Fireworks: Layers

Layers are one of the most useful features available in advanced image manipulation programs (the GIMP, Fireworks, Photoshop, Illustrator, and a bunch of others use layers for just that reason). Layers make your image infinitely manipulable. They do so by separating elements of your image into separate sheets, each of which can be altered and stacked on top of one another. This way, when you select part of the image to move, you aren't moving the entire image, just the part that's on that layer.

Starting layers mode

To use layers with Fireworks, click Windows from the top tool bar and select layers. The layers window represents each layer as though it were a separate sheet of celluloid, each piled on top of the next.

Adding new layers

To add a new layer, click the arrow icon in the top right corner and choose "New Layer," or to duplicate the layer selected on the next layer, choose "Duplicate Layer."

Editing with layers

To alter the way layers display, you can adjust many aspects by using the drop down menu which says "Normal" in the image on the right. By clicking on the drop down menu, you can change the darken, lighten, hue, and many other effects - these are changed in relation to the percentage given, which is shown next to "Normal" with the "100."

To see one layer alone, click the eye to make it disappear - when the eye isn't showing for that layer, the layer itself is hidden.

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