How To Use Masking In Photoshop

Layer Masks in Photoshop: the ultimate guide

The most of import tool in Photoshop for creatives is Layer Masks. There is confusion, just Layer masks are very piece of cake in one case you understand how they work.

In this Photoshop tutorial, I will show you exactly how Layer Masks piece of work and how to take pinpoint control over them. And then I volition share seven tips on using Layer Masks. In the process nosotros volition accept a picayune fun and create a panthera leo woman.

Layer masks are a improve way of cutting out layers and photos than using the eraser tool. They are non subversive and provide much more than command.

The images I used from Adobe Stock

Woman

Lion

Mask

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How layer masks work in Photoshop

Once you create a layer mask, information technology is white. White has no effect on the layer, painting with black will reveal the underlaying layer.

To mask a layer, select it and then click the Layer mask button at the bottom of the Layers panel.

Note: Y'all can't use a layer mask to a background. You need to unlock it commencement by clicking the pad lock icon on the groundwork in the layers panel.

Once you have a layer mask, y'all will observe it is white. This has no effect on the layer.

Choose the mask and paint on the image with a black castor, you volition discover it hides the layer and you tin pigment it away. This is improve than the eraser, because of yous paint with white, the layer will come dorsum.

Different shades of gray will produce respective opacity; 100% white is 100% opaque. 0% white (Blackness) is 0 opacity, and thus fully transparent. 50% greyness would yeild a result of fifty% opaque. 25% greyness would be 25% opaque etc. Watch the video in a higher place to come across why I utilise the gray color, rather than the obvious tranparence slider on a black brush.

Masking Layers in Photoshop to brand a lion woman blended.

Here I am using the layer mask to punch out holes for the optics to show through in the layer underneath. Just paint with a blackness brush, make sure the layer mask is selected.

If I hide the layer of the woman (click the eye icon next to the layer) You can at present see the lions face showing through.

Allow'due south hide the top layer for now and work on blending the adult female face up with the lions (Link at summit of the page to observe these images) If you want to preview the alignment, use Layer Blending modes, this tutorial explains Photoshop Blend modes.

Choose the layer mask adjacent to the woman's face.

Printing the D primal, to reset the colors to black and white

Choose the gradient tool, prepare it to foreground to background. Linear, manner normal and transparency to 100.

Click and drag the gradient through the prototype. You lot volition see a blend. (If you are lost, await at the video, this text is best as a reference).

Now, try dragging the slope in the reverse direction. Completely different issue.

I'd like to proceed the gradient, but remove the lion for the eye area and merely have the woman eyes showing nice and clean. Judge how we do information technology?

Yes. We paint with a white brush to bring back the layer nosotros are working on. (Black hides the layer and lets what's underneath show through. White shows our layer and hides the layers beneath).

Here is what information technology looks like when we accept finished painting the eyes back.

Let'south [aint more and testify more than of the lion and hide the groundwork.

And the other side, Obviously this is too much and needs to be refined a bit. One of the things y'all will too notice is that its a bit rough around the neck. Let's apply selections to help.

Tip 1: Shift+Click on the layer mask to hide information technology.

Utilise the quick select castor to select the face.

Shift+Click on the mask once again to plow it back on. At present nosotros volition employ the selection as a guide for better mask painting.

With the mask selected and a white brush, pigment inside the neck and mentum area to pigment away some of the lion fur.

Select>Inverse to swap the selection to the outside of the face.

Apply a black brush and run effectually the edges of the neck to make a overnice tight masking job and make full in the trivial holes.

Tip #two View only the the mask on canvass. Printing The Alt/Option key and click on the layer mask to see information technology on the document. Alt/Option click on it again to bring it back,

Tip #3 View the mask overlay on canvas. Press the backslash key \ to toggle mask overlay

Tip #4 Feather the mask.

The edge of the cervix and cheeks is too difficult and abrupt, let'southward soften it.

In the properties panel, movement the Feather slider up just a little flake. Y'all will see information technology softens the edge. (We used to do this by adding a Gaussian blur to the mask, which you tin can still practice if you desire to soften it in some areas only).

Tip #five Capsize the mask.

Choose the Invert button for the Properties panel, or select the mask and press Cmd/Ctrl+I to invert or swap the mask.

Tip #v Utilise Blending modes

Allow'due south turn our top layer dorsum on. It's hiding everything. It'south actually piece of cake to bled everything in using blending modes.

Choose the top layer. In the layers panel, where information technology says normal, click and modify it to overlay.

Oh my! Look at that! We barely had to do anything and Layer Blending magic is hard at work. See a tutorial on Layer Blending modes here

Grab my free Blending Modes ebook hither, (if you are already subscribed to the mailing listing, don't sign up for the book because I include the link in the newsletters).

Catch a black castor and pigment away the areas of the mask that you desire to hibernate. Plain this isn't final fine art, the top mask needs to exist nudged to the left a transformed a little. Only this is a cracking starting place for you lot to continue playing around!