Hoping for a breakdown of this technique

[Tristen Shaw]

Hey guys,

I've been following tutorials on youtube to help me get used to photoshop and the things it can do.

I came across this one tutorial that I'm liking, but in many parts he doesn't explain enough. He just kind of says "Click this, press that."

Toward the beginning of the video when he is playing with the rust picture to get just the rust to show, could someone please break that down for me so that I can understand the actual princibles behind that so I can apply it elsewhere.

Here is the link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GH4XRt-jgq8&list=TLv5Ig9UHefEg

Thanks guys!

 

[IamSam]

Hi Tristen, I watched the first section where he works with the rust layer...............he explains it perfectly, step by step!!!

What he does with the rust layer is he makes a selection of the darker rust areas by using a channel selection process. (he explains this perfectly).
After he has the darker rust areas selected, he uses this selection to create a layer mask. (again, explained)
The masked area allows the darker rust areas from the rust layer to be visible, via the white areas of the mask, on top of the grayish background layer, and/or, the masked area allows the background to show through the rust layer via the dark areas of the mask.

When it comes to layer masks.............

White masks reveals the layer it's applied to, so black (paint) will reveal the underlying layer. White (paint) will conceal the underlying layer.

Black masks conceals the layer it's applied to, so black (paint) will reveal the underlying layer. White (paint) will conceal the underlying layer.

Make any sense?

 

[IamSam]

Let's use an example of what I just posted......

Here is a screenshot of my Layers Panel showing a photo on one layer and a pink layer above it that has a layer mask.
You can see that the layer mask is white so it reveals it's layer that it's applied to. This means that the Pink layer will only be visible.

I then used a round brush set to black on the layer mask to make a hole (if you will) in the pink layer which revealed the underlying layer. (black paint reveals)
I then made the brush smaller and set it to white, on the layer mask, I made another hole in the black area......which again concealed the underlying layer! (white paint conceals)



Here's the masked image using a white layer mask.



Just for fun let's do the opposite!!! Click on the layer mask and then hit comd/cntrl + I (invert).

A black layer mask conceals the layer it's applied to! The Layers Panel should look like this.....



Here's the image using the black layer mask...



Try this for yourself!

 

[IamSam]

Ok, what do you think this mask will do to the African tree (underlying layer) if I told you it was a white layer mask?

Remember, variations on blacks and whites (grays) will also provide a certain amount of opacity........






I think I'm rambling.................. (I don't even know if this was what Tristen wanted to know!)

 

[Tristen Shaw]

Hey IamSam!

Thank you for the replies!

I do understand the concept of a mask and how it works more or less.

And I also know that in the video I linked he explains 'how' to do things just fine, but not so much as to why we are doing these things.

After looking back at the video a few times I finally figured out that he was manipulating it in such a way that the rust would be white and most of the rest would be black. Then when he turns that into a mask it would hide everything but the rust.

Being new, it was just not explained specifically enough for me to put 2 and 2 together.

Disclaimer: I am in no way putting down his tutorial, it's an excellent tutorial, as are the other tutorials he has. I have learned quite a bit watching them.