Making Masks and Transparencies

[Bill McMahon]

Can someone give me the basic steps to creating a mask for a photo?

I have a picture of a rose in a vase on a cabinet, and I want to create a mask that allows only the rose to be seen. I guess this involves creating a "circular" or other shape "cut-out" in the center my photograph and making the rest of the photo opaque.

Can someone help me with the steps involved to do this? Any and all help or hints are appreciated.

[Byron Gale]

Bill,

The simplest way, without loading any add-ons to the program, is to use a clipping group mask.

Open a copy of your image. In the Layers palette, double-click the Background layer and change it to Layer 0. Hold the CTRL key and click the New Layer icon at the top of the Layers palette - this creates a new blank layer below your image layer.

Hold the ALT key and hover your mouse cursor between the two layers in the layers palette. When you are on the border between them, your cursor will change to two vertically-overlapping circles. Click.

If your image disappears, then you have successfully created a clipping group.

Now, select the blank Layer 1 in the Layers palette. Then pick your Brush tool, and begin painting in the image window. Wherever you paint on the blank layer, the image layer will appear.

Paint in only the parts you want to have showing.

Post back if you need more!

HTH,

Byron

edit: Here's an example of what I describe...

http://www.pixentral.com/hosted/1oxglgmCuLcg0OFCI3KfhdffNtln_thumb.jpg (http://www.pixentral.com/show.php?picture=1oxglgmCuLcg0OFCI3KfhdffNtln)

[Bill McMahon]

Byron,
I will try this tonight when I get home and let you know how it goes. The procedure is far from being straitforward ---thanks so much for the feedback.
Bill

[pixlbandit]

Some of the concepts are hard to wrap one's mind around, although not difficult to do. I have to think of metaphors to begin to be able to 'get' it or remember: Imagine uou are lying on the floor on your back looking up (you are below the layer stack), outside is a scene which you want to view, but you can't see it (top of the layer stack), because between you and the scene is a frosty or steamy window. You will only be able to see it if you "write on," or wipe away some of the steam on that window (your mask). The scene being seen is dependent upon the window, so you clip them together, and write on the window in the areas that you want to look through. You point of view always remains below the stack and the source on top.

[Byron Gale]

Bill,

I should have mentioned that you can tweak your mask by switching to the eraser and removing the color you paint onto the lower layer.

Byron

[Diana]

Hi Bill,

Maybe this tutorial will help you get an idea of how to do what you want to achieve:

http://www.digitalscrapbookplace.com/university/tutorials/PSE_MaskBlendEP.shtml

Diana

[Aussie Nan]

Glad you asked that question Bill....it was all a mystery to me. Great responses once again from the 'forum family'. Thanks

Toni

[felgio]

Bill, I was struggling with this as well, and thank you members for the info.
I am going to try this now -- keeping my fingers crossed!
Felicia

[Bill McMahon]

Bill,

The simplest way, without loading any add-ons to the program, is to use a clipping group mask.

Open a copy of your image. In the Layers palette, double-click the Background layer and change it to Layer 0. Hold the CTRL key and click the New Layer icon at the top of the Layers palette - this creates a new blank layer below your image layer.

Hold the ALT key and hover your mouse cursor between the two layers in the layers palette. When you are on the border between them, your cursor will change to two vertically-overlapping circles. Click.

If your image disappears, then you have successfully created a clipping group.

Now, select the blank Layer 1 in the Layers palette. Then pick your Brush tool, and begin painting in the image window. Wherever you paint on the blank layer, the image layer will appear.

Paint in only the parts you want to have showing.

Post back if you need more!

HTH,

Byron

edit: Here's an example of what I describe...

http://www.pixentral.com/hosted/1oxglgmCuLcg0OFCI3KfhdffNtln_thumb.jpg (http://www.pixentral.com/show.php?picture=1oxglgmCuLcg0OFCI3KfhdffNtln)

Byron, Well I tried this procedure, over and over, with the same results (not what I was expecting). I am getting the inverse of what I was expecting, When I select layer one, I don't get a blank layer, I get the original picture and when I apply the brush, the blank layer below comes through (just the reverse of what I want).

Did I miss a step along the way? By the way I am using Photoshop 5.0 LE, I guess an evaluation copy, given to me by a friend to try. Does this matter at all?

Regards,
Bill

[Byron Gale]

Bill,

I cannot tell you whether this works in Photoshop 5.0 LE, that program pre-dates the first version of Photoshop Elements (IOW, it's old), and I do not have it to compare.

I just presumed you were using PSE. BTW, this process WILL work in all versions of PSE, to date.

With luck, someone with Photoshop 5.0 LE will happen to read this thread and add some clarity.

Sorry for being unable to help.

Byron

[Bill McMahon]

Bill,

I cannot tell you whether this works in Photoshop 5.0 LE, that program pre-dates the first version of Photoshop Elements (IOW, it's old), and I do not have it to compare.

I just presumed you were using PSE. BTW, this process WILL work in all versions of PSE, to date.

With luck, someone with Photoshop 5.0 LE will happen to read this thread and add some clarity.

Sorry for being unable to help.

Byron

Byron, Thanks for the feedback, yes the friend who gave me the program told me it was "'old"..he was right
I guess I'll have to upgrade....Thanks again