Can't erase in layer mask - DPChallenge Forums

Canon EF 24-105mm f/4.0L IS

03/13/2012 02:00:29 AM · #1

I'm having a really strange problem in CS5. When I add a mask to a layer in order to erase a portion, the eraser won't work on the mask. If I want to erase anything, I have to erase on the layer itself. I've tried restarting PS, I've even rebooted, and can't get erase to work on masks. This is probably another weird shortcut key I've inadvertently hit... Any ideas?

Beetle

Canon EOS-5D Mark II

03/13/2012 02:29:19 AM · #2

I must be misunderstanding something here.
Layer masks work on painting with white or black (or even grey), rather than erasing. If you covered something up (black) by mistake, you simply paint over it with white again to let it show again.

03/13/2012 02:47:47 AM · #3

Yes, you can paint "out" or paint back in stuff on a mask. But you can also erase portions of it using the eraser. Well, I was able to until tonight....

03/13/2012 02:48:48 AM · #4

Have you tried with the brush instead of the eraser? Just to understand if it's a problem of the eraser.

03/13/2012 03:07:49 AM · #5

Yes, it works just fine with the paintbrush. But I can no longer use the eraser, which I used to be able to do just fine.

Canon EF 24-105mm f/4.0L IS

03/13/2012 03:12:17 AM · #6

So the problem is with the eraser. At least you can keep working with the brush. Later I will check the eraser settings and try to help you, now I'm still in bed with my phone - you know, our different time zones :)

Art Roflmao

Canon EOS-6D Mark II

03/13/2012 03:32:04 AM · #7

Can't you just use the brush for both and just hit X to swap between black (mask) and white (reveal)? I never use the eraser on masks.
One other thing to check: opacity setting on the eraser tool?

Chinarosepetal

Canon EOS-1Ds Mark III

Canon EF 180mm f/3.5L Macro USM

03/13/2012 04:59:56 AM · #8

Originally posted by tanguera:

If you're erasing the layer mask your foreground colour needs to be set to white, if it's set to black the eraser won't work. Don't know if that helps? :)

Message edited by author 2012-03-13 08:29:42.

Tiny

Apple iPad mini 4

03/13/2012 08:18:26 AM · #9

Not sure I understand why you would want too?
I just had a go and yes I can erase but why would I?
It seems to have exactly the same effect as painting Black/White which is the way to use it.
Think perhaps we are all misunderstanding your problem.

Canon EF 17-40mm f/4L USM

03/13/2012 08:28:08 AM · #10

Originally posted by Tiny:

It seems to have exactly the same effect as painting Black/White which is the way to use it.
Think perhaps we are all misunderstanding your problem.

I think she's doing the same thing with the eraser, and I do the same. I only use eraser with mask, shifting from black to white with 'x'. I keep separated eraser and paintbrush in order to be able to do different stuff with brush.

JonoTucker

Canon EOS-5D Mark III

03/13/2012 09:24:54 AM · #11

If I understand right press crt+i to invert then use the black paint brush..

03/13/2012 09:28:38 AM · #12

Originally posted by JonoTucker:

If I understand right press crt+i to invert then use the black paint brush..

Johanna is too good, it can't be so easy IMHO :)

adigitalromance

Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 24-70mm f/2.8G ED

03/13/2012 10:54:53 AM · #13

If none of the above works, try right-clicking on the eraser tool in the top left and click "reset tool."

03/13/2012 11:26:19 AM · #14

You need to set the eraser to white. For some odd reason, a white eraser paints black on the mask, and a black eraser paints white on the mask.

R.

03/13/2012 11:37:09 AM · #15

I play around with the opacity depending on the effect I want, but even at 100% it doesn't erase. I haven't noticed what the color is set to as it never mattered before.

Why erase? Just how I started doing it - I use the brush tool for other stuff. I will check to reset tool though. One of those irksome little PS mysteries I may never solve. Or maybe I'll just have to use the brush from now on :-) Thanks everyone!

03/13/2012 11:56:41 AM · #16

Originally posted by tanguera:

I play around with the opacity depending on the effect I want, but even at 100% it doesn't erase. I haven't noticed what the color is set to as it never mattered before.

It has ALWAYS mattered. If it never "mattered" before, that's because your color was always set to default. So go check your color picker tool in the tools palette; see the little tiny black-and-white dice? Click that and the colors revert to default B&W. Click to little 2-way arrow to switch between them, and be sure white's on top for erasing.

R.

Incidentally, using the eraser on the mask is EXACTLY THE SAME THING as using the brush on the mask, its parameters can be adjusted exactly as the brush's parameters can. So I can see why some folks would want to use the eraser instead of the brush, when masking, if they have their brush set by default to some specialized, custom setting or whatever.

Message edited by author 2012-03-13 11:58:50.

Tiny

Apple iPad mini 4

03/13/2012 12:01:33 PM · #17

No nothing never matters.

03/13/2012 12:03:37 PM · #18

Originally posted by Tiny:

No nothing never matters.

LOL! Too early for photo-philosophy ;-)

I guess I never noticed before, Bear. I'm about to go to my office and will check it out. Thanks

03/13/2012 12:04:49 PM · #19

Originally posted by tanguera:

I guess I never noticed before, Bear. I'm about to go to my office and will check it out. Thanks

No Johanna, don't disappoint me! :p

03/13/2012 12:06:49 PM · #20

I'll try not to, Alessandro.

03/13/2012 02:24:51 PM · #21

Well waddaya know, Bear was right. As usual :-)

03/13/2012 02:58:15 PM · #22

Nooooooo Johanna!!! :p

Canon EF 180mm f/3.5L Macro USM

03/13/2012 03:11:09 PM · #23

Originally posted by tanguera:

Well waddaya know, Bear was right. As usual :-)

(snicker...)

Chinarosepetal

Canon EOS-1Ds Mark III

03/13/2012 06:06:28 PM · #24

Originally posted by tanguera:

Well waddaya know, Bear was right. As usual :-)

Um....not wanting to steal Bear's thunder, but I explained about the black/white thing a good 6 hours before he did ^^^ :(