Layers and Masks in Photoshop

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Photoshop is a software designed by Adobe. It provides many image-editing features such as image creation, graphic design and photo editing. In this post, we will understand better how to create and use layers and masks in Photoshop.


Layers in Photoshop

In Photoshop, the layers will be located in the Layers panel. They are used to compose multiple images, add text to an image, or vector graphic shapes. It is also possible to apply a layer style to add a special effect such as a drop shadow or a glow.
Layers work like acetate or tracing paper. This means that you can see through transparent areas of a layer to the layers below. It is also possible to move layers, up or down, change the opacity and make content partially transparent. 

There are 2 types of Layers 
  1. Stacking Layers: as mentioned before, they work like acetate or tracing paper. This means that you can see through transparent areas of a layer to the layers below. Any changes to stacking layers are permanent. Usually, they are used for animated GIFs.
  2. Adjustment Layers: They are the correction layers. It is used to modify the colour and contrast of the image. The advantage of using adjustment layers is that you can apply the corrections without permanently affecting the pixels. And because of this non-destructive editing possibility, the image quality doesn’t degrade when edits are made. However, some adjustment layers only work in RGB colour space. 
If you want to watch a tutorial to follow along, below is a video by GCFLearnFree.org that explains exactly what I just discussed about layers. 




Converting the background to a Photoshop layer

When creating a new image with a white or coloured background, the image in the very bottom at the Layers panel is called Background and you can convert a background into a regular layer. This attribute is relevant because as a background image certain features are limited. 
To process this conversion, you need to:
  1. Double-click the Background Layer
  2. In the pop-up window that appears - name your layer and click OK.
  3. Changing the background to a layer gives layer access to all the Photoshop functions.







Masks in Photoshop
A mask is a tool in Adobe Photoshop. Applying a mask to a layer is a reversible form to hide specific areas or to make other areas of a layer visible. 


How to use the Mask Tool to select specific areas
  1. Select the mask option from the bottom of the lefthand toolbar
  2. Paint (usually in red) the area you want to change
  3. Click off the mask option at the bottom of the lefthand toolbar to reveal the selection
  4. Go to the layers panel and add a relevant adjustment layer
  5. Make adjustments
  6. In the layers panel, double click on the black and white mask icon to access edge, refining tools 

If you want to watch a tutorial to follow along, below is a video by Rob The Winter that explains how to create Mask layers. 





Accessing Masks Features

When you double-click the Mask button in the Toolbar, it will open the following: 




This is where you can choose whether the colour overlay indicates masked areas or selected areas. This is also where it is possible to change the overlay colour of the quick mask, and the opacity of the overlay (ideally around 50%). 

These are just a couple of many features that you can find in Photoshop to deliver professional quality work.  




Websites Referenced:


https://helpx.adobe.com/uk/photoshop/using/layer-basics.html


https://www.masterclass.com/articles/layer-mask-guide


https://tricky-photoshop.com/the-ultimate-guide-to-layers-in-photoshop/


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