Layer Panel in Photoshop CS4 Tutorial

In this Photoshop CS4 tutorial I write about the most basic of all images editing step that important to learn for beginner. I was a computer graphic mentor, and from my teaching experience I conclude that the most important to learn for beginner are Layer Panel, Navigating tool, and Selection.

Right now I will write a little explanation about Layer Panel.
When we use Photoshop, we actually work on one or more layer. Each layer can contain different image. When we work on a layer, we can specify which layer it is, and we can choose the editing step will work on other layer at a same time or not.

Layer panel is a way to organize the layer we use. The minimum number is one layer, there is no maximum number (as long I know).

There are some icons in the bottom of the Layer panel. The second from right is Create a New Layer icon. This icon can be use to make a transparent layer by clicking on it.

If we drag a layer name in to the Create a New Layer icon, we will get a duplicated layer. This duplicated layer usually named [layer name] Copy. You may not notice the different if you looked at the image you working on, because the duplicated layer is positioned at the same place with the original one. It is the same result when you press Ctrl+J on a layer without selection on it.

The most right is trash icon, this icon can be use to delete a layer. You can delete a layer by click on the layer name then click the Delete icon. Or, you can use the same way when you duplicate a layer (by drag the layer name to this trash icon).
Note: In Photoshop CS4, you can also delete a layer by press Del/Delete key on the keyboard.