended for selecting and managing ready-made styles. The next section Blending Options: Default - “Default Blending Options” is used to configure the layer’s blending mode. The remaining sections are used to select and configure individual effects.

By applying these effects to various combinations and by experimenting with the settings, you can create your own unique styles. To select an effect, click on the line with its name. The configurable parameters will be shown on the right side of the window. After adjusting all the selected effects, save the created style. To do this, click the New Style button and assign it a suitable name in the window that opens. Now click on the OK button and your style will be added last to the downloaded set. You will be able to use it at any time.

To simulate volume, create chamfers and reliefs, use the Bevel and Emboss effect - “Embossing”. It is well suited for processing text layers and shapes. If you need to create a colored or gradient stroke, apply the Stroke effect. The Inner Shadow parameter - “Inner Shadow” creates a shadow from the boundaries within the object itself. Applying this effect makes it appear as if the subject has been cut out from the background. To simulate light coming from inside an object, use Inner Glow.

To create the impression of blur and silky highlights, together with other effects, use the Satin function - “Gloss”. Effects of the Overlay group - “Overlay” cover the contents of a layer with a color, gradient or pattern fill. The effects of this group can be used together. If you need to highlight a text inscription made on a multi-color background, use the Outer Glow effect. Apply the Drop Shadow effect - “Shadow” to simulate a shadow from an object on a plane.

After meeting Photoshop basics, where it is possible to work with image layers, it will be useful to learn about a set of different layer effects, which in the latest versions of Photoshop are called Layer Styles. Layer styles apply to the entire image on the layer, and you cannot limit the style to a selection area. The main advantage of styles is that they are not applied tightly, like Filters. Styles are effects whose settings you can always go into and change parameters. Styles can and should be saved - this is their main meaning: application to all objects of the same type. You can use sample styles from .
To open the Layer Style dialog box, double-click on the line of the selected layer in the Layers palette, or use the fx icon, which is located in the layer control group at the bottom of the Layers palette. By clicking on this icon we will have access to a list of all Layer styles Style, which can be applied to the selected layer. Another way to open the Layer Style dialog box is to double-click with the left mouse button on the layer line in the Layers palette or single-right-click in the same place, additionally specifying the “Blending Options” option in the drop-down menu. The layer style settings window can also be accessed through the top horizontal menu program by going to the Layer menu and selecting first Layer Style, then Blending Options. This menu also contains other style settings.

Layer Style Dialog Box

Let's look at the structure of the Layer Style window. For clarity, as an example, let’s print text using the Type Tool. Then open Layer Style using any of the previously described methods. The Layer Style dialog box consists of three areas. On the left is a list of all the styles for the layer, as well as the layer overlay settings and the styles window. Styles can be used individually or in combination with each other. To apply a style, you just need to check the box next to its name. Style settings - medium large area. Here are the settings for the specific style selected. Using the right narrow area, you can approve the layer style, save it or cancel the result of the settings, as well as a small preview window to visually demonstrate the effect of applying the selected style in real time. Let's look at each of the effects next.
Blending Options. The first item on the list is the so-called transparency and overlay settings. General Blending - basic layer settings. In the Blend Mode drop-down menu, you can select a layer blending algorithm and set the opacity parameter for the layer to Opacity Advanced Blending - advanced settings for layer properties. Here you can set the Fill Opacity parameter - this is the same as Fill in the Layers palette and specify those color channels, which should be displayed in this layer. Blend if - section for controlling selective transparency. Selectivity lies in the fact that we at will We can make dark or light areas of the layer transparent. To control this transparency, there are two sliders, one is called This Layer (current layer) and the other is called Underlying Layer (subject layer).
Drop Shadow- one of the most popular functions in Photoshop. This effect is designed to cast a shadow. Despite the huge number of settings, there is nothing complicated in controlling this effect.
Inner Shadow. The inner shadow effect is very similar to the previous one, the only difference being that it is used inside the object rather than outside it. The inner shadow settings are the same as the previous effect, with the exception of replacing the Spread parameter with Choke. The greater the contraction, the thicker the shadow inside the object.
Outer Glow. In its effect, the style resembles the effect of a shadow. Outer glow is often used to separate the edges of an object from dark background. In the settings, the Technique drop-down menu will allow you to select the type of shine - Soften (soft) or Precise (hard). The Spread parameter regulates the softness of the radiance boundaries in the first case, but in the second it has virtually no noticeable effect. In the Qality section, you can select the contour type - the Countor drop-down menu. The Range parameter allows you to change the thickness of the glow. The lower the value of the variable, the thicker the light edge. A 1 px range will turn your subject's glow into a stroke.
Inner Glow. The style action is performed within the object, not outside of it. The settings for this effect are similar to the previous style, except for one more thing added: Source. He is responsible for the direction of the glow. There are two options: from the center of the object or from its edges to the center. The second option is basic setup and is the default...
Bevel and Emboss. The effect is very popular because it creates the illusion of volume by adding light and shadow to layer shapes. The Structure section is intended for creating a structure for a pseudo-volume. View volumetric effect select Style from the drop-down menu. The default effect is Inner Bevel, which creates an edge around an image on a layer using the "inside" of the image. The size of the edge is controlled by the Size parameter. The Depth parameter is responsible for the visual depth of the effect. Direction - lighting control: Up - lighting from above, Down - lighting from below. The Technique drop-down menu allows you to select the type of edge - soft, softened and sharp. The settings in the Shading section allow you to get a semblance of a shadow effect. Set the lighting direction and distance from the light source to the image. The Gloss Counter menu gives the edge a metallic sheen effect. By affecting the Hightlights (lit surfaces) and Shadows (shadow fragments) of the edges, you can achieve an additional volume effect. All these settings consist of choosing a blending mode and transparency for each type of area. Next, we list the style options from the Style drop-down menu. The Outer Bevel style simulates the concavity of an image on a layer. The effect is controlled in the same way as Inner Bevel. The effect will be more noticeable if there is another Emboss Style layer under the selected layer. In essence, this is an imitation of bas-relief. The Pillow Emboss style creates a slit effect around the image. The Stroke Emboss style only works in conjunction with the Stroke style. Additional settings - Counter ( different types edge creation) and Texture. The image can be filled with a texture selected from a set of standard ones or uploaded by the user. The Scale parameter controls the size of the minimum texture cell. The Depth parameter is the depth (volume) of the texture itself.
Satin (Satin gloss). The style is used quite rarely. If you carefully select the parameters of this effect, you can imitate a pattern on fabric. The settings are standard and have already been discussed in detail above.
Color Overlay. The layer style is incredibly easy to use. The function of the style is to cover the image with the selected color. The style can be adjusted using three parameters: blending mode, color and opacity. The style allows you to quickly change the color of the text and creates a certain convenience when working in web design.
Gradient Overlay. The difference from using the Color Overlay style is that the image is filled with a gradient rather than color. The Style parameter can be linear, radial, mirror, angular and diamond. The Scale of the gradient increases or decreases depending on the size of the image object. The Reverse option allows you to swap the beginning and end of an already defined gradient, eliminating the need to create a new gradient.
Pattern Overlay. The style allows you to cover an image with a pattern. This effect is very similar in effect to texture mapping in the Bevel and Emboss style.
Stroke. The last style in the list of effects. A stroke creates a border around your object. Many of the options in the settings dialog box for this style have been seen before. The Position option specifies the location of the stroke: Inside, Outside, or Center. For example, when laying out for subsequent, most sharp corners frames are formed when the Inside option is selected. Size adjusts the thickness of the stroke. By default, the parameter is set to 3 px, but a 1 px stroke is more often used. The Fill Type option allows you to fill the stroke with a color, gradient, or pattern. By default, the stroke is filled with color.

Let's get back to working with layers. We're talking about a dialog box. Layer Style and the effects and settings that this window offers.

Layer styles are reversible and remain editable as long as you save the document as PSD file. As the layer's content changes, the styles also change.

Layer styles are great for adding finishing touches to a drawing, and they can really make text and graphics pop off the page! In this article we will look at what are layer styles, where are they located and how to apply.

First, let's get acquainted with this window. Let's create/open any image. Now let's turn our attention to the layers palette. Double-click on the layer to which you intend to apply the special effect. A dialog box will open Layer Style.

Note

Blending Options

Let’s move straight to the most interesting and “delicious”...

Ready-made special Photoshop effects

Looking ahead, I note that in the settings of all parameters, except for embossing, there are such parameters as Overlay and Opacity. Thus, you can adjust these two parameters both for the entire object as a whole (see point above), and for its individual elements, adjusting the color rendition.

Photoshop CS5 offers the following effects for use:

Shadow

An outer shadow is applied to the layer. You can edit the size, scope and offset, the angle of incidence of the shadow and select its color. You can change its quality by increasing the percentage of noise or changing its contour. By the way, from the latter, through experiment, you can achieve very interesting effects, since the shadow will be greatly deformed, sometimes becoming completely different from itself.

In this case, the shadow will fall from the edges to the center of the object. Thus creating the effect of depth. The settings are no different from an ordinary shadow.

The name speaks for itself. The object appears to glow. You can configure the glow to be not one color, but a gradient from one to another. The size and scope of the glow, as well as its quality, can be adjusted.

Same as with inner shadow. There is only one difference in the settings: you can specify the source of the glow (From the center or At the edges)

Embossing (Outline, Texture)

It is deservedly considered the most powerful and adaptable layer style in Photoshop. Traditional use is to transform a flat object into a three-dimensional one, but this is only a small part of the possibilities of this style. In addition, using “Embossing” you can create metal effects, chrome and gold surfaces, imitation reflection, glass and much more. More.

One of the most incomprehensible styles. Everyone uses it differently. in my example, it looked like glass edges at the paw.

Completely changes the color of the selected layer. It turns out to be a kind of filling. There are practically no settings.

One of the most popular special effects in Photoshop. Useful when you need to apply a gradient to a specific object in an image.

I have never used such an effect before. He seems stupid to me. The point is that it fills the image not with color, as was already the case, but with some kind of pattern. Maybe they made it for web graphics, I don’t see any other uses.

Outlines the entire image. Editable color and position (Outside, Inside, From the center). Useful parameter- a type of headband with a gradient. In general, gradients always only decorate the image.

There is another way to display the discussed dialog box, but with it already in advance open settings desired effect. To do this, click on fx button at the bottom of the Layers palette. A small menu will appear where you only need to select an effect. After this, a window with settings will immediately open.

At the end of the lesson, let's see what the final special effects layer looks like:

As you can see, a list of effects that have been applied to it has appeared under the layer. Each of them has a visibility icon that you can click to turn off an effect, such as Gradient Overlay. To the right of the thumbnail is the inscription fx - indicates that effects have been applied to the layer. Click on the arrow to collapse them.

If you notice an error in the text, select it and press Ctrl + Enter. Thank you!