Stylin' - Layer Styles Paletts; The Effects Palette; Combining Effects and Styles; Grouping layers; Scanning tips; Working with Text; Text Effects with Layer Styles; Copying Layer Styles; Making a Layer Styles Library

In the first part of the lesson we worked with Layer Styles. We drew some shapes, each on a separate layer and then played with the Layer Styles in the drop down menu. I used the Polygonal Tool to make the arrow and then the Rectangular and Elliptical Marquee tools for the other two shapes. After playing with the various bevels and shadows and Complex styles these were the ones I kept:

In the next part of the lesson we used our "candothis" image from the first lesson and applied some effects to each of the layers. I also applied a drop shadow to both of the layers. There weren't too many of the effects I liked with these shapes so have just followed the lesson here. I did create another image using the same "candothis" image but I played with Layer Styles for that one so have not included it here. However, I liked the resting image better.

For the final part of the lesson we experimented with combining Effects and Styles. I have to admit that after experimenting with the various Effects I spent the rest of my time playing with Layer Styles, including those which I had downloaded from the Adobe Studio Exchange. Great tip, Janee! The steps I used, as far as I can remember them, are detailed below the image.

I started with the Polygonal Lasso tool to create Layer 2 then flood filled it with white and deselected it. Next I worked with Layer Styles adding first a drop shadow and then BSeen-Rust Pack Demo, but increased the bevel size. (I really like the effect so will probably go back and buy the full pack.) I then added Layer 3, used the Elliptical Marquee tool, flood filled with white and deselected. I again added a drop shadow and the BSeen-Rust Pack Demo with the bevel size increased to 73.

Layer 4 was next added and the Rectangular Marquee tool used to create a square shape which was then filled with white. Then I used the BSeen-Sun Shower Layer Style which resulted in a transparent beveled shape. I activated Layer 1 and flood filled it with white. Then I went into Layer Styles, but forget which one I used. The result placed the color beneath the transparent square shape on Layer 4. I also increased the bevel size on this. Finally I went back to the top in the Layer Palette and added another layer for my text. I used the Eye Dropper to pick up color from the Layer 3 globe. The font, Scrap Cursive is a purchased font which I use frequently on my digital scrapbook pages. I added a drop shadow to the text to add depth to it.

While we didn't really get into Text this week, I remembered why I couldn't get the copyright symbol to work with the font I used in another lesson. That font does not support the symbols and one of the standard fonts, like Arial, must be substituted in those situations.