Masks in Version 8

**Giselle** · 06-16-2004, 06:18 PM

Need help creating a mask from an image. I am used to PSP 7, but can't seem to catch on with version 8. The mask feature is a bit different in version 8, any help would be greatly appreciated...

**Giselle** · 06-17-2004, 03:07 PM

Nobody here working with version 8 yet where we could have a discussion about masks?

**Kyrnt** · 06-17-2004, 03:23 PM

Giselle,

In v8, you can create a "hide all" or "view all" new mask layer by selecting the layer you want to mask from your layer palette then selecting Layers > New Mask Layer > Hide All OR Show All.

This implementation is similar to v7's. There's no real difference between the two other than the fact that a "hide all" layer comes pre-colored to obscure the masked layer completely.

Once you mask a layer, PSP v8 creates a layer group and places the original layer and mask layer in that group. Edit the mask by selecting it from the layer palette. One of the features that most people liked from v7 was the ability to "see" the mask and while this is not the default in v8, you can turn it on by selecting Layers > View Overlay.

As you know, a mask's pixels does not contain color, but only (and these are my words) "gray" values between white (0) and black (255). Use your paintbrush, fill tool, gradient tool or other favorite implement to paint the mask as you like. Obviously black areas or areas containing values closer to black (0) will appear more opaque, making the underlying layer more obscure. The opposite effect is seen with white and lighter values.

Some of this you probably already knew and I hope I didn't insult your intelligence

, but that's a good overall primer.

If you have more specific questions, I'll try to field them....

Regards,
Kyrnt

**Giselle** · 06-17-2004, 04:21 PM

Not at all Kyrnt, as far as insulting my intelligence goes...

Apparently what I want to do can't be done in version 8...I have read quite a few online mask tutorials (version 8), read the tutorial on masks from the software...tried every which way to make a mask from my own image with no luck whatsoever in version 8. As far as a mask goes, yes been able to create one.

I don't want to color the inside of the mask, what I want to do is use that mask and be able to use the 3-D effects, like version 7.

Any other ideas or suggestions, or am I pretty much dead as far as what I want to do?

Thank you for your response, very much appreciated...

Giselle

**Kyrnt** · 06-17-2004, 10:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Giselle

I don't want to color the inside of the mask, what I want to do is use that mask and be able to use the 3-D effects, like version 7.

Giselle,

I am not sure of the effects you are speaking about. Do you mean that you would make a modification to a mask using a filter and that somehow that effect could then be seen on the image? Very neat idea, but I've never seen it done.

Do you have any examples of this kind of work? I would love to see it.

**Giselle** · 06-18-2004, 01:20 AM

Actually Kyrnt my avatar is a mask, although the graphic really isn't that great because of the size, but thought the bells were pretty enough to display. Now I just about went crazy trying to accomplish this in version 8, finally threw in the towel and went back to version 7. Here is the tutorial for for this:

http://graphicsbypati.com/psptuts/et.../etchglass.htm

I have a picture I will attach, this also is a mask basically using this tutorial, although this effect is a neon glow, but I also like to etch too.

Quite frankly I don't think this can be done in version 8, believe me I have tried every which way, but then again, there might be something I am missing......

**Giselle** · 06-19-2004, 03:01 PM

Haven't heard from you Kyrnt, can this effect be done in version 8?

This attachment will be coming done soon, it's a postcard from my site, after Father's Day I will take all the Father's Day cards off...

**Kyrnt** · 06-22-2004, 01:53 PM

Giselle,

Sorry for the delay -- I've been playing around PSP myself and I can't find a way to do that. I can't believe that they would take functionality out, but we're a couple of smart cookies and if we can't see it.....

I'm not done and I'm looking forward to getting that attachment. Give me a little more time to play.....

**Giselle** · 02:03 PM

Please go here Kyrnt....

All of these are done with a mask, pretty sure the last graphic (animated) was a mask also, I like to play with different effects...

The second graphic was totally etched, just like the tutorial I submitted....

My passion is really graphics and making these postcards, to me it's such fun!

I do want your opinion although I have tried every which way I could think of in version 8. If this function has been turned off in version 8, then perhaps I shall write to the company and ask if they could please bring this mask feature back to the future version. They claimed to me when they were in the works of making version 8, they went on the premise of what people wanted and asked for.

Patience isn't one of my strong points, also am known to be the "Delete Queen" in a certain circle called family...

So I shall give you time to see what you come up with, I should know better, hours can go into graphics, especially with playing...

**Giselle** · 06-22-2004, 07:53 PM

Kyrnt on the animated graphic, it was a different tutorial, so will submit the address, it was a fun one plus a link to receive a free plugin from Flaming Pear called Primus....

http://www.katra.co.uk/water/water1.htm

**Kyrnt** · 06-22-2004, 11:38 PM

Giselle,

I reviewed each of the steps in the first tutorial that you posted. While I didn't actually execute the tutorial, I did assure myself that I could execute each of the steps in PSP v8.

Originally, I was under the impression that you felt you couldn't create a mask from an image. That option is available by selecting

Layers >> New Mask Layer >> From image...

Was there a particular step in the tutorial on which you get stuck?

**Giselle** · 06-23-2004, 01:42 AM

Thank you so much Kyrnt!!! My goodness all the hours I spent trying to figure that one out and it was so simple....

Basically I made the mask, just like your instructions, loaded the mask to save to alpha channel but couldn't figure out where to go next, especially with the extra layers, that's what I didn't understand. Pretty much like version 7, all I had to do was open another colored background page and load the mask, there was my marching ants. Thank goodness that function is still there, can't figure out why I couldn't understand that...

Thank you so much for taking your time, very much appreciated...

**Kyrnt** · 06-23-2004, 09:12 AM

Glad I could help, Giselle. v8 really is quite powerful and I would love to spend more time with it, but alas, life calls with other priorities, you know.

Have a good one!