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#+title: Notes on Lesson 04 - Layer Mask | PiXimperfect

* Links
- [[../photoshop-for-complete-beginners.org][TOC | Photoshop for Beginners]]

* Downloads
- Practice Files: https://bit.ly/44aHY3c

* Notes

the purpose of the mask is to hide parts of the image

** setup a mask
1. select the text
2. click on the mask button in the layers pane
   - this will add a white square to the right of the text entry
   - [[file:../_share/media/img/photoshop-beg-piximperfect/lesson3-1.png]]

The concept of a layer mask is that
- black areas are hidden
- white areas are shown

so select the layer mask and draw with black on the center panel to hide or show areas

*** to hide and show the layer mask
- hold the alt/opt key and click on the layer mask
- you can also click on any other layer, or outside the layer mask to hide it

** reason 1: non destructive abilities
while you can certainly delete parts of an image and putting something else in it's place, you cannot undo that deletion so easily.

1. select the area you want to show
2. hit the mask button (this will automatically hide everything not selected)

*** hide the selected area (2 methods)

**** method 1
1. selecte the area you want to hide
2. select->inverse
3. hit the mask button

**** method 2
1. select the area you want to hide
2. ALT/OPT + mask button

** compatibility with non raster layer

1. place an image on top of a background
   - Photoshop->Settings->General->Always Create Smart Objects When Placing
   - the image is going to be selected as a mask

2. go to the backround layer, select subject the subject
   - note that "select subject will be highlighed"
   - [[../_share/media/img/photoshop-beg-piximperfect/lesson4-1.png]]

3. return to the imposed layer and create a negative mask
   - alt+mask button on layers

4. at this point you can blend the layers if  you like
   - double click top layer, you'll open to blending options
   - move the sliders in underlying layer to get what you want
     - if you hold down the ALT key, and hover over the slider, you can split and drag it

** linking and unlinking layer masks
if you want to move the pattern around, you'll see a problem of the mask moving with the pattern.

this applies to normal transformation
it also applies even to filters such as blurs.  ie, the blur will affect the shape of the MASK ITSELF

the way to unlink  or unlink is to click on the link icon that connects the mask to the image

** turning on and off mask
- hold Shift key and click on the mask, a red X will appear on mask

** mask properties: feather
- bring up properties panel on mask
  - double click on mask
  - select mask and click the properties button

- find the feather slider and change it

** mask properties: density

*** apply color lookup mask to subject
**** method 1
- add a the 'color lookup' filter
- select subject from image layer

- =OPT+DELETE= apply mask to color lookup layer

- =CMD+D= deselect the selection

- =CMD+I= invert the mask

**** method 2
- select subject
- add a 'color lookup' filter
  - this will automatically apply a mask to the selected area

*** decrease the opacity of the mask on the rest of the layer
- open up properties
- slide the density to be lower or higher

** duplicate masks

*** create a new overlay layer
- =CMD+SHIFT+N= create new layer
  - choose blend mode 'overlay'
  - click the check box to "fill with overlay-neutral color 50% gray"
    - overlay blend mode hides anything that is 50% gray
    -
         #+ATTR_HTML: :width 500px
       [[file: ../_share/media/img/photoshop-beg-piximperfect/lesson4-2.png]]

*** convert the overlay layer to a smart filter
- select the overlay layer
- =Filter->Convert for Smart Filters=
- =Filter->Noise->Add Noise=
  - set the noise to 30
- =Filter->Blur->Gaussian Blur=
  - noise is to fine, we need to blur it
  - set the blur to .8

*** apply the original mask to the smart filter
- OPT + DRAG
- =CMD+I= invert the mask
  - apply the smart filter mostly to the background

** problem copying masks
- can create a weird effect
- instead group layers
- apply mask to group

*** to copy a mask
- ALT + drag and drop

** double masking
but the masked layer into a group and give that a mask

** using image as a mask
- put a background color behind the image
  this will be the color that goes through the mask
- select the image
- hit the  mask button
- copy another image to the clipboard
- select the mask part
- hit OPT+click on the mask
  - this opens up the mask for editing
- paste the 2nd image into the mask area
  - add black to anything you want to hide of the masked image
- click anywhere outside of the mask on the layer panel

*** to change highlights in mask
- select mask
- hit CMD+M
- this brings up curves




* Playlist

#+ATTR_HTML: :class playlist
+ [[https://youtu.be/aNpO6G72O3w?si=OYj36t6pnG6zpXIm][00:00 What Are Layer Masks?]]
+ [[https://youtu.be/aNpO6G72O3w?si=CaHdFgVM5pw_fgp0&t=178][02:58 Important Downloads & Announcements]]
+ [[https://youtu.be/aNpO6G72O3w?si=pwKG3NNXzp8NsGN-&t=209][03:29 Why Use A Layer Mask?]]
+ [[https://youtu.be/aNpO6G72O3w?si=D0ZVdRvBZ9jrjm-n&t=227][03:47 Reason 1: Non-Destructive Abilities]]
+ [[https://youtu.be/aNpO6G72O3w?si=w8aLyeLpyyqeX5G9&t=474][07:54 Reason 2: Compatibility with Non-Raster Layer]]
+ [[https://youtu.be/aNpO6G72O3w?si=cHwwjgjcbIvf3Hno&t=686][11:26 Linking & Unlinking Layer Masks]]
+ [[https://youtu.be/aNpO6G72O3w?si=sDBGUsD5CKK_0i1g&t=813][13:33 Turning Off and On]]
+ [[https://youtu.be/aNpO6G72O3w?si=kEM8JPCox3RhIuSq&t=868][14:28 Mask Properties: Feather]]
+ [[https://youtu.be/aNpO6G72O3w?si=G6x177vUaa4TxX4Y&t=1062][17:41 Mask Properties: Density]]
+ [[https://youtu.be/aNpO6G72O3w?si=BIUkibJYNuT6ivq8&t=1184][19:44 Duplicate Masks]]
+ [[https://youtu.be/aNpO6G72O3w?si=X85qg0vdXugnBIR2&t=1295][21:35 Problem with Copying Masks]]
+ [[https://youtu.be/aNpO6G72O3w?si=2EubEOKmDI9dETuQ&t=1417][23:37 Double Masking]]
+ [[https://youtu.be/aNpO6G72O3w?si=QUt_vWIkDL2NfY0h&t=1604][26:44 Image as a Mask]]
+ [[https://youtu.be/aNpO6G72O3w?si=sCtxC5Mbb6xp_wjt&t=1709][28:28 Concept Recap]]
