Page 64 - Adobe Photoshop 2021

7. Open the Properties panel (Window>Properties).
Like the Options bar, the Properties panel is contextual. Different options are available
in the panel depending on what is selected in the Layers panel. When a layer mask is
selected, you can manipulate a variety of properties related to the selected mask.

Note:

The Select and Mask
The Properties panel button opens the Select
can be used to edit and Mask workspace.
the selected mask.
The layer mask must The Color Range button
be selected in the opens the [Select] Color
Layers panel. Range dialog box.

The Density slider changes the opacity of the overall mask. If you reduce the density
to 80%, for example, underlying layers will be 20% visible through the mask. (Don’t
confuse this with the opacity of an alpha channel, which only affects the appearance of
the mask onscreen.)

8. In the Properties panel, change the Feather value to 25 px.
If you feather a selection
and then make a layer
mask from that selection,
the feathering becomes
a permanent part of the
mask. The Properties
panel allows you to
adjust the feathering of
a hard-edge mask, and
then later change or even Use the Properties panel
remove the feathering to feather the mask edge
if necessary, without nondestructively.
painting on the mask.

9. Change the Feather value to 1 px.

This small feathering
value will help to remove
(or at least minimize) any
remaining background
artifacts around the edges
of your mask.

76 Project 1: Music CD Artwork