042 - IFX tutorial - Layer mask
This tutorial was written for ImagineFX magazine Issue#25.
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Layer mask.
If you’re familiar with any of the mostly common painting programs, you probably already know how to work the layers function.How many times have you made a nice combination between two images by softly blending them into each other by using the eraser brush on the topmost layer and the realized that you would like to do some alteration and had to start again from scratch again with the original images?
This is where the layer mask comes in handy. You can control the opacity of the image that you used to use the eraser for as a separate grey-scale image, and then move this independent from the image you’re showing.
And the good thing is; you only edit the layer mask and not the main images themselves.
Add a layer mask to the layer in which you want to hide or “erase” out some parts (To be found at the bottom of the Layers window).
Now, this layer has got a white thumbnail to the right of the layer with a link between.
The white colour means that the entire layer is now 100% visible. 100% black means fully masked, and 50% grey means 50% transparent.
To alter the layer mask, click the white thumbnail and start painting with black or grey.
Keep the link between the layer and the mask enabled to move the image around as you like with the “Move Tool”.
To move the image independently from the layer mask, or the layer mask independent from the layer, click away the link.
You can even Transform, add filters, or what ever you like to the layer mask.
For visual alteration of the layer mask you can edit it under the “Channels” window.
Blend layers without altering the original images or layers. You can have full control of the blending and images by using a Layer Mask.
You can move all layers independent from each other, including the layer mask which you can move around on the attached layer, and even transform separately.