Adding an Image to a Canvas in Photoshop

Method 1: Copy and Paste (rasterized version - you will lose image quality when resizing)

Step 1: Find an image you want to add to your photoshop composition, use your mouse to (control + click) then, select Copy.

Step 2: Go to the photoshop canvas which you want the picture added to and paste (either from the Edit menu or using the command key ⌘ + v)

Alternatively: You can open a new image in photoshop (⌘ + o), this will open the image in a new tab. From here you can select the All of the image image (⌘ + a), and then copy (⌘ + c) and paste (⌘ + v) as shown above.

Method 2: Placing a Smart Object (from file)

To Start: This is a great method (although it involves an additional step) because Smart Objects preserve your images quality even when you resize them.

Notice the difference in quality between these two images. The image on the left was resized as a Smart Object, the image at right was not.

Step 1: Place your file. Choose File -> Place

Step 2: You will automatically be prompted to resize your image.

When you are done resizing, press Enter.

Notice how the resize box looks different? This is because this is a smart layer.

Here is what the standard layer resize box looks like.

*Also notice how the layer icons look different.

Step 3: RasterizeEventually you may want to return your object to be a Standard Layer because you cannot draw on (with brush/pen) or erase directly to a Smart Object. To remove the Smart Object from your image, you must rasterize this layer.