What Is The Significance of Merging Layers?

[abrogard]

I'm following instructions on how to colorize a black and white pic.

I've got my pic in there and I've copied it to make a working layer. So I've got two layers: original and copy.

First thing is to change to RGB, I read.

So I go to change it and get a message about it possibly changing the appearance of things and - do I want to merge layers first?

Well as I understand it I work with layers so's my original won't get tampered with at all.

Now if I 'merge' things won't that mean my original will become part of this second layer?

Which I'm going to tamper with - colorize. Doesn't that mean my original will get colorized too?

Or do I lack understanding of the merge thing?

 

[IamSam]

Hi abrogard, it's hard to tell exactly what's going on here. It would help if you posted a link to the tutorial/instructions your trying to follow.

If you started with an image in a different color mode, anytime you try to change it, you will get a warning like this...........



Is this the same warning you saw? If so, just hit don't flatten.

 

[Steve]

First thing is to change to RGB, I read.

So I go to change it and get a message about it possibly changing the appearance of things and - do I want to merge layers first?

Not quite sure what all that means.
When I colorize a B&W I open a new blank layer above it and apply the color there.
If I remember properly that layer needs to be set to color or overlay (sorry it's been a while).

I personally never flatten an image for the reasons you mentioned.
I use Ctrl+Alt+Shift+E and create a new layer which creates a composite of all visible layers, and then create a Group with all the previous layers in case I need to revert to it.

 

[MikeMc]

I personally never flatten an image for the reasons you mentioned.
I use Ctrl+Alt+Shift+E and create a new layer which creates a composite of all visible layers, and then create a Group with all the previous layers in case I need to revert to it.

This said it all! Thanks Steve!

 

[PseFrank]

Before editing any image It's a good idea to make a copy of it...and then work on the copy. No matter what happens then, you'll never lose or damage your original.

 

[ibclare]

One more point. I think you were asking about the color changing. Maybe you've discovered the answer by now.

If you open a B&W image, the mode will be greyscale. No colorizing options will be available in this mode.

Once you change the mode to RGB, your work to that point will remain greyscale, but now you can add color.

You still have two separate layers, if you don't flatten, to treat individually. In this particular case, since you only have two layers and one is a copy of the other, flattening won't have any significance, except that you'll need to make another copy. So, it's simpler not to flatten in the first place.


@ Gurus:
In fact, under what circumstances would you choose the flatten option?