Guide: Using Layers in GIMP: Tips and Tutorial
GIMP is one of the free and advanced photo manipulation tools that let you play with layers. While that’s amazing, using GIMP may seem a bit challenging. But once you get your hands on it, everything will be easy after some practice. While GIMP is less powerful than Photoshop, it is one of the best alternatives to using layers. Think of layers as stacks of images in which you can work on each layer individually. That gives you the freedom to manipulate your images in different ways. You can create a new layer from an existing image, add a transparent layer, link layers and much more. But how do you use them in GIMP on a Windows PC or Mac? You are in the right place because we dive deep into the base of layers feature available on GIMP. Before we start, make sure you have the latest version of GIMP on your system. Download GIMP
Add a new layer
GIMP’s canvas starts with one main layer. That is, any image you open in GIMP is considered a base layer. So you can add new layers to an existing image or start from an empty layer. To add a new layer, right-click on the layers panel and select New Layer from the menu. Or click on the new layer button at the bottom of the layers panel. You can add multiple layers in the same way. Tip Use the keyboard shortcut Shift + Ctrl + N to create a new layer on Windows. In macOS, press Shift + Command + N.
When you add a layer to an existing image, the layer size is the same as that of the image. However, if you are creating a new image, you must set the size. The layer size can be changed in either case under the Height and Width setting.
Fill layer with
One of the essential properties of a layer is the ‘Fill with’ option. When you add a new layer, you will be asked to choose the color you want to fill in the layer. You are given five options: foreground, background, white, transparency, and pattern.
Choosing the foreground and background adds the respective colors in the color dialog box. White, as is clear, will fill it with white color and the pattern will add the selected pattern. Using the transparency mode adds a transparent layer which is very useful for creating PNG files.
Rename layers
By default, layers are named layer 1, layer 2, and so on. If you are working with multiple layers, it is useful to give them their own name. There are a few ways you can rename them. First, you can do this in the New Layer window itself while creating a layer.
Second, once the layer has been created, double-click the layer name. The text can be edited. Now you can add a new name.
Select a layer
To work on a particular layer, just click it once in the layers panel. The selected or active layer has a gray box around it.
Change the order of the layers
The layering of orders is crucial while working on them. So the basic rule is that the top layer is visible. This means that the layers or the part of the layer below a layer are not displayed. You have to adjust them so that every part of a layer is visible. For example, in the image below, the top layer has dandelion and only certain parts of the sunset layer are visible. If I move the dandelion layer under sunset, the entire sunset layer will be visible as in the second image.
To reorder layers, click and drag the layer to its new position in the layers panel. You can also use the up and the down arrows in the layer panel to reposition the selected layer.
Delete layer
To delete a layer, right-click on it and select Delete Layer from the menu. You can also select the layer and click the delete icon in the layers panel. You can even drag the layer onto the delete icon to delete it.
Erase layer
Sometimes it is not necessary to delete an entire layer as you can keep the transparency of the layer and erase other content present in it. To do this, select the layer, go to Edit in the top bar and choose Delete. Tip Press the Delete key on your keyboard to delete the layer.
Show or hide layers
If you have multiple layers in GIMP, deleting or erasing a layer may seem like a difficult step as it removes the main content of the layer. To avoid that, you can easily hide a layer if you don’t need it. To do this, click the eye icon to the left of the layer name in the layers panel. To make it visible, click on the empty area where the eye icon should be.
As you can see in the image above, although the top layer is the sunset layer, we can see dandelion and the layer below it. That’s because I hid the sunset layer (no eye icon for that).
Add an image to the current file
Often times we want to add an image from our computer to the current image. Using the Open Image option in GIMP will open the image as a new file. To overlay an image or to import an image onto a layer, you must open it as a layer. To do this, go to File and click Open as layers. Tip: Use the keyboard shortcut Ctrl + Alt + O (on Windows) and Command + Option + O (on macOS) to open a file as a layer.
Add alpha channel
Alpha channels are important for creating transparency. When you add an image as a layer in GIMP, there is usually no alpha channel. So if you erase part of an image, you won’t be able to see the transparent background or the layer below it (if available). To see the transparent background or the layer below it, you need to add an alpha channel. Layers without an alpha channel are shown in bold. So that you can quickly identify such layers.
To add an alpha channel, right-click the layer and click Add Alpha Channel.
Resize a layer
You can resize a layer by scaling it. There are two ways to scale a layer. You can enter the size of your layer manually or use your mouse to change the size. In the first case, right-click on the layer and click Scale layer. The Scale Layer dialog box opens. Enter the required dimensions. Note: Keep the chain icon locked to automatically change the other dimension.
For the second method, select the layer first, then click the scaling tool in the toolbar. Once the tool is enabled, use your mouse to resize the layer. You can use the keyboard shortcut Shift + S to activate the Scale tool. Note: To scale evenly, hold down the Shift key on your keyboard while resizing with your mouse.
Trim a layer
You can crop a layer in two ways: automatic cropping and manual selection. If you have an image with an extra transparent background around it, you can use the first method to crop it. You don’t need to select anything with this method, as GIMP does everything for you. All you need to do is press a buttonTo do that, select the layer and then go to Image> Crop to Content.
However, if you want to crop manually, you will need to use the crop tool in the toolbar. Click the crop icon, select the area you want to crop and press Enter to crop. Tip: Use the keyboard shortcut Shift + C to crop the tool.
Double layer
To avoid damaging your original layer while trying something new in GIMP, you can duplicate a layer. This will keep the original layer intact and allow you to adjust the new layer as desired. To duplicate a layer, right-click on the layer in the layers panel and select Duplicate Layer from the menu. You can also select the layer and click the duplicate layer icon in the layers panel or drag the layer to the duplicate layer icon. The duplicated layer is called as the copy layer. Tip Use the keyboard shortcut Shift + Ctrl + D to duplicate a layer in Windows. In macOS, press Shift + Command + D.
Link layers
You often want to move or rotate multiple layers while working in GIMP. Usually you would do it one at a time. You don’t have to do that though, as GIMP allows you to link them so you can work on them as a single image. You can move, rotate, flip and resize layers using the link feature To link layers, press the space that is in front of the name of the layers you want to link. A chain icon appears, indicating that the layers are linked. Perform a transformation action after they are linked. To unlink them, click on the chain icon.
Group layers
By grouping different layers you can connect them together in an organized way. That is to say, you can use it to organize layers and perform actions such as rotate, move, etc. On all layers present in a group. To create a layer group, right-click on a layer and select Create Layer Group from the menu. You can also use the Create layer group icon in the layers panel. Once you do this, a layer with a folder icon will be created.
To add layers to it, just drag the layers there. To remove a layer from a group, drag it outside the group. You can have a layer group within another layer group. The dotted line indicates the hierarchy of the layers. Click the minus sign to close the group. You can hide or show all layers at once by using the eye icon next to the layer group.
Create a layer from an image
You can crop any part of an image in a separate layer. By doing this, you can make changes and take action on that specific area without changing the original image. To do this, follow these steps: Step 1: Select the area you want as a layer. You can use the path tool (press B to activate it) to select it.
Step 2: Use the command Ctrl + C to copy the selection. Then paste it with the command Ctrl + V. It will turn out up as a floating layer in the layer panel.
Step 3: Right-click on the floating layer and select To New Layer from the menu.
Congratulations! Your selected section is now available as a new layer. If you hide the bottom layer, you will see the new layer.
Peel the layer
Layers are great, no doubt. You can edit an image in several ways using layers. They give you super power when it comes to editing. You can use them for selective colors, mockups, changing the background and many other things. The next up Do you want to create beautiful images with transparent text? Check out our tutorial On how to do it in GIMP.
Using Layers in GIMP: Tips and Tutorial: benefits
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