Notes on Lesson 04 - Layer Mask | PiXimperfect

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

select the text
click on the mask button in the layers pane
- this will add a white square to the right of the text entry

The concept of a layer mask is that

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

while you can certainly delete parts of an image and putting something else in it's place, you cannot undo that deletion so easily.

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
go to the backround layer, select subject the subject
- note that "select subject will be highlighed"
return to the imposed layer and create a negative mask
- alt+mask button on layers
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

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

hold Shift key and click on the mask, a red X will appear on mask

bring up properties panel on mask
- double click on mask
- select mask and click the properties button
find the feather slider and change it