TUTORIAL ARTICLE

Beginner

3 min

Tip: Edit a single layer with adjustment layers

Use clipping masks to limit the effect of adjustment layers to just one layer.

What you learned

Which layers are affected by an adjustment layer?

An adjustment layer lets you edit color and tone on other layers non-destructively. By default, an adjustment layer affects all layers below it in the Layers panel. But you can limit which layers are impacted by an adjustment layer by applying a clipping mask to the adjustment layer.

How to limit the effect of an adjustment layer

Use a clipping mask to limit the effect of an adjustment layer to only the layer directly below it in the Layers panel.

How to limit the effect of additional adjustment layers

If you add another adjustment layer above the first adjustment layer, you can apply a clipping mask to it too. This limits the impact of the additional adjustment layer to the same underlying layer as the first adjustment layer.


Instruction by

Colin Smith

Adobe Stock Contributor

Den-Belitsky

3 October 2024

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