layer masks

[Cheryl]

What is the photopaint 9 version of photoshop layer masks. I am trying to do some tutorials and I can't seem to figure this out. Usually the instructions say "I added a layer mask and did this etc. Any help will be much appreciated.
Thanks.
Cheryl [img]/infopop/emoticons/icon_smile.gif[/img]

[mikeius]

You should select a layer/object in PP Objects Docker.
Go to Main Menu
Object/Clip Mask/Create
There you will find several options.
Object Clip Mask works almost exactly than Photoshop Layer Mask.

Regards

Michael Cervantes

[AjIsCoool]

Hi Mike
i am very surprise not to see any movements in this post, I think PP9 & 10 offers a lot of uniqe functions that we should get to know them.
Anyway, could you PLZ explain with an example if posible Object-ClipMask-create- 1- from mask 2- from object trasparency. what they mean?. i read some tutorails for achiving clipmask but realy i did not get the full understanding.

Thank you....( keep this post a life )

[mikeius]

You can associate any mask to an object.

From Mask. Any active mask at the moment you are creating the clip.

Form Inverted Mask. You can clip the active mask, but inverted.

From Object transparency. It creates the clip from the selected object transparency. If object is a circle for example it will create a circle mask. If object is a face, it will create a clip mask from object silhouette.

To Show all. Creates a clip mask showing all the object.

To Hide all. Creates a clip mask hiding the object.

Now what it is good for.

You can use the Airbrush tool, and paint with it areas of the mask. Showing or hidding as you please. You should switch paint color between black and white to show or hide areas. It is an excellent tool to fix images. The good part is that the original object is not altered until you combine the clip mask with the object, and it provide a great freedom perfectioning masks.

For example suppose you have a portrait. The person in this photo has bad skin and wrinkles. You can duplicate background object twice. You will softly blur one object copy, and you will Unsharp mask the other object copy. You will create a Clip Mask (Hide All) in the Sharped object, and you will paint with the Airbrush those areas you want sharp. You will see that the Clip mask will let the hidden sharp object shows in the painted areas. This way you will have a detailed eyes for example and a soft skin.

Clip Mask has many valuable uses.

Hope it helps.

Visit http://www.vakcer.com/mcdesign and read "Pixels and Artifact Killer." In this article I show how to use it.

Regards

Michael Cervantes