AV News 179 - February 2010
Photoshop – Exporting Layers to Files
K e ith S c o tt FRPS
You may recall from our previous article in issue 178 November 2009 that a
colleague needed to register several images and then produce .jpg images
from each layer of his resultant master .psd file. In that particular example we
started by loading those separate images (candles) into a "Stack", thereby
forming one single Photoshop file containing multiple layers. After trimming to
suit we saved as a .psd file then saved each layer as a separate .jpg file.
However to save those layers into .jpg or other file format it isn't necessary to
copy, paste, and then save each layer individually because Photoshop
contains a useful little "Script" to automate this process for us.
In this example we're going to start with just one image and finish with five,
not of candles but an E-MU 0404 Audio Interface. This example contains an
image on a white background. You may wish to use something similar of your
own for experimental purposes. This procedure will create four additional
registered images on coloured backgrounds saved as .jpg files.
First of all, in Photoshop open (your) Layers palette showing background
original image (Photoshop automatically layer copied and colour filled
names this image Background and it is
locked by default) make four copy layers by
pressing Ctrl+J four times, because each
layer is a direct copy from the original
Background all layers are automatically
registered. Rename each copy layer with
the colour to be used. In this example we
use pink, green, yellow and blue. Select the
white background on the Background layer,
then without changing the selected area
simply highlight each of the other layers in
turn and fill using an appropriate colour
chosen from the colours palette, fill by using
the paint bucket. Deselect the white
background. At this point it's a good idea to
save your work as a native Photoshop .psd
file, using an appropriate name.
If you click on and off the little eyes next
to the layer icons you will see that the
background colours change but the main
image (E-MU 0404 in this example) remains static. Before inserting into PTE
or other software for use in your Audio-Visual sequence, you will need to
convert each layer into a single .jpg file. This is where the little Photoshop
"Script" comes into use. With your mouse click on File, then click on Scripts,
then on Export Layers to File. You will be presented with a Photoshop
control box named "Export Layers to File". At the top of this control box click
on the Browse... button to navigate to and select the folder where your
'saved' images are to be stored.
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