Layers Dialog Window

You may already be familiar with the term "layers" from perhaps experimenting around with PhotoShop. When I first started to learn how to edit images, I was intimidated by layers. My first impulse was to avoid them and just make all changes directly to the image.

However, I learned later on that multiple layers make almost every aspect of image editing easier.

What is a Layer?

Layers are made by combining one or more separate images laid on top of each other. In the most simplistic way of combining layers, normal mode, would be anything completely opaque in the top layer and that is all you see in the final image. Layers become complicated when you have transparent layers. I will not delve into layers in this tutorial, because that will be covered separately in a different tutorial.

To open the Layers Dialog Window, click on Windows > Dockable Dialogs > Layers. You can also use CTRL - L in Windows.

Below is what the Layers Dialog Window looks like: