Organizing files in general is important. Photoshop files can become unwieldy after adding a couple dozen layers, paths and alpha channels if you don’t maintain an organization system. Files are archived for later use or handed off to another design for some reason or another. Taking over a Photoshop file, or any file from a disorganized designer can be a nightmare, so just take a few extra seconds while you are working to tidy up the file. The sanity you save may be your own.
Do your Photoshop layers look like this? Take five minutes more and organize the files before archiving or handing off to a service bureau or another designer.
Recently, a designer sent me a Photoshop document with over 130 unnamed, unorganized, scattered shape layers. It took 45 minutes to organize the layers before I could start working.
Here are some tips to keep your files neat and organized.
Name your layers.
Yes, all of them. Give them unique, meaningful names that will be easy to recognize later.
Group related layers.
If you have twelve layers of type, put them in a layer group called “type”. Not too tough. If you have a tree, branches, apples and a drop shadow on seventeen different layers, put them in a group called “apple tree”. Simple.
Collapse expanded layers or groups.
Yes, I know Photoshop defaults to expand everything all the time. Yes, it’s a pain to click that extra time. Yes, I have requested that Adobe change this. Just take the fraction of a second necessary to collapse each expanded layer as it is created. You will gain the benefit of seeing more layers in the panel at one time making it easier to edit.
Always save the original PSD.
Seems like common sense, but you would be surprised how often the original file is unavailable when revision time comes around. Save the original layered PSD and send a flattened file to clients for approval.
Delete empty layers
As you are working, you may copy text from one layer to another leaving the first layer empty. Deleting an object in Photoshop does not make the layer containing it to go away. The shape or text may be gone, but the layer is left behind.
Work in the correct color mode.
This may not seem like an organization issue, but it is a common mistake. If you designing for print, work in CMYK. Designing for web, RGB. It really doesn’t seem like a big deal when you are printing from your desktop ink jet, but when you send your file out to a commercial printer you might find this to be a costly oversight.
Happy Photoshopping.
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I couldn’t agree with you more. I wrote a similar article on the naming of layers and the organization of layers.
It totally stinks when I get a psd file from a client and things are located all over the place.
tsquez’s last blog post..Name Your Layers
Nice one, thanks for the tip
I tend not to organize my designs unless it is made for a client, in which case i correctly name, organize and group all layers.
organising files is key to keeping a steady focused workflow. I tend to organise myfiles in date order for my sites and in categories such as header / footer / navi for my web designs. keep up the good work
Shaz’s last blog post..150 valuable Photoshop Actions sets + Tutorials
I hate download templates or receiving documents that aren’t organized. I’m so OCD about it that I instantly have to rename every layer, etc. Good post, I feel for you. Thanks for sharing.
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