Page 64 - CC2018_WD_Look_Inside

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In the previous exercise, you created a mask based on a selected color range.
Depending on how you clicked to select the color range, you might have small areas of
selected color in the city area, or small areas of unselected color in the sky. Rather than
trying to isolate small spots of color in the Color Range dialog box, you can manually
edit the mask using the built-in painting tools.

1. With aftermath.psd open, click the Skyline layer mask thumbnail to select it.

Clicking the layer mask
These corner icons thumbnail selects the
indicate that the mask so you can edit it.
base layer is selected.

2. In the Channels panel (Window>Channels), make the Skyline Mask
channel visible.
Layer masks are not visible by default; you have to turn them on in the Channels panel
to see them. This isn’t strictly necessary, since you can paint a mask without seeing it, but
it is easier (at least when you’re first learning) to be able to see what you’re painting. By
painting on a layer mask, you’re not really “painting” anything; instead, you’re actually
“painting” the visibility of the associated layer.

Making the mask
channel visible allows
you to see the red
overlay in the image.

3. In the Channels panel, double-click the Skyline Mask channel thumbnail.
Change the Opacity value to 100% in the Layer Mask Display Options
dialog box, then click OK.

Remember, this change only affects the transparency of the mask, not the degree of
transparency applied to the layer. By setting the mask opacity to 100%, you know that
anything solid red will be hidden and anything with no red will be visible.

74 Project 1: Composite Movie Ad