Chapter 16: Using the Add New Image Layer Command
The Add Image command is a useful way to add one image on top of another in a Luminar project. There are many possible reasons to do this, including design and technical. We’ll explore four uses for this effect
Loading a Texture Layer
The use of texture layers is quite a useful way to stylize an image. You can use the Add Image command to place a texture above a photo.
- Click the + symbol at the top of the Layers panel and choose Add New Image Layer….
- Navigate to a texture layer on your hard drive and click the Open button to add the file to your document. The layer is automatically named with the filename of the selected file.
- To scale the texture, right-click on its thumbnail and choose Texture Mapping.
- Select one of the three mapping options. You can Fit the image to the width or height, Scale to Fit to enlarge the image to fit the screen, or use Fill to distort the image to fill the screen.
- Click the Blend menu to change the Blending mode for the Texture layer.
- Drag the Opacity slider to refine the blending of the two layers.
Remember, a texture must be an external file. As you adjust the blend mode and opacity of the texture layer, it will create many different creative effects. Each mode will have a different impact on your image based on the type and opacity you choose. Adding a texture to your image can dramatically change the look and feel of your work, plus you may want to use a brush to apply the texture only in specific areas of your image.
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Note
Textures are not stored in Luminar. These files are located wherever you’ve saved them for usage. For easy access, we recommend keeping all of your textures in a consistent place on your hard disk.
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