Art 218/Introduction to Digital Photography Julie Mixon

Adjustment Layer and Layer Mask Exercise

A Global Adjustment is an adjustment (either through an adjustment layer, image adjustment, filter, etc.) that is done to the entire image. For example, using the Brightness/Contrast image adjustment to brighten the entire image is a global adjustment.

A Local Adjustment is an adjustment that is done to just one area of the image. For example, using the Brightness/Contrast image adjustment to brighten just one area of an image is a local adjustment. Local adjustments may be done by using tools that can manipulate just one area or by using adjustment layers that have layer masks or by selecting a portion of an image for adjustment.

Layer masks are used to control exactly what you can see on an individual layer, whether it is an adjustment layer or a mask added to a regular image or text layer. With layer masks you don’t have to permanently erase a part of an image that you don’t want visible, you can simply “mask” it. The information is still there, it is just not visible. Layer Masks with Text and Image Layers: To add a layer mask select the layer to which you wish to add a mask. Then go to the bottom of the layers palette and click on the “add layer mask” icon. It looks like this:

When you click on the layer mask you will see a box added that looks like this:

When you add a layer mask you will see that it is full of white. Notice it is not empty. If it were empty, it would have a checkerboard pattern. White means that everything in that layer whether it be an adjustment layer, image layer or text layer, is visible. To make certain parts of the image, text, or adjustment layer not visible you add black or levels of gray to the layer mask. You can add black or gray by using the paint brush tool to “paint” over the areas that you do not want visible. Painting with 100% black will mask that area completely, while anything under 100% will only mask it partially. You may also vary the size of the brush to adjust how much you paint away at a time. You can also adjust the brushes’ edge hardness to determine how soft the edge of your remaining image area will be.

Look at the variations of brush stroke edge hardness and opacity: When painting on a mask, be sure that the mask is selected rather than the layer image thumbnail, otherwise you will paint on your image instead of the mask. Disabling a Layer Mask: To disable a layer mask, hold the shift key down then click on the layer mask (while still holding the shift key down). Shift and click in the layer mask again to enable it. Active Layer Mask:

Disabled Layer Mask:

Making a Layer Mask a Selection: To make the layer mask a selection, hold down the command or apple key. You can also invert the select by clicking shift-command-I. This is helpful if you want to copy this layer mask to another layer or copy and paste parts of the image to a new layer. Gradients: You can also use the gradient tool as a masking method for a layer mask. This often comes in handy when working with sky areas in an image. Deleting Layer Masks: To delete a layer mask simply drag it to the trash.

Layer Mask Link: The link symbol between the image layer thumbnail and the layer mask keeps the two connected. If you click on the link symbol you can use the move tool to adjust the two independently of each other. In other words, you can move the mask around or move the image around to change what is being masked.

ADJUSTMENT LAYER MASK EXERCISE

This exercise will take you through adding an adjustment layer to your image as well as using the layer mask feature.

Step One:

Locate 3 images from one of your shooting exercises (doesn’t have to be one that you turned in) that needs local adjustments. For example, look for an image that has an area of the image that needs to be lighter or darker, more contrasty or less contrasty, warmer or cooler, etc.

Step Two:

Locate an area (just one area) of the image that could use improvement through the use of an adjustment layer. It may be that one are of the image is too dark, too light, to saturated, not saturated enough, etc.

Choose your appropriate adjustment layer (levels or curves to brighten or darken, hue/saturation to adjust color or saturation, etc.).

Make your adjustments.

Notice that it is applying it to the entire image.

Step Four:

Use the layer mask on the adjustment layer to hide the affect of the adjustment layer from the parts of the image that need not be affected by the adjustment layer. Remember, painting with black hides the contents of the layer, painting with white reveals it.

Step Five:

You’re done. Save it in your Photoshop Exercise turn in folder as:

“LayerAdjustments_FirstNameLastName_1.psd”

“LayerAdjustments_FirstNameLastName_2.psd”

“LayerAdjustments_FirstNameLastName_3.psd”

Please save your layers so I can see your work (don’t flatten).

DUE: TBA