Photoshop for Beginners_ Understanding Layer Masks

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Photoshop For Beginners: Understanding Layer Masks

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24 August 2010by SebastianoPhotoshop

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This article is part of a series of tutorials thought for Photoshop beginners. Ill explain in depth those features that can result difficult to
http://wegraphics.net/blog/tutorials/photoshop/photoshop-for-beginners-understanding-layer-mask/#


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understand for a newbie. In the previous article Ive explained the core of Photoshop: layers and their functionality.

Today I will show you one of the most powerful Photoshop tool: layer masks. They can result difficult to use for a beginner, but onceunderstood how they work, you wont need the Eraser tool anymore. Lets start!

What are layer masks?

As I often write, one of the most powerful Photoshop features is the possibility to modify the same object again and again and, if youre notsatisfied, go back and return to the original image. Im not speaking about the history timeline (ctrl+Z), that allow you to eliminate the last steps,

but of some functionalities that allow you to have full control on your layers at any time during your workflow. Layer masks represent one ofthese functionalities.

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I prefer the practical approach so download this free image of a lion and open it in Photoshop. Double-click on the thumbnail of the image in thelayers window to unlock it.

Why do I have to unlock the background layer? By unlocking the background layer, you are free to move it over the canvas. Grab the movetool (V) and move the lion layer: you will see the transparent background, while if you lock it theres no way to move it. Also you cant apply alayer mask if the layer is locked.

Now lets create the layer mask. Simply click the add layer mask button which is at the bottom of the layers window. A white rectangle willappear near the lion thumbnail layer. This white rectangle represents the layer mask.


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Lets see the basic use of the mask: set black as foreground color and grab the brush tool (B). In my case Ive chosen a 300px default roundbrush. Click a couple of times over the lion face:


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As you may have noticed, the black brush, combined with the mask, works like the eraser tool. There are two spots over the mask thumbnail,representing the area eliminated with the brush tool. So wheres the power of the mask?

Switch the foreground color from black to white. With the mask still selected (not the layer thumbnail, but the mask. Make attention!) paint overone of the 2 spots. Ta-daa! Pixels will reappear. So here is the power of masks: you mask pixels, dont eliminate them. If you mask pixels,you can replace them at any time, while if you eliminate them you lose them.

How the layer masks works:

Black: eliminate pixelsWhite: replace pixelsGrayscale colors: reduce pixel opacity

Lets suppose youre working on a complex composition with lots of layers. At the end of the process you decide that youve erased too muchof an object. How to repair? If you have used the eraser tool theres no way, while if you used a layer mask, simply grab a white brush andmodify the image until youre satisfied.

So here is a basic definition: the layer mask is a tool that allow you to eliminate and replace pixels of a layer at any time.

Exercise 1: create the til-shift photography effect using masks

Download this beautiful photo of Prague and open it in Photoshop.


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Duplicate the layer by pressing Ctrl+J (or go to Layer>Duplicate layer).

Now go to filter>Blur>Gaussian blur and enter a value around 10px:


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At this point we have two layer: the bottom one which is the original layer, and the upper one which is blurred. To create the til-shift effect wehave to remove the blurred effect from a specific area the one you want to emphasize. So create a layer mask:

Grab a black soft brush (reduce hardness to 0%) and start painting over the bridge. Painting over the mask using a black brush we remove thatarea. In this way an area of the below layer will reappear:

Here is the til-shift effect! In case youre not satisfied with the result. you can always use the white brush to replace the pixels.


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Exercise 2: working with gradients

Theres another tool that can be used combined with layers masks: the Gradient tool (G). Download this picture of a flower and open it inPhotoshop.

Duplicate the flowers layer (ctrl+J) and desaturate it by going to Image>Adjustments>Desaturate.


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Create a layer mask. Set black as foreground color and white as background. Then grab the gradient tool (G), click on the left edge of thecanvas, drag till the right one and release. The final result gently goes from the colored area (eliminated from the top layer using the gradienttool) to the black/white one.

This technique, that can result not so useful, is often used in web and icon design to create gradients going from white to transparent.

Exercise 3: Masks and selections

Masks can work as separate layers because what you make on them wont affect directly the layer masked, but only the mask. Another powerfulfeature derives from the combination between masks and selections.

Download this beautiful portrait of a woman and open it in Photoshop.


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Unlock the background layer. Grab the Polygonal lasso tool and make a rough selection of the face:

Press the layer mask button. The face will be isolated from the background.

Tip: if you want to eliminate the selection using masks, instead of isolate it, hold down alt on your keyboard while pressing the mask button.


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After desaturated the ladys face by pressing shift+ctrl+U, create a new layer and move it below the ladys one. Grab the Paint bucket tool andfill the layer with white.

Select the ladys layer and fo to filter>Artistic>Dry brush and enter the following settings:

Brush size: 7

Brush detail: 5Texture: 1

Press OK to apply the filter:


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Now select the mask thumbnail. We will play a bit with face contours using dry paint brushes. You can download our Dry Paint strokes brusheshere. Once obtained the .abr file, grab the brush tool (B), then in the tool options bar (on top) open the brush window and, once opened, clickon the little arrow on top-right. In the menu that appears select load brushes. Here select the .abr file and load it.

With black as foreground color and the mask still selected, grab a brush from the new set and paint over the outline of ladys face.

Here is my result:


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Finally create a third layer and put it between the ladys one and the background. Grab the brush tool and paint around the ladys face. This timedry paint strokes wont be used to eliminate some areas from ladys face, but to enhance it.

And here is the nice result of this brief tutorial:

I hope you have understood how masks work following these brief tutorials. Im going to publish other tutorials for beginners, so stay tuned! Incase you have suggestions on a specific Photoshop feature you want to learn, use the comments below.

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Sebastiano

Howdy! I'm a self taught graphic designer who loves to create amazing stuff using every kind of media. I'm currently living and working inItaly.

32 Comments

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1.malaAugust 25, 2010 at 4:32 am

Thank you.Its good for me.

Reply

2.Giacomo FreddiAugust 25, 2010 at 5:44 pm

It is well done and helpfull for photoshop begginer..!!! Nice!

Reply

3.WebestoolsAugust 25, 2010 at 6:57 pm

I love the til-shift effect! Thanks!

Reply

4.VedderwingAugust 25, 2010 at 8:26 pm

Will you do a tutorial on how to get rid of jagged edges around images and logos when they are exported into other applications such asDreamweaver. I would really appreciate it.

Thank you for explaining the use of layer masks. I am trying to teach myself Photoshop and this helped me alot.

Reply

5.AGEAugust 26, 2010 at 6:24 am

Thanks. You made this very easy to understand. Very helpful.

Reply

6.Sebastiano

August 26, 2010 at 8:39 am

Hi folks!Im glad to hear from you positive feedbacks. Ill work soon on new Photoshop features.

@Vedderwing We are working o new site templates tutorials so stay tuned ;-)

Reply

7.YingnaAugust 26, 2010 at 5:00 pm

Very helpful tutorial. Ive been using PS for so long but never knew what masks do. Ill definitely be using masks instead of deletingfrom now on.

Reply
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8.ToddAugust 30, 2010 at 11:25 am

Finally,Ive been using photoshop for years and could never be bothered figuring out what layer masks do. Thanks man.:)

Reply

9.RufinoAugust 30, 2010 at 10:18 pm

Thank you so much for a very detailed instruction on how to use layer masks and the tools to combine them. Let me try to combine firstthe Gradient tool since it looks easy, still have a lot to learn in Photoshop.

Reply

10.VictorSeptember 1, 2010 at 11:22 am

hola

Reply

11.ChildmonsterSeptember 3, 2010 at 12:21 pm

Good tutorial ! Thank you

Reply

12.AdrianSeptember 6, 2010 at 12:59 pm

Brilliant post working with layers is a must in Photoshop as you show well in the tutorial. I liked the mask and gradient examples also very effect and useful. Look forward to your future postings thanks.

Reply

13.StacySeptember 12, 2010 at 7:22 am

Thank you!! Ive been looking for a good basic tutorial on layer masks. I would also love to see a post on creating graphics to go withblog posts (or on the sidebar like your awesome Photoshop for beginners one) One way to do it would be to go to some really populardesign blogs and teach people how to do their specific type of image.certain blogs use the same type of graphic, just changing theactual image used and applying the same effects to it. .. I think that makes senselol. Anyway, thanks again!

Reply

SebastianoSeptember 12, 2010 at 10:06 am

Hi Stacy,

I will take in consideration you suggestion ;-)

Reply


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14.web designFebruary 17, 2011 at 3:25 pm

great stepsthanks for sharing this.

Reply

15.Tutorial LoungeMarch 17, 2011 at 1:59 pm

useful for beginners and some tips are new for professionals. thanks

Reply

16.begginerMarch 27, 2011 at 6:46 pm

thanks for your tutorial,I have some drawing and I want to change the colore and make them symmetrical ,any idea or what should I learnthanks

Reply

17.susan ramosApril 2, 2011 at 5:39 pm

awesome tutorial thanks so much looking forward to seeing more!

Reply

18.nikki peacockJune 20, 2011 at 1:35 pm

Thankyou so much, even i can understand this and cant wait to get started on my own stuff!

Reply

19.loulouAugust 28, 2011 at 9:55 pm

thanks alot thats very useful but i kinda have a problem, the white brush doesnt restore anything , it does nothing, though itsdocumented in the history panel, and the white fil works , but the brush doessnt i dunno why, & im pretty sure i was on the mask not thelayer, plz reply if u can help :)thanks alot again :D

Reply

panfilloDecember 7, 2012 at 1:10 pm

whatever t(-.-)

Reply

20.


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loulouAugust 28, 2011 at 10:03 pm

heeey thanks alot , very useful.but the white brush doesnt seem to work , it doesnt restore the pixels back it does nothing, though its mentioned in the history panelbrush but i cant see the effect at all, & im sure i was on the mask not the layer, i dunno what to do , plz help if u can :D:Dthanks again

Reply

21.Juan Pablo SimancaOctober 15, 2011 at 6:34 pm

Mil Gracias! Cada vez me encanta mas esta pagina! :)

Reply

22.IsabelJanuary 30, 2012 at 9:34 am

Thank you for that very clear tutorial.I took a paying one and could not understand, found that one andI can do layers in photoshopnow!Im grateful!

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23.Abby CastroFebruary 17, 2012 at 11:56 pm

Nicely written tutorial! Ive been using Photoshop for more than five years already and only now did I understand layer masks. Thankyou! :)

Reply

24.SaraJune 8, 2012 at 7:43 am

Thank you, Im a photoshop noob and this has been very helpful! finally learned how to use masks :)) Thank u Sebastiano :)

Reply

25.minminSeptember 22, 2012 at 6:12 am

i like it..so useful for basic leaner. Thank you..

Reply

26.minminSeptember 22, 2012 at 6:18 am

i like it. These are so useful for basic learner. Thank you

Reply

27.pancha villa


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December 7, 2012 at 1:15 pm

All you suck this is a nasty ass toutorial!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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28.cjDecember 14, 2012 at 7:01 pm

hi, i hope you can help me. i was advised to use layer mask so I can crop a picture into a circle. but what i am trying to achieve is a fullcircle image without the square background. any idea how to do that?

Reply

29.DaisyDecember 31, 2012 at 10:43 pm

Thanks for such an easy to understsnd tutorial for begginers as this is very helpful in my learning process these days..hope 2 learn from ua lot more.

Reply

30.Karl LFebruary 6, 2013 at 6:35 pm

I had a look at this site because the title said it was for beginners which I completely am. I tried everything you said to the letter, severaltimes, but always got a different result than you for each one. I must have been doing something wrong but I am still none the wiser,Others seem to have found this site very useful so thats good but I will have to search other sites to see if they can be of some use. Ifothers found it useful I must be less than a beginner, whatever that is. Thanks for trying to be helpful anyway.

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Photoshop for Beginners_ Understanding Layer Masks