what is masking?

demarco36 · 23rd of July 2006 (Sun)

What is the masking tool used for in PS? And is this tool in PS elements? Thanks

Greg_C · 23rd of July 2006 (Sun)

Can't answer the elements question but a great book on masking is "Photoshop Masking & Compositing" by Katrin Eismann more info here http://www.photoshopmasking.com/

This book does deal mostly with Photoshop CS2 and the web link has a sample chapter.

Hope this helps some.

chtgrubbs · 26th of July 2006 (Wed)

Masking blocks part of the image so that corrections do not affect the part of the image which is masked. For instance, if I want to soften skin tones but leave the eyes sharp, I would mask the eyes and then blur the image. The mask would keep the blur from affecting the eyes.
A layer mask blocks part of the layer it is applied to, and allows the layer below it to show through.

sando · 28th of July 2006 (Fri)

Try it and see, that's how most people learn.

Get an image up. Duplicate the layer.
Do something silly like apply +100 saturation to that layer.
Then apply a mask.
Clcik on that masked layer on the layers palette
Select the fill tool, select white and click on the image - the whole image will go saturated.
Select the brush tool, select black colour and 'paint' the effect away.

This will give you an idea of how to use it and its uses.

23rd of July 2006 (Sun)	#1
demarco36 Member Join Date: Feb 2005 Posts: 60	what is masking? What is the masking tool used for in PS? And is this tool in PS elements? Thanks

23rd of July 2006 (Sun)	#2
Greg_C Cream of the Crop Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Brisbane, Australia Posts: 12,485 IMAGE EDITING OK	Re: what is masking? Can't answer the elements question but a great book on masking is "Photoshop Masking & Compositing" by Katrin Eismann more info here http://www.photoshopmasking.com/ This book does deal mostly with Photoshop CS2 and the web link has a sample chapter. Hope this helps some. __________________ Greg Blog \| Photogallery \| 1DmkIV + other stuff Sanity is a madness put to good use.

26th of July 2006 (Wed)	#3
chtgrubbs Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2003 Posts: 1,667	Re: what is masking? Masking blocks part of the image so that corrections do not affect the part of the image which is masked. For instance, if I want to soften skin tones but leave the eyes sharp, I would mask the eyes and then blur the image. The mask would keep the blur from affecting the eyes. A layer mask blocks part of the layer it is applied to, and allows the layer below it to show through. Last edited by chtgrubbs : 26th of July 2006 (Wed) at 22:23.

28th of July 2006 (Fri)	#4
sando Goldmember Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Derbyshire, England Posts: 2,863 IMAGE EDITING OK	Re: what is masking? Try it and see, that's how most people learn. Get an image up. Duplicate the layer. Do something silly like apply +100 saturation to that layer. Then apply a mask. Clcik on that masked layer on the layers palette Select the fill tool, select white and click on the image - the whole image will go saturated. Select the brush tool, select black colour and 'paint' the effect away. This will give you an idea of how to use it and its uses. __________________ - Matt Chesterfield Wedding Photography \| Twitter \| LinkedIn \| Facebook 5DmkII \| 17-40 \| 24-105 \| 580EXII

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