Graphics Programs Reference
In-Depth Information
situation you'd be in if you used the “Layer via Copy” command or if you'd selected
something and then deleted the rest of the layer (meaning you lose all the flexibility you
get by using a layer mask), so this isn't something you'll do often.
▪
Unlink it
. When you add a layer mask, a little chain appears in the Layers panel between
the layer's thumbnail and the mask's thumbnail to indicate that they work as a unit. But if
you unlink them, you can move the mask separately from the layer itself. This is handy
when you've got a mask the size and shape of the area you want to see perfectly masked
out, only it's not quite over the right part of the image. In that case, unlink the mask from
the layer so you can drag the mask without moving the layer's contents. To do that, just
click the chain icon between their thumbnails or go to Layer→Layer Mask→Unlink. The
chain disappears and you can now use the Move tool to rearrange things. To relink them,
click the spot where the chain icon was or choose Layer→Layer Mask→Link.
▪
Delete it
. To get rid of a layer mask and return the layer to its unmasked state, right-
click/Control-click the mask's thumbnail in the Layers panel and choose Delete Layer
Mask, or go to Layer→Layer Mask→Delete.
Editing a Layer Mask
Now that you have a mask, it's time to learn how to change the area it covers. You do this by
simply painting on it with black or white. Painting with black increases the
masked
area;
painting with white increases the
visible
area. “Black conceals and white reveals” is an old
Photoshop saw that helps remind you what each color does.
You can work on the mask by painting directly in the main image window, or make the layer
mask visible and work in either of two special mask views, which are sometimes helpful
when the objects in your image have tricky edges, or if you need to check for missed spots.
Here's the simplest way to make changes to the area covered by a layer mask:
1.
Make sure the masked layer is active
.
If it isn't, click it in the Layers panel. This step is important: If the masked layer isn't
active, you'll add paint to the image rather than the mask.
2.
In the Layers panel, click the layer mask's thumbnail
.
You tell Elements whether you want to work directly on the layer or on the layer
mask
by clicking the thumbnail of the one you want. (You can tell which one is active be-
cause Elements puts an extra little outline around its thumbnail.) As soon as you click
the mask's thumbnail, your foreground and background color squares change to white
