Double Your Pleasure

We've already talked about rasterizing text, but once you've rasterized your Type layer into a regular image layer, your type is no longer editable (meaning you can't go back and change typefaces, type in a different word, adjust leading or kerning, etc.). Here's a quick way around that limitation. Before rasterizing (rendering) your type, duplicate the Type layer by dragging it to the Create a New Layer icon at the bottom of the Layers palette. Then, hide the original Type layer from view (by clicking on the Eye icon next to the original Type layer) and rasterize the duplicate Type layer (see previous tip). That way, if you ever need to go back and change the word (or font, leading, etc.), you have the original editable Type layer still available. Just simply make it visible by clicking in the empty box where the Eye icon used to be.