The Basics of the Move Tool (PART 2)
This is the second part to The Basics of the Move Tool. Part 2 highlights more advanced features, but even as a beginner it can be helpful to look at the full potential of certain tools. As the move tool is the most widely used tool, I would definitely recommend reading and trying out all of the various tips within this post.
Be sure to stay tuned for the next blog post highlighting some of the basics of the marquee tool. In the meantime, be sure to keep on trying out the current feature set you know.
6. Advanced Transform
If you’re trying to transform your element in ways that scaling does not allow, Photoshop has built in secondary transform features that include: Skew, Distort, Perspective, and Warp. Skew and Distort allow you to drag any corner or side in a given direction. Perspective is similar, but also drags the opposite corner along the same axis. Warp is the most advanced feature, but it allows you to freely transform the object. These features can be accessed via the Edit menu under Transform. You can also right click within the bounding box while in Transform mode.
7. Moving Layers Forward/Backward and Grouping
This is more of a shortcut tip than a crazy, blow-you-away feature.
- To move a layer forward or backward in respect to the background, use Ctrl+{ or Ctrl+} for Windows and Cmd+{ or Cmd+} for Mac.
- After you learn how to effectively select multiple layers via the canvas, the shortcut for grouping layers is Ctrl+G for Windows or Cmd+G for Mac and will make things a lot easier.
8. Selecting Multiple Layers
Grouping layers is important in Photoshop, but you don’t want to end up with too many groups. Being able to select multiple layers on the fly is very important. You can achieve this in 2 ways:
- In the layer window, you can hold shift and select multiple layers across a span. Holding Ctrl for Windows and Cmd for Mac while clicking on a single layer will either select or deselect it within your selection.
- As mentioned earlier, holding Ctrl for Windows or Cmd for Mac while clicking on the canvas selects a layer, but you can also select or deselect multiple layers by holding the Shift Key.
9. Duplicating
There’s a simple command to duplicate a single layer (Ctrl+J for Windows or Cmd+J for Mac) but what about duplicating multiple layers or groups? You can achieve this by holding the Alt or Opt key while dragging a single layer, multiple layers, or a group. This works whether you are on the layer window or on the canvas.
10. Align Feature
When you have multiple layers selected, you can align the elements by their attributes using the move tool. The alignment feature lets you align top edges, vertical centers, bottom edges, left edges, horizontal centers, and right edges. Play around with these features to see how they work. They can end up saving you a lot of time in the long run.
Author: Team VaynerMedia
