A question on Layers

christulk

Hi all,

I had a search but can't find what i'm looking for.
Once adjusting an image with layers, I flatten the image (seems to take up less space and that is all I know about it).

After a while if I want to go back into the layers and make other adjustments, can I "un flatten" the image, make changes then flatten it again?

Thanks in advance

Andy

christulk wrote:

After a while if I want to go back into the layers and make other adjustments, can I "un flatten" the image, make changes then flatten it again?

No.

If you wish to work with layers again in the future, you must save the file as a .psd.

christulk

Andy wrote:

No.

If you wish to work with layers again in the future, you must save the file as a .psd.

Thanks Andy

Duffy Pratt

Well, if you didn't do any (or much) work on the file after flattening, you could go back to the unflattenned state in the history palette, but you would lose all of the intervening work. For what you are trying to do, you can merge the layers as a new top layer, and that preserves the underlying layers. It also makes the file bigger. Like most things in PS, there are many ways to skin this cat, and it all depends on what you are trying to accomplish.

Duffy

BillyVerden

Try sets
You might also try making a set. Putting all the layers you would normally flatten into a set, then locking it. Then later you could unlock it and doing any further adjustments. Of course you would still have the big file sizes. Also i "think?" TIFF saves layers. But of course that would be an even bigger file size. Lol.

drdane

Duffy Pratt wrote:

Well, if you didn't do any (or much) work on the file after flattening, you could go back to the unflattenned state in the history palette, but you would lose all of the intervening work. For what you are trying to do, you can merge the layers as a new top layer, and that preserves the underlying layers. It also makes the file bigger. Like most things in PS, there are many ways to skin this cat, and it all depends on what you are trying to accomplish.

Duffy

Just for Clarity - I think Andy's reply (and the original question) were referring to a file that had been flattened, then closed. Once you click on that little red X box, those layers have left this world and gone to layer heaven!

Of course, if the file remains open after flattening, using the history palette will let you go back in time, which is what you were referring to Duffy.

edgework

drdane wrote:

Just for Clarity - I think Andy's reply (and the original question) were referring to a file that had been flattened, then closed. Once you click on that little red X box, those layers have left this world and gone to layer heaven!

Of course, if the file remains open after flattening, using the history palette will let you go back in time, which is what you were referring to Duffy.

Keep in mind there is a limited number of separate "states" preserved in the history palette. Every brush stroke consists of one state. Many times I've wanted to revert back to a prior state, only to see "Brushstroke, Brushstroke, Brushstroke," etc in every slot.

Best technique, if you're not sure of the direction you are taking, is to make a snapshot with the camera icon at the bottom of the history palette. You create as many snapshots as you want, giving you access to multiple approaches.

Of course, like everything else in the history palette, they all go away as soon as you close the file.