anepu

Thanks for the link Lily

Layer masks are something I have not worked with in PS.
On my way to the beginner tut board then.
Amazing how much there is to learn about PS.

anepu

Erik

Me too I use the erazor quite often, and, to unite both parties, also on layer masks.
What the erazor does is paint with the background colour (unless you're on a layer with transparant pixels). So hitting D sets my foreground and background colours to default (black and white), and then I reveal the underlying layer with B (from Bush, err...Brush, painting it black like the Rolling Stones) and correcting with E, the Erazor, painting a whiter shade of pale.

The Erazor also listens to the size ([ and]) and the Opacity (numbers from 1 to 0 for%) shortcuts. And can use all the brushes. WOW.

Also when painting I love the erazor for the same kind of option (having two colours at my disposal at the same time).

Yet: layer masks are one of the top three hits in PS. The all-time number one? No. That is "Multiple Undo". Wish I had that in real life also...

Erik

The essence of layer masks:

1/ click on the second icon from the left at the bottom of the layers palette. You will see a new, white icon at the right of your layer, and linked to it with a chain.

2/ To paint on the mask, click on the new white icon. The brush at the left of it will turn into a grey rectangle with a white circle in it. The mask itself behaves like a greyscale image. whatever you paint in black will reveal the underlying layer. whatever stays white will show the layer you are working on (if it is the top one), and all greyscale values will reveal more or less of the underlying layer, depending whether they're clores to black or white.

3/ As the mask behaves as a greyscale image, you can use filters, and adjustments to it as you fancy.

4/ When you press Alt when you click on the white mask icon, you don't see how the image is influenced, but you see the mask itself. This also allows you to past an image of the same size into the mask, for example one of the channels.

SpAwNoF

I have noticed that when i click on the white "mask" box, and select the brush tool and go to start applying, on the mask.......
nothing happens.....
I have the white mask box selected the layer is not, i repeat not, locked, and it does absolutley nothing brush is set to 30 so it is nice and managable @ 100% opacity.......what the frick is going on, why am i not able to apply to the mask.......missing something again..... [confused]
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C9Mouse

Check out Mark's tutorial on using masks here:
http://photoshopgurus.info/beginners...pgroups3.shtml

This might help you with the problem you're having

Rantin Al

Spawn

Make sure that the foreground is set to Black to paint on transparency.
White will restore visibility.

Al.

Erik

a very basic use of layer masks that, imo, shows their big advantage:

suppose you want to mix, say, a portrait, with a texture.

You could open the portrait on one layer, open or create the texture on another one, and then play with opacity and/or layer styles. Problem is that this always influences your complete image, including the background that you want to keep.
You could create a mask to protect the background, which is in fgact the same as selecting the pixels you do want to change, in this example: the face.
But still, the whole area would be texturised with the same intensity.
Bummer.

In come layer masks. Look at the example. Put your texture below your portrait layer, see that the latter is active and then click on that circle-in-a rectangle icon at the button of your layers palette. YOu have added a layer mask and you can see that it is active, meaning that you can work on it, by the small icon to the left of your portrait layer. That too has changed from a brush into a circle-in-a-rectangle. (Clicking on either the portrait or the mask activates it. try this out if you never did so).

Now see that your foreground colour is set to black and the backgr to white (press D) and then, important, click somewhere on your image or the desktop to deactivate all possible settings on your layers palette.
Use your numbers on your keyboard to set the opacity of your brush (I use some 15% as it works slow and allows building-up) and start painting on that face. You will slowly see the texture appear, and just how intense you wish it and exactly where you want it.
In case you make a mistake, press X to set the foreground colour to white and correct, then press X again to switch back to black and paint as you fancy.

Remember this is only a very basic use, but it is used a LOT by the shoppers on the hill who are rich, famous and bahhh...'nough said.

enjoy!

Bubble

As usual, quality work Eric, and very well said [righton]

ljiljana

Eric Txs for the explanation.
And she is so beautuful ! :} :}

wbiss

Beautiful explanation and example Erik! :}