How do you get the layers pallete to show up in adobe photoshop?

To hide all layers but one, Alt+click (Option+click on a Mac) on the eyeball in front of the name of the layer you want to see. Alt+click (Option+click on a mac) again to redisplay all the layers. If you hide the Background layer, you see a checkerboard pattern surrounding your images.

The checkerboard represents the transparent areas of the visible layers. You can use the blend mode pop-up menu and the Opacity setting at the top of the palette to mix the colors between layers and adjust the translucency of the layers. To create a new, blank layer, click on the new layer icon at the bottom of the palette.

To create a duplicate of an existing layer, drag the layer to the new layer icon. You can alternatively create a layer by choosing the New Layer or Duplicate Layer command from the Layers palette menu (click on the right-pointing arraorw at the top of the palette), or by choosing Later-->,New-->Layer or Layer-->Duplicate Layer. When you create a new layer, Photoshop gives the layer a name like Layer 1, Layer 2, and so on.

If you want to name the layer, you can now simply double-click on the layer name in the Layers palette and enter a name directly in the Layer Palette. No more having to remember to hold the Alt (Option) key down and enter the name in the dialog box. This shortcut works throughout Photoshop.

If you want to rename a layer the long way, you also can select the layer and choose Layer Properties from the Layers palette pop-up menu, or choose Layer-->Layer Properties. To delete a layer, drag it to the Trash icon. Keep in mind that you're throwing away the layer along with the image on it.

Layers can also be deleted via Layer-->Delete Layer or by choosing Delete Layer from the Layers palette pop-up menu. Just in case you ever want to re-create that selection outline around the elements on a layer, though, Photoshop gives you an easy way to do it. Just Ctrl+click (Command+click on a Mac) on the layer name in the Layers palette.