MASKING: A Comprehensive Basic Tutorial (for v3.x to 4.x)

Please post your tutorials here for ProShow Producer only. Provide a lnk if you have a file that can be downloaded by others. This is not a discussion section, but rather a source for sharing tutorials.
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Postby BarbaraC » Sun Mar 16, 2008 7:21 am

Rick, your tutorials alone aren't enough for me, and the same holds true for yours, Dale. Each of you comes at the idea of masks from a different viewpoint and each of you uses different descriptions. Because of this, you augment each other. Not only is there room for both your tutorials, but there's room for even more. A student may "click" with teacher A but not with teacher B, while a second student may click with B and not A.

The goal here isn't so much to get the words right as it is to promote an ease in the use of masks.

Barbara

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Postby im42n8 » Sun Mar 16, 2008 8:40 am

Oh heck! I knew that! None of my tutorials are definitive ... never meant them to be. I don't have all the answers. Certainly I or anyone else is going to get questioned tho if the information presented isn't correct ... or someone tries to be dogmatic about "THE" way to do, see, or approach a way to do something.

As long as we all keep open minds.

Dale

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Postby im42n8 » Mon Mar 17, 2008 9:49 am

A Revised Conclusions has been sent to Mike for inclusion in the Member Created Files section.

Until then, a copy may be obtained here:
http://www.fenimorephotovideos.com/Temp ... evised.pdf

as well as in the files section of the PSProducer and Proshowgroup forums on Yahoo.

Added was information concerning gradient masks that vary from color-to-transparent (where "color" is black, white, and any color other than black or white) and a gradient mask that varies from white to black.

Also, the grayscale non-inverted and inverted information was reversed in the last Conclusions (sorry about that ... I didn't catch it until too late).

Dale

PS Thanx Rick!

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Postby im42n8 » Mon Mar 17, 2008 5:58 pm

I posted an updated tutorial suite.

http://www.photodex.com/sharing/viewsho ... alb=135843

The following tutorials were added:

a. Transparent Gradient - Black
b. Transparent Gradient - White
c. Transparent Gradient - Color
d. Gradient Mask - White to Black

Each is about 2:20 long.

I also included revisions to the Conclusions section with info from derived from the 4 added tutorials.
Below is a link to a document that contains the revised information in a single page PDF.

http://www.fenimorephotovideos.com/Temp ... evised.pdf


There is also an Addendum show to the first Tutorial Suite with just these last four shows (no conclusions section)
(if you didn't want to access the revised tutorial suite to get to these new tutorials):

http://www.photodex.com/sharing/viewsho ... alb=135843


As the result of some conversations I had with other, the less inclined I was to include the original topic of transparent
gradient mask as part of an advanced topic on masks. Then, as I began work on it I became even more convinced.
That one discussion idea led to work on the other 3 tutorials ... that one show begged further questions that needed addressing!

Dale

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Postby MG - Admin » Mon Mar 17, 2008 8:01 pm

I've uploaded the PDF file to the forum server. You can access it by clicking on the link below:

Revised ProShow Producer Mask Conclusions PDF file

Mike

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Question in form of a show

Postby BarbaraC » Sat Mar 22, 2008 12:40 pm

I created this quick show that poses a question about masks. It's a question that has yet to be answered quite to my satisfaction, though Rick certainly came closest to it.

http://www.photodex.com/sharing/viewshow.html?fl=2956170&alb=0

Barbara

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Re: Question in form of a show

Postby im42n8 » Sat Mar 22, 2008 5:43 pm

Barbara,

The answer to your question posed in your "Question show" is found in my masking Tutorial (see the Conclusions PDF and the Conclusions Tutorial -- in particular See paragraphs "F", "G, and "H"). An alpha mask and a grayscale mask are two different types of mask that at times work the same.

IN PRODUCER, given that the alpha mask is 100% opaque, it is either on or off (and the masked layer is either visible or invisible as defined by where that layer is below the masking layer). It doesn't matter what the color of the masking layer is.

A grayscale mask can vary the opacity of the masked layer from opaque to transparent, depending on the color of the masking layer. The non-inverted mask will vary from an opaque masked layer (for white in the masking layer) to a transparent masked layer (for black in the masking layer).

There are FOUR cases where a grayscale mask and an alpha mask work the same way and they all depend on the grayscale mask being WHITE! In this case, both the inverted and non-inverted grayscale mask will exhibit exactly the same as the alpha channel does.

So, these cases are where
A) the grayscale mask is WHITE and 100% opaque (inverted or non-inverted) or when
B) the grayscale mask is WHITE and contains opacity (e.g., varies from WHITE to TRANSPARENT; inverted or non-inverted).

In the case of B) above, when the opacity or varying opacity in the grayscale mask is the same as that of an alpha mask, the masked layer result will look same exactly the same for both types of masks. The same can't necessarily be said if the color is other than white. The further away from white the color of the masking layer gets the less the masked layer will display the same the result using the alpha channel mask.

In Producer, basically the purpose of an opaque ALPHA mask is to create 100% Transparency or 100% Opaque in the masked layer.

The purpose of the grayscale mask is to create a level of opacity in the masked layer as defined by the grayscale value (i.e., color) of the masking layer.

That opacity is some value between 0 (transparent) and 255 (opaque), (in decimal values of the color, assuming equal parts of all colors - Red, Green, and Blue ... e.g., shades of gray... between black and white).

Does that help at all?


Dale

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Postby BarbaraC » Sun Mar 23, 2008 3:45 am

Dale, I hate to say this BUT... Your explanation is more opaque than any mask I've ever encountered! :D

First, you describe an alpha mask as 100% opaque, but I've been given to understand it should contain transparency. Then, further down in your description, you have a grayscale mask varying from white to transparent. I thought grayscale goes from white to black and has no transparency at all.

What I'm looking for is a case where a grayscale mask CAN'T create an effect that an alpha mask can. So far, I've used only grayscale because it happens to be an easier concept for me to grasp and because it has yet to fail me in what I want it to do. In what situation would I be forced to use alpha instead of grayscale?

I'm so confused that it's wonder I'm not inverted.

Barbara

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Postby im42n8 » Sun Mar 23, 2008 5:24 am

Barbara,

Take the time to study the mask itself and it will reveal itself .... (h o w e x i s t e n t i a l is that!?!).

In a graphics editor, an alpha channel is used to create transparency. By using its 256 shades of gray (from all black to all white and everything in between) you can create 256 levels of transparency. Producer changes that concept a bit.

In Producer, the alpha channel is used to create transparency only (hence the name: Alpha (Transparency)). It's either transparent or opaque. HOWEVER, IF it also contain opacity, that opacity shows up in the masked layer. It isn't a requirement that an alpha (transparency) mask have transparency.

On the other hand, Producer uses the grayscale mask to create SHADES of transparency (hence the name Intensity (grayscale)). Like the alpha (transparency) mask, IF the grayscale mask also contains opacity, its masked layer is correspondingly affected. BUT, it isn't a requirement to have transparency.

In Producer there's no requirement to use one mask over the other. And with the all WHITE grayscale mask giving results that are exactly like an alpha (transparency) mask (both inverted and not inverted), it looks like you can use grayscale masks for just about everything and not worry about doing anything with the alpha (transparency) masks!

In case you're interesting, this is a draft I'm for working with alpha (transparency) masks
http://www.photodex.com/sharing/viewsho ... 6306&alb=0

Dale

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Postby BarbaraC » Sun Mar 23, 2008 5:44 am

I like that answer, the one stating it appears I needn't bother with alpha masks. Though some may beg to differ, I find that grayscale masks act in Producer just as I expect them to act in Photoshop. Depending, of course, on how I set things up (:D), in Photoshop black will conceal the next layer and white will reveal it. Gray covers all the in-betweens. By golly, it works for me!

I watched your in-progress alpha tutorial and instantly knew I'd never have used alpha, but instead, I'd have used grayscale. I can't believe you think alpha is easier to understand! As far as I'm concerned, any time I use transparency in one layer above another, the transparency is there to create a simple frame.

I give up. Alpha masks are apparently on the far side of my mental fence.

Barbara

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Postby im42n8 » Sun Mar 23, 2008 6:09 am

In Producer, these masks are two different manifestations of the same thing!

YOU are a lost cause! :-)

Masks are just that ... to keep one part of an image from being affected/changed etc ... just like in the case of a stencil. You use them in a way that works for you. If you need a mask full of holes, then that's the mask for you. If you need it in strips then that's the one to use. So, a mask that is like lace is useful in some cases, a mask that's more opaque is useful in other situations!

Enjoy! ;)

Dale

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Postby BarbaraC » Sun Mar 23, 2008 7:40 am

Hah! You give up, which means I win. 8)

Barbara

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Postby im42n8 » Sun Mar 23, 2008 8:54 am

It's not a contest! You have a particular mindset/focus that sez Producer alpha channel masks have no use to you because you can do quite well with grayscale masks (and thank you very much!). Which is fine...

But, since you can do all that you need or want to do with a grayscale mask (black, white, and all the grays), why would you need to use a Producer alpha mask? Since the white grayscale mask (both inverted and inverted) gives the same results as any Producer alpha (transparency) mask, there's no real need to revert to the use of an alpha (transparency) mask.

One way to look at it is that the only thing that Photodex ended up doing is confusing people, basically! The only thing I can think of, right now, is that Photodex provided a quick way to make the grayscale mask (various levels of opacity in the masked layer) into an alpha mask (transparent or opaque) and back w/o having to worry about the grayscale of the mask itself (not that you can automate the process unless you're using a grayscale mask).

Knowing what each is and what it does gives you the tools to decide what to use and, quite possibly, how to use it. All you need is the imagination to use it . . . !

:o

Dale

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Postby BarbaraC » Sun Mar 23, 2008 9:13 am

The only contests I ever have are with me. Lighten up there, you old rascal. :D

Barbara

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Postby im42n8 » Sun Mar 23, 2008 9:25 am

Ha ha! Maybe with this discussion someone else is gonna learn something...eh?!

:)

Dale

Hey! I can't get any lighter! Ain't been in the sun much this winter!!

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