PS101 Group D - Selection Tools & Masks

05/18/2007 11:34:12 PM · #52

okay well I just did a search on PSE for "mask" and this is what I found

Quick Mask
A mask channel created in Quick Mask mode in Photoshop. Photoshop Elements has no Quick Mask mode and flattens all channels in Photoshop images.

So I don't know what I was looking at today but I would swear my life on the line that I was reading a PSE4 how to book and was looking at the area of where it teaches you how to create masks. I kind of over looked it because I know how in PS7 and didn't think twice about it.

I do how ever have an alterative if you guys would like to know.

05/18/2007 11:34:14 PM · #53

OK, I'll try again tomorrow. Thank you

Nikon AF Nikkor 50mm f/1.8D

05/18/2007 11:35:50 PM · #54

Yes, I would like to know. Thank you again.

wavelength

Nikon D300

05/18/2007 11:36:47 PM · #55

Originally posted by Lowcivicman99:

I do how ever have an alterative if you guys would like to know.

Certainly would, the more tricks the better ;)

05/19/2007 12:08:17 AM · #56

okay I am doing it now but I am having to load PSE4 on my laptop becuase my desktop is a POS. Give me a little bit and I will post it up.

05/19/2007 01:32:42 AM · #57

Okay for the current â��to-doâ�� there are a few things that you PSE4 users could do instead of the quick mask mode that most of us have.

For this image I have created a black layer and placed it in between my background base layer just so you could see the tools used.

Select a marquee of you choice. For learning purposes I used the Elliptical Marquee to show you how to touch up the edges of a subject.

Use youâ��re Selection tool to select the majority of your subject. For really weird shapes try adding or removing the selection by using â��Add to Selectionâ�� or â��Remove from Selectionâ�� tools that are right next to the â��current tool selectionâ��.

Once you have the majority of your subject surrounded with the marquee you can do a few things to invert the selection. You can

Create a new layer and set the opacity at 60%. Make sure that this new layer is at the top of the layers pallet. Use a SHARP paint brush to paint the surrounding areas of your subject with a dark or light color that allows you to see the edges of your subject.

If you zoom in, it makes it a lot easier to see your edges. (for those with a scroll wheel on your mouse, you can scroll up or down to make the image zoom in or out).

Once you have the entire area selected zoom out (or double click the hand tool to bring youâ��re image fully out to fit on the screen). Invert the selection again to bring it back to normal selection using CRTL+SHIFT+I, or go to SELECT>INVERSE. Once you are back in normal selection mode choose a large brush and completely paint in the selected area of your subject. Once competed it should look something like this.

Use CRTL+D or SELECTION>DESELECT to remove the marquee on the newly painted layer. Use the magic wand tool to select the painted area that you just made. Once selected uncheck the â��eyeâ�� on the painted layer to hide it and click to select the layer that you would like to edit. Now all you have to do is make you adjustments as you wish. If you want to edit the background just invert the selection again and adjust or apply your filters.

There you go. Thatâ��s all you have to do. I know it seems like a lot but it really not all that much more with the quick mask mode. Same concept as far as painting and things like that. Good Luck and I hope this helps.

Canon EF 24-105mm f/4.0L IS

05/19/2007 12:51:07 PM · #58

Lowcivicman99 - I'm working through this slowly... The screen shots REALLY help. (I had been trying to use on the top tool bar.) Unfortunately, for now, I have only about another 30min to try.
THANK YOU

suemack

Canon EOS-20D

05/19/2007 04:33:57 PM · #59

Cos I've been so short of time I'm using this dove I've been isolating as my example ..... hope that's ok guys. This class is giving me very valuable information Thank you!!!!

Used quick mask to do the main body selection, then working on the mask I tidied my selection with brushes, pen tool for some of the fiddly bits. I'm still trying to sort the light direction. Comes from below on the sky, above on the dove ....... doesn't look right yet.

soup

Canon EOS-30D

05/19/2007 06:32:37 PM · #60

i'm not part of this, but it's possible better insight into the quality of the editing could be scene by loading 100% crops of the edges of the selections... looking at some of the examples - it's hard to tell if the masking is good or bad.

Canon EF 24-105mm f/4.0L IS

05/19/2007 07:25:26 PM · #61

Originally posted by soup:

Who are you talking to soup?

Message edited by author 2007-05-20 09:09:35.

suemack

Canon EOS-20D

05/20/2007 12:41:09 AM · #62

Thanks Soup ..... this was really helpful cos it made me see where I needed to do more work.

levyj413

Apple iPhone 15 Pro Max

Tamron SP AF 17-50mm f/2.8 Di II LD Aspherical (IF) for Nikon

05/20/2007 03:59:08 PM · #63

For those using Photoshop Elements, which seems not to have the same quick mask or layer mask feature,here's a Google search on layer masks and Photoshop Elements - looks like you can fake it up.

05/20/2007 09:57:47 PM · #64

Originally posted by levyj413:

For those using Photoshop Elements, which seems not to have the same quick mask or layer mask feature,here's a Google search on layer masks and Photoshop Elements - looks like you can fake it up.

Has anyone tried this? I'm I likely to mess up my computer? (My husband would have a fit!)

05/20/2007 10:59:59 PM · #65

Lowcivicman-
I think that I figured out your method!

Message edited by author 2007-05-20 23:19:29.

Nullix

Canon EOS-5D Mark III

Tamron SP AF 17-50mm f/2.8 Di II LD Aspherical (IF) for Nikon

05/21/2007 01:15:32 AM · #66

My attempt at combining selections. This is of my boy at Santa Monica Beach. I didn't have a tripod, but I took a bunch of pictures.

Message edited by author 2007-05-21 01:16:03.

levyj413

Apple iPhone 15 Pro Max

05/21/2007 01:20:00 AM · #67

Originally posted by Nullix:

My attempt at combining selections. This is of my boy at Santa Monica Beach. I didn't have a tripod, but I took a bunch of pictures.

Your masking is very, very good! The tripod helps you get the same lighting and DOF on every shot. For example, the kid on the right looks off. I think it's because the sun seems to be to the right of the statue, so his right side should be lit up, but it isn't. But maybe I'm just seeing things that aren't there because I'm looking. :)

Nullix

Canon EOS-5D Mark III

05/21/2007 10:54:16 PM · #68

Originally posted by levyj413:

Thanks. Yes, I have tripod, but left it at home. Of course, it would've been better with one, but this was a simple beach trip with minimal gear.

You did notice the one on the right. He was actually on the left, so I did flip him so I could have something on the right. Except, the shadows were off. I cleaned up the shadows on the sand, but not on my boy.

05/21/2007 11:03:38 PM · #69

Originally posted by cornettcag:

Lowcivicman-
I think that I figured out your method!

That is wonderful news. I promise the longer you do it the faster you will become at it and soon it will be like second nature.

05/25/2007 12:00:41 PM · #70

Practice results:
Selection using Lowcivicman99's tutorial on PS 4.0
Adjustment layers to enhance color of wheat penny
Adjustment layers to de-emphasize the other stuff
(The scroll wheel is great for zooming in & out!)
Resize and USM in increments

Finished

Original

05/25/2007 12:15:30 PM · #71

Originally posted by cornettcag:

I think the copper color in your original is better than the one you edited. but that is where your layer masks come into play. You said that you did an adjustment layer to enhance the color of the wheat penny. If you look at that layer you will notice that it is filled with white. Select the color black and use a strong solid brush and paint the other pennys to get them back to the original state prior to the adjustment layer. If you need pictures I can make some tonight.

05/25/2007 12:19:19 PM · #72

Thanks. I think I understand what you are saying. It will be a while before I have time to try it.

Nullix

Canon EOS-5D Mark III

Tamron SP AF 17-50mm f/2.8 Di II LD Aspherical (IF) for Nikon

05/30/2007 02:46:11 PM · #73

Any more assignments or am not reading the correct thread?

levyj413

Apple iPhone 15 Pro Max

05/30/2007 04:08:28 PM · #74

Hi folks. Ken (Art Roflmao) wrote me to say that he was going to be away from DPC for awhile. He wasn't specific as to why.

He asked me to let everyone know. It's my fault for the delay - I've been caught up in other stuff myself.

Now we're going to edit layer masks on adjustment layers.

Take a shot and add some adjustment layers, then create layer masks and edit them as follows. A good one to play with is the simple brightness/contrast adjustment layer because it's easy to see the effects if you make the adjustment extreme.

1) Using quick mask, select some feature in the photo, like a face, a building, etc. Choose something with a hard edge to make the effects more obvious. If you've set your quick mask to show what's masked out, then when you exit quick mask, remember to invert your selection so the feature is selected instead of omitted using select->invert selection.

2) Create a new brightness/contrast layer. Set both sliders far to the right. You should see the effects only within the selected area. Hit "okay" or whatever the button is to finish the layer and create the layer mask for the adjustment layer. It will also cancel the selection.

3) Edit the adjustment layer's mask in two ways:
a) Click the layer mask thumbnail in the layers tab so it has a black outline around it. You should still be looking at the image in the window, not just the layer mask. Then, with a brush and either black or white, change the boundary between black and white (enlarge one or the other). You'll see the effects as you move the brush across the image.
b) Press alt and click on the adjustment layer's mask thumbnail so the screen shows the mask. Change the edges of the mask. Click on the image thumbail or again alt-click on the layer mask thumbnail to return to normal view.

4) Repeat step 3, but this time use a selection tool like the lasso instead of the brush. Since you'll be selecting areas instead of actually painting black or white, you'll need to use the edit->fill command or the paint bucket to fill the selection with black or white. This is a useful trick when you want to fill in large areas.

Remember: white is where you'll see the adjustment layer's effects,and black is where you won't. Also remember that all the changes in this assignment should be only to the adjustment layer's mask, not the image itself. If you see black or white appearing in the image, press ctrl-Z to undo.

5) Using any tool, create some gray areas in the adjustment layer's mask. The darker the gray, the less effect shows through.

6) While viewing the adjustment layer's mask (remember: alt-click on the layer mask thumbnail), select some part of the white/black boundary and blur it under filters->blur->gaussian blur. If you need an effect to fade out, this is one way to do it.

Once you're really comfortable with all of this, you'll be much better prepared to use layer masks in advanced editing challenges, where you can make selections. You'll often want to limit the effects of adjustment layers. For example, to change the lighting, which will be the subject of the next thread. Here's one example of how much you can change lighting, to get you interested.

Original:

Layer mask showing the sky and cars, changing the light; note how the trees in the middle remain the same:

Message edited by author 2007-05-30 16:08:58.