Scratch what I just said. I stamp visible onto a new layer, not merge visible. They both accomplish the same thing, retaining layer effects, but stamp visible keeps all other layers. Merge visible, merges them into 1 layer.

Dreamer's method is the quickest way to retain all layer effects. This is also what I use. Without considering the size of the file, I always stamp visible onto a new layer. This retains all previous layers that I may need to go back and tweak.

Attached Link: http://www.extremetech.com/article2/0,3973,804807,00.asp

I do what Hoofdcommissaris has suggested. I use Shift-Ctrl-Alt-N to create a new layer on top of all the other layers and then use Shift-Ctrl-Alt-E to merge all visible layers onto the new layer I just created. This is essentially the same thing dreamer101 is doing but much quicker. The benefit of merge visible is that you retain the other layers and all adjustment layers that you used. This way you can still go back and tweak them later. When Photoshop 8 comes along we will get non-destructive filters, which I hope are just adjustment layers for filters. Then you could simply add a filter layer to the top of your image and affect the entire thing. And like adjustment layers you could make changes to that filter after you reopen the .psd file.

Attached Link: http://photoshopgurus.info/downloads/pdf/intermediate/text-fx/Type_Along_a_Path.pdf

-Type out the line of text that you want to use. -Rasterize that layer. -Then go to: filter/distort/Polar Coordinates. -Select Rectangular to Polar, click OK. This will wrap the text in a circle. You may have to transform it a bit to get it to fit around what you want. There are better ways of doing this, but I can't think of them right now :(

Super quick way would be Filter/Distort/Polar Coordinates

Does it bring up the Brightness/Contrast slider? When I select brightness/contrast it switches to the color select tool but it also brings up the slider. I can change the settings and the close the slider, it then reverts back to my previously selected tool. Have fun, Enian

Grimtwist, if you dont want any overlapping of colors then you could create a mask on the lower layer that masks all areas that the upper layer has color on. That would still give you the 50% color fill on each layer but would not let those two colors blend into a third color. Have fun, Enian

There is not too much you can do about pixalization. It is just something that happens when you take a small picture and enlarge. You can blur the pic and then try and sharpen it back out again but you will never get it to the quality it was at when it was small, you've lost too much data. Have fun, Enian