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Photoshop Layer Effects Explained

Posted on 08. Oct, 2009 by bmackler in Photoshop

Layer effects are one of the most commonly used features used in Photoshop. When you use them separately or together you can create some wonderful effects. It is important to get to know each of the styles and what each does along with the available options. This tutorial will go though every default layer style in Photoshop.  It is always best to play around and adjust the options in order to find the level of effect you are trying to achieve…there is no need to use the defaults.

Adding a style to a layer is a quick and easy to way to get very nice effects like shadows and bevels.

Let’s start with a refresher overview of how to add styles to your layers.  Right click on the layer in the layer panel and choose Blending Options

The layer style editor will be opened for choosing the various options available for your selection.

Now that we have that out of the way, lets get started.

Image With No Style

1. Drop Shadow

This style adds a drop shadow to your layer. This is one of the more commonly used styles It’s a quick way to give your design more dimension and depth.

Drop Shadow Options

When I’m using a drop shadow, I usually only modify the Opacity, Angle, Distance, Spread, and Size

Opacity – In real life, shadows rarely completely black out what they’re being cast on, so this option lets some of the underlying layers show through. The default is set to 75, but I generally go lighter. Higher values will reduce how “see through” the shadow is and lower values will increase it.

Angle – Angle lets you control the direction the light is coming from. The “Use Global Light” option lets you specify whether or not you want to use the same light as everything else, or set one specifically for this object. Remember, if you change the angle while this is checked, the shadows on everything that uses the global light will be changed.

Distance – This option controls how far away the shadow will be from the object casting it. Higher values push the shadow farther away.

Spread – The spread controls how intense the shadow looks. With the default value the shadow has a soft edge, but if this were increased, the edge would become harder – as if a much brighter light was being shown on the object.

Size – This simply controls how large the shadow is. A larger value corresponds to a larger shadow.

2. Inner Shadow

An inner shadow is the reverse of a drop shadow, but the shadow is cast using the negative space of your layer. It is as if your layer was cut out of a white piece of paper and the shadow  is cast under the paper. The options for an inner shadow do the exact same things as a drop shadow.

3. Outer Glow

Outer Glow Options

There is a reason that is lost on me that the default Blend Mode was set to Screen, so usually the first thing you want to do is change it to normal – that allows you to make your object glow using a specified color.

Opacity – Similar to the drop shadow, this will set how visible layers underneath this layer are. The higher the opacity the less see-through.

Noise – This options adds a speckled pattern to your glow.

Technique – The technique changes the look of the glow. Play with this option to see what setting works best for you.

Spread – Spread works exactly like it does with a drop shadow. Higher values will make the edges harder where lower values make the edges soft.

Size – This controls the overall size of the glow.

4. Inner Glow

An inner glow has similar options to the outer glow, just in the reverse space.  Inside the image, instead of outside.

5. Bevel and Emboss

For a long time after these layer effects came out this was the most commonly used layer style.  This style is great for quickly making buttons or other objects that need to have a 3d effect.

Bevel and Emboss Options

Style -This changes how the bevel is applied.  The default is probably the best.  have not quite found out what the others are best used for, but you should  play with it and see what works for your projects.

Technique - This changes the look of the bevel from a smooth edge to a chiseled edge.

Depth – This option will change how ‘deep’ your bevel appears.

Direction – Setting it to ‘Down’ will push your bevel into the canvas. As far as I can tell, you can get the exact same look by reversing your light direction.

Size – Controls the overall size of your bevel

Soften - Increasing this will increase how soft your bevel looks.

6. Satin

Satin Options

The options are pretty self explainatory.   The real power is in changing the contour options

7. Color Overlay

Pretty straight forward.   It takes your selected color and changes the color of your layer.   The only two options I use here are the color and the opacity. Useful when you want to temporarily change the color of an object.

Color Overlay Options

8. Gradient Overlay

Similar to the Color Overlay, but instead of a solid color, it will overlay a gradient on your layer using the foreground and background colors selected in the color pallete.

Gradient Overlay Options

Create a gradient using your own colors or one of the many presets.  Most important options include:

Style - controls the type of gradient you are creating – Linear, Radial, Angle, Reflected and Diamond.

Angle - determines the direction the gradient is going in.

Scale - depth of the gradient

9. Pattern Overlay

This style simply overlays a pattern on your layer.  It functions very similar to the color overlay and the gradient overlay.  Use a preset pattern or create your own.

Pattern Overlay Options

Create a pattern using your own colors or one of the many presets.  Most important options include :

Snap to Origin button – sets the pattern to the top left corner

Scale- sets the size of the pattern on your object.

10. Stroke

This effect will outline your object layer with a border.  It can be a solid color, gradient, or pattern.

Stroke Options

Size - Controls the pixel width of your line.

Position – Controls were the line will be positioned.  Outside draws the line on the outside of the image -  Inside draws the line on the inside of your layer – keeping your image the same size. Center draws half of the line on the outside and half on the inside.

Fill Type – This is where you set the style – solid color, gradient, or pattern.  When you change this you’ll get different options specific to your selection.

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