Watch the video above then read the instruction below which document the actions taken in the video. The video above is intended as a visual indicator of where to go next, the detail of the tutorial is contained within the textual content of the page below:

The Layer Styles options are more applicable to Graphics work than Photography and once familiar with the techniques you will begin to recognise them in all sorts of graphic work from Logos to Advertising. The video above only uses the first few basic Layer Styles and is intended to be an introduction and we will return to Layer Styles later.

To start add a new layer and create a basic shape.

In the video above I have create a new canvas as a workspace then created a new layer to place my basic shape. I have NOT worked on the Background Layer (I seldom do) as the Layer Styles cannot be applied to the Background Layer.

Layer Styles can be applied to very complex shapes or just about any content a layer has but will have varying degrees of success relating to the content. I have added a very basic blue square this is simply to give you the best view of the Styles applied to the layer.

Drop Shadow
The first Style applied in the video is Drop Shadow, this is very often used with Graphic work to give the layer content a lift and give the impression that the layer content is floating slightly above the canvass, this is often used as it naturally draws the eye to the floating image.

Within the Drop Shadow dialogue box we will start with we will just look at the basic options that allow you to change the colour, size and angle of the drop shadow. Firstly the colour of the drop shadow can be changed from default black to something that matches your image more closely and gives a more natural effect. The Opacity can also be changed to give the drop shadow a translucent effect that allows more of the layer underneath to be visible giving it a natural look. Changing the colour can give a natural look on a white background if you amend the drop shadow colour to something closer to the drop shadowed elements.

The size of the drop shadow can be adjusted by Distance, Spread and Size. Distance is the distance the layer will seem to float above the lower layer, this is an illusion created by moving the shadow further away from the image element according to the Angle indicated. Spread increases how far the shadows spreads beneath the layer. Size will adjust how blurred the edges of the shadow are, the more distance you put into the shadow the edges should be blurred as this is what would happen in the real world. All these options can be adjusted via the slider that allows you to slide the arrow to a point that suits your needs of if finer adjustment is required numerical values can be added against the slider and adjusted incrementally to get just the right amount your require.

The Angle option allows you to adjust the angle that the hypothetical light source is coming from, this is very useful when you have created an image that would have the light source coming from the top right you cannot have a drop shadow coming from top left, adjusting the angle will allow you to match up the angle of the light source with that of your image. This options can be found within may of the Style dialogue boxes.

Please note that everything on that layer will be drop shadowed so it is worth keeping all your image components on their own layers if you are applying Styles.

Inner Shadow
This is the direct opposite of Drop Shadow and as such the options will be exactly the same although applied within the perimeter of you image element.

Inner/Outer Glow
This is very similar to the options for Drop Shadow and Inner Shadow but in this instance they can be used to create an effect that is more Aura like than a shadow. This is a useful technique for adding emphasis to an important image element.

Again all the adjustments come via a slider of manually adding a text value adjacent to the slider. Opacity will allow you to make the effect translucent and allow the layer below to be seen through the effect. Noise allows you to texturize the effect which can help give a more natural effect if being overlay on textured surface. Spread and Size do the same as in the Drop Shadow dialogue box.

Bevel Emboss
This Style enables you to give an area of flat colour a raised 3D feel that can bring an extra level of interest to your image element.

The Bevel and Emboss dialogue box works in much the same way as the other Style dialogue box options. The sliders allow you to select the Depth (bevel edge) of your Bevel the size is how far into the image the bevels comes (the further the deeper the effect) and the Soften which is the size of the Blur on the bevel edge which will soften or Harden the effect of the bevel.

There are also two radio buttons on the dialogue box Up and Down which allow you to select between having a raised and a sunken bevel.

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