[photoguy]

I am trying to create a grey scale step tablet. I have a background image which is filled with RGB 255,255,255 and uniform. The I created a layer which has steps going from 0,0,0 to 255,255,255. I can confirm that I have this layer by using the eye dropper.

I don't know how to display the grey scale or print it. Any suggestions? Thanks.

[slipe]

In Photoshop you would just go to the layers palette and remove the eye symbol for all the layers but the one you want to look at. I presume Elements is the same.

[photoguy]

Reading the doc, that is just how I think it should work. However, I'm doing something wrong. I now have a .psd file with two layers. One is named Layer 0 and is completely populated with 255,255,255. The second layer is named Color Fill Layer and has the grey scale that I want. When I look at the Layers Pallette the Color Fill Layer has 2 thumbnails; Layer Thumbnail and Layer Mask Thumbnail. There is an icon on the Layer Thumbnail but I don't know what it represents. The Layer Mask Thumbnail seems to be a thumbnail of the image that I want. When I click on the eye of the Color Fill Layer, the full size image has the checkerboard pattern showing transparent areas. I can't get rid of this and actually see the full size image of the step tablet that I want to display and print. I know it's there by sampling with the eye dropper tool.

[slipe]

Not sure what is going on.

Start a new file – grayscale with a white background. Run a horizontal gradient the width of the file and select the maximum range in the gradient properties. You should get what you want.

[photoguy]

Slipe, I need a step table. If I run a horizontal gradient I would think that it would give me a continuous variation. I want to break the tonal range into 20 to 30 discrete, well controlled steps with well defined edges.

I really appreciate your interest.

Photoguy (as in silver halide)

[etaf]

you have the layer mask enabled...and I'm not sure how the layer mask may have been set up or if you are blending the layes to give the effect your after.

however, when you have the eye enabled on both layes can you then see what you want if so all you need to do is flattern the image into 1 layer.

you can do that for the layers menu....flattern
this will give you 1 layer whcihh you can then save in any format you want

[photoguy]

etaf,

Thanks for the suggestion. I have been successful in producing the step tablet I needed. It worries me that I don't know how my last attempt was different than my earlier ones so I don't know if I can do it again. However, I can now get on with my project. Thanks again.

Photoguy