User Manual

Layers and Masks 41

To create a mask:

1. Select a layer in the Layers tab. This is the layer where you want to

create the mask, and select specific region(s) if desired.

2. Then either:

• Click the Add Layer Mask button to create a Reveal All

mask (or Reveal Selection if there is one). Instead, Alt-click the

button for a Hide All Mask (or Hide Selection).

• Choose Mask>Add Mask from the Layers menu and then one

of the following from the submenu:

• Reveal All for a transparent mask over the whole layer

• Hide All for an opaque mask over the whole layer

• Reveal Selection for an opaque mask with transparent "holes"

over the selected region(s)

• Hide Selection for a transparent mask with opaque "blocks"

over the selected region(s)

On the Layers tab, a mask preview thumbnail appears, confirming that a mask

exists.

Editing on the mask

When you create your mask you immediately enter Edit Mask mode, where you

can use the full range of painting tools, selection options, flood fills, gradient

fills, and effects to alter the mask's grayscale values. These manipulations cause

corresponding changes in opacity, which in turn changes the appearance of the

pixels on the layer itself.

The image window's titlebar shows "Mask", indicating that a mask is currently

being edited. The Color tab switches to Grayscale mode when you're editing a

mask, and reverts to the previous setting when you exit Edit Mask mode. This

means anything you paste from the Clipboard onto the mask will automatically

be converted to grayscale.