Mr. Layer Mask...I am in love with you!

[seebee]

I FINALLY got around to downloading Grant's Tools for PSE4, and I am kicking myself for not doing it sooner! I mean, I've worked with the layer masks on adjustment levels, but the regular layer mask is so cool! I just used it to apply a gaussian blur to a background on a pic, and I love that it's fully adjustable & I can go back and tweak it anytime. I am going to have a blast with this, I think. :D I'm sure I've just scratched the surface.

Grant, thank you so much; this is awesome!!! :)

[Byron Gale]

Chris,

Sometimes, you can almost feel the little lightbulb going "click" over your head... :p

Byron

[kayser]

Chris- Oh, that is so true! When I first joined here, I kept seeing all these posts about Grant's tools, but I was so overwhelmed with learning PSE that I put off downloading them. Once I did, I wished I had done it sooner- I thought they were going to be hard to use or something, but they make things so much easier!

[kevq]

Chris,
know how you feel. God Bless Grant, I would be lost without the layer mask.
Kev.

[Wendy]

I couldn't manage now without the layer mask ... and Grant really did us all a big a favour with his free tool set :)

Chris ... I know just how you feel !!

Wendy

[Caroleen]

How do you get the Grant's tools. Do you think if you're a newcomer its OK to download them now.

[Red Sky]

Carol-
Grant's site here has the tools and info on them.

http://www.cavesofice.org/~grant/Challenge/Tools/index.html

[Caroleen]

Thanks so much, I did download the Tools. When i downloaded them I went into the Preview>Effects file and put them there, deleted the 3 files from Cache that he tells you to. I opened up Adobe Elements>Effects and the title Grants Tools were there but nothing else. Would you might have an idea of what happened to the tools? What did I do wrong? Sounds like their pretty nice to use.

[Wendy]

Hi Carol ...

First thing is did you unzip the file OK and then close down Elements before you installed the folder into Effects ?

Then you should have deleted 3 cache file for Effects and 3 for Filters.

Finally when you restart Elements ... just wait a couple of minutes whilst it rebuilds the cache file. Donlt do anything whilst it is doing that ...

Just close down Elements,, delete the cache files again and then restart Elements ... and fingers crossed it should work OK this time :)

Wendy

[Caroleen]

Wendy, I did that and even the names of Grants Tools is gone from the menu. The crossed circle comes up. I made sure it was PSE4, which is what I have. Guess I'll delete everything and do it one more time. After you put it in the Effects file there should be 1 file for Grants Tools and 1 file for Grants Alignment tools, right?

[Wendy]

Hi Carol ...

When you unzip the files you should get two folders:

Grants Alignment tools and that has 6 actions and one psd in it
Grants Tools PSE4 and that has 6 actions and one psd in it

Both folders go into PSE4 folder (Effects)

When you come to use then they show in the Styles & Effects Palette under Effects as Grants Alignment tools & Grants Tools PSE4.

This is what the second one looks like in the Effects palette when you come to use it ...

http://www.pixentral.com/hosted/1XjO2DaKf9Q2vmFAiHVpbNDxT8am2j_thumb.jpg (http://www.pixentral.com/show.php?picture=1XjO2DaKf9Q2vmFAiHVpbNDxT8am2j)

Wendy
PS ... You do have to wait a while for the cache to rebuid. If you start to use the program before it rebuilds then not all the things will be there.

[Caroleen]

Wendy, thanks so much, I got it! Looking at the Website though there is a Mask Quick and a Mask Standard. Does that not come with PSE4? I'm sorry about the mix-up on the Forum - I'm still learning how to answer and view my own questions. haha

[seebee]

Carol, I don't have those, either; I'm guessing they were left out of the abbreviated tool set for PSE4. My menu looks exactly like what Wendy posted.

Ok, my next question, anyone want to post some good usage suggestions for the layer mask? I've already thought about using it for applying filters selectively but I'm sure there's more than that. :)

Oh, another question...is the Hide All Layer Mask option the same as starting with a black layer mask? I'm looking at a picture in one of my books which makes me think that is the case. So I could just use the layer mask action, then change it to black, if that's the case.

[Wendy]

Hi Chris ...

Layer Masks are really good when you want to blend images together ...

Try opening up an image ... and add a second photo to it (on a new layer).

Now add a layer mask to the new photos layer
go to the layers palette, look what has happened in there and click on the white mask.
Now select black as your forground colour, paint on your image and watch it vanish ..
Change your colour to white and you can paint it back in :)

Have a look in the subscriber area>tutorials, scroll down and you will find Blendin tow images together using a Layer Mask. That shows you how to use gradients on the mask for a smoother effect.

Fill the mask with black and it does indeed become a hide all mask :)

Wendy :)

[mottcru]

Wendy - thanks for the brief tutorial - it helped refresh my memory about using gradient tool with the layer mask!!

[Wendy]

Glad to help :)

Wendy