The Paint Shop Pro Layers: What sets it Apart?

Of course, you will miss out on a few other options as well. What are they?

In order to find out what the differences are, you will need to open up Paint Shop Pro and experiment a little. So start up a new canvas so I can help you introduce some of its unique features!

First, you need to locate the Paint Shop Pro layers box.

1. Introducing the layers box

Located on the right side column of the program is the Paint Shop Pro layers box. You can obviously change the size of the box to fit your visual liking.

You will notice that, right away, you have a choice of making three different types of layers: a regular raster layer, a vector layer, or an art media layer.

What is unique about Paint Shop Pro is that it tries to be the ‘Jack of all Trades’ instead of a specialized program. This is why you are able to do vector graphics should you so desire in your painting.

So, if you’re on a budget, but what to learn the vector images without buying another art program, then Paint Shop Pro will be the right digital art program for you!

Regardless, the one we are going to work on the most is the raster layer.

2. The different types of layers

Normally, when you start painting with the Paint Shop Pro brush tool, it will only work on a raster layer. That means you have to either select the first icon to make a raster layer, or just paint on the background layer, before you can start using the tool.

Now, should you decide to use the vector layer, the program will prompt you that it will convert it to a raster layer if you still decide to use the brush tool. Basically, any tool that you will normally paint with won’t work.

The only tools available in a vector layer are the pen tool and the shape tool to do vector images!

The last type of Paint Shop Pro layers is the art media layer. Should you decide to use anything besides the brush tool and the airbrush tool; the program will actually create an art media layer for you.

What is interesting about the art media layer is that you can create a layer that simulates type of canvas material! For example, if you have chosen a fine canvas, anything that you will paint will look like the texture of the fine canvas!

3. The different types of art media brushes

For the art media layer, you can only paint on it with the art media brushes.

The great thing about these brushes is that it simulates real life painting media. Hence, if you’re familiar with some of them, you can always paint with the art media brushes on the art media layer instead of the regular brushes on a raster layer.

The follow art media brushes are shown below:

Just be warned that if you decide to change the type of media, the program will prompt you to change it to one of the three correct Paint Shop Pro layers!

4. The layer options

One last thing to note is the types of settings you can apply to each individual layer regardless of the type. This is the blend modes. As soon as you click on the icon to start a new layer, you will have notices that it will ask you for a blend mode.

For the most part, you will get the following blend modes (without the option of 'paint behind'):

As well, you can choose your opacity setting of the layers. Unless you are familiar with the blend modes, just try to leave everything on the ‘normal’ blend mode.

Don’t be afraid that it’ll be static. In fact, you can change the settings anytime you feel like it simply by double-clicking the specific Paint Shop Pro layers once you have already created the layer!

So, now that you know the specifics of the Paint Shop Pro layers, it really is a different beast in its own right. All there is left to do now is just to practice and experiment! Ask yourself: when will I use this option? What else can I do?

Use motivation to fuel your own learning!

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Return from Paint Shop Pro Layers to the 2d Digital Art Guide.