Element editing techniques

[lforner01]

I am just learning to use photoshop elements 7 to edit my pictures. I have been reading alot of tutorials and have a question. When I add an effect, such as a blur filter to my photo, what is the difference between using the eraser tool on a duplicate layer to modify the blur effect vs using a clipping group with an adjustment layer mask and using the brush tool to modify the effect?

[jjvera00]

There is one main difference when erasing and when "hijacking" a layer mask. When you are erasing, you are getting rid of the pixels on the duplicate copy. And if you erase too much, then you may have press undo a few times to get them back. Also, once you save, those pixels are gone.

The good thing about "hijacking" a layer mask is that you can "erase" you duplicate layer copy without actually erasing and getting rid of the pixels. And if you mess up while "erasing" (or "hiding" or "masking") you can unerase by swapping from black to white. You will accomplish the same goal of revealing the layer beneath another layer, but without getting rid of pixels on the layer.

Oh, and by the way, you can get a layer mask with doing the clipping group method. Just download either Grant's Tools (http://www.cavesofice.org/~grant/Challenge/Tools/index.html) or the Elements+ demo (http://simplephotoshop.com/downloads/index.htm#elem+) and you can have a layer mask like the full version of Photoshop.

[Quag]

Thanks for that Elements+ site jjvera00. I did not know of it and it has lots of goodies.

Paul