Advanced skin softening

[DDC]

I'm trying a technique from Kelby and Kloskowski's book "The Photoshop Elements 6". I get to step 9 and that's it. I understand the "load your black brush strokes as a selection". I hit Ctrl and click, but when I get to step 10, I don't get the screen that it shows in the book (it looks like a flesh mask). Does anyone have this book that can help me? Thanks, Dwight.

[Simenon]

I do have that tutorial though I only use PSE 4. At Step 9 when holding the Ctrl key (Command key on a MAC), click on the icon of the layer (not the layer box). This should load the desired selection, and you should see the marching ants.

At Step 10 be sure to select the Background layer and then do the Ctrl J. This should put the flesh mask layer directly above the Background layer. Turn off the Background layer and the two top layers (using their eye icons) and you will see the flesh mask layer on its own as illustrated in the book.

~ Simenon