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A relative of mine created a logo which has a backlight effect behind it.

He is much better at Photoshop than I, and I only know a few of the basics.

Here is the PSD file of my image, with only the background layer (I believe) and the backlight-effect layer: https://goo.gl/XNJ8AK

And here is a view of the image:

And here is a view of the image:

If you look at the top, you can see that the top of the backlight-effect circle has been cut off (I edited this image by making both the canvas and the 'base' layer (i.e. background colour layer) bigger to show you what effect saving the original image with a smaller canvas size has done to the backlight-effect circle).

I tried to mimic the properties of the backlight-effect circle layer (called 'light copy' in the aforementioned PSD file), by adding the 'fx' - 'Color Overlay' effect to a newly-created layer, and modifying the settings so that they were the exact same as the original backlight-effect circle layer. Of course, the layer was invisible (yes the 'eye' icon was visible next to the layer name). I'm not surprised as, when I tried making the mimic layer, I never drew a circle or used the brush tool or anything like that.

I want to fix the backlight-effect circle so that the top isn't cut off, AND I want the properties to be the exact same (as the layers that make up the logo go over it, and it acts as a perfect backlight effect).

Is there any way to identify how the layer was made? I don't want to know how to make a 'similar' effect - I need to know how to either simply fix the original layer or duplicate it with the exact same size, color, opacity, hardnes, etc. as the original one but with the top part intact.

What I don't understand is, if I click on the 'Color Overlay' fx effect's eye (to hide it from visibility), the backlight-effect disappears. But how do you make a circle shape in a 'Colour Overlay' fx effect? Shouldn't the 'Color Overlay' setting just change the colour of the backlight if it's made invisible (i.e. if you click on the eye) and not make it completely disappear?

Anyway, I'd be very grateful if anyone would be willing to take a look at the PSD file and either show me how to fix the original layer (so the top isn't cut off) or how to recreate the layer with the exact same properties. Because I don't even know what to search for on how to fix this! (I tried following a YouTube tutorial on how to create a backlight-effect circle but it didn't instruct me to use the 'fx' - 'Color Overlay' effect - it told me to use the brush tool instead?).

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The circle shape on the PSD you linked WAS NOT made with a color overlay effect. Note the fill was turned down to 0. Turn up the fill, turn off the effect and you'll see a nearly identical circle:

enter image description here

Reproducing EXACTLY will be very hard. Fixing however is very easy. Add some guidelines, grab the bottom half, copy and paste it to a new layer, delete the top half, rotate the duplicated bottom half and move into place:

enter image description here

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  • Thanks very much for your answer! I followed your instructions in the first step (i.e. turned up the fill and turned off the effect), but it resulted in the backlight circle becoming brighter (in comparison to the original). I therefore assume the 'Color Overlay' effect is a property that effects the resulting colour. However, kindly ignoring the first step (by not turning up the fill and not turning off the 'Color Overlay' effect to leave the original colour) , I followed the instructions on the second step and it successfully resulted in my desired outcome.
    – camzenxbt
    Commented Sep 30, 2015 at 17:02
  • @JamesPeliby if you want it precise after doing the duplication / rotation bit just merge the two halves and turn your fill back down with the effect turned on. I just didn't think it was necessary to show you that part.
    – Ryan
    Commented Sep 30, 2015 at 17:04
  • Thank you for helping a newbie! (and sorry for taking up your time on such a simple-seeming task! I suppose we all struggle with the basics at the beginning though).
    – camzenxbt
    Commented Sep 30, 2015 at 17:04
  • No problem. I don't usually download .psd files from people but most people don't actually write decent descriptions like you did. They just post a psd and demand someone look at it. Happy to help since you put forth the effort first.
    – Ryan
    Commented Sep 30, 2015 at 17:07

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