In our last lesson, we created a star element. Now let's look at several options for saving it. You could choose to save this as a one layered PNG file by merging the layers together and then saving the flat file. If you do that, I recommend deleting the layer style on the clipping mask layer.

Click on the layer to make it the active layer and choose Layer, Layer Style, Clear Layer Style. That will get rid of the drop shadow around the outer edges. There's no need to get rid of the drop shadow on the ribbon.

So why would I tell you to remove one shadow and not the other? Because I won't need to change the shadow on the ribbon when I put it on another document. It's fine for it to stay the same in relation to the papers. But you may want to change the drop shadow around the perimeter of the star depending on how you use it.

Now I can merge all the layers in the Menu Bar. Choose Layer, Merge Visible to flatten all the layers into one layer, then choose File, Save As. Save the star as a single layer PNG file which will preserve the transparency.

I'm going to cancel that though because I like to save my creations as layered PSD files, so I have the option to make adjustments to them if I ever want to in the future. I'll press Ctrl Z in Windows or Command Z on a Mac to undo, and that brings back all my layers. Then choose File, Save As. And this time I'll choose the layered PSD option from the Format menu. I'll save this to my Practice Files and click Save.

I can still save this as a single layer PNG file by keeping the layers intact and choosing File, Save As. And then I can choose PNG from the Format menu that saves the star as a copy, a separate file with only one layer, so I end up with two files, a layered PSD and a flat PNG that's quick and easy to use without all the extra layers. I'll click Save to create the PNG. When the PNG Options dialog box comes up, choose Smallest Slow, Interlace None and click OK.

Let me show you one more option. On a layered file like this I sometimes create a merged layer of the object. Hide any layers you don't want to see. In this case, I don't have any layers to hide, so I'll leave them all visible. In the Layers panel, make sure you're on a layer that's visible because this shortcut won't work if you're on an invisible layer. I like to choose the top visible layer in the Layers panel, press Ctrl Alt Shift E in Windows or Command Option Shift E on a Mac and that will create a merged layer above the currently selected layer. In the next lesson I'll use this single layer as an element on another document to show you another great reason to use stacked clipping masks.