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Use Refine Mask Instead of Refine Edge

 

If your aim in making a selection is to turn it into a layer mask for an adjustment layer, skip the Refine Edge controls in favor of the new Refine Mask controls, found in the Mask panel (Window>Masks) in CS4 — just click on Mask Edge to open the dialog. The controls in Refine Mask are the same as Refine Edge, but they affect a mask and not a selection, allowing you to see in real time how the edges of an adjustment layer’s mask are affected and what works best for that particular layer.

1 Comment

  1. Rommel Miraflores said on — June 11, 2009 @ 12:01 pm

    Awesome tip! Thanks.

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Create A Composite Layer

If you have a multilayer composition and you
want to apply an effect to all the layers at once, don’t flatten the layers–use a composite layer instead. Hide the layers you want excluded, and press Shift-Command-Option-E (PC: Shift-Ctrl-Alt-E). A new layer will be created at the top containing a merged copy of all the visible layers.

Another option is to create a new layer at the top of the stack and make it active. Command-click (PC: Ctrl-click) each layer you want to include to make those layers active, as well. Press Option-Command-E (PC: Alt-Ctrl-E).
by Colin Smith

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