Masks Tutorial, I'll be doing this one on Duv_Nest Sunday at 8:30
Dlanok de Caresk (D Lan)
type assignments that can be done to allow a person to actually see what they're
doing.
Drop into Duv_Nest on Undernet, Sunday 8:30 for a real time chat, and I'll be
going over this info step by step, and answering questions.
If anyone wants to put this on their web site, they have my permission providing
they inform me, so I can refer people to the site, and I'm given credit.
Part 1, Basic operations
Question! What the heck is a Mask?
Each layer of painting in PSP5 has a hidden layer called a Mask. It's a 256
gray scale painting which controls the transparency of each individual pixel on
the current layer.
Like the name implies, you can 'Mask' off sections of the current layer, so that
only the unmasked area may be seen. Like painting in real life, and removing
masking tape from a protected area to reveal the un-painted section below.
However, a layer mask does NOT change any of the picture of the current layer,
it merely allows the viewing of a layer in various transparency as long as the
mask is active. (When the mask is deleted, see below.)
Question! How about showing that in PSP5?
OK, create a picture in PSP5 16M colors, 300 x 300, transparent, and draw blue
lines 10 pixels wide, from corners to corners. Save it for use later as
BlueX.psp
We'll be working on the background layer most of the time, but all of this can
be applied to each layer. Remember that this first exercise is using the mask
full on or off, to fully show or hide sections of a drawing.
Click on MASKS>NEW>Hide All
(This will create a mask to hide everything on the current layer. We could have
gone the other way by Show all, and edit to blank out.)
Now set the checks on Masks>Edit and Masks>View Masks. This allows us to see
the mask and make changes to it.
Notice that the blue x is no longer visible, and that the primary/secondary
color boxes are gray scale. Click on the primary color box to bring up the
palette, and select white 255,255,255 as the primary, and black as the secondary
0,0,0.
Paint a Primary color blob (don't worry about being neat) in the middle of the
layer. The blue X of our original layer becomes visible in the white area.
Painting with black puts transparent red in, and hides the current layer.
Uncheck Masks>Edit and Masks>View Masks. Now we see the original X but the Mask
will be Hiding the ends of the X. The entire X is still there, but parts are
hidden by the mask.
Our mask is active in there, too. Swap primary and secondary colors and paint a
black line from side to side of the current layer through the center of the X.
See how the Black line only shows up in the unprotected area?
Now click Masks>Invert and the previously hidden sections become visible, along
with the black line that was just drawn, but the previous visible section is now
invisible.
Supposing that this mask is one we'll need again at some point, we'll want to
save it. If it'll be used in this picture, we can save it in the Alpha Channel,
another hidden layer. Save it now as 'Test'.
Question! What's an Alpha Channel??
A hidden part of a picture, that can be saved as part of the picture. The Alpha
Channel holds masks, selections, and other information that you cannot see
unless you access it. Nobody remembers why it's called the Alpha Channel, but
it sounds better than "Hidden area for miscellaneous saved objects in the
picture."
Question! Can more than one mask be saved as an Alpha Channel?
Yes! You can save multiple masks in the Alpha Channel, just by giving the
current mask a different name for each save. You can load the Alpha channel
saves into any layer.
Question! Can I use the mask from an Alpha Channel in another drawing?
If that drawing is open in a different window in PSP5, yes. Otherwise, no. The
Mask must be saved to disk to be available to other drawings unconditionally.
Saves to the Alpha Channel go with that picture, saves to the drive are
available to all.
Question! Does it hurt anything to leave the Mask active, or do I need to
delete it before saving.
I recommend that you save in PSP format in order to save the Alpha Channel,
Selections, and a lossless compression. There are other formats that will save
the mask information, but as a general rule, if the format flattens the layers
before saving, the mask information will be lost from the layers and the Alpha
Channel.
When deleting the Mask, you'll have the option to Merge the mask into the
picture. Merging causes the masking to become a permanent change to the layer.
If the mask is not merged, the picture is unchanged.
Question! Does the size of the mask change when loaded into a new picture?
If from a Alpha Channel that's open, no. If from a disk save, yes. The new size
of the mask will be proportional from the original to the new, independent
proportions in vertical and horizontal. If you create a circle mask in a
drawing, save the mask to drive, then load into a canvas with double the
vertical size, the mask will have the same width, but twice the height.
Question! That's all nice, but what can I do with it?
Plain and fancy ovals, squares, and edges can be created with the mask feature,
then saved for other pictures. You can use the mask to airbush/paint fancy
edges into pictures, or even patterns.
All manner of fancy edging may be performed, then the image flattened into one
layer and saved as a web ready image. Note that flattening will erase all
current mask data, and further mask operation requires loading a mask or
creation of a new one.
Part 2 Advanced Operations and a painting.
As mentioned in part 1, the mask is a 256 level gray scale picture, and we've
seen the Black/White operation. The gray scale allows much more flexibility
than has been seen.
What the Mask actually controls is the opacity of each pixel in a drawing.
Where we painted white into the mask, the pixels had no transparency, black was
totally transparent.
Any level between those, sets the opacity of a picture pixel to one of 256
transparent levels.
The gray scale mask can be created from any of the normal editing tools, such as
Fill, Airbrush, pen, and even an existing picture. When editing the mask, even
selection works correctly.
Reload BlueX, create a new mask on layer 1, check View and Edit. Use the
selection tool to select a part of the picture and the Fill Tool to fill the
selection with a medium gray 127,127,127.
Notice that the red color is more transparent, and when Show Mask is unchecked,
the gray mask area is about 50% transparent.
While the Show Mask is unchecked, but Edit Mask is , let's see what editing the
mask when it's not visible is like. Use the brush with various gray levels to
paint, and notice how the transparency changes with the strokes of the brush.
This can be quite dramatic if you're working on a upper layer, with a picture
below. As you paint, the lower level is more or less visible, with each stroke
of the brush.
You may load a mask from the current image, by Masks>New>From Image>This Image
Edit the gray scale mask with any tool, then use all or part of the mask to
change colors, feather between images, and so on.
There are many ways that graphics may be made using PSP5. This is one way that
creating a mask and editing it can be used to create a picture. I've also
posted the various steps in alt.binaries.comp-graphics
Open a picture, 300 x 300 16 m color.
Primary color 3 61 15, Sec. color 164 196 244
Use the Fill Tool to fill the entire layer using:
Fill Style Linear Gradient
Match mode RGB Value
Tolerance 20
Opacity 100
Options
Blend Mode: Normal
Direction: 0 Degrees
Create a new layer. (creating the layer automatically selects it.)
Swap primary and secondary colors. Set secondary color to black (0,0,0)
Use the Fill Tool to fill Layer 2 using the same setting as in the first layer.
Select Masks>New>Show All
Click Masks>Edit
Click Masks>View Mask
Select Paint Brush and set:
Tool Controls-Paper Texture: Ocean
Brush Tip- Shape: Round
Size: 25
Opacity:16
Hardness: 0
Density: 100
Step: 1
Swap Pri/sec colors to get Black into Primary.
Starting at just below the center of the layer, Paint a line across the layer,
and continue down the page with a Z stroke, leaving thin wedges (about 1/16")
between the strokes with the points starting about the middle of the page.
(Sometimes the painting will abort due to starting off page, or moving too fast.
Work at it to find the correct painting motion for your computer's speed. Keep
a smooth flow going, but this is one place where a shakey hand can add a lot of
interest to the final picture!)
You should see the picture developing now.. a night time sea-scape. (but you can
draw a ship or beach into it later, on your own. :)
Save when you like the waves. (backup!!!)
Change the paint brush texture to Cloud, size 40, hardness 100, Opacity 40 and
click once in the upper left to put the moon in place.
If you want a brighter moon, reload and increase the Opacity. Now do you see
the need for saving? (as I dodge hurled invectives...)
You can fine tune the mask at this time, changing the wave tops to what you like
using the paint brush. (approp. sized, of course.) Darken the foreground water
by stroking under the wave tops.
Now, click Masks>Delete Merge? Yes
Layers>Merge>Flatten
Use a paintbrush size:1 Paper Texture: None, color 127,127,127 (or darker) to
put some stars in the sky, where you think they should go. Vary the gray to make
the stars appear larger or smaller.
I used the smudge tool to smear some the repeats of the Paper Texture, and even
created the neat little curl in the lower right.
In sum, what I did was create two gradient layers, then use the mask to blend
the uppermost into the lower, with a fixed pattern. A little touch up and the
picture was finished. This isn't the only way the picture could have been
drawn, but it shows a use of the mask, other than solid blocking.
Masks are tools, just as any other, and the more you use them, the more uses
you'll find for them.
D'Lanok de Caresk
dlan...@atmindspring.com
(email? DECrease the listed address, yes, those letters, and remove the at.
Spam prevention.)
I think that just about covers the operation of the MASK. I've covered the
operation of masks, or at least enough to get you started. After playing with
the exercises in these pages, you'll have the ability to understand all of the
mask examples on the web. I welcome all questions and I'll add to this as I get
feedback.
D'Lanok de Caresk
Dlanok de Caresk (D Lan)
part 1, Sunday at 8:30
Part 2, Monday at 8:30
Real time discussion, step by step.
D'Lan
Buzz Ball
Maybe afterwards we can go an a secret escape and grab a table for 2 by the
window at the cyber cafe...PS everyone, really I am female!!
Ha, take care and see you Sunday *chuckling*
Buzz.
Dlanok de Caresk (D Lan) <dlan...@atmindspring.com> wrote in message
35b2bf96...@news.mindspring.com...
Dlanok de Caresk (D Lan)
>Oh Yeah D'Lan,
>
>Maybe afterwards we can go an a secret escape and grab a table for 2 by the
>window at the cyber cafe...PS everyone, really I am female!!
>
>Ha, take care and see you Sunday *chuckling*
>Buzz.
I hadn't realized that there was any question.... D'Lanok is a male name, and my
self portraits in alt.binaries.comp-graphics have shown that.
See you Sunday, Buzz! You do remember the 'Dance of Joy'? :)
D'Lan
Buzz Ball
I am doing the dance of joy all over the #Duvs-nest room, the thought of
having a cafe date again wowowowowowow!!
hehehe sure hope your other half has a sense of humour *grin*
Take care
Buzz.
Dlanok de Caresk (D Lan) <dlan...@atmindspring.com> wrote in message
35abe55e...@news.mindspring.com...