Lowering Layered File Sizes—Part Two
by Jen White
As part of a quick mini series, I’m sharing with you my not-so-super-secret tips for lowering the files sizes of layered projects in Photoshop and Photoshop Elements.
In Part One of the series, I shared the super simple how-to tip of cropping your document at the end of the creative process in order to vastly reduce its file size.
If you were surprised at how many megabytes Part One saved you, you will be blown down by this next little dandy. Read on.
Tip #2: Merge, Merge, Merge
I almost always use masks to clip my photos and papers. You probably do, too. Do yourself and your hard drive space a favor—merge the clippings down after you know you won’t want to change them.
• In the Layers panel, click on the layer that is clipped (ie. photo or paper) to activate it.
• In the Menu Bar, choose Layer > Merge.
This is gonna save you a TON of megabytes in the end.
But, why?
Just as I noted in Part One, Photoshop and Photoshop Elements keeps track of ALL pixels in a document—even the ones you cannot see. Merging will smash those two (or more) layers together revealing all their dirty secrets and not letting Photoshop get the last word. (wink)
NOTE: You will have to simplify shape layers and type layers before you can merge onto them. However, simplifying vector layers (shapes and type) has the potential to raise the file size of your document. So, I’d encourage you to experiment to see which is better—simplify and merge, or just leave things be.
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15 Responses
Irene
I’m curious, do you keep your layered files after your done with a scrapbook page and printed it off (single page or in a book)? I’m debating if I will ever use the layered file again.
Jen White
Ooooh, Irene. I wish I could give concrete advice on this one. Personally, I DO keep my layered files. But it’s a constant inner struggle. It goes something like this . . .
KEEP. Those 100lb babies (a.k.a. 100MB layered pages) are my kin. They are a labor of love. How could I possibly toss them out??
TOSS. In all honesty, I will probably never go back and reuse a page layout or change something and reprint. My eyes are focused forward, not back. Toss those babies OUT with the bathwater! The problem is…I just used the word “probably.”
Sorry. That was a bit of a therapy session. I’m not any help. ?
dorisedgar
How do I get number 1 of this lesson
I somehow did not receive the news letters from Jen for some weeks
I was out of town and didnot know
Jen White
Hi Doris. I’m SO glad you asked! My link (in the second paragraph of this post) was incorrect. I’ve fixed the link. Or, you can click here: http://www.digitalscrapper.com/blog/lower-file-size-1/
C.J. Sturtevant
Thanks for these amazing tips! I freed up gigabytes of space (really!!)on my EHD, and had a jolly good time looking back through my layouts from years ago as I slimmed them down.
One thing I discovered is that if I had applied a stroke effect to a photo or layer that extended beyond the edge of the page (as if part of the photo/later was on the facing page), when I cropped the page, that stroke effect suddenly appeared where the photo ended at the edge of the cropped page. Not good! I dealt with that by putting the stroke on a separate layer, and then masking or erasing the unwanted stroke bit along the page edge. Is there a better way to deal with that?
Also, I often clip papers or photos to my title type layers. I didn’t want to rasterize the type and so instead of leaving a full-size sheet of paper in my layers, I used the marquee tool to select just enough paper to cover the text, created a cut-out from the big paper sheet and deleted the big sheet, and clipped the small piece of paper to the type layer. That made a noticeable difference in my file sizes.
Jen White
C.J.,
LOVE hearing of your savings!! I, too, love to go through old scrapbook pages.
Your solutions for stroke outlines and clipped type are spot on. Great thinking!
Donna
That was an interesting note on simplifying and merging and how it could raise your file size. Thanks for that information!
adriana fantes
PSE14, macbook air, safari,l el capitan,,, blog “lowering layered file sizes, part two”
Hi Jen, i dont understand it. what do you clip. how do you
masks to clip photos and papers? I would love it if you explained. sorry,for the extra trouble
Adriana
Jen White
Hi Adriana. You’re no extra trouble. 😀
If I want a small square piece of patterned paper on my scrapbook page, I first create a rectangle with the Rectangle tool. Then I clip the paper to the rectangle. Doing this makes things completely versatile and non-destructive.
Hope that helps. 😀
Linda Sattgast
Adriana, the paper layer needs to be above the rectangle. With the paper layer the active layer, in the Menu Bar choose Layer > Create Clipping Mask. Using a clipping mask instead of just a cropped piece of paper adds to the file size.
What Jen is suggesting is that you merge the paper and clipping mask layers when you’re sure it’s what you want.
Louise Workman
Good to know! Thanks a bunch.
Barbara Schladitz
Thanks for these tips, Jen. We look to you for good advice always.
Jo
Good information to know. I always hesitate to merge thinking I might go back. Will have to become a little more decisive.
Now maybe a tut on the neat lettering effect on “Lowering”
Jen White
Glad to hear your appreciation for the lettering effect, Jo. I’ll see about posting that sometime. 🙂
Terri
Jen, thanks for your helpful series. I am finding it very enlightening. You are absolutely correct that that my file sizes have grown and grown as I play and play with so many fun tips and tricks I am learning. I appreciate that you are willing to share your knowledge so freely with us.