Effective Layer Masks

A CreativeCOW Photoshop Video Tutorial

Richard Harrington
Washington, District of Columbia USA

©2007 Richard Harrington and Creativecow.net. All rights reserved.

Article Focus:
In this Adobe Photoshop tutorial, Richard Harrington teaches how to use layer masks and explains why you will never have to use the eraser tool on a graphic ever again because you can use layer masking to mask or hide pixels in your image instead of destroying them. This technique allows you to go back in the future and adjust the mask and reveal elements that would have otherwise been erased. Richard uses the blur tool and the smudge tool to soften the layer mask and create the appearance of a more believable composite.

iPod Version

HD Version
This tutorial is also available as a podcast:
Click here to find it and many other Photoshop podcasts.

Related Articles / Tutorials:

Adobe Photoshop

COACM: Plug In, Tune Out

Adobe created quite a stir when it recently announced a public beta for the next major update to Photoshop. Is this the result of some very smart marketing, or perhaps an act of desperation, due to the harsh economic realities facing most creatives these days? What is the future of this critical production tool?

Editorial

Adobe Photoshop

Lite Bite: 10 Years Younger Using Gaussian Blur and a Mask
Play Video
In this "Lite Bite" tutorial Martin Ainsworth quickly demonstrates to ability to give someone a slightly younger appearance using a Gaussian Blur and a Mask to get some very effective and quick results.

Tutorial, Video Tutorial

Adobe Photoshop

Lite Bite: Using the High Pass Filter to Sharpen Images
Play Video
In this very quick "Lite Bite" tutorial Martin Ainsworth demonstrates the effectiveness of the High Pass Filter to sharpen images and it's a lot quicker and easier that you might expect.

Tutorial, Video Tutorial

Adobe Photoshop

Lite Bite for Photoshop: Content Aware Fill vs Patch Tool
Play Video
In this "Lite Bite" tutorial Martin Ainsworth gives a quick overview of when and why to use the Patch & Content Aware tool to aid Photographic editing.

Tutorial, Video Tutorial

Adobe Photoshop

Lite Bite for Photoshop: Using Droplets in Adobe Photoshop
Play Video
This "Lite Bite Tutorial" will help you speed up and automate your work flow by using droplets created from actions in Photoshop. In a matter of minutes you will be up and running. The process is the same for both Mac & PC users.

Tutorial, Video Tutorial

Adobe Photoshop

Lite Bite for Photoshop: Using Masks on Groups
Play Video
Using masks to speed up web design can help you show multiple graphic ideas with the least amount of effort for best effect. In this tutorial, Martin Ainsworth willl show you how to add a mask to a folder and add content to it.

Tutorial, Video Tutorial

Adobe Photoshop

Lite Bite for Photoshop: Creating Custom Actions
Play Video
In this "Lite Bite" tutorial, quickly setup custom actions to speed up your photography workflow in Adobe Photoshop to rotate and add adjustment layers for 'Cross Processing' and 'Black & White.' This is a valuable time saving tutorial.

Tutorial, Video Tutorial

Adobe Photoshop

Video Adrenaline for Photoshop and AE: 3-D Models
Play Video
In this episode of Video Adrenaline for Photoshop and After Effects, Richard Harrington explores the interaction between Photoshop and AE when creating 3D models. Learn how to use Photoshop to retexture a model and import as a live 3D model into After Effects.

Tutorial, Video Tutorial

Adobe Photoshop

Photoshop and AE: Animating the Lens Blur Filter
Play Video
In this episode of Video Adrenaline for Photoshop and After Effects, Richard Harrington explores how to use the Lens Blur Filter in AE CS5.5 to create variable depth of field. This filter is an improvement on the last version of the same.

Tutorial, Video Tutorial

Adobe Photoshop

Photoshop and AE: Content Aware Scale in Video
Play Video
In this installment of Photoshop and AE Video Adrenaline, Richard Harrington demonstrates how to combine new features in Adobe After Effects to stabilize a shot with Content Aware Scale and Content Aware Fill in Adobe Photoshop to change the background. You'll become better prepared to use these powerful tools in your own project after viewing this informative tutorial.

Tutorial, Video Tutorial

MORE