Expert: Candice Anderson - 2/15/2008

Question
QUESTION: Hello

When I flatten my layers I lose the effects that coincide with those layers so I end up losing my bevel & embossing and I think the drop shadow as well. Only some of my files did this. Im not sure why, what can I do?

ANSWER: hey,

before you flatten your layers, do this to each of the layers with something on them:

do your bevel and what not as usual
make a new layer
put the new layer under your beveled layer
press ctrl + E to flatten just those two layers
what that does is it permanently puts your bevel in the piece.
(so I'd also suggest making a copy of that beveled layer, should you want to change it again)

then flatten!

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: When I do the ctrl + e should I have the layers linked? If they are linked and they come together I still lose the effects...
Thanks

Answer
no...

bevel your layer
make a new layer
move the new layer under the beveled layer
click the beveled layer, only the beveled layer
press ctrl E - which only merges the layer on top to the layer on the bottom, don't do anything else to it.

Do these steps to each of your affected pieces - so bevels, shadows, any effect, but don't do them together.

THEN flatten all of them.

I'm not sure what your linking exactly, but don't do that.