Masks for the graphically challenged

[pixelblu]

I'm hoping someone here can help. I've gone through a bunch of tutorials on masks but can't figure this one out. I have a psd file with several layers that includes a mask (filled in red) which is what I want to use as the shape of the image. Every tutorial has a different way of creating a mask but I can't figure out how to do it when the mask is a layer within an existing file. There's no option to save the mask to disk so I can load it into a new raster image to merge it with the image.

Can anyone who can point me in the right direction.

Thanks!


PSP X4

[LeviFiction]

If it is actually a mask inside of PSP and not just used as a mask in photoshop then then you can go to the Layers menu Load/Save Masks -> Save Mask to disk.

Then open the other image and go back to the Layers menu and select "Load Mask from Disk"

You can also just copy and paste masks into another image like any regular layer.

[pixelblu]

Thanks for the help...when I select the layer the I want to use as the mask the option "Save mask to disk" is greyed out.

Here's an image of the layer (in red) I want to use as the mask to get the image to fit in the background graphic.

2012-07-25_165016.png (105.27 KiB) Viewed 621 times

[LindaSue]

If the red layer has a transparent background, I would lock the transparency for that layer then flood fill the red with black. I'd then delete any other layers in the image and then flatten it so that it's got a white background around the black shape. Then go to Layers/New Mask Layer/From Image and use these settings:

- Under "Source window", keep the current image selected
- Check "Source luminance" and "Invert mask data"

To save this mask to disk, make the "Mask - Raster 1" layer the active layer then go to the Layers menu and proceed as Levi posted for saving it to disk.

[pixelblu]

Thanks to both of you for the help...I'm a lot closer. I can get to the point of getting the mask for the image done correctly but when I copy and paste that mask as a new layer in the original graphic the entire graphic goes transparent and the background is now in the mask. I've tried arranging the layers but that wasn't it so not sure where I went wrong.

Here's the mask:

2012-07-26_120412.png (91.83 KiB) Viewed 607 times

Here's the mask pasted as new layer:

Thanks again

[hartpaul]

So let me make an educated guess that you want to make images look like the following?

[pixelblu]

Yes that's exactly right...

[hartpaul]

OK then your question is really about frames rather than a mask .

Here are the steps I would do to get those images using the same 'mask' / frame.

1. I converted your image to a jpg (loaded png saved as Jpg and reloaded)
2. Applied a crop tool around the interior to get an approximate size of the image to be placed in that frame. In this case it was 331 x 197 pixels so I will use 330 x 200 (easier to remember).


3. I then take the image to be the inset and set a crop rectangle of 300 x 200 on that image and tick box Maintain Aspect Ratio.


4. I enlarge the crop rectangle to suit what part of the image I want. (this can be saved as a preset to speed up future crops) and apply.


5. The cropped image is then resized to suit the frame. (Image --> Resize)


6. Now to prepare your frame. I took your image(as jpg) and promoted it from background to layer to a raster layer.

Right click the layer to get the context menu and choose Promote Background Layer



7. I then choose all of your red area (magic wand set on Match Mode - RGB) and press the delete key and that part becomes transparent so I can see through to any picture beneath. . Then choose from menu bar Selections --> Select None

8. Now place the images together on the workspace and drag the image thumbnail from the Layers palette onto the Mask image. (This is a quick Copy and Paste as new layer) .

9. Lastly drag the image layer beneath the mask layer and use the Move tool for final positioning.

[pixelblu]

hartpaul - Thanks for showing me that...I really appreciate your time. It's nice to come across a forum that's this active and members willing to help.

Thanks to levifiction and lindasue too for the help with masks.

[ADonahoo]

If the mask is a layer inside a psd file and it is to be used as a mask, why can't she save the layer as a new image and use that image as the mask? But then I don't know what kind of image this photoshop file is, and what it is to be used for. I wonder if these are grouped layers in a newer version of PHotoshop; PSP can't deal with those very well.