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A
allenl60382725
Participating Frequently
August 3, 2016
Question

How do you combine (merge) multiple layer masks in the layer panel??

  • August 3, 2016
  • 2 replies
  • 75671 views

I have 2 copies of a background in my layers panel.  One copy has a selection made with the magic wand tool/inverted with a layer mask applied.  Another one of the copies has a selection made with the polygonal lasso tool (done for small details)/inverted with a mask applied to the other background layer. 

Two layers with layer masks … How can I merge or group them to represent one selection??

Allen

2 replies

Barb Binder
Community Expert
Barb BinderCommunity Expert
Community Expert
August 3, 2016

How to Combine Layer Masks in Photoshop: Hands-on Photo - Episode 1 - How to combine layer masks in Photoshop - YouTube .

~Barb at Rocky Mountain Training
    A
    allenl60382725Author
    Participating Frequently
    August 3, 2016

    I have watched   the  tutorial several times however the demonstration is not clear as to the starting point.  It seemed like the 3 layer masks were in fact grouped together  (removed from their copied backgrounds).  I have succeeded in creating the group configuration but have not been able to carry out steps 2 -3 of selecting the other masks and combining and creating a composite of both masks.

    And why is the final combined mask placed in a sub group of the main group in one tutorial and added to the main group in another??

    A
    allenl60382725Author
    Participating Frequently
    August 4, 2016

    OK, that did get confusing. Let's try this again.

    How can I merge or group them to represent one selection?

    1. Control click your first mask in the Layers panel to load it as a selection (Cmd click on a Mac)
    2. Control Shift click the second mask in the Layers panel to add to the existing selection (Cmd Sh click on a Mac)
      (At this point you will see marching ants around both selections. Don't deselect.)
    3. Layer > Layer Mask > Delete
    4. Layer > Layer Mask > Reveal Selection

    That gives you a new mask that combines both of the original masks.


    clicking on the first mask revealed the selection

    however

    when I followed the instructions to cmdshclick on the second mask it didn’t make the selection (there’s a + sign in the hand)

    are there other adjustments or is the software corrupted or misbehaving? (I’m using PS CS6)

    I reversed the order of selections and it still only “selected” the first mask

    thanks for your patience, Barb

    Allen

    JJMack
    Community Expert
    JJMackCommunity Expert
    Community Expert
    August 3, 2016

    Layer mask a nothing more the selections and can be save as Alpha Channels and Aalpha channels can be combined many ways.

    Ctlr+Click on a layer in the layer palette will load the layer transparency as a slection.  ie the layer mask.

    Shift+Ctrl+Click on a layer in the layers palette will add the layers transparency to the current selection.

    Background Layers can not be masked. Background layers do not support transparency their transparency is lacked.  Newer version of Photoshop will automatically convert a background layer to a normal layer when one mask it.

    JJMack
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