MiriamJ
03-10-200710th March 2007, 01:11 PM
More accurate layer masks:
If you’re not familiar with layer masks, an excellent explanation of what they are and how they are used can be found here: http://www.pixel-shooter.com/forum/showpost.php?p=618&postcount=1
This is an alternate way to make a mask, also how to apply a 2nd mask and how to use the gradient tool for masking.
Layer masks can be used for masking many effects. In the example I’m using, I’m going to mask out a lizard and the foreground, and desaturate the distracting colors in the background.
http://www.pbase.com/miriamj/image/75444358/original.jpg
A common practice is to use a copy of the photo background layer to make a mask. Often you can improve on this by using a copy of one of the color channels, instead.
If you can’t see the tab for the channels palette, you may have to find it under the “windows” or “view” pulldown at the top of your screen. (After that, to see the individual channels, first click on the empty space to the right of the RGB, then after that you can click to the right of the color names).
In this picture, when I checked the color channels, I felt the contrast was greatest around the head in the blue channel, so I copied the blue channel. Any editing on the copy of the blue channel will not affect the photo.
Here how I made a copy of the blue channel. (See picture)
http://www.pbase.com/miriamj/image/75439464/original.jpg
I click on the blue copy layer and then use Ctrl+L to bring up the levels adjustment. Holding down the Ctrl key and hitting the + key a few times increases the size, then holding down the space bar allows me to move the layer so I can see the head. I slowly inch in the left and right sliders in the levels adjustment until they touch, making sure that the line between the head and background remains clear. This picture hopefully will explain this.
http://www.pbase.com/miriamj/image/75439466/original.jpg
Use the eraser with background on white to clean up the head, the X key to switch back and forth from white to black in case you go out of the line, and the black eraser to clean up the black. Don’t worry about editing below the chin, the foreground, or the tail. We’ll take care of that later.
Here are the results after cleanup.
http://www.pbase.com/miriamj/image/75439457/original.jpg
Now we have the head white and the background black, but if we use this mask on a desaturated layer, it will desaturate the head but not the background, which is the opposite of what we want. Use ctrl+I to invert the black and white.
http://www.pbase.com/miriamj/image/75439465/original.jpg
Ctrl+A selects it and Ctrl+C copies the work. Click to the right of the letters RGB to change back to your original channels.
Go back to your layers pallet by clicking on the layers tab, hit Ctrl+J to make a copy, click on the add layer mask icon at the bottom of the layers pallet, alt+click on the icon of the mask you just created, then Ctrl+V pastes the work you just did into the mask.
http://www.pbase.com/miriamj/image/75439458/original.jpg
Right-click the mask and select apply mask. The mask disappears, but the parts of that layer that were black are now deleted from that layer. Now only what were the white parts of the mask are part of the top layer, (layer 1).
Now is a good time to desaturate the top layer. Select the top layer, then ctrl+shift+U to desaturate. Most of the head is still saturated, and the background is desaturated, which is what I was trying to do. The rest of the lizard and the foreground still need to be corrected.
http://www.pbase.com/miriamj/image/75439460/original.jpg
If you unclicked the visibility of the background layer, your top layer would look like this:
http://www.pbase.com/miriamj/image/75439461/original.jpg
For the last step to remove the incorrect lower part of the picture, it’s easier to show the settings:
http://www.pbase.com/miriamj/image/75441225/original.jpg
Drag the mouse from one point to the second point, as shown. All of what’s above the top horizontal line will have a white mask, and all of the layer will show through. All of what’s below the bottom line will have a black mask, and none of it will show through. The area between the lines will gradually change from black to white, and the visibility of the layer will change accordingly.
http://www.pbase.com/miriamj/image/75481581/original.jpg
Ctrl+E will merge the 2 layers, you can apply finishing touches, and you’ll be all done. After a few finishing touches:
http://www.pbase.com/miriamj/image/75440509/original.jpg
Hope this isn't clear as mud! Any comments or suggestions are always appreciated.
If you’re not familiar with layer masks, an excellent explanation of what they are and how they are used can be found here: http://www.pixel-shooter.com/forum/showpost.php?p=618&postcount=1
This is an alternate way to make a mask, also how to apply a 2nd mask and how to use the gradient tool for masking.
Layer masks can be used for masking many effects. In the example I’m using, I’m going to mask out a lizard and the foreground, and desaturate the distracting colors in the background.
http://www.pbase.com/miriamj/image/75444358/original.jpg
A common practice is to use a copy of the photo background layer to make a mask. Often you can improve on this by using a copy of one of the color channels, instead.
If you can’t see the tab for the channels palette, you may have to find it under the “windows” or “view” pulldown at the top of your screen. (After that, to see the individual channels, first click on the empty space to the right of the RGB, then after that you can click to the right of the color names).
In this picture, when I checked the color channels, I felt the contrast was greatest around the head in the blue channel, so I copied the blue channel. Any editing on the copy of the blue channel will not affect the photo.
Here how I made a copy of the blue channel. (See picture)
http://www.pbase.com/miriamj/image/75439464/original.jpg
I click on the blue copy layer and then use Ctrl+L to bring up the levels adjustment. Holding down the Ctrl key and hitting the + key a few times increases the size, then holding down the space bar allows me to move the layer so I can see the head. I slowly inch in the left and right sliders in the levels adjustment until they touch, making sure that the line between the head and background remains clear. This picture hopefully will explain this.
http://www.pbase.com/miriamj/image/75439466/original.jpg
Use the eraser with background on white to clean up the head, the X key to switch back and forth from white to black in case you go out of the line, and the black eraser to clean up the black. Don’t worry about editing below the chin, the foreground, or the tail. We’ll take care of that later.
Here are the results after cleanup.
http://www.pbase.com/miriamj/image/75439457/original.jpg
Now we have the head white and the background black, but if we use this mask on a desaturated layer, it will desaturate the head but not the background, which is the opposite of what we want. Use ctrl+I to invert the black and white.
http://www.pbase.com/miriamj/image/75439465/original.jpg
Ctrl+A selects it and Ctrl+C copies the work. Click to the right of the letters RGB to change back to your original channels.
Go back to your layers pallet by clicking on the layers tab, hit Ctrl+J to make a copy, click on the add layer mask icon at the bottom of the layers pallet, alt+click on the icon of the mask you just created, then Ctrl+V pastes the work you just did into the mask.
http://www.pbase.com/miriamj/image/75439458/original.jpg
Right-click the mask and select apply mask. The mask disappears, but the parts of that layer that were black are now deleted from that layer. Now only what were the white parts of the mask are part of the top layer, (layer 1).
Now is a good time to desaturate the top layer. Select the top layer, then ctrl+shift+U to desaturate. Most of the head is still saturated, and the background is desaturated, which is what I was trying to do. The rest of the lizard and the foreground still need to be corrected.
http://www.pbase.com/miriamj/image/75439460/original.jpg
If you unclicked the visibility of the background layer, your top layer would look like this:
http://www.pbase.com/miriamj/image/75439461/original.jpg
For the last step to remove the incorrect lower part of the picture, it’s easier to show the settings:
http://www.pbase.com/miriamj/image/75441225/original.jpg
Drag the mouse from one point to the second point, as shown. All of what’s above the top horizontal line will have a white mask, and all of the layer will show through. All of what’s below the bottom line will have a black mask, and none of it will show through. The area between the lines will gradually change from black to white, and the visibility of the layer will change accordingly.
http://www.pbase.com/miriamj/image/75481581/original.jpg
Ctrl+E will merge the 2 layers, you can apply finishing touches, and you’ll be all done. After a few finishing touches:
http://www.pbase.com/miriamj/image/75440509/original.jpg
Hope this isn't clear as mud! Any comments or suggestions are always appreciated.