Important:
Important: Photoshop’s 3D features will be removed in future updates. Users working with 3D are encouraged to explore Adobe’s new Substance 3D collection, which represents the next generation of 3D tools from Adobe. Additional details on the discontinuation of Photoshop’s 3D features can be found here: Photoshop 3D | Common questions around discontinued 3D features. |
Learn how to mask layers to hide and reveal parts of your composite
You can add a mask to a layer and use the mask to hide portions of the layer and reveal the layers below. Masking layers is a useful for combining multiple photos into a single image or for removing a person or an object from a photo.
You can create two types of masks:
Layer and vector masks are nondestructive, which means you can go back and re‑edit the masks later without losing the pixels they hide. In the Layers panel, both the layer and vector masks appear as an additional thumbnail to the right of the layer thumbnail. For the layer mask, this thumbnail represents the grayscale channel that is created when you add the layer mask. The vector mask thumbnail represents a path that clips out the contents of the layer.
To create a layer or vector mask over the Background layer, first convert it to a regular layer (Layer > New > Layer from Background).
You can edit a layer mask to add or subtract from the masked region. A layer mask is a grayscale image. The areas you paint in black are hidden, the areas you paint in white are visible, and the areas you paint in shades of gray appear in various levels of transparency.
A vector mask creates a sharp-edged shape on a layer and is useful anytime you want to add a design element with clean and defined edges. After you create a layer with a vector mask, you can apply one or more layer styles to it, edit them if needed, and instantly have a usable button, panel, or other web-design element.
The Properties panel provides additional controls to adjust a mask. You can change the opacity of a mask to let more or less of the masked content show through, invert the mask, or refine the mask borders, as with a selection area.
When you add a layer mask, you can hide or show all of the layer, or base the mask on a selection or transparency. Later, you’ll paint on the mask to precisely hide portions of the layer, revealing the layers beneath.
To directly edit layer transparency, do the following and create a mask:
Photoshop converts transparency into an opaque color, hidden by the newly created mask. The opaque color varies greatly, depending upon the filters and other processing previously applied to the layer. This technique is helpful for video and 3D workflows.
Do one of the following:
By default, a layer or group is linked
to its layer mask or vector mask, as indicated by the link icon between
the thumbnails in the Layers panel. The layer and its mask
move together in the image when you move either one with the Move tool
. Unlinking
them lets you move them independently and shift the mask’s boundaries
separately from the layer.
To unlink a layer from its mask, click the link icon in the Layers panel.
To reestablish the link between a layer and its mask, click between the layer and mask path thumbnails in the Layers panel.
Do one of the following:
A red X appears over the mask thumbnail in the Layers panel when the mask is disabled, and the layer’s content appears without masking effects.
You can apply a layer mask to permanently delete the hidden portions of a layer [*]. Layer masks are stored as alpha channels, so applying and deleting layer masks can help reduce file size. You can also delete a layer mask without applying the changes.
[*] Pixels are hidden, not deleted when applying layer masks with discontiguous areas.
You can also apply or delete layer masks using the Layer menu.
You cannot apply a layer mask permanently to a Smart Object layer when deleting the layer mask.
For easier editing of a layer mask, you can display the grayscale mask by itself or as a rubylith overlay on the layer.
In the Layers panel, do one of the following:
Double-click the layer mask channel in the Channels panel.
Both the color and opacity settings affect only the appearance of the mask and have no effect on how underlying areas are protected. For example, you may want to change these settings to make the mask more easily visible against the colors in the image.
Use the Properties panel to adjust the opacity of a selected layer or vector mask. The Density slider controls mask opacity. Feather lets you soften mask edges.
Other options are specific to layer masks. The Invert option reverses masked and unmasked areas. The Mask Edge option gives you various controls to modify the mask edges, such as Smooth and Contract/Expand. For information on the Color Range option, see Create and confine adjustment and fill layers.
In the Layers panel, click the Mask thumbnail. A border appears around the thumbnail.
In the Properties panel, drag the Density slider to adjust the mask opacity.
At 100% density, the mask is opaque and blocks out any underlying area of the layer. As you lower the density, more of the area under the mask becomes visible.
In the Layers panel, click the Mask thumbnail. A border appears around the thumbnail.
Feathering blurs the edges of the mask to create a softer transition between the masked and unmasked areas. Feathering is applied from the edges of the mask outward, within the range of pixels you set with the slider.
In the Layers panel, click the Mask thumbnail. A border appears around the thumbnail.
Click Select and Mask in the options bar. You can modify mask edges with the options in the Select and Mask workspace and view the mask against different backgrounds.
Click OK in the Select and Mask workspace to apply your changes to the layer mask.
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