In case you want to edit later - change its position, align it with aother line instead of the one it was first placed with, make copies and line them up, etc. It gives you much more flexibility for editing later. If everything you do is on the same layer you can't just copy bits and pieces very easily - or change properties of certain elements. Here, this might give you some more ideas: New document. New layer (name it "boxes"), make a few boxes that are a version of gray-blue - odd shapes, maybe some overlap. New layer (name it "brushed"), and do your brushed metal excercise for the whole image covering everything underneath - but this time make the angle of the motion blur 45 degrees intead of either just up or down. Now hold the Alt key down as you click on the line between "boxes" and "brushed" - as your cursor goes over the line you'll see it change, letting you know you're in the correct area for you to do this. You've just conected (locked) one layer to another - whatever is on the upper layer (brushed) will only affect what it is connected to. You've also made them separate so that you can change the color of the boxes layer to a lighter blue (Ctrl+U), and then change the "brushed" layer mode to Soft Light (instead of Normal). More fun - apply a bevel and emboss layer effect (at the bottom of the layers palette its the circle with the italicizes F) to "boxes" - try pillow emboss as well and see what you like. Better yet - click on the "brushed" layer to make sure it's active, then Ctrl+T - right-click and choose "Flip Horizontal" - bet you were wondering why I had you make the brushed metal at an angle, instead of straight up and down, right? Now click on "brushed" to make it active, and at the bottom of the layers palette click the circle that is split B&W and choose "levels" - slide the far left up arrow far to the right, and the far right far to the left to make it really contrasty. This make an adjustment to whatever is below it (doesn't jave to be the top layer) without ACTUALLY altering anything below - IN CASE YOU WANT TO CHANGE IT LATER. NOW hold Alt and click on the line between brushed and your new Levels layer - you've just made only the brushed layer more contrasty. Double click on the Adjustment Layer to open it and change the sliders around until you like it. You can make several sets of layer like this and build up the brushed metal plating of your dreams - or use other filters and combinations to make changes. Have fun- -Lew ;-)