How do I maintain layer effects when flattening image?

[dg5to]

Hi guys,

I'm hoping someone can help with a problem I'm having. When I merge layers, the effects I applied to one layer disappear. If I flatten the image instead, the effects remain the same for the most part, but the image still changes in some way (I'm not sure if one effect is lost or if the brush style I applied is removed, but it does change). I'm wondering how to maintain all layer effects and brush styles when I flatten the image or merge all of the layers???

Thanks!

[Isick]

Every layer can have only one effect of a certain type. When you merge layers what you are doing is rasterizing the top layer and applying the bottom layer's effects to the pixels on the top layer, NOT combining them. So if your top layer has a dropshadow and you merge it with a layer that also has a dropshadow Photoshop will convert the top layer's dropshadow from an effect into pixels on the layer (rasterize) then merge it down. If your top layer has a blend mode that blend mode will be ignored entirely when merging and the merged layer will adopt the blend mode of the layer it was merged to.

A good way to think of flattening an image is like taking a screenshot, deleting the layers, and pasting the screenshot into a new layer. That is to say it records the color value of every pixel, deletes all layers and effects, then writes the recorded values back onto the bottom layer.

In short, it is impossible to maintain layer effects and blendmodes when combing layers. Now, what you can do is rasterize the two layers you want merged, but just leave them separate. This will permanently apply any effects you had on them allowing you to repeat effects.

[dg5to]

The layers I am attempting to merge each share multiple effects... when I try to rasterize the individual layers, the Layer > Rasterize menu options are all grayed out except for Rasterize > All Layers.

When I tried selecting All Layers under the Rasterize submenu, nothing appeared to happen, and when I attempted to Merge All layers or Flatten Image, the same problems I encountered before occured.

I really need to maintain the layer effects, in order for the overall design to have the effect I am going for... everything looks amazing before I merge the layers, my problem is I need to maintain the background transparency for printing and don't want anyone to have the ability to alter individual layers... I'm confused!!!

My Photoshop knowledge is limited, everything is self-taught, and while I would consider my skills intermediate, I don't know how to maintain the current look of my file while being able to keep transparency, and the ability to layer in a different background later while preventing anyone from altering layers, which is why I want to flatten the image.

Help??? LOL

[Isick]

Ok if you want to rasterize a layer, but the option is grayed out the way around it is to create a blank layer underneath it the layer you want rasterized then simply merge the layer down onto the blank layer.

However I urge you to NOT merge the layers in case you wish to edit them later on yourself. What you should do otherwise is simply go to file > save as > and select the file type "portable network graphic (.PNG)". PNGs save transparency data while merging everything to a single layer.

[dg5to]

Will saving as a PNG file maintain the layer effects, or discard some of them the same way flattening or merging layers does???? Thanks for your help!

[Isick]

It will be just like flattening the image and will maintain transparency. The image will look exactly how it does in PS, but will be condensed to one layer without effects.

[dg5to]

So there is no way possible for me to maintain all of the effects I have applied to the various layers?

[Isick]

I think the confussion arises when you say "maintain".
When you are saying effect I am assuming you mean like a Drop Shadow, Bevel, InerrShadow, OuterGlow, InnerGlow or something of the like.

When you create an "effect" on a layer it appears under the layer icon as an effect. It remains there to be edited or removed whenever you so chose.

Now, when you rasterize a layer, like by merging it into another layer, all the effects you put on the later become permanently attached to the layer.

So if you put a dropshadow effect on the layer you can normally remove or edit its properties whenever you wish. When you merge that layer with another one the effects you applied to it get permanently set so that they can not be undone or edited later on.

If by "maintain" the layer effects you mean keep them stored separate from the layer to be edited later then NO there is no merge / flatten / or file type you can save it as (other than the default .psd) that will save that data for later edit.

Now, if you are happy with the way the image looks as a whole I stress, I recommend you save a copy of it as a PNG this way the effects get applied, the image maintains transparency, and you will still have your original .psd file to edit later on if you feel so fit.

If the problem you are having is that the there is a black background layer that you wish to remove simply right click it and say delete to allow the other layer's transparencies to take effect in the PNG.

I will make a quick tutorial for what I mean....

[Isick]

Ok so Lets assume this is your image. As you can see there is a background layer which is solid white. Above that is a weird shape that is dark grey, also a solid color. Above that is another odd shape that is completely transparent (blend mode overlay) with a dropshadow EFFECT around it. Above that, finally, is an oval that is set to Hard Light Blend Mode making it slightly brighten the area below it. This layer also has an outerglow which gives it that solid white outline.


If we were to merge that top layer (layer2) down this is what would happen. The layer loses its blend mode and it, along with its outerglow, adopt the Overlay Blend mode of the layer it is merging with. This is NOT what we want.


If we were to flatten the document as is this is what we would get. The shape is there and all the effects are applied, but we lose the transparency we had because of the background layer.


So, what we are going to do is grab that background layer and drop it into that trash bin you see in the lower right of the layer tab. This is what we have now. Notice the checker board background, this means that area is transparent.


Now we will save the image as a PNG. It may ask you if you want to save interlaced or something else, just click OK - don't change whatever it was set to.


Now it will appear as though nothing changed, but if you go into your folder and open the PNG you saved it will look like this. Notice how the image looks exactly as it did with all the effects and layers visible only now it is condensed into ONE layer with NO effects. It is important to note that the checkerboard pattern is still there meaning the image is transparent wherever that pattern is visible.


Here is that same complete PNG just to show you how the transparency does indeed work:


Now if you ever feel like changing an effect you simply open up the PSD document, make the changes, and resave it as a PNG.

I hope this solves your problems, if not just tell me and i will see if I can clarify. Good luck!

[Isick]

Ok so Lets assume this is your image. As you can see there is a background layer which is solid white. Above that is a weird shape that is dark grey, also a solid color. Above that is another odd shape that is completely transparent (blend mode overlay) with a dropshadow EFFECT around it. Above that, finally, is an oval that is set to Hard Light Blend Mode making it slightly brighten the area below it. This layer also has an outerglow which gives it that solid white outline.
[img=http://img411.imageshack.us/img411/3301/tut1qt3.th.jpg]

-----------

If we were to merge that top layer (layer2) down this is what would happen. The layer loses its blend mode and it, along with its outerglow, adopt the Overlay Blend mode of the layer it is merging with. This is NOT what we want.
[img=http://img127.imageshack.us/img127/4319/tut2ll3.th.jpg]

-----------

If we were to flatten the document as is this is what we would get. The shape is there and all the effects are applied, but we lose the transparency we had because of the background layer.
[img=http://img356.imageshack.us/img356/2676/tut3us0.th.jpg]

-----------

So, what we are going to do is grab that background layer and drop it into that trash bin you see in the lower right of the layer tab. This is what we have now. Notice the checker board background, this means that area is transparent.
[img=http://img356.imageshack.us/img356/7180/tut4vl3.th.jpg]

-----------

Now we will save the image as a PNG. It may ask you if you want to save interlaced or something else, just click OK - don't change whatever it was set to.
[img=http://img178.imageshack.us/img178/2944/tut5ds1.th.jpg]

-----------

Now it will appear as though nothing changed, but if you go into your folder and open the PNG you saved it will look like this. Notice how the image looks exactly as it did with all the effects and layers visible only now it is condensed into ONE layer with NO effects. It is important to note that the checkerboard pattern is still there meaning the image is transparent wherever that pattern is visible.
[img=http://img120.imageshack.us/img120/7294/tut6ek1.th.jpg]

-----------

Here is that same complete PNG just to show you how the transparency does indeed work:


Now if you ever feel like changing an effect you simply open up the PSD document, make the changes, and resave it as a PNG.

I hope this solves your problems, if not just tell me and i will see if I can clarify. Good luck!