Layer mask leaving faint ghost

[jeanned37920665]

I'm using PS CC.  My layer mask is leaving a faint ghost of the background of the image I am extracting.  I have to go back and erase the ghost...so double the work.  My brush color is black.  My brush opacity is 100%.  My layer density is 100%.  What am I overlooking?

[Trevor.Dennis]

Can you describe the process you are using to 'extract' the image and make the mask? 

It would be helpful to see an example of the ghost you are seeing.  Grab a screen shot with the zoom ratio at 100% and paste to this thread.  Especially describe any selection methods you are using.

Is it a fringe, for instance?

[jeanned37920665]

My process is to bring up my image and apply a layer mask. I use the hard round brush (with black setting) to mask around the image. When it's complete and I'm satisfied with the result, I apply the layer mask. Per Dave's comment below, I checked my "black" setting and it WAS at 060606 so I thought that was the problem...I didn't have true black...but once I changed the settings to 00000 as suggested, it still didn't remove the ghost. Hope you can see what I've overlooked. I upgraded from CS6 about a month ago and always used my mask for extracting...and never had a ghost until CC...but I'm sure it's something I've done and don't know how to correct.

[jeanned37920665]

I have screen shots but I don't see how to load them here....

[davescm]

Hi. To attach screenshots, use the reply button next to your first post. You will then see a button to attach images. Dave

[davescm]

Hi

Although you say your brush color is black, make sure it is actually RGB 0,0,0.  It is easy to have say 10,10, 10 and miss the difference, but it will show through when used as a mask.

Dave

[Sian5E08]

This solved my problem 100%! I assumed it was pure black I was using!

[Sykefire]

This worked, really this skipped my mind to use default, but It's weird since whenever we mask the default colors goes to black and white which is 000000 and ffffff.

But thanks a lot!

[Isaac328371686ed8]

This did it for me!  I had a couple of letter values in there w/ the 000's!  Thank you!

[Chuck Uebele]

Also, make sure that the density setting in the properties panel for the layer mask is at 100%.

[jeanned37920665]

color settingslayer mask settingsopasity settingsvery faint shadow (rectangle) running top to bottom of dog's body.

[jeanned37920665 · Accepted solution]

I think I found my problem. In the Properties panel, under Select and Mask, the transparency setting was set to 20%. It seems to be clean now.

[davescm]

The transparency setting in Select and Mask is used only for the preview whilst in the select and mask workspace. It does not affect the actual mask at all.

[jeanned37920665]

There is so much more I need to learn. 🙂 I haven't even looked into those settings before. I have no idea why I was getting that ghost image, but it's gone now. I'm just grateful for that.

[davescm]

There are plenty of folk here to help you. You may want to take a look at this link: https://helpx.adobe.com/photoshop/using/select-mask.html

Dave

[jeanned37920665]

Thanks so much...I'll do that. 🙂

[Hannah5EB5]

I'm having this issue now, but nothing I've tried is fixing it. I can improve it, but I'm trying to do a feathered fade of an illustration, and there's always a harsh jagged line that's apparent. It doesn't show up in photoshop, but it does in indesign and when printed. This is any color space too, it's less noticeable in RGB than in CMYK though. I have no clue what to do, I've been making faded masks in this same way for years and I've never had this issue before....

[oliver--twisted]

Photoshop Elements 2022... same issue, but a note that it's sneaky. On multiple occasions I made sure to set the color to all zeros black. But, if you don't have both the mask, and the paintbrush tool selected, the change doesn't take. I'm fairly certain that other tools are not so picky. The current foreground/background color settings (bottom left in my display) are different between when the image is selected and when the Mask is selected. Also, when a Mask is selected, the change affects all of the masks. Also, chosing a color when a mask is selected is always converted to greyscale.