How to free transform a selection in multiple layers?

[marek222]

Hi there, photoshop gurus!

Here is my problem:
I have a painting of a character with multiple layers. I would like to adjust the character's proportions using lasso tool and free transform, as I often do with single layered drawings. Basically, I need to move and scale selections from multiple layers at once.

How can I do that? Layer linking (chain icon) works only for entire layers, not selections. Other idea I have is to record an action and then execute it for each layer I want to modify, but that seems a huge overhead. I'm sure there is convenient way to deal with it and I hope to learn it here

Thanks for all and any help!

Regards
Marek

[iDad]

right click all layers with commandkey on Mac, I think its alt on pc, transform.

[marek222]

Hi iDad, thanks for reply.

Somehow this does not work with selection, but rather with entire layers. This is what I do:
1. Ctrl+LMB (PC) to select the layers
2. Select area with lasso tool
3. tranform (e.g. Edit->Transform->Scale)
The selection is ignored, all selected layers are scaled. I'm using CS3.

Thanks
Marek

[iDad]

what is lmb?

[iDad]

make each "selection" a separate layer

[marek222]

Hm, the problem I see with it is that after I do Layer->New->Layer via Cut the selection is gone. I would need to save it first as named selection, then restore for each layer I want to extract. And after I'm done with the transformations, I would need to merge those temp layers back to their originating layers. Pretty tiresome, especially since I want to do a lot of tweaking this way. The method I'm looking for must be more efficient than just redrawing/repainting the parts I don't like.

Or perhaps I'm just doing it the wrong way?

[iDad]

Hm, the problem I see with it is that after I do Layer->New->Layer via Cut the selection is gone. I would need to save it first as named selection, then restore for each layer I want to extract. And after I'm done with the transformations, I would need to merge those temp layers back to their originating layers. Pretty tiresome, especially since I want to do a lot of tweaking this way. The method I'm looking for must be more efficient than just redrawing/repainting the parts I don't like.

Or perhaps I'm just doing it the wrong way?

If each individual selection is different then you would have to create an action for each one(I'm pretty sure.) It could be tedious but not as much as creating action per selection, especially if it's something your going to do all the time

[marek222]

No, it's the same selection for all layers. I very much like how it works with a single layer and use this technique a lot to alter face features, body proportions, etc. Fast, easy and efficient. Looks like I can't do this on multiple layers without avoiding a tedious process. That would be my feature request to Adobe

Thanks for your help!

[iDad]

Good luck