Clipping mask

Forum|Forum|3 years ago
December 12, 2022
4 replies
3977 views

This is my first time trying to use a mask and I am ready to pull my hair out. I have watched videos and more videos and I am just not getting it. I need step by step guide PLEASE. All I want to do is put a grunge mask around a photo like this but then I don't want the white around the edges just the jagged edges. Can someone please help me.

Windows

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Correct answer PECourtejoie

Hello, did you check in the actual help from Adobe, there are good guides, such as: https://helpx.adobe.com/be_en/photoshop/how-to/layer-mask.html

But do you want to do a clipping mask, where the below layer gives its transparency to the top layer, useful to give a texture to a text, for instance, or a layer mask, where an additional image will control the transparency: black hides, white reveals.

https://helpx.adobe.com/photoshop-elements/using/clipping-masks.html (this is for elements, but the behavior is very similal in Photoshop.

Myra Ferguson

Community Expert

A quick way to add a frame when you're not sure how to use many Photoshop features would be to let one of the preset actions do it for you. Here's how:

Open your image.
Go to Window > Actions to open the Actions panel.
In the Actions panel menu (the hamburger menu in the upper right), select Frames. Photoshop will load the Frames action set (a folder of actions) in the Actions panel.
Select a frame type in the Frames set, Strokes Frame, for example.
At the bottom of the Actions panel, click the Play button (triangle icon that's 3rd from the left).
Photoshop will create the Strokes Frame on the image for you.

C

CharMetzgerAuthor

Known Participant

Thank you so much for trying to help me. After much trial and error I finally got it to work. Thank you for taking the time to help me. Merry Christmas

S_Gans

Community Expert

Hi. So, this video is VERY sloppily done and with terrible mouse control, but I think it may help you to see how to accomplish what you want. I converted the background layer to a regular layer - so it accepts transparency. I created a new blank layer and moved it underneath. Then I created a clipping mask (I could have alt/option clicked between the layers, instead, to do the same thing). Then, I just painted on the bottom, blank layer. Visibility of my image became defined by the opacity of the layer below.

Adobe Community Expert / Adobe Certified Instructor

2022-12-12_15-08-40.zip

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CharMetzgerAuthor

Known Participant

Thank you so much for trying to help me. After much trial and error I finally got it to work. Thank you for taking the time to help me. Merry Christmas

PECourtejoie

Correct answer

Community Expert

Hello, did you check in the actual help from Adobe, there are good guides, such as: https://helpx.adobe.com/be_en/photoshop/how-to/layer-mask.html

But do you want to do a clipping mask, where the below layer gives its transparency to the top layer, useful to give a texture to a text, for instance, or a layer mask, where an additional image will control the transparency: black hides, white reveals.

https://helpx.adobe.com/photoshop-elements/using/clipping-masks.html (this is for elements, but the behavior is very similal in Photoshop.

C

CharMetzgerAuthor

Known Participant

So that is part of the problem. I don't understand all the terminology about layers and so forth so I have no idea how to answer your question. This is EXACTLY what I want to do. I want to make the square picture look exactly like the other picture that already has the grungy edges on it. I will be working in Photoshop so I know that supports transparency I just can't figure out the steps to get there. Any help would be MOST appreciated.

PECourtejoie

Community Expert

Hi, did you check the two links I gave you? Thet give two different methods to achieve what you want.

Do you have an image you intend to use as the grungy edge? It needs to be back where you want transparency and white where you want opacity. Select all, then copy. Click the add layer mask button, Alt+click on the layer mask that was created. Paste.

that was the layer mask method.
For the clipping mask method, select the image, double click on the lock to convert the background into a layer.

drag and drop the grunge image, scale it to fit if needed. In the layers panel, right -click on its name, and select blending options. Alt+Click the blend if slider until the black disappears.

drag this layer below the image, then Alt+click the line that separates them in the layers panel.