Key Difference: A mask "masks off" parts of a layer and hides it. In other words, certain portions can be made invisible in an image so that alterations applied to the rest of the image do not affect these portions. Layer is another integral part of graphics in Photoshop.
Layer masks are created with only white and black. In fact, try changing your foreground color to red then select the white layer mask thumbnail. Your red foreground will automatically change to black. In the world of layer masks white shows the pixels and black hides the pixels. Think of layer masks as selections managed on a separate layer.
Everything you do in Photoshop takes place on a layer. All the layers in a document are arranged one on top of the other. Whatever is on the layer at the top of the stack appears above the content on all the Layers below. The easiest way to think of it is to imagine you’re a kid again making a collage in school.
Clipping masks are used to hide areas of a layer based on pre-made selections or paths. Yes they're similar and both helpful but they also get used in various ways. Photo editors tend to use layer masks more often while digital designers often lean on clipping masks. However there's no hard rule so you should do your best to learn both.
The only difference is that layer masks are grayscale, so you can't add colors. To modify a layer mask, select it.
A layer mask controls the visibility of the layer to which it is added. You can edit a layer mask to add or subtract from the masked region without losing the layer pixels.
Photoshop offers five methods of masking: Pixel Masks, Vector Masks, Quick Masks, Clipping Masks and Clipping Paths, all of which define pixel opacities without affecting the original data.
We will take a look at three core Masking techniques in Photoshop.Pixel Layer Masks.Vector Layer Mask.Clipping Mask.
0:486:45Photoshop Elements 2021 Tutorial Layer Masks Adobe TrainingYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipBefore the layer mask is applied therefore when applying a fill layer or an adjustment layer to anMoreBefore the layer mask is applied therefore when applying a fill layer or an adjustment layer to an image the easiest way to choose where the fill effect or adjustment.
0:005:50How You Can Use the Hidden Photoshop Elements Quick Mask ...YouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipOkay.MoreOkay.
To sum up, there are two primary types of masks in Photoshop: layer masks and clipping masks. Layer masks use values of gray to assign levels of transparency to specific portions of a layer or group of layers while clipping masks use the transparency of one layer to define that of a different layer or group of layers.
A layer mask conceals or reveals different elements of an image by allowing you to edit the individual layers of a composition. Designers can add layer masks to any image in Photoshop to make quick, reversible changes or create eye-catching visual effects.
Built into the layers in Photoshop is the ability to combine masks. You can add two masks, subtract one from another, or intersect two masks.
Layers are like stacked, transparent sheets of glass on which you can paint images. You can see through the transparent areas of a layer to the layers below. You can work on each layer independently, experimenting to create the effect you want. Each layer remains independent until you combine (merge) the layers.
Here are several types of layers in Photoshop and how to use them:Image Layers. The original photograph and any images you import into your document occupy an Image Layer. ... Adjustment Layers. ... Fill Layers. ... Type Layers. ... Smart Object Layers.
Quick masks are helpful for creating quick, one-time selections. In addition, using a quick mask is an easy way to edit a selection using the painting tools.
What Are Layers? Photoshop is built on the idea of layers and the layer stack. Everything you do in Photoshop takes place on a layer. All the layers in a document are arranged one on top of the other. Whatever is on the layer at the top of the stack appears above the content on all the Layers below.
The real power of layer masks is that they let you control different areas independently. In the example below, I’ve added a white square to the layer mask. Only the area of the pink circle that intersects with square is visible in the image. It looks like there are two square layers rather than a square and a circle.
In Photoshop, each layer works independently. What gets saved out as the final image is the sum total of all the layers working together. The little eyeball next to each layer controls whether or not it’s visible. To turn a layer on or off, click on the eyeball.
In Photoshop, you can set the Layer Opacity to anywhere between 0% and 100%. Its visibility will be reduced to that amount. Advertisement.
Or you can take something from the top and move it to the background. The only difference with Photoshop, obviously, is that the layers are digital.
Layers on their own can’t do much. It’s rare that you want to just place things on top of each other in Photoshop. Normally, you want to combine different parts of different layers to create the final image. This is where Layer Masks come in.
To add a layer mask, select the part of the image that you want to show and click the Add Layer Mask button in the Layers panel. A mask thumbnail linked with the layer thumbnail is added. This thumbnail represents the grayscale channel that is created when you add the layer mask.
Layer masks are resolution-dependent bitmap images that are edited with the painting or selection tools. A layer mask controls the visibility of the layer to which it is added. You can edit a layer mask to add or subtract from the masked region without losing the layer pixels.
Layer masking is a nondestructive way to hide parts of an image or layer without erasing them. They’re great for making image composites, modifying background colors, removing or cutting out objects, and targeting your edits so they affect only certain areas, rather than the entire layer.
Masking can help you make precise edits to an image so you can create a result that matches your vision.
For a revealing mask, click the Add Layer Mask button in the bottom of the Layers panel.
For a concealing mask, Alt-click (PC) or Option-click (Mac) the Add Layer Mask button.
In the Channels panel, double-click your mask to adjust its edges and opacity. Or right-click the layer mask thumbnail. To completely invert your mask, press Command I on Mac (or Control I on Windows).
Masking can be a powerful skill to add to your graphic design repertoire. These tutorials will help you master this tool.
Layer masks are created with only white and black. In fact, try changing your foreground color to red then select the white layer mask thumbnail. Your red foreground will automatically change to black. In the world of layer masks white shows the pixels and black hides the pixels. Think of layer masks as selections managed on a separate layer.
The term “mask” is used in digital compositing to represent elements which are hidden or partially hidden from view. Both clipping & layer masks perform similar functions: they show/hide pixels in a non-destructive manner.
Clipping masks are used to hide areas of a layer based on pre-made selections or paths. Yes they're similar and both helpful but they also get used in various ways. Photo editors tend to use layer masks more often while digital designers often lean on clipping masks.
Adobe Photoshop is one of the more complicated programs because it can be used for a wide array of purposes. But once you nail down the fundamental tools it becomes a lot easier to envision how you might create certain effects in future work.
Once you are going to insert the layer on the other, you must have a clear mind about making the changes so that you may achieve the desired results quickly. A layer may surround or occupy the other layer so it must be done in a proper way.
Layer masks are resolution-dependent bitmap images that are edited with the painting or selection tools. A layer mask controls the visibility of the layer to which it is added.
To add a layer mask, select the part of the image that you want to show and click the Add Layer Mask button in the Layers panel.
This is your layer mask thumbnail, and it's how we know that a layer mask has been added to the layer: After adding a layer mask to a layer, a layer mask thumbnail appears to the right of the layer's preview thumbnail. Notice that the layer mask thumbnail is filled with solid white.
"Applying" the mask basically means telling Photoshop to erase all the pixels on the layer that were hidden from view by the layer mask, as if you had erased them yourself with the Eraser Tool.
When you delete a layer mask, its thumbnail in the Layers palette also disappears. This time, I want to add a mask to the top layer and have Photoshop hide everything on the layer as soon as the mask is added, which means the mask will need to be filled with black instead of white.
The reason layer masks are filled with white by default is because usually, you want to see everything on your layer when you first add the mask, and white in a layer mask means 100% visible.
Why not red, or green, or yellow? It's because of how layer masks work in Photoshop. Layer masks use only white, black, and all the shades of gray in between, and they use these three colors (white, black and gray) to control the transparency of a layer. White in a layer mask means 100% visible.
Layer masks are right up there at the top of the list of things you really need to know about when working in Photoshop because without them, your work, your creativity and your flexibility all suffer. It's that simple. It's a good thing for us, then, that layer masks are so incredibly simple and easy to understand!
Black in a layer mask means 100% transparent. And gray in a layer mask means some level of transparency depending on how light or dark the shade of gray is . 50% gray will give us 50% transparency.
A layer mask also known as a pixel mask is a resolution dependent image created with the painting and selection tools, whilst a vector mask is a resolution independent object created with the pen or a shape tool that contains anchor points.
Creating an Adobe Photoshop Layer Mask. 1. Select the layer that will contain the mask. 2. Click the ‘Add Layer Mask’ button on the layers panel. 3. Click on the mask thumbnail to modify or paint on the mask. 4. Use the properties panel to control Density, Feathering and Refine the Edge.
A vector mask represents a path where the object clips out the contents of the layer. We can also use the Adobe Photoshop properties panel to refine the mask with the same options as the layer (pixel) mask.