Mask VS Vector Mask

[animationlife]

Hello Everyone.

For many years I use the Mask, especially using the Pen Tool, and create a Mask. I never used Vector Mask. I would like to know, that what can you do with Vector Mask that you can't do with a regular Mask and the benefits of each one.

Thank you very much.

[Chuck Uebele]

I'm a bit confused,  as you say you use the pen tool to create mask, but haven't used vector mask. Do you convert the path to a selection, then and make a pixel mask?

Vector mask are easy to edit,  just as a regular path is easy to edit. You can now feather the vector mask using the properties panel. Also, you can scale a vector mask, without worrying about it degrading. 

However, with pixel mask, you can locally control feathering, use brushes to control opacity of areas, and use gradients. It all depends on what you're trying to mask and what outcome you want.

[Bojan Živković]

With vector mask you have editable paths what means you have curved lines ready to easily modify them, I mean existing ones while pixel based mask does not offer paths easy to edit.

[JJMack · Accepted solution]

Be more confused. They are both mask they do the same thing.  However they are create and edited with different tools. Layer Masks are pixel based a gray scale channel like  raster gray scale image. You use Photoshop Pixel tools  to create and edit Raster Layer mask.   Vector mask are created and edited with Photoshop vector tools they are a vector graphic.   Adobe Photoshop use mask several ways.  Adobe introduce not to long ago a Frame mask these are very strange layers in the layers palette the Frame vector mask thumbnail is on the left side where the Layer's content Thumbnail should be it. To the right of the Frame mask is the Layer's smart object content thumbnail  and to the right of the Smart Object layer thumbnail there can be a Layer mask thumbnail.  A Frame Layer is a two for tit a last set and a layer layers in one slot.  Layer can be Smart Object Layer that has a Layer Mask a Vector Layer Mask and a smart filter mask. Shape Layers have a Vector Layer mask but not vector mask thumbnail in the layers palette.  Layers cans be groped into Layer set and they can have Layer Mask and Vector Layer mask. The can be man mask associated to a layer.

Above there are two layersets abr three layers.

[animationlife]

Dear JJMack.

I was referring to a basic masking

Thank you very much for the info

Here is the screenshot.

[animationlife]

UPDATED:

Also, I use the Layer Mask with Adjustment Layers

Thanks Again.

[JJMack]

I have Address Framing  images with Mats and Frames to ways in the past. I have also seen script on the Web that frame images via Photoshop Scripts.  One of the better Script is Frame Shop version 1.  I don't use Frame Shop because its saved in JSXBIN. I respect the Author want to keep their source under lock and key.  JSXBIN is not a good lock and key sill I will not crack open their Script code. I just will not use it for I will not learn anything from a JSXBIN and I unable to  see all  that the actual script does.

The two ways I addressed this in the  Past was One use Fixed Size  Picture Frame Templates and Populate the templates via Photoshop scripts that fitted users image file to the Template.   The second approach I used was using Actions that built mats and frames around  the users Image.  The actions added canvas to build mats  and frames around the users image document.  I seem the remember the action that built mitered Picture Frames use as simple script to make selection with mitered end so they could fill the selection with a frame patterns.  Some of the Action had interactive step where Users needed to set the mat's size in.    The Actions that built the mats and frames did not use masking I believe.  The Frame template would have Users Image Placed  into the template then be sized for the image's area and mask for the Frames image's shape.

IMO Template was my better solution.  The Document is fixed size its the Template canvas size.  The frame can have any design you can come up with and mats that can house up to 53 Placed images files can be used.

[animationlife]

Dear JJMack.

It Is always a pleasure to hear your Professional advice.

Thanks again.