In this lesson, we'll take a look at panels in Photoshop Elements. And we'll create a custom panel arrangement to make it easier to work with your photos and projects. Let's start with the default setting which looks like this. The first five icons on the right in the Taskbar, each represent one panel.

Just what is a panel? It's a place where you can do specific things in Photoshop Elements, almost like different rooms in a home. In a home The kitchen is where you keep all the cooking and eating utensils and where you cook. The living room is for relaxation, socializing, and entertainment. So there are comfortable sitting areas and often a TV. In the same way a panel gives you resources and functionality to do specific things with your photos and projects. If I click on the Layers icon, the Layers panel will appear. It's empty right now because we haven't opened any photos or files nor have we created a new document. But very soon, you'll learn how to create and manage multiple layers using the Layers panel.

Clicking again on the layers icon will close the panel. The Effects panel adds interesting effects to a photo or project. You can choose different effects from the menu at the top. Filters lets you add filter effects and again, you can choose other filter styles from the menu. The Styles panel lets you add styles like drop shadows and other styles. The Graphics panel contains various digital papers and artistic elements or clipart, which you can download if you're connected to the Internet. The blue triangle in the upper right corner indicates a file that hasn't yet been downloaded.

There's one more icon called More, and that's what we'll go over in this video because it allows you to create a custom panel arrangement, which is very helpful if you plan to become an expert in Photoshop Elements. Don't just click on the button though. Click on the triangle to open the more menu and choose custom workspace. This will put all five panels that were listed in the taskbar into a nested group of panels called the Panel Bin.

To access a panel, click on its tab. Here is the Effects panel, Filters, Styles, and Graphics. To remove a panel you don't want, click and drag it by its tab out of the group and onto your desktop. Then click the Close icon. I'll also remove the Filters panel and the Effects panel. I don't use these as often and I can always access them from the Window menu. Here is Effects and here's Filters.

While we're here in the Window menu, let's add some other panels that will be very useful to you in the coming lessons. I'll choose the History panel. It will pop up in a group of panels which I can drag by the bar across the top. To move an individual panel, click and drag it by its tab to one of four places. You can drag it onto your desktop as a floating panel and place it anywhere you want. You can drag it by the tab to the left side of the Panel Bin. When you see a blue line along the side, let go of the mouse and it will create a new panel section. Unless you have a big computer though this may take away too much desktop space. You can drag it by the tab to the bottom or top of the Panel Bid to create a new panel section. When you see a blue line across the bottom, let go of the mouse and it will form a new panel section.

You can collapse a section of the Panel Bin by double clicking on a panel tab. Click again to expand the panel section. By the way, I could just as well place this panel above the other panels. Again, you're looking for a horizontal line to let you know you can let go of the mouse and it will form a new panel section in that spot. Let's drag this panel out to the desktop though. And I'll show you one more spot to place the panel. In fact, it's my favorite spot. You can nest a panel with other panels by dragging it by its tab to the top of that panel section. Don't go above the panel and get a line, drag it inside the panel section near the top. When you see a blue outline around the entire panel perimeter, let go of the mouse and it will nest with other panels in that section. I also like to have actions available. So I'll click and drag that into my group as well.

These are the panels I recommend and use myself. And the Layers panel is the one I use the most. So I'll make that the active one by clicking on its tab. I'll go ahead and close other panels by clicking on the close icon. Why don't you take some time right now to set up your panels. Once you know Photoshop Elements better you may choose to open other panels or have a different panel arrangement and that's perfectly fine. But this set of panels will work great for the coming lessons.