MASKING: A Comprehensive Basic Tutorial (for v3.x to 4.x)
Tue Mar 11, 2008 10:34 pm
--[ This is an intermediate level tutorial. It assumes proficiency with Producer. ]--
http://www.photodex.com/sharing/viewsho ... alb=135843
This tutorial provides a comprehensive introduction to basic masking.
It shows how to use a solid color or multi-color mask using alpha channel or grayscale
(with and without mask inversion). Each tutorial can stand on its own.
If anyone has ever told you that a mask had to be black or white, this is a tutorial you MUST see.
This tutorial is composed of an introduction, 10 different tutorials, an example,
a brief on color inversion, and conclusions.
Length of the various tutorials/shows:
> Introduction 1:47
> Color Inversion 3:00
> Mask Basics 4:30
> Black Mask 2:49
> White Mask: 2:35
> Rainbow Mask 2:45
> Red & White Mask 2:45
> Transparent to Black 2:42
> Transparent to White 2:38
> Transparent - Color 2:32
> Gradient Mask 2:33
> Image Mask: 2:00
> Colored Heart: 36s
> Conclusion 6:00
Total Time Entire Tutorial Suite: 39m 08s
Each tutorial can stand on its own and needs not rely on information presented in any other tutorial.
--[ Dale ]--
updated to correct minor display problems and a few typos. 20080819
http://www.photodex.com/sharing/viewsho ... alb=135843
This tutorial provides a comprehensive introduction to basic masking.
It shows how to use a solid color or multi-color mask using alpha channel or grayscale
(with and without mask inversion). Each tutorial can stand on its own.
If anyone has ever told you that a mask had to be black or white, this is a tutorial you MUST see.
This tutorial is composed of an introduction, 10 different tutorials, an example,
a brief on color inversion, and conclusions.
Length of the various tutorials/shows:
> Introduction 1:47
> Color Inversion 3:00
> Mask Basics 4:30
> Black Mask 2:49
> White Mask: 2:35
> Rainbow Mask 2:45
> Red & White Mask 2:45
> Transparent to Black 2:42
> Transparent to White 2:38
> Transparent - Color 2:32
> Gradient Mask 2:33
> Image Mask: 2:00
> Colored Heart: 36s
> Conclusion 6:00
Total Time Entire Tutorial Suite: 39m 08s
Each tutorial can stand on its own and needs not rely on information presented in any other tutorial.
--[ Dale ]--
updated to correct minor display problems and a few typos. 20080819
Last edited by im42n8 on Tue Oct 27, 2015 7:10 am, edited 5 times in total.
Wed Mar 12, 2008 3:26 am
WOW Dale - thank you for putting so much of your time into this project!! I am downloading this as I write. Can't wait to look at it as this is my weak area of the program!
THank you again...
Mary
THank you again...
Mary
Wed Mar 12, 2008 4:18 am
Dale, if you never give another thing to this forum, you'll still have it covered. Now THAT was a lot of work! I've got grayscale masks well planted in my head, but those alpha masks have been an ongoing plague. You've started the healing process for me.
Thank you, thank you, thank you!
Barbara
Thank you, thank you, thank you!
Barbara
Wed Mar 12, 2008 4:35 am
Hi Dale
I recently described Masks as my Mount Everest... so thanks for this. Got to go earn a crust shortly, but I'll be back at my pc digging into this later.
Maybe masks are just a molehill after all? Hope so...
Thanks again
Iris
UK
I recently described Masks as my Mount Everest... so thanks for this. Got to go earn a crust shortly, but I'll be back at my pc digging into this later.
Maybe masks are just a molehill after all? Hope so...
Thanks again
Iris
UK
Wed Mar 12, 2008 5:09 am
Thanx Barbara!
With Alpha masks, they're either on or off, there is nothing in between. So, you can use them to cover something up or to reveal. The last slide of the conclusions has an outline that I created with masks. The outline is nothing more than a box with most of the center cut out of it, leaving the outside edges. This mask can make frames. All you have to have is the layer you want to use as a mask (color is irrelevant) and a layer that will be masked. I think once you can see what it does then what will follow are uses you can find for the application of the mask.
I like it for cutting out parts of the other image (whatever I use in the masked layer).
Thanx!
Dale
With Alpha masks, they're either on or off, there is nothing in between. So, you can use them to cover something up or to reveal. The last slide of the conclusions has an outline that I created with masks. The outline is nothing more than a box with most of the center cut out of it, leaving the outside edges. This mask can make frames. All you have to have is the layer you want to use as a mask (color is irrelevant) and a layer that will be masked. I think once you can see what it does then what will follow are uses you can find for the application of the mask.
I like it for cutting out parts of the other image (whatever I use in the masked layer).
Thanx!
Dale
Wed Mar 12, 2008 5:12 am
Tnanx Mary!
Hope it helps! It took more time and effort than I thought it was going to! Sorta grew as I went along ... things kept coming up that looked like they needed covered to help explain something else!
Dale
Hope it helps! It took more time and effort than I thought it was going to! Sorta grew as I went along ... things kept coming up that looked like they needed covered to help explain something else!
Dale
Wed Mar 12, 2008 5:15 am
Iris,
Understanding masks is difficult at first, esp if you've never dealt with them before. Once you can see how they apply to things tho, what they can do, then the light starts coming on and it's all downhill from there. The hardest part is getting creative with them in a constructive fashion! The easy part is figuring out the little things to do with them (like making things disappear on screen or giving a b&w image some color!
Dale
Understanding masks is difficult at first, esp if you've never dealt with them before. Once you can see how they apply to things tho, what they can do, then the light starts coming on and it's all downhill from there. The hardest part is getting creative with them in a constructive fashion! The easy part is figuring out the little things to do with them (like making things disappear on screen or giving a b&w image some color!
Dale
Wed Mar 12, 2008 7:01 am
Thanks Dale
I thought I had a good understanding of masks, but you still covered things I had not thought of. Downloaded and in a safe place to keep.
Brian
I thought I had a good understanding of masks, but you still covered things I had not thought of. Downloaded and in a safe place to keep.
Brian
Wed Mar 12, 2008 7:50 am
Thanx!
I was hoping it would prove useful to people ...
Those who thought a mask HAD to be black or white (or it wouldn't work!!!) are what got me started!
Enjoy!
Dale
I was hoping it would prove useful to people ...
Those who thought a mask HAD to be black or white (or it wouldn't work!!!) are what got me started!
Enjoy!
Dale
Wed Mar 12, 2008 8:25 am
Dale -
Now THAT was a masking tutorial!
I think this one will lift the "fog" many struggle with on masking concepts. Simplistic explanations & visuals that even a beginner should be able to grasp!
Great job!
- Diana
Now THAT was a masking tutorial!
I think this one will lift the "fog" many struggle with on masking concepts. Simplistic explanations & visuals that even a beginner should be able to grasp!
Great job!
- Diana
Wed Mar 12, 2008 8:31 am
Thanx very much Diana!
It was a lot more effort than expected! But, I was hoping the end result would be the ticket to helping people understand a (somewhat) difficult concept so they could productively put masks to work for them ... and to clear the fog about some misconceptions people held about them as well.
Dale
It was a lot more effort than expected! But, I was hoping the end result would be the ticket to helping people understand a (somewhat) difficult concept so they could productively put masks to work for them ... and to clear the fog about some misconceptions people held about them as well.
Dale
Wed Mar 12, 2008 8:34 am
Dale
Fantastic. Saved to my Hard disk (with Mikey's help).
Viewed you other tutorials and saved them also, will never get anything else done. 
Waiting for another reminder from my Internet provider that I have AGAIN exceeded my monthly limit. Still it's worth it.
Mike
Fantastic. Saved to my Hard disk (with Mikey's help).
Viewed you other tutorials and saved them also, will never get anything else done.
Waiting for another reminder from my Internet provider that I have AGAIN exceeded my monthly limit. Still it's worth it.
Mike
Wed Mar 12, 2008 9:08 am
wow, wow, wow... and thank you.
been playing around with masking on my current show and it is something that you really have to wrap you head around, isn't it? Your tutorial went far in explaining the processes and differences in a logical manner. Great job.
thanks for the extreme effort on this one.
much appreciated
been playing around with masking on my current show and it is something that you really have to wrap you head around, isn't it? Your tutorial went far in explaining the processes and differences in a logical manner. Great job.
thanks for the extreme effort on this one.
much appreciated
Wed Mar 12, 2008 10:33 am
Thanx Mike! Glad you found it of use!
Dale
Dale
Wed Mar 12, 2008 10:36 am
Well LadyBlu, once you figure out what the masks do and you don't have to guess any longer (as in try stuff until something finally works) then things move along a bit better! Once the basics have been grasped it's easier to go to the more practical applications of those basics.
Glad to have helped!
Dale
Glad to have helped!
Dale