Editing with vector masks


Masks are great aids in editing photos and artwork because they allow you to work on or edit specific areas of an image. As mentioned earlier, a mask isolates an area of an image by protecting it from editing. For example, if you want to apply a filter effect or color to only a portion of an image, using a mask is a perfect solution. You can produce two types of masks in Photoshop: layer masks and vector masks. Whenever you need to create a clean, sharp-edged shape for use as a mask, such as for geometric shapes or original drawings, the Vector Mask command is the one to use.

Note

For more about the differences between layer masks and vector masks, read "Layer masks vs. vector masks," later in this chapter.


Great cover-ups

Vector masks are defined with a path. You can create paths in a variety of ways by using a Shape tool, the Pen tool, or a Selection tool. Not only do they produce sharp-edged mask shapes, but they're also resolution-independent and easily edited with the Pen and Path Components tools.

Working with a Shape tool

1.

Launch Photoshop and choose File Open.

2.

Navigate to an image you'd like to add a vector mask to. Because vector masks are applied to layers, first unlock the original image layer, which by default, is named Background.

3.

Display the Layers palette and double-click on the Background layer. The New Layer dialog box appears.

4.

Enter Selection in the Name text box, and then click OK.

Making a vector path

1.

Select a Shape tool, such as the Ellipse tool icon, from the Toolbox, and click the Paths button icon on the tool options bar.

2.

Drag an elliptical path on your image like the one shown in Figure A1 on the previous page.


Figure A1.


3.

Choose Layer Add Vector Mask Current Path, and a vector mask is applied in the shape of the ellipse that you drew, as shown in Figure B1.


Figure A2.



Figure B1.


If you wish at any time to disable the vector mask, choose Layer Disable Vector Mask and a red Figure B2. When you do this, the full image in the Selection layer appears again without the mask. To enable the vector mask again, choose Layer Enable Vector Mask and the vector mask is restored. If you wish to remove the vector mask altogether, you can either select Layer Delete Vector Mask, or select the vector mask thumbnail and drag it onto the Delete Layer button located at the bottom of the Layers palette. When the Delete Vector Mask message box appears, click OK.


Figure B2.


Moving the vector mask

Located between the layer thumbnail and the vector mask thumbnail is a Linked icon . When the icon is showing, it means that the layer is linked to the vector mask. If you select either icon and then select the Move tool , you can click and drag the layer and the vector mask moves as well, as shown in Figure C1. If you deselect the link, select the layer icon, and then select the Move tool, you can click and drag the layer while the mask stays in place, as shown in Figure C2.


Figure C1.



Figure C2.


Changing the shape of the vector mask

If you want to change the shape of the vector mask, you can use either the Free Transform command or the Direct Selection tool. To use the Free Transform command:

1.

Click on the vector mask icon thumbnail, and then choose the Direct Selection tool from the Toolbox.

2.

Select Edit Free Transform Path, choose a handle on the bounding box, drag it to adjust the vector mask, as shown in Figure D1.


To use the Direct Selection tool:

1.

Select the Direct Selection tool from the Toolbox and then choose the portion of the vector mask path you want to change.

2.

Select a control point, drag it to adjust the vector mask, as shown in Figure D2, and press [Enter].


Figure D2.


When you've finished, close your image file, because we're going to use it again to create a vector mask using the Pen tool. If you want to save your work, you can save it as a copy. Choose File Save As, and when the Save As dialog box opens, select the As A Copy check box, and then click Save.

Making a vector mask with the Pen tool

1.

Open the file again, following the procedure we described earlier. (Don't forget to unlock your Background layer.)

2.

Select the Pen tool from the Toolbox and draw a path, as shown in Figure E1.


Figure E1.


3.

Choose Layer Add Vector Mask Current Path and Photoshop applies a vector mask in the shape of the path you drew with the Pen tool, as shown in Figure E2.


You can adjust the path you drew in the same way you would any other path using the Drawing tools, the Free Transform command, and the Direct Selection tool. For example, to adjust the section of the vector mask at the top of the photo:

1.

Select the Direct Selection tool, and then select the path.

2.

Choose the Convert Point tool from the Toolbox, select the top anchor point, and drag a direction point, as shown in Figure F. How ever you adjust the path, the vector mask is also adjusted.


Figure F.


Producing a vector mask with a Selection tool

The Selection tools include the Magic Wand, the Marquee, and the Lasso tools. You can use the Selection tools to create a selection border that you can then convert to a path.

1.

Select the Magic Wand tool from the Toolbox.

2.

Set a tolerance by entering 15 in the Tolerance text box in the tool options bar, and select both the Anti-Aliased and Contiguous check boxes.

3.

Click on the blank area outside the main object in your image. To add more area to your selection, [Shift]-click. To remove areas from your selection, [Alt]-click ([option]-click on the Mac).

4.

Choose Select Inverse and you have a selection area of just the main object, as shown in Figure G1.


Converting a selection border to a path

Let's next convert our selection border to a path. Before we do, we should feather the selection so our path is smooth.

1.

Choose Select Feather. The Feather Selection dialog box appears.

2.

Enter 10 pixels in the Feather Radius text box and click OK.

3.

Display the Paths palette by choosing Window Paths.

4.

Click the Make Work Path From Selection button located at the bottom of the Paths palette to change the selection to a path.

5.

Double-click on Work Path. The Save Path dialog box opens.

6.

Enter Selection Path 3 in the Name text box, and then click OK.

Note

Work paths are temporary paths, which Photoshop doesn't save with an image file. To save a work path, use the Save As option from the Paths palette's pop-up menu.

7.

Choose Layer Add Vector Mask Current Path, and Photoshop applies a vector mask in the shape of your selection border, as shown in Figure G2.


Applying a layer style effect to a vector mask

We can apply layer style effects, such as drop shadows and inner shadows, to vector masks. The effects appear along the vector mask path. Let's add an outer glow layer style effect.

To do so:

1.

Double-click on the Selection Path 3 layer. The Layer Style dialog box displays.

2.

Select the Outer Glow style. In the Elements section of the dialog box, enter a value large enough so you can see the effect, such as 160 pixels, in the Size text box. Then, click OK and Photoshop applies an outer glow effect, as shown in Figure H.


Figure H.


Vector masks uncovered

Applying a vector mask to a layer is a simple and quick way to isolate or protect an area of an image. A vector mask is sharp-edged, resolution-independent, and easy to adjust. Since a vector mask is path defined, you can save it with an image file and use it at another time.

Layer masks vs. vector masks

Masks are a great help when working with images. They protect and isolate areas of an image from editing actions, such as painting, drawing, and erasing. As mentioned earlier, Photoshop includes two types of masks: layer masks and vector masks. Although they both perform the same functions, each is created in a different way for a different purpose.

Layer masks are raster images that you create using the painting tools. Like other raster images they can have areas that are solid, transparent, and partially transparent, as well as hard and soft edges. You use layer masks when a mask requiring intricate detail that can be best produced utilizing the Brush or Pencil tool, as shown in Figure A, is called for.


Figure A.


Vector masks are vector shapes that you create using the drawing tools, as well as the shape and selection tools. A vector mask can have areas that are solid and transparent, but not semitransparent. Vector masks have hard, clean-cut edges. You use them when a mask requiring simple, pure shapes that can be best produced using the Pen tool, as well as a Shape or Selection tool, as shown in Figure B, is needed.


Figure B.





Get the Image You Want(c) Essential Photoshop Editing Techniques 2005
Get the Image You Want(c) Essential Photoshop Editing Techniques 2005
ISBN: N/A
EAN: N/A
Year: 2004
Pages: 105

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