how yall use your layers

[SMILEFACE]

i was just wondering how everybody likes to use thier layers? do you have a routine is it random from painting to painting?do you sepperate layers based on back-middle-an forground?
ex. i use 2-3 an flatten an repeat a billion times i draw or paint on one layer an then experament on the next if i like it again then flatten
anything you can add even if stated before would be greatly appericated
(sorry for the poor grammer an lack of spellcheck)THANKYOU

[Aphotic Phoenix]

Depends on the type of image, but I'm slowly getting the hang of using many layers so that different elements each have their own layer. Makes adjusting, masking, and moving things around much easier.

[SMILEFACE]

thats great ! when i first started id look up an have like 25-30 layers an it would end up in a mess

[the_jos]

Paper doesn't have layers :)

In PS you might just group your layers.
When you are going to work on lets say the left eye you just open that group so you know you are working on the right layers.
Just make sure to make a habbit of selecting the right layer before you start working, else your eye paint gets on the hair-highlights layer. And you don't want that to happen :)

[Farvus]

Long time ago used to create layers for every separate element. The problem was that I easily got lost in them and the process a bit too mechanic. Then I started using layers as steps which made everything faster and simplier but I couldn't block in more complicated shapes. Now I use both techniques but I try to flatten as much as possible to keep it organized. (I keep maybe up to 10 layers on average). I also sometimes create layer on top to loosely try different design variations. If I like some then I use it as reference.

Paper doesn't have layers

You can use different layers of tracing paper. I got that habit from architecture faculty. Still it's much easier in digital realm :).

[bleupencil]

A typical psd file for me usually contains the background layer, sketch, fills/paints, shadows, hilights, adjustments, and lineart (if applicable). Sometimes there's more than one of several (fills and shadows), and often they get merged or deleted when editing is no longer required or can be painted over at once. Like Farvus, I try not to let it get too complicated as it is just plain confusing.

[karmiclychee]

I usually have three primary layers. My bottom two are the background flat and then the line art/sketch. As for the third layer, it starts off with the flats and blocking, and then I start to shape. Once I get things looking right there, I create a new layer and move to the next level of detail - I don't want to lose the decent foundation I built up. I keep creating layers as I get the details in the previous layer "right." That way, if I fuck up on the new layer, I don't have to go back to square one.

[kelly x]

Hi and it depends on the piece, but usually 1-2 background, 1 sketch, 1 paint for the figure, 1detail figure, 1 hair, 1 clothing so I can tweak and not f up the figure, 1 details on figure jewels, tattoo's, 1 lighting...
but if I do changes I do a new layer and then merge to the category...
But, Gran, you know I'm a freak and I also keep folders so I can keep the layers clean and don't get confused...
Or if it's something quick and simple like just a face, it's on two layers, one sketch and one paint...

[SMILEFACE]

thanks the_jos haha it dosnt have color picker ethier ya know ive used layers with paper before too if i roughfed something out an i want really clean lines i d trace it over w/ a light board kinda cool ..an grouping layers in ps is a great idea i need to do this more

thanks Farvus thats a great idea i never really thought about try'n a defferent stlye for architecture i gotta try that out

thanks bleupencil i think this is a great way of doing things caude i often end up have to cut'n paste a character an go over the background so thier arn't any gaps an i also gotta try the shadow' high light on seperate layers

thanks Abacus this is great way as well cause i tend to f' up alot an when i paint i dont really know what its gunna look like tell i slaped al the paint on it kinda like a safety'net

thanks kelly x (HELLL00OOOO') thas great i never really though of seprating hair cloth an accessaries an thats probably how you geat the rad lighting

thanks for all the great (if i say great one more time WAM' BAM' STRAIGHT TO THE MOON) i would still like to here more or if anyone has an old pick an wants to share their psds i would be greatfull i spent the past year basically try'n out different functions an sutch an learning how to use ps now i want to get organized ... thanks for the help so far now lets here some more

[LosPescados]

I mostly use two layers,
The first layer is the layer where all my drawings are in,
The second layer (got renewed often) is for the new paint.
Then I merge the 2 layers and create a new "second" layer.

[Gavage]

When making a digital sketch/painting, I'll duplicate the layer I'm on every five or ten minutes and work on the one above it. It's not -amazingly- effective in terms of style or keeping it all neat and tidy, the main idea behind it being that if I make a mistake or a new part looks dreadful I can delete it without losing too much work (because using a tablet makes a long list of 'actions' very quickly, and the 'undo' feature and 'history' box does not always cover the extent of it). If I'm colouring over an existing sketch, the colour is all on one layer simply set to 'multiply' above the layer of the sketch - which is effective enough but not really anything special, result-wise.

I did read in a tutorial (and it's been said here) that using a separate layer for each part of a picture is a good idea... I haven't really tried that out yet, though.

[Aphotic Phoenix]

Well, it really does depend a bit on what sort of image you're working on, and how you work... Simple compositions shouldn't really need a lot of layers (it would be a bit silly to paint each leg/arm on a separate layer for example unless you were testing different positions), but after watching Brachna's Environmental speedpaints vid I realized how useful it can be to paint overlapping elements on separate layers, and to avoid leaving blank canvas behind them.

[Mitze]

Two layers paint and drop. I spend a lot of time fixing up the mess, painting the background in over the figure. I tried using multiple layers but i always end up painting on the wrong one so there is no point in using them, for me.

[ShroudStar]

I mostly work on one layer, because it feels more like traditional painting and because too many layers mess me up. If I need to overlay, I get a new layer and when I'm done, I merge into one layer again.

[Dizon]

I always start with a BG layer and a layer on top. I always tone the BG layer with a middle tone. I just want to get rid of that white. And from there I start working on the top layer and just adding more when needed.