Malzie Posted April 2, 2007 Share Posted April 2, 2007 I'm new...(sorry)...and I keep hearing about "Masks". What are they? and what do they do? I have PSE5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trishy Posted April 2, 2007 Share Posted April 2, 2007 A mask allows you to "edit" a layer without deleting or erasing permanently. I have attached a couple of images that show a layer with a mask applied. Applying a mask is simple, click on the layer you want to edit, then click the "square with a circle in it" icon on the bottom of the palette bar and it will add a mask to that layer. So in the first image, the layer that is highlighted in blue has a mask attached to it. In the 2nd image I grabbed the paintbrush tool, made sure that the mask was selected and painted with black ink where I wanted the image to disappear. On my example there is white showing through from the bottom layer because I have edited the top layer with a mask. The great thing about masks is that they aren't permanent. You can edit a photo, like cutting something out of the photo just by applying a layer mask, but if you don't like it then you can just delete the mask and start over. Did any of this help? I know how to do these things, but I am not the best at explaining them! Trish Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DDecker Posted April 2, 2007 Share Posted April 2, 2007 You can use templates like the Scrap Simple ones as masks as well allowing the transparent areas to be filled with a paper or photo and using another paper on the top area. This screen shot is in PSE3. I dragged the paper, template and photo into my layers and with the paper (top) layer active CTRL+G Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Malzie Posted April 2, 2007 Author Share Posted April 2, 2007 I'm new...(sorry)...and I keep hearing about "Masks". What are they? and what do they do?I have PSE5 I read your reply, Thanks so much !....but it brings more questions to my mind. I did my first lo over the weekend...I had many layers. If I needed to change a layer, I would just click on the layer in the palette and make the change....so why would I need a mask ??? Sorry, I was a blonde for many years....sometimes it takes a while to sink in............... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dawn51 Posted April 2, 2007 Share Posted April 2, 2007 I tried to do a mask last nite on a photo. I clicked the adjustment layer and did levels and painted it black. Then when I used a white paint brush it didn't show thru on my original picture. Any suggestions on why it didn't work? I could see it on the black where I was painting it, but nothing changed on my original photo. thanks for any help, dawn Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest pepa Posted April 10, 2007 Share Posted April 10, 2007 Hi - I dont really understand masks either - wouldnt you just insert the photo and make as many changes as you wanted, and then either not save, or save as? Im not sure I understand why you'd need to mask somethng? Help? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.