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Claes28895889mmzh
Participant
April 6, 2023
Question

Can you save the effect of a layer mask as a transparent png?

  • April 6, 2023
  • 3 replies
  • 1070 views

I wonder if it is possible to save the effect you get from a layer mask as a transparent png image?

So I don't mean saving each layer as images, I know that you can export that. 

For example if I create a watercolor mask effect on an image, I would like to save just the effect of the watercolor but not that image that I created it on, I just want to save the watercolor effect with a transparent backgrounf, so I can add that image ontop of another image and get a watercolor effect on the new image.

 

So is this possble somehow?

I really would appreciate some input on this since I don't find anything about it on google.

Thanks.

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3 replies

Bojan Živković11378569
Community Expert
Bojan Živković11378569Community Expert
Community Expert
April 7, 2023

Can you post screenshot with example where Layers panel is expanded and visible? 

Stephen Marsh
Community Expert
Stephen MarshCommunity Expert
Community Expert
April 6, 2023

A layer mask is a channel. You can copy/paste the channel to a new document or duplicate the channel to a new document or use apply image to transfer the channel from one open image to another.

    Myra Ferguson
    Community Expert
    Myra FergusonCommunity Expert
    Community Expert
    April 6, 2023

    How you create your watercolor effect will determine how you can save it and reuse it, and there may be multiple ways of saving it.

     

    If the effect is a purely a grayscale image that is on the layer mask, you could save the layer as a PNG to preserve the transparency.

     

    Then whenever you want to reapply that same transparency, you could place the PNG into the new file, load the selection from the transparency by either Ctrl (Windows) / Command (macOS) + clicking on the thumbnail of the placed PNG or by seleting the PNG layer, going to Select > Load Selection..., selecting your other content layer, and creating a layer mask based on the selection.

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