open image in a mask

[Ken Veal]

PSPRo 2018. I am trying to make an image in a mask, not having a lot of luck. This is my work flow so far
1 Open jpeg image
2 Layers > Load/Save Masks > Load Mask From Disk to open the Load Mask From Disk dialog box.
3 click on Layers > New Mask Layer > From Image
4 select 1 of the open files via the drop down arrow
5 click ok
6 The image displays in the selected mask on a “chequerboard” called -----mask raster 1
This is as far as I get-can’t find a way to add item 6 to a background image. Info please

[Cassel]

Why not open the image you want to use as a mask and then go to Layers > New Mask layer > from Image and then select that image?

[Ken Veal]

The above image an example is where I get to .I need more detail of how to place this image on a background please

[Cassel]

I am a bit unclear. You want to put this image somewhere else? this is already masked, correct?

[Ken Veal]

I am sorry if I can't get my message across, this is all new to me.But if I under stand correctly, the squares in the above image indicate a transparent area and when the whole of the image is placed over a background image then that background image will show though the area outside the blue oval.If this is not the case please let me know, if it is then I would like to know how to do that.

[JoeB]

I am sorry if I can't get my message across, this is all new to me.But if I under stand correctly, the squares in the above image indicate a transparent area and when the whole of the image is placed over a background image then that background image will show though the area outside the blue oval.If this is not the case please let me know, if it is then I would like to know how to do that.

Yes, the checkerboard represents transparency, and anything under the transparent areas will show through. You will recall from your post about colorizing an image that both Cassel and I discussed layers, and I suggested that you familiarize yourself with layers. My example of promoting the colored pumpkin to a layer is a good example of how the pumpkin would be above the greyscale image but the rest of the greyscale image would show through the transparent area around the pumpkin. There is much good information about layers in the Help file and the PDF manual that explains how to create layers, place layers on top of each other and rearrange them if/when required and how transparency works with layers. So you really should check out the resources that come with PSP about how the program works and what it can do.

That said, it is likely now obvious that you have to place the bird layer on top of whatever background you want it on. But looking at the example you posted it appears to me that the apparently transparent portion (i.e, the portion with the checkerboard) isn't completely transparent but has a tinge of blue in most of it. If I am correct, then that will be apparent on the image you place the bird layer on.

[hartpaul]

I am sorry if I can't get my message across, this is all new to me.But if I under stand correctly, the squares in the above image indicate a transparent area and when the whole of the image is placed over a background image then that background image will show though the area outside the blue oval.If this is not the case please let me know, if it is then I would like to know how to do that.

To answer your question, I can think of two ways (I assume you have a couple of images visible on the workspace having unticked Tabbed documents under the Windows menu item):
1. Make your bird image active on the workspace - Right click > Copy
2. Make your other image active (click on title bar or on the image, - Right Click > Paste > Paste as new layer.

other way
1. Make bird image active - then left click on its thumbnail in the layer palette and drag it across and release on top of the other image - it will auto paste as new layer.

[JoeB]

Absolutely correct, Paul. But you gave him a fish whereas I was trying to give him a fishing pole....

[hartpaul]

Not sure if he has the right bait!!

[Ken Veal]

Thank you all for your replies and patience. I have not ignored previous advice- honest, I am working on my layer ignorance from various sources including previous posts , User Guide, Corel Discovery and Campus tutorials. My excuse is my sieve like memory, time, and what seems to me not being able to find everything I need answered in one place .An example of this is hartpaul’s advice to untick tabbed documents, do not remember seeing this advice before and that was the reason I had not got any further with getting the masked image onto a background image.
You were correct joeB, the chequer board was not completely transparent but has a tinge of blue in most of it, that will be apparent on the image you place the bird layer on. Do not know why that was but this was only an example.
Have listed a revised workflow for my own benefit and would ant comments would be welcome.I probably have the wrong line , fished in the wrong place and the water is too deep for me.


1 Untick Tabbed documents under the Windows menu in order to have 2 images visible on the workspace
2 Open jpeg image to mask and another for the background. Two images show in the workspace
3 Go Layers > Load/Save Masks > Load Mask From Disk to open the Load Mask From Disk dialog box. Choose mask via drop down arrow.
4 Masked image shows-select it to make it active.
5 Drag and drop the masked image thumbnail from the Layers Palette onto the image to be the background.

[Ken Veal]

This is the resultingimage

[hartpaul]

Looks good Ken. Only suggestion I would make is to feather the edges of the circle so that they blend into the soft background.

[Ken Veal]

OK,
Thanks for the suggestion hartpual , will give it a go

[JoeB]

An example of this is hartpaul’s advice to untick tabbed documents, do not remember seeing this advice before and that was the reason I had not got any further with getting the masked image onto a background image.

That situation with Tabbed Documents catches many inexperienced users by surprise, so you're not alone there. It's supposed to be an option that keeps our workspace from looking "cluttered" but I never use it. That's simply because I find it much easier to work with multiple documents when I can actually see them all in my workspace. With several documents open I just use the scroll wheel on my mouse to zoom some of the open documents down to a decent thumbnail size and move them to the side of the workspace, with the main document I'm presently editing kept larger while I'm working on it.

You were correct joeB, the chequer board was not completely transparent but has a tinge of blue in most of it, that will be apparent on the image you place the bird layer on. Do not know why that was but this was only an example.

To answer the question about why the blue tinge exists I would likely need to see the original image that contained the bird. In other words, I don't know if the bird and its blue background as shown in your example was the complete image you started with or if that was just a portion of an image that was selected. Assuming it was the latter case then whatever selection method you used did not eliminate all of the pixels from outside the selected oval and bird, leaving only partial transparency. If you were to post the original image that contained the bird then I could better suggest how I would select it to ensure that everything outside of the oval was completely transparent, except for some partial transparency around the edge of the oval created by feathering as suggested by @hartpaul.

[Ken Veal]

04500046.jpg (14.12 KiB) Viewed 3939 times

This is the original image, its properties are 384x256 14.1KB