I need help understanding Masks

[dlaf]

Greetings,

I have been using different levels of PaintShopPro for about 3 years now. I'm pretty good at learning things by reading the manuals and trial and error play.

However, I have just not been able to grasp masks. I've read my psp manual, and some tutorials, but when they are over my head I get confused, when I google there are sooooo many to choose from (ps and psp) that I just get lost and overwhelmed.

Can you recommend a tutorial or something on the web that I can read/practice with so I can get rid of this huge mental block with masks?

Thank you!

Debbie

[windrider86]

I've had the hardest time with masks as well dont feel alone. I undertsand them just fine an dhow they are supposed to work but getting them to do what i want isnt always as easy as it sounds.
try this link and follow this one step by step. I used this particular one quite a few times in varying manners. It helped me to understand how to use layers and mae darker and lighter areas in a photo

[FrankenPengie]

Originally Posted by windrider86

I've had the hardest time with masks as well dont feel alone. I undertsand them just fine an dhow they are supposed to work but getting them to do what i want isnt always as easy as it sounds.
try this link and follow this one step by step. I used this particular one quite a few times in varying manners. It helped me to understand how to use layers and mae darker and lighter areas in a photo

Ouch! Methinks a link is missing.

Run over to YouTube and type, "layer mask" in the search box. Most are for PS but it will help give you the idea.

[Saralonde]

Originally Posted by windrider86

I've had the hardest time with masks as well dont feel alone. I undertsand them just fine an dhow they are supposed to work but getting them to do what i want isnt always as easy as it sounds.
try this link and follow this one step by step. I used this particular one quite a few times in varying manners. It helped me to understand how to use layers and mae darker and lighter areas in a photo

Did you forget the link?

[Saralonde]

Will any of these youtube tutorials help you out?

[windrider86]

oops
http://graphicssoft.about.com/od/pai...lskycanyon.htm

[dlaf]

Thank you for your help! I have been perusing the links and will try to focus on learning masks and experimenting.

Debbie

[jiminyClickit]

dlaf,

Could you describe the moment you begin to feel lost in masking something? Is it the layering part, or the choice of light/dark to do certain things? Knowing what part of the function gives you grief, might help with a solution.

[windrider86]

I still have issues with masking and cant ever seem to just paint white or black (Lighten/darken) without showing obvious lines but am working on it. i do have quite a bit better undertstanding of layrs and masks than I do so maybe you and I can help each other out as we learn!

[jiminyClickit]

"Blur" can be your friend after painting a mask, and allows you to either Smudge or Erase into a final clean-edged mask, or soft transition if that's needed.