GMetrix Exam GMetrix Photoshop: Layers and Selections 5 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: What is the purpose of Quick Mask mode (Q) in Photoshop?
- It temporarily applies a black-and-white filter to the image
- It lets you paint and edit a selection using brush tools before converting it back (Correct answer)
- It creates a permanent layer mask from the current selection
- It shows the document in grayscale to help check tones
Correct answer: It lets you paint and edit a selection using brush tools before converting it back
Quick Mask mode overlays a red mask where there is no selection, letting you refine the selection by painting with black (removes) or white (adds) before exiting back to marching ants.
Question 2: Which layer type automatically appears at the bottom of the layer stack when you create a new document with a white or colored background?
- Smart Object layer
- Adjustment layer
- Background layer (Correct answer)
- Fill layer
Correct answer: Background layer
Photoshop creates a locked Background layer at the bottom of the stack when a new document is made with a white or color background option.
Question 3: How can you select multiple non-contiguous layers in the Layers panel simultaneously?
- Shift-click each layer thumbnail
- Ctrl-click (Cmd-click on Mac) each layer name (Correct answer)
- Alt-click each layer
- Right-click and choose Select All
Correct answer: Ctrl-click (Cmd-click on Mac) each layer name
Ctrl/Cmd-clicking layer names in the Layers panel selects multiple non-adjacent layers; Shift-click selects a contiguous range.
Question 4: What does the 'Refine Edge' (or 'Select and Mask') workspace help you accomplish?
- Sharpening the pixels along a layer boundary
- Improving selection edges, especially around fine details like hair or fur (Correct answer)
- Converting a selection to a path
- Adjusting the feather on a layer mask after it is applied
Correct answer: Improving selection edges, especially around fine details like hair or fur
Select and Mask (formerly Refine Edge) provides tools to fine-tune selection boundaries, with specific options for soft or complex edges like hair.
Question 5: If you want a layer's style effects (such as Drop Shadow) to scale proportionally when you resize the layer, which setting must you enable?
- Edit > Free Transform with Maintain Aspect Ratio checked
- Layer Style > Scale Effects (Correct answer)
- Image > Image Size with Resample checked
- Layer > Smart Object > Replace Contents
Correct answer: Layer Style > Scale Effects
Layer Style > Scale Effects lets you scale all effects applied to the layer by a percentage so they remain proportional to the resized layer.
Question 6: Which selection option in the Options bar adds to an existing selection when a selection tool is active?
- Intersect with Selection (overlapping squares)
- Subtract from Selection (square with minus)
- Add to Selection (two overlapping squares with a plus) (Correct answer)
- New Selection (single square)
Correct answer: Add to Selection (two overlapping squares with a plus)
Clicking the 'Add to Selection' icon (or holding Shift) tells the selection tool to expand the current selection rather than replace or subtract from it.
Question 7: A 'Fill Layer' in Photoshop (Layer > New Fill Layer) can contain which of the following content types?
- Raster image data only
- Solid Color, Gradient, or Pattern (Correct answer)
- Text and vector shapes
- Smart Object data
Correct answer: Solid Color, Gradient, or Pattern
Fill Layers provide non-destructive solid color, gradient, or pattern fills that can be edited at any time via their layer thumbnail.
GMetrix Exam GMetrix Photoshop: Layers and Selections 5
What is the purpose of Quick Mask mode (Q) in Photoshop?