RSS Feed
Sponsored by the National Association of Photoshop Professionals. Learn More
Creating A Mask Over Multiple Layers
A layer mask is great for creating masks for a single layer. But what happens when you have several layers that you want to mask all at once? Well, let’s find out why.
In order to create a mask for multiple layers at once, I combine all of the layers I want to mask into a layer set. This allows me to continue to be able to edit each layer, but mask them all at once,
Let’s say we have an image like this one with 4 layers.
What we want to do is to click the link box for all of the layers you want to mask. Here I am linking all 3 layers above the background layer.
Once you have done this, click the arrow button in the upper-right-hand corner. A flyout menu will appear. Choose “New set from linked”.
This will combine all of the layers into one set.
Now that this is done, you can create a mask layer above the new set by clicking the new Mask Layer button at the bottom of you layers palette.
As you can see here, I have added a mask layer and swiped a gradient from left to right with the gradient tool using white as my foreground color and black as my background color.
Here is what it looks like.
You will find a use for this little trick. I am sure of it. I love the fact that I can do this without having to permanently combine the layers that I want to mask. Before Photoshop 6.0, this was the way it was done. Take advantage of this if you can. Talk to you next week.
No Comments
No comments yet.
RSS feed for comments on this post. TrackBack URI
Leave a comment
Photoshop Tutorials
Design Effects
Corey shows how to use the luminosity of an image to create a cool design effect and spice up your simple photos.
Stylized Comic Book Effect
Using this effect, you can transform anyone into a comic book character with a halftone, saturated look.
Text Shape Layers
Converting text into shapes allows you to distort the text as you like while retaining straight, clean edges.
-
More Design Effects
Corey takes this image and adds some cool design effects.
-
It’s Curtains For You
Creating Cool stage Curtains as a Background Effect.
-
Animated Snow
Celebrate the holiday season by learning how to use Photoshop to create falling snow over your favorite holiday image.
-
Retro Text
Corey goes back a few decades in style and explains how to create this groovy text design.
-
Chrome Logo in After Effects CS4
Using After Effects 3D layers and light sweep effect to create this text that moves in 3D space. -
Flash CS4 Deco Tool
Having fun experimenting with Flash CS4's Deco Tool. -
Patterns and Shapes in Adobe Illustrator
This tutorial is based on an advertisement that uses patterns and shapes to create a unique design effect. -
Redefined HTML Tags
This tool in Dreamweaver allows users to redefine an existing component of HTML.
Measuring in Vanishing Point
In Vanishing Point, you can take advantage of the new measurement tools by measuring something in three dimensions. You simply grab the Measure tool (R) and click between two points. Then in the top of the dialog, enter an establishing value in the Length field. This value will be what all other measurements will be based on. You can then render these measurements to Photoshop from Vanishing Point’s flyout menu. TIP: You may want to use a blank layer before going into Vanishing Point because when measurements are rendered, they appear on the currently active layer.
