Frequent Q & A
Neither! All StudioMagic/LayerCake Elements collections are comprised of high-resolution (300ppi) TIFF, PSD, or JPG files which open in Photoshop, or any editing application which allows opening and working with a layered image. There is no complicated software to install; the files are image files, just like your personal ones.
How long, or quickly, the ZIP files containing the products purchased from StudioMagic/LayerCake Elements download to your computer is solely dependent upon your broadband speed which you subscribe to. Very slow broadband speeds (example: 1.5mps) may take several hours to download a 2GB file to your computer. On the other hand, a very fast broadband connection will take mere seconds. For example, a 1-GPS broadband connection only takes 2 seconds to download a 2GB file.
If you have a ‘slow’ broadband connection, we recommend ordering your product files shipped to you on a new thumb drive. Thumb drives are shipped only in within the United States. The cost is $20 and this option is selected when you check out. Please allow up to two weeks to receive your thumb drive as each one is custom loaded per your order.
On a either a Mac or Windows computer, any download you make through your web-browser (e.g., Chrome; Safari; FireFox; etc.) go into the DOWNLOAD folder located on your internal hard drive (i.e., ‘C-drive’ for Windows; Macintosh HD for a Mac) by default. This is changeable in your web-browser’s settings. For example, I have Google Chrome set to place everything I download on my desktop. Whether you use Safari, FireFox, Chrome, Opera, or IE/Edge, the default is set to your download folder. You must make the location change yourself.
Once you have the ZIP file downloaded (a Mac will automatically attempt to extract the data – i.e., open – a ZIP file), we recommend storing the ZIP file, and its contents, in a location other than the desktop or download folder. The trick is to remember where you place the files.
With the exception of our award-winning StudioMagic I & II Compositing Plugin for Photoshop; Photobooks & Collages; or, Actions Sets, the collections you purchase from StudioMagic/LayerCake Elements are image files – just like your own images.
The simplest way to always know where your collections are is to make a folder called “Everything LayerCake” and place it on your computer, or on an external hard drive, where you store your images. Doing this will make it so you will always know where your LayerCake collections are filed.
PLEASE NOTE: Action Sets are easily installed into the current versions (CC2018-CC2019) of the Photoshop Action Pallet with a simple double-click on the .atn file. A video tutorial is included with every Action Set purchased from our catalog to help you load the actions into Photoshop versions CS5/CS6, or CC2013. The instructions in the video also work for recent versions of Photoshop as well.
The collections you purchased from StudioMagic/LayerCake Elements work best with any Photoshop versions CS5 through the most current version, CC2019. Because collections consist of image files, you may use the layered TIFF or PSD file with version of Photoshop Elements.
PLEASE NOTE: Photoshop Elements is not capable of loading actions or styles such as our famous Buddy Action sets that will cut holes in matts, color type and add image effects with filters. However with the drag and drop capabilities of Elements, you can still create many of the same effects manually.
No new software to learn! You can work with your images and build amazing albums using nothing more than the Photoshop skills you already have.
In some cases we bundle with our background collections sets what are called “Actions” and “Styles”. Actions and Styles are presets for adding special effects to photos, (e.g., coloring type and dingbats; cutting holes in mats; many common Photoshop processes) we turned into “one click” buttons. Actions and Styles are not only very creative, they and save you a lot of workflow time in designing and generating your own templates; building albums; or, developing unique portrait backgrounds.
Actions and Styles are specifically created for Photoshop versions CS5 through CC2019. Actions and Styles are easily installed into your version of Photoshop when you follow our “Working with Actions” tutorial located in “Basics”. Actions and Styles will not work with most versions of Photoshop Elements; nor will they work in any non-Adobe application.
Layercake collections are royalty free just like purchasing from Getty, Corbis or iStock. As the purchaser, you are allowed to use them, change them and resell them as part of your saleable project work.
The images, Actions, Styles, etc., within the collections you purchased:
We have many video tutorials available under the VIDEO TUTORIALS link listed on the navigation bar at the top of the StudioMagic website. Furthermore, there is a comprehensive set of video tutorials on the StudioMagic YouTube Channel. While these videos will most likely answer your most of common questions, please inform Richard, our Director of Tech Support and Customer Service at: richard@layercakeelements.com, if there is a tutorial you’d like us to create.
StudioMagic/LayerCake Elements offers an unheard of feature for a software company in today’s market… A REAL PERSON answers the phone, and your questions, when you call (805) 451-6017 between the hours of 9am – 5pm Arizona time (MST). Richard S Hockett, MBA is StudioMagic/LayerCake Elements Director of Tech Support and Customer Service. Moreover, Richard is a published Master Photographer, and Adobe Photoshop<sup>®</sup> expert, with more than 60 years experience in the Craft of Photography.
Remember, if you have any questions regarding any StudioMagic/LayerCake Elements product, Richard is to one who will be able to help you get up and running. No other company we are aware of offers this level of personalized, expert service.