A Masking Trick from a Happy Accident
Masks are one of my favorite Photoshop Elements tools because they make it easy to control and correct adjustments. Long after you’ve saved a psd file, you can go back adjust a mask and make changes. This is because the original image data isn’t compromised with a mask. But to be honest, I’m a little lazy. I don’t like it when a masks requires too much work to create. I’d rather do anything else than create an intricate masking edge with tiny trees and other details.
One day while working with a multilayer image, I had a happy accident and stumbled upon a new approach for making masks. While playing with the Threshold adjustment, I accidentally selected a portion of it. Not realizing I’d made the selection I created a new adjustment layer. Naturally, the mask for this new adjustment layer inherited the properties of the selection. I say naturally because that’s how Photoshop Elements works, but at the time there was nothing natural about it. Instead, it was like magic!
Since then, this technique has become a favorite (and, now intentional) way to make masks. The following video illustrates why and how.
(The video is also available on this page.)
Related Tags: masking, threshold adjustment layer
Dorita
October 28, 2010 at 9:12 pm
Something goes wrong in my little brain when I watch a video. I can not assimilate the information too well. I understand the logic, while I am watching and totally understand the process but I need the steps written down so as to do them at least once myself (I guess I am more hands on.)
Omce O get thru the process step by step…. then I can re-watch the video and it will click in my brain. I wish the page had at least the basic steps writteb out. But then that is why I purchased Elements magazineI guess! So either way thanks!
Liz
October 29, 2010 at 7:40 am
Hi Dorita!
Here’s a quick run-down of the steps:
1. Create a copy of the background layer (Ctrl-J/Mac: Cmd J).
2. Create a Threshold adjustment layer (Layer>New Adjustment Layer>Threshold) and adjust so that there is a good line defining the edge between sky and mountains.
3. Select both the adjustment layer and the copied layer (select one, press Shift and select the other). Then, merge them (Ctrl-E/Mac: Cmd-E).
4. Press D to set the background and foreground to their default colors.
5. With a brush (B), paint out any white that is in the mountain portion of the merged layer.
6. Switch background and foreground (X) and paint out any black that is in the sky portion.
7. With the magic wand (W), select the black portion of the merged layer.
8. Hide the merged layer by clicking on the eye next to the layer.
9. Create a new Hue/Saturation layer (Layer>New Adjust Layer>Hue/Saturation) and adjust as desired.
If the mask is revealing the adjustment in the sky, but you wanted it for the hills, click on the mask for the Hue/Saturation layer and press Ctrl-I (Mac: Cmd-I). Then, adjust as desired.
Hope that helps!
Liz
Lynette
October 31, 2010 at 12:31 pm
Thanks Liz for the written steps. I watched the video last night and thought “I can remember that!”. Of course I got hopelessly lost so now I will try again with your steps beside my computer. Lynne
JoAnn
October 30, 2010 at 1:35 pm
Would appreciate your showing us the results of your masking in Threshold. Felt like you were not finished with the Video because one could no Aot see the final results. Would you please be good enough to update the video and show us the results.
Thank you.
Jo Ann
Linda
November 3, 2010 at 4:47 pm
Loved the video and the written instructions. Only problem I have with all the videos is that the right hand side is cut off so I can’t see but a small part of the layers (only can see about 1/3 of them on the left side of the layer so it’s hard to see what you are actually doing). But, I’m still learning a lot. Thanks
Lenore
November 5, 2010 at 4:37 am
thank you Dorita for stating my problem so well. i have got to have the written step-by-step directions. i,m of the “paper” generation. i just got elements 9 and i love the addition of the new layer mask. thank heavens i don’t need to worry about doing that any more. Thanks to all of you for your help.
Alan
November 12, 2010 at 12:59 pm
What version of PSE were you using? I use PSE 6. I don’t have, or can’t find, the adjustments panel you show in the lowere right hand corner. Am I not finding it or is it in a later version?
Walter E.
November 13, 2010 at 11:10 am
Thanks Liz for the excellent video and the listed steps so we can print them out for referral.
By any chance do you have the image available to download so we can duplicate on our own computers?
Graphics-Guy
Liz
November 14, 2010 at 3:57 pm
Thanks Lenore and Walter — I’m glad you’ve enjoyed the tutorial!
Alan, I was using PSE8 (the adjustments panel isn’t there for 6 in the same way it is for 8 — it’s a separate window/panel that disappears once you press OK).
Linda, I’m sorry you’re having a bit of trouble with the video — not sure about the cause for that. I am glad that you’re finding the tutorial useful anyway and am looking forward to your take on it. Do you post in the gallery? If so, please leave a link — I’d love to see your photos!
=) Liz
Judy
September 6, 2011 at 3:03 pm
I’m using a Mac with PE8. I’ve tried this step-by-step along with you, repeatedly, but when I select the brush and try to paint over an area, nothing happens. The thumbnail blinks like something is being done, but there is no effect seen. Any ideas about what is going wrong?
Liz
September 11, 2011 at 5:51 pm
Judy, I’m not sure.
Just to clarify your question, do you click on the mask and then paint on the image (not the thumbnail), but nothing happens?
Thanks for helping me to better understand the situation.
Liz