merge layers vs flatten

[carrbowl]

Whats the difference...and please put it at the First grade level...that's as far as I've made it in photoshop...and that's pushing it!!!!

[texkam]

http://www.google.com/search?q=merge%20layers%20vs%20flatten&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8&aq=t&rls={moz:distributionID}:{moz:locale}:{moz: official}&

1st entry should work.

[RIDDLER STUDIOS]

DISCLAIMER: I'm not an expert but...
sometimes when you make adjustment layers for example:
Exposure (but you only want 10% of the affect...so, 10 opacity)
Curves - (but you only want 40% of the affect...so, 40 opacity)

Now, you have two adjustment layers that you can "merge" and then adjust the combined affect as you see fit because the two layers have now become one.

On the other hand if you had "flatten" the image, you would no longer be able to make any fine tune adjustments.

Flatten literally flattens all the layers and you no longer have control over the adjustment layers.

- I'm not sure that makes any sense but, I hope it does and I hope it helps.


RIDDLER

[mmuhlenkamp]

Merge Layers lets you select which layers you want merged.

Flatten Image will merge ALL layers to background.

[carrbowl]

gracias....

[suzyjazz]

Cool -- I have wondered about this, too!