In this case, I’ll be applying a layer mask to my sky layer so I can add it to my landscape image.Ī white box will appear beside your layer thumbnail. With your layer selected, click on the layer mask icon at the bottom of your layers panel to create a new mask. You can do this by clicking on the layer and making sure it’s highlighted. Step 1: Create Your Layer Maskīefore you do anything, make sure that the layer you want to apply your mask to is selected. Now that you have a general understanding of how a layer mask functions, here is the step by step process to use a layer mask. They’re an amazing tool that offers a reversible way to “delete” part of your layer. This is the most basic example of how a layer mask works in Photoshop. Now the final result looks the same, but the information from the blue layer isn’t deleted, it’s only hidden.īy painting white back onto the layer mask, I can easily add back any of the hidden areas of the layer. Same result as with the eraser tool, this time, done non-destructively with a layer mask. If you wanted to adjust this deleted area, you wouldn’t be able to. By erasing part of the blue layer, that information is gone for good. Your first reaction might be to use the eraser tool to get this done, however, this is a permanent change. Let’s say I want to get rid of part of the blue layer, to reveal the red layer below. The blue layer is on top and the red layer is below. To give you a clear example, of a layer mask in action, I’ve created two solid colored layers. This is perfect for when you need to blend something into your photo. When you want to hide a certain part of your layer, you can paint black over your layer mask to make parts transparent. You can think of this like a blank canvas that’s ready to be edited. For example, 50% grey would be 50% transparent on your mask.īy default, a new layer mask will be completely white. If you paint any shade of grey between white and black on your layer mask, you’ll get varying levels of transparency. Meanwhile, anything that’s 100% black will be 100% transparent or invisible.
On a layer mask, anything that is 100% white will be 100% visible. This is crucial to remember going forward. In the world of layer masks, everything is black and white. How Does A Layer Mask Work?īefore you can do anything with a layer mask, you need to understand the basic function of them. To highlight all the incredible uses of layer masks, let’s go over some examples and situations where layer masks are useful. A layer mask gives you far more flexibility when adjusting a layer. The advantage of this is a reversible means to cut out images, alter layers, or blend images together. In short, a layer mask is used to hide parts of a layer, without permanently erasing its information.
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Luckily, you can learn how to use layer masks in Photoshop, quickly, with a solid understanding of the basics. Although relatively simple, they can feel pretty intimidating at first. Without them, it’d be nearly impossible to edit non-destructively. Layer masks are one of the most useful tools available in Photoshop.
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