Flattening and Merging...what is the difference?

[maureenreynolds]

Working in PSE6, I usually keep my psd, just in case, merge my layers and then resize and save for web if it's going on the web. Or just save as a jpeg, prob resized if it is for an art project etc. However, just this past week, I saw someone talk about flattening and wondered what that was for.

Is there a specific purpose for each one...which I'd imagine...and if so what are they? tia.

[hguenthe]

I think when you are talking of flattening or merging all the layers of a complete layout, they have a similar result.

However, if you flatten an element, you lose the transparent background if it has one and end up with a white background. If you merge layers, you retain the transparency of the layers.

[maureenreynolds]

Heather I get that. Do you find that you ever use flatten?

[Jen D]

I flatten my entire page right before I save as jpeg. I seldom merge... if I am going to want things to stay together I paperclip them so that I can go back and change things if I want.

[hguenthe]

I never flatten. When you save as a jpg, it automatically flattens it all for you so I just let it do that.

I also rarely merge but clip instead. If I do merge, I generally create a duplicate and hide it so that I can go back if I need to make a change. I know it makes for larger files but I like being able to change later or grab just a piece to use on another layout down the road.

[Jen D]

Originally Posted by hguenthe

I never flatten. When you save as a jpg, it automatically flattens it all for you so I just let it do that.

Heather what do you do if you make a double spread 24X12... don't you have to flatten in order move it to a 12X12??

[maureenreynolds]

When you both say clip, do you mean the link function? and I'm talking PSE.

And Heather, if you are taking a psd to a 'save for web' jpg, do you flatten then size or vice versa? Just curious as to you flow process.

[Jen D]

clip = link

[hguenthe]

Jen, whenever I do a 24X12, I save it as 3 files:

1) the full size 24 X 12 psd

then I use the Image -> Canvas Size to change it from being a 24 X 12 to a 12 X 12 and tell it to anchor everything to the middle left - it clips the page down to just being the left side and I save that as
2) the 12 X 12 psd for the left side which I Save As and tack on LeftSide to its file name

then I undo until I am back to the 24X12 sized page and repeat the Image -> Canvas Size this time anchoring to the middle right - it clips the page down to just being the right side and I save that as
3) the 12 X 12 psd for the right side which I Save As and tack on RightSide to its file name

It sounds like a fair bit but I found that it works well for me and ensures that the pages are exactly lined up as my fingers are never touching where anything moves.

Maureen - I save the psd and then without flattening, tell it to Save for Web as a jpg and I like the Save for Web option as I can tell it the pixel size I want the jpg to be in that same window, so it is a seemless make jpg with the size I want in one step.

My full step for saving a page is (and made an action for it so I just have to click one button to get it):
1) save as psd
2) save as full size jpg in my jpg folder for uploading to shutterfly
3) save as 700 X 700 jpg for web uploads in another folder
4) save as 450 X 450 jpg for small web uploads like facebook in another folder
5) close file without saving so as to not overwrite original psd

Jen, here are a couple of screen shots to show the different anchor options I use in the Canvas Size option:

[esther_a]

I do exactly like Heather except that as I'm on a PC I like saving as tiff files (with LZW compression) rather than .psd files.