How to Use a Layer Mask in Photoshop

A layer mask is a tool in Adobe Photoshop that is used to change the visibility of a single layer in an image file. A layer mask can be used to hide specific areas of a selected layer within an image file, or to make other areas of a layer visible using the brush tool to highlight segments of the image layer. The layer mask thumbnail—located at the bottom right corner of your workspace—shows the areas of the layer that are visible in white and areas of the layer that are invisible in black. Grey areas on the layer mask thumbnail indicate areas between full opacity and full transparency.

The purpose of a layer mask is to make alterations to the opacity and transparency of a layer, without making that change permanent. If you use the eraser tool in Photoshop to delete a part of an image layer, that part of the image will be gone and cannot be retrieved (unless you use the “step backward” function, which can undo parts of the rest of your work). Layer masks allow artists and designers to make changes that can be easily reversed without having to undo actions in sequence. Layer masks can also be used to create transparency gradients across a layer.

Creating a layer mask in Photoshop is an easy way to make changes that can easily be reversed, or to alter images in a stylized way. Follow this simple tutorial for creating a layer mask in Photoshop.

1. 1. Create a new layer. Click on the “add layer” button in the layers panel to create a new layer to work on. The keyboard shortcut for adding new layers is Shift+Ctrl+N. Add the image you want to alter.
2. 2. Add your layer mask. In the layers panel, click on the layer you want to add a mask to, then click the layer mask button at the bottom of the layers panel. The layer mask icon is a rectangle with a circle inside it. A layer mask thumbnail will appear beside the image layer thumbnail in the layers panel.
3. 3. Add black to conceal. Select the layer mask thumbnail in the layers panel to make it your active layer. Select the brush tool, and make black your foreground color. Paint over any parts of the image you want to conceal with your brush tool. A brush with a defined edge will make a hard line between your opaque and transparent elements, while a brush with a soft edge can create a fade.
4. 4. Add white to reveal. Select the brush tool, and choose white as the foreground color. Paint any areas of the image you want to appear with the brush tool. When you first make the layer mask, the entire layer will default to white.
5. 5. Add gray to blend. Select the brush tool and choose a shade of gray as the foreground color. Paint over any part of a layer you want partially visible or faded. The darker the gray, the more transparent the area of the image will be.

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