Tutorial: Masks Exposed Vol. 2

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Tutorial: Masks Exposed Vol. 2

Postby rkligman » Wed Oct 17, 2007 2:44 pm

The next tutorial is ready for viewing and deals with Masks. In this tutorial I've taken the concept we learned in Volume 1 and shown a real world example using an Alpha Transparent Mask. I told you this was simple stuff!

I've chosen not to put it inside Proshow Presenter because the presenter is not optimal for viewing tutorials.
Because it's not in Presenter, you need to click here to view it on my MyCityPhotoGuide site.
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Tutorial 2

Postby Valboo » Wed Oct 17, 2007 3:21 pm

Wow, you are really fast, Rick! Thanks again for your clear instructions. It's making masking seem so simple!

Val
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Postby BarbaraC » Wed Oct 17, 2007 3:35 pm

If it weren't for you, Rick, I'd still be in grump mode, claiming I'll never use masks, not ever. Because of your first tutorial, I was able to use a mask in my most recent show. I could have used a frame, but I was pleased to be able to use the mask, which I couldn't have done without you. This additional tutorial may seem to show but one use for a mask, but it can actually be taken in a number of directions. It was a good choice.

Barbara

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Postby rkligman » Wed Oct 17, 2007 3:46 pm

Thanks both and all.

Vol 2 does show a good real world use of Masks, the ole dynamic 1/3 caption line. What I immediately saw though after "cracking the code" of PS Masks is that they are really of very limited use. The reason everyone is so darned confused is because they aren't used where you would typically say, ya, I'll use a Mask. I can't wait to get past the Masks tutorials because I just think Masks are of very limiting use and I'd rather show something more useful. Maybe I'll skip to what IS more useful now that I've made the rules of Mask use apparent.
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Postby BarbaraC » Wed Oct 17, 2007 3:54 pm

I agree, Rick. Making it clear how they work is the job of a tutorial; to use them creatively is the work of each individual. Yes, go on with other things. And what, may I ask, are those other things?

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Postby GabBill » Wed Oct 17, 2007 4:41 pm

Great job, Rick. Very clear and concise.

Before I knock myself out, let me ask this: You've demonstrated how really simple it is to use a mask with 3 layers. This may just be an academic question because I'm not sure of the practicality, but can we use multiple maske and multiple layers on 1 slide.

Thanx very much,

Bill
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Postby BarbaraC » Wed Oct 17, 2007 4:50 pm

Bill, I tried it, but everything got so confused (me too) that I told myself to knock it off. Take my word for it and keep it in the academic realm.

Barbara

vciro

Postby vciro » Wed Oct 17, 2007 6:51 pm

Rick,
Thanks very much. This was very helpful...

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Postby rkligman » Wed Oct 17, 2007 7:08 pm

GabBill wrote:Great job, Rick. Very clear and concise.

Before I knock myself out, let me ask this: You've demonstrated how really simple it is to use a mask with 3 layers. This may just be an academic question because I'm not sure of the practicality, but can we use multiple maske and multiple layers on 1 slide.

Thanx very much,

Bill


You can only have 1 Mask per Slide. A Mask however can "Mask" multiple Layers. Now that you mention that, I have now another Masks Exposed Volume tutorial to add. Stay Tuned...
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Postby rkligman » Wed Oct 17, 2007 8:07 pm

GabBill wrote:Great job, Rick. Very clear and concise.

Before I knock myself out, let me ask this: You've demonstrated how really simple it is to use a mask with 3 layers. This may just be an academic question because I'm not sure of the practicality, but can we use multiple maske and multiple layers on 1 slide.

Thanx very much,

Bill


Knock yourself out. And before you do, check out what is possible: http://www.photodex.com/sharing/viewshow.html?fl=2890408&alb=134478
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Postby BarbaraC » Thu Oct 18, 2007 8:40 am

Okay, let's see... There was the bottle in one layer (the masked layer) and then four layers beneath that--the M&M's. One mask sitting up top and above all else. Yes? No? Almost, but not quite?

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Postby rkligman » Thu Oct 18, 2007 9:01 am

BarbaraC wrote:Okay, let's see... There was the bottle in one layer (the masked layer) and then four layers beneath that--the M&M's. One mask sitting up top and above all else. Yes? No? Almost, but not quite?

Barbara


I think you've got it. You certainly got the Mask position correct, Yeah! The 4 mm's were beneath that. Yeah! And the final (bottom, 6th layer) is the background (the green coloring and the bottle image).

After Bill posted the multiple masked layers question I thought, hmm, what would I use that for. I think not only did I find something useful but it's cool too. I totally didn't expect the warping through the nexk of the bottle and I thought that looked really cool.

That's the rub though. Unless you have something dynamic under the mask, i.e. something that moves, it's probably easier just to use a regular layer. Not always though. In many cases it would mean editing the image to produce what the mask would have produced. So it comes back to the rules of Masking. If you understand the rules, you might find it easier to use a Mask rather than having to produce special "pre-masked" versions of your images. Not sure that all makes sense. In this case, pictures really are worth a 1,000 words.
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Postby BarbaraC » Thu Oct 18, 2007 9:23 am

Almost got it, but not quite. I was thinking the bottle was the masked image, but you're saying it was at the bottom of the stack. I was thinking the mask was black, translucent in areas, and shaped like the bottle so it was showing the M&M's beneath that were dropping down. Couldn't it be done like this? Also, couldn't the M&M's all be part of a single layer?

B.

skiyak

Postby skiyak » Thu Oct 18, 2007 9:33 am

Read my last post. The delete button isn't showing up on these posts for some reason.
Last edited by skiyak on Thu Oct 18, 2007 9:53 am, edited 1 time in total.

skiyak

Postby skiyak » Thu Oct 18, 2007 9:33 am

Read last post:
Last edited by skiyak on Thu Oct 18, 2007 9:52 am, edited 1 time in total.

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