In Photoshop very little is irreversible if the right steps are known and understood. In this article I’ll discuss a set of options that not only enhance the dynamic workflow but also provide greater flexibility and additional features when filling areas with color.

 

Figure 1: The Fill dialog box enables filling directly onto an image with foreground and background colors.

BASIC FILL 

Selected areas can be filled with color with the Fill command found in the Edit menu. This method presents a simple dialog box (Figure 1) that applies the foreground or background colors or a variety of other choices to a selected area through a blend mode or specific opacity. It’s simple and straight-forward, but it’s not what can be considered dynamic. After the fill is made and the image is saved and closed, the fill cannot easily be altered without reselecting the area.

 

LAYER IT

A better, more unique method for filling is to create a Fill layer. Fill layers are more dynamic than the traditional methods of filling large areas of color because they combine the potential of the Fill command with the flexibility of layers. Fill layers can be created with solid colors, gradients, or patterns. 

 

To create a solid color Fill layer, choose Layer >New Fill Layer > Solid Color.

 

Figure 2: The Solid Color Fill dialog box is a dynamic approach to applying color to a selected area.

The New Layer dialog box appears, with the layer named Color Fill 1 by default. (Figure 2) Type a name for the layer to better identify it and click OK. As with any layer, you can group the Fill layer with the one immediately above it, forming a clipping group by checking the box. Choose a color from the list if you want to color-code it to help locate it in the stack. Choose an opacity setting and a blending mode. At this point, the Color Picker is displayed where you’ll choose a hue from the color ramp and a saturation and brightness from the field, as in Figure 3. Click OK and the new Fill layer appears in the Layers panel as a swatch of the chosen color with an empty layer mask linked to it. 

 

Figure 3: The Color applied to the entire image as a Solid Color fill layer

If you make a selection prior to creating a Solid Color Fill layer, the new color only appears in the selected area and a layer mask that conceals the unselected areas is created. The layer mask thumbnail that appears in the Layers panel displays the revealed area as a white shape and the masked area as a black border, as in Figure 4.

 

Figure 4: If you make a selection prior to creating a Solid Color fill layer, the new color only appears in the selected area.

This technique is so simple you’ll wonder why you hadn’t thought of it before and it’s completely dynamic. If you want to change the color, simply double click the swatch in the Layers panel and the color picker will reappear. Choose a different color and click OK. 

 

GRADIENT LAYERS

Gradients are continuous blends of color and can be created with the Gradient Editor and applied with the Gradient tool. Like the Fill command, this process is straight-forward but not particularly dynamic. A Gradient Fill layer can be a better bet if a dynamic workflow is desirable. To create a Gradient Fill layer choose Layer > New Fill Layer > Gradient. The New Layer dialog box appears. The name of the new layer defaults to Gradient Fill 1. Enter a name for the layer to better identify it. Click OK; the Gradient Fill dialog box appears, as shown in Figure 5. The colors of the gradient default to the last gradient chosen. To alter the gradient, click the down arrow to the right of the gradient swatch to choose a saved gradient, or click the swatch itself to display the Gradient Editor and create a new one. In the Gradient Fill dialog, set the following specifications:

 

Figure 5: Gradient Fill dialog box controls the angle and scale of the gradient and also provides access to the Gradient Editor.

Style—Choose a gradient type from the Style pop-up list.

 

Angle—Enter a number, or click the diagram, to choose an angle to control the direction of the gradient. 

 

Scale—Choose a scale, by clicking on the arrow and moving the slider or by entering a value, to control the gradient’s relative distribution over an area.

 

Reverse—Check Reverse to flip the gradient’s direction over the entire layer.

 

Dither—Check Dither to soften the blending of the gradient. Dithering may help prevent banding that sometimes occurs when the Gradient is printed. 

 

Align With Layer—If the gradient is contained within a selection, check Align With Layer to distribute the gradient within the selection; not checking this box distributes it over the entire layer but reveals only the selected portion. Click OK to fill the layer. 

 

As with the Solid Color Fill layer, if you make a selection prior to creating a Fill layer, the new Fill layer will fill only the selected area and create a layer mask that conceals the unselected areas. 

 

You can really have some fun with this technique by creating a Gradient Fill layer and applying it through a blend mode. The gradient can be adjusted on-the-fly in real time as you view the changes.

 

CREATING A PATTERN FILL LAYER

A pattern is a continuous series of rectangular tiles. A pattern chosen from the pattern presets can be applied to a layer in the same way a Solid Fill or a Gradient Fill can. First make a pattern by selecting an area with the Rectangular Marquee tool. Choose Edit > Define Pattern. Name the pattern in the dialog box that is displayed. The pattern will show up in the pattern list when you make a Pattern Fill layer, or for that matter, anywhere in the application where a pattern can be applied. 

 

Figure 6: The Pattern Fill dialog box enables the choice of patterns and other adjustments unavailable anywhere else in the program.

Choose Layer > New Fill Layer > Pattern. The New Layer dialog box appears, with the layer named Pattern Fill 1 by default. Enter a name for the layer to better identify it and click OK. The Pattern Fill dialog box appears (Figure 6).

 

Click the down arrow to choose the pattern, (it will appear at the bottom of the list. Set the following options:

 

Scale—Choose a percentage to determine the size of the pattern.

 

Snap To Origin—You can move the pattern by placing your cursor on it on the image window, or you can snap it back to its origin by clicking the Snap To Origin button.

 

Link With Layer—Checking this box aligns the pattern’s layer mask to the layer.

 

Create A New Preset From This Pattern—Click the small document icon to save the pattern to the Presets.

 

The Pattern Fill layer provides the ability to adjust the pattern’s size and position on the fly, a feature that is unavailable with any other pattern application. 

 

Of course, after they’ve been created, Color Fill, Gradient Fill, and Pattern Fill layers can be edited by double-clicking their thumbnails in the Layers panel to reveal the Color Picker, the Gradient Fill dialog and editor, or the Pattern Fill dialog. Unlike regular layers filled with pixels, these dynamic effects will resize if the canvas is resized.

 

Fill layers apply color effects to an image without the worry of making a big unalterable commitment. They also expand the fill features, adding more options so that you can create the exact effect you want easily and efficiently. The next time you need to fill an area, consider Fill layers as a superior and dynamic alternative.