Gazzilion layers - advise needed

[iceblue1980]

Hello fellow retouchers!

I'm an intermidiate user of PhotoShop (CS3) and started out 2002. I still have alot to learn

I like to do glamour retouching and I work with amature photos that I edit greatly. I use layers for everything, every little edit. Like for instance when I work on eyes I have layers for eyeballs, upper and lower lashes, eye whites... well you get the point.

At the end I end up with 100s of layers and it gets confusing. I know some people work with history tool and snapshots but I have no idea what such tools could be useful for.

I don't want to flatten the image since I'd like to be able to re-do my work at later occasions. I've read bit about layer-sets but not sure if that's the solution.

When I watch retouching videos, I only see 2, max 3 layers used.

I'd love some advice on how you guys are working and keep everything organized?

[diggnikon]

Hi

i think maybe you could group your layers as you go , as to not get lost in
layers matrix !

Dow the rabbit hole i say and keep learning .

Search the forum for an amy dresser psd file which shows all the layers grouped and retouched .

hope this helps

[Ant]

name your layers. Create layer sets, also named. Group portions of the file together and keep them together. The build of the file is as important as the work done often. I color code things additionally.

Do you know the trick using the move tool (v)? Select the tool and Control-click on your image. This will tell you what layers are within that area that you have clicked. Nice for quick navigation - important to name your layers.

[pixelzombie]

i've worked with guys who never saved layers which was a pain to work on those files after them, glad to see you haven't picked up that bad habit..like Ant said, naming layers and layer sets is a good thing...

[CaptainHook]

Originally Posted by Ant

Do you know the trick using the move tool (v)? Select the tool and Control-click on your image. This will tell you what layers are within that area that you have clicked. Nice for quick navigation - important to name your layers.

Good tip, thanks!