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

[[../photoshop-for-complete-beginners.org][<Back to Main Section]]

* 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

* 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]] *current*
+ [[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]]