Chapter №15.

Masks

Fig. 15.1. The pure active (selected) area and translucent area Quick Mask

In this chapter it is told about two ad hoc methods of saving and change of the form of the selected area: alpha channels and mode Quick Mask (the Fast mask) - fig. 15.1 see.

If to save the selected area in specially created half-tone channel named alpha channel, it at any moment can be loaded on the image. Especially conveniently it for the selected area of the wrong form which is very difficult for playing back. In a file can contain to 24 channels, but as each channel increases file size (depending on the size of the selected area), at their adding it is necessary to behave reasonably.

Access to alpha channels can be received by means of palettes Channels (Channels), shown on fig. 15.2, and to save or load them it is possible, used commands from menu Select to (Select) or palettes Channels (Channels). How to create cutting circuit of a layer instead of alpha channel to save disk space, it is told in chapter 16, section «Creation of a circuit of cutting off of a layer».

By means of mode Quick Mask (the Fast mask) in program Photoshop the selected and not selected areas of the image can be covered by the translucent color mask which form afterwards can be changed by means of any paint tool or editing. The disguised areas are protected from changes. Unlike alpha channel to save a fast mask it is impossible, but at reset to mode Standard (Standard) the mask will be transformed to the selected area which can be saved.

The remark

If you are not familiar with the main tools of selection of program Photoshop before to read this chapter, address to chapter 5.

It is told about layer masks in chapter 14.