Photoshop Layer Mask and Vector Mask

Photoshop Layer Mask

Layer mask can be add to layer temporary hide some area of the layer (without actually delete the color pixel). This will allow layer underneath it be visible. The layer mask can be use with all type of Photoshop Layer, Layer set or Adjustment Layer. Only background layer that can not be edit by layer mask. Layer Mask is a grayscale image, the black (HSB: 0 0 0) area in layer mask is hidden area (0% opacity), in contrast white area is 100% visibility. Photoshop Layer also allow you to shaded the visibility of underneath layer (1%-99%) using different shaded of gray.

As I state before, layer mask is gray scale image so you can use Photoshop Tools, such as Brush Tool to draw black, white or any other shade of gray to edit the mask as in image layer. You can also use Photoshop Filter with the layer mask to blur, add noise or sharpen it.

Image with White(Brightness: 100%) Layer Mask will fully visible(100% opacity)

Image with 40% Gray (Brightness: 40%) Layer Mask. The gray area will partly visible(40% opacity)

Image with Black(Brightness: 0%) Layer Mask. The black area will completely hidden(0% opacity)

Tips: You can easily measure the opacity in each area using Eyedropper Tool with "B" or "Brightness" (0% = black, 100% = white) value in HSB color modal. You can find more detail about Info Palette and how to switch the color modal at Using Photoshop Info Palette.
You can painting layer mask directly with 50% gray, which produce 50% transparent. But I usually painting in with only Black or White and control the color value in between using Pen Pressure Control Option and also with soft brush shape. This will produce smoother effect and also blending of color .With pen pressure option, which is available with pressure-sensitive drawing tablet, you can control the opacity by your hand pressure. In general, with black set as foreground color, you can painting 50% gray by put 50% pressure on the pen tip.

To create New Layer Mask:

• To create layer mask with all visible: Select Layer you to create mask and Click at New Layer Mask Button
• To create layer mask with all invisible: Select Layer you to create mask and Alt(Option) + Click at New Layer Mask Button
• To create layer mask and apply current selection to mask: Make a selection and select Layer you to create mask and Click at New Layer Mask Button
• To create layer mask and apply invert of current selection to mask: Make a selection and select Layer you to create mask and Alt(Option) + Click at New Layer Mask Button

To hide or show Layer Mask:

You can temporary disable the layer mask effect of the current layer to make all pixel in the layer visible by do one of following:

• Shift + Click at the layer mask to toggle it visibility.
• Right-Click (Windows) or Control + Click (Mac OS) at the layer mask or layer with layer mask. And select Disable Layer Mask or Enable Layer Mask.

Please note that the disabled layer mask will become enable when you selected it. The layer mask that disabled will have big red cross at it thumbnail as show in figure above.

To Remove Layer Mask:

You have 2 options to remove layer mask, applying or discarding. Applying layer mask to layer will remove layer mask and permanent change the visible of the layer. To delete layer mask without applying any change use discarding the layer mask. You can applying or discarding layer mask by do one of following:

• Click and Drag the layer mask to Trash Button at bottom of layer palette. And click Apply to apply layer mask or Discard to dele le the mask with out apply mask.
• Right-Click (Windows) or Control + Click (Mac OS) at the layer mask. And select Apply Layer Mask or Discard Layer Mask.

Note: In Photoshop CS3 "Discard Layer Mask" is change to "Delete Layer Mask".

Vector Mask

Vector Mask is very similar to Layer mask, it allow you to mask out some part of the image in the layer. But the different vector mask is created from path, it’s always sharp like the line you draw in Adobe Illustrator or Shape Layer. You can not edit it with Brush Tool or Photoshop filter. By the way you can edit it using Pen tool or Shape Tool to change the shape like regular path. Vector Mask is useful any time you want to add a design element with clean, defined edges. Once you create a layer with a vector mask, you can apply one or more layer styles to it, edit them if needed, and instantly have a usable button, panel, or other Web design element.

To create vector mask:

1. Create path using Pen tool or Shape Tool or select existing path from Path Palette . Before you create new path, make sure that the Path Option at Tool Option Bar is selected.
2. With the path still active click New Layer Mask Button twice. (You may have to click only one time if the layer already have layer mask). The first time you click the New Layer Mask Button , will create blank layer mask and second time will create Vector mask.

You can edit or add another path to existing Vector Mask just click at its thumbnail to active the vector mask’s path and use Pen tool or Shape Tool draw new path.

To Delete, Disable or Enable Vector mask:

You can Delete, Disable or Enable Vector mask the same way you do with Layer Mask. Please refer to Working with Layer Mask above.

To convert a vector mask to a layer mask:

Select the layer with the vector mask you want to convert, and choose Layer » Rasterize » Vector Mask.Once you rasterize a vector mask, it cannot be changed back into a vector object.

Post Footer automatically generated by Add Post Footer Plugin for wordpress.

	Share This	Bookmarks this Page

This entry was posted on Tuesday, December 25th, 2007 at 5:32 am. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.