How To Import A Photo Into Photoshop

How To Add together An Image To Existing Layers In Photoshop

When y'all're working on a Photoshop projection, yous'll constantly need to add images to existing layers. Whether yous want to combine two photos together or just place ane on top of the other, Photoshop makes it easy. At that place are a few different means of adding images in destructive and not-destructive ways. This tutorial will share the options you accept when adding images to existing layers or documents in Photoshop.

To Add A New Image To An Existing Layer, Follow These Steps:

Drag & Drop An Image From Your Computer Into The Photoshop Window
Position Your Image And Printing The 'Enter' Key To Place It
Shift-Click The New Image Layer And The Layer You lot Want To Combine
Press Command / Control + E To Merge The Layers
Now Your Image Is Added To An Existing Layer!

two Ways Of Adding A New Image Onto An Existing Layer In Photoshop

Since Photoshop is a layer-based editing program, that means you can add together new images to your project on split layers. Although they will appear as private images in your layers panel, they will look like they are combined on your canvass. Keeping your layers separate gives you lot the ability to make meliorate individual adjustments and work non-destructively.

With that said, there are times when yous want to add together an image into a layer that already exists. When yous combine ii layers onto one, it tin can make life easier for staying organized or remembering what's what.

Since we like options around hither, below will outline two effective ways to combine images with layers, not-destructively and destructively.

Option 1: Drag & Drop

The easiest mode to add an image onto an existing layer or Photoshop project is to drag and drop information technology from your reckoner. Start by locating the paradigm yous want to add together from your computer.

With your image selected, drag and drib information technology into your open Photoshop project.

Your image will be placed onto your canvas and appear as a new layer in the Layers panel. At this betoken, you can calibration or reposition the image to conform your needs. You lot can make these adjustments later on on with the Move Tool as well, so at that place's no need to make everything perfect.

Once y'all're happy, printing the Enter Key on your keyboard or click on the checkmark in the upper settings bar. Your paradigm will now be placed above your existing image on its own layer.

At this signal, you now have the option to merge the layers or get out them split. By keeping the two images separate, yous can freely adjust each 1 individually. Nonetheless, if you want to combine them so you can adjust them at the same time, you can combine them into i layer.

Holding the Shift Cardinal and clicking between the two layers you desire to combine, printing Command + East (Mac) or Control + E (PC) to merge the layers. Now your images will be combined onto one layer and tin be edited as one image.

Option 2: Copy & Paste

The second choice you have is to simply re-create and paste. This works all-time for images you lot already take opened in Photoshop, simply are betwixt 2 dissimilar projects.

With the image yous want to copy selected, go up to Edit > Copy or press Command / Control + C (Mac/PC)

Switching documents to your other project, become to Edit > Paste or press Command / Control + V (Mac/PC)

Your copied image will be pasted into your other project equally a new layer. With the Move Tool (5), you lot tin calibration and reposition it into a more than fitting location.

Now you can choose to keep the images split up or merge them into one. In near cases, it's best to go out them on divide layers, so you take more adjustment options later on.

However, if you are attack merging your layers, you can do so, again, by pressing Command + E (Mac) or Control + E (PC).

Although both of these options work well for adding a new image to existing layers, there are options such as groups or linked layers that offering a not-destructive means. Rather than permanently combining 2 images onto ane layer, groups permit you to identify them within a single folder. Similarly, links permit you lot move and calibration images in sync, making it easy to adjust them together.

How To Add An Image Inside Of An Existing Layer Using A Smart Object

Equally a third option for adding an image to an existing layer, that's where smart objects come into play. As I've outlined in this post, smart objects create a "container" for your layers to be added into. On the surface, yous simply see the smart objects, but you tin can edit all the layers inside individually when you open the smart object.

Permit'due south start by using either the elevate & drop or copy & paste option outlined previously to bring an prototype into this already created project. Now there are two images on 2 separate layers.

Adjacent, Shift-Click between the layers y'all desire to combine to highlight them. And so right-click on the layers and select 'Catechumen To Smart Object.'

Your layers will then be combined into i single layer, with a smart object icon in the corner of the layer thumbnail.

On the surface, this looks a lot like when you merge two layers. However, past double-clicking on the smart object layer thumbnail, a new window opens to reveal the smart object's contents.

Now y'all can see the two images from before on 2 separate layers. That'southward because, inside the smart object, they remain untouched and can still be edited individually. For instance, you could reposition 1 prototype within the smart object to make a change in your original projection. By pressing Command / Control + S (Mac/PC) to salve changes within the smart object, it will update in the initial projection.

Adapted layer within the expanded smart object.

How To Place An Prototype Within Of Another Layer With Clipping Masks

Depending on the type of effect you're trying to create, you may way to place 1 image inside the shape of some other. In this case, merging two unlike layers won't piece of work. Instead, you need to use something chosen a clipping mask.

For example, allow'south say you accept an existing triangle on ane layer that yous desire to add an image into. By post-obit the steps discussed previously, bring your desired paradigm into your project, placing the image layer in a higher place the existing shape layer.

Now, rather than combining the layers or creating a smart object, you lot'll accept to prune the image layer to the shape. Past right-clicking on the prototype layer and selecting 'Create Clipping Mask,' the image will only be visible within the shape layer.

You can acquire more about clipping masks and how they work in this post.

The process of adding an paradigm to an existing layer in Photoshop is relatively straightforward, and there are options for editing destructively and non-destructively. In most situations, it'south best to just get out your images on separate layers, then y'all accept the option to edit them individually. If the organization is a concern or yous want to edit multiple layers at once, and so smart objects, groups, or linked layers offer an constructive selection instead.

Happy Photoshopping!

Brendan 🙂