Flattening image shortcut.

[Frog Man]

When I finish coloring I usually have anywhere from 10 to 30 layers. And I was wondering is there a shortcut to flatten the image, yet still retain the layers. As in make a flatten version of all the layers but not flatten it all the way. Not like a temperary flatten. I was wondering this cause I like to flatten an image and add little fun stuff and have made the mistake of pressing "yes" when I close photoshop. XD

Ive gotten into that habit of "saving as" but if there is some short way to do this please tell me.


... I'll lub you 0_o

[Hawk]

Easy, create a new layer above all the layers. Then go to Image->Apply Image and hit ok. You will get a flat version in the new layer.

Or you can select all ... Edit->Copy Merged and paste in a new layer.

Either way works

[coffeemonkey]

another one i use to keep progress of my work (coming across it by accident) would be to open up the history list, and at the bottom click the snapshot button at intervals... keep bookmark-like thumbs of what all changes i've made.  If i like a change as a seperate work, I can click the next button to have it generate into a new document all the layer configurations I had at that point in time. Handy when you're just messing around with trandparency and color interactions.

[Frog Man]

Easy, create a new layer above all the layers. Then go to Image->Apply Image and hit ok. You will get a flat version in the new layer.

Beutifull! *huggles hawk... in the none gay sort of way.

[NRGU]

hmm i always just save, then chose flatten visible, and save with another name... nv thought of that... ty hawk!

[Koganei]

On Windows: Choose the selection tool, then do those in order: Ctrl+A, Ctrl+Shift+C, Ctrl+N, Enter, Ctrl+V. And if you want to save the flatten layer, Ctrl+S.  

[Hawk]

Ctrl-N creates a new PS document, my understanding Frog Man wanted everything, layers and flatten image, in one PS file.

[Koganei]

*shrugs*

don't do ctrl+n if you don't want two separate images then

[freddy]

I just press Ctrl+D a bunch of times

[JonnWood]

I thought Ctrl-E flattened.
And I can usually hold my stuff down to about 5-7 layers.

[stargazer]

And I can usually hold my stuff down to about 5-7 layers.

Why are you proud of that? O.o
I know that I work with tons and tons of grouped layers, so I can keep control. afaik from what I've discussed with Hawk he workes the same way. It's not unusual for me to end up with ~100 layers, all in folders, by the end of a bigger piece.

[Hawk]

When I color Applegeeks comics, I usually end up with 40 to 50 layers. The best tip when working with that many layers, start creating folders and think smart when using layers.

For example. when I color my flat colors (base colors for the comic) I keep all the skin color in one layer. Create a new layer and color all the shirts, etc. I move those into folders and start rendering it with shadows and lights instead each folder.

[bean]

I usually end up with anywhere from 20-50 layers depending on how I'm colouring...which sucks the life out of my aging G4 (300 meg .psd or .tiff files are not my friend...).

I was gonna post the method hawk stated....maybe i should try reading the posts in a topic more often... :roll:

Also, if I have lots of grouped layers (bases, highights and shodows for instance) I  merge those into one layer, which usually gets rid of 3 or 4 layers right there.

-b

[coffeemonkey]

That's what I do as well.. because if you can possibly help CPU strain... heh.  Goes without saying... best work, even with stuff flattened that I want to keep around has at least eight + layers in it.  During work... no less than 20 or it is called 'learning' hehe. :lol:

[Atterboy]

I know this is an old post, but for people who find this, to get a flattened image with all your layers still intact select all your layers and use the shorcut : cmd+alt+e