What's new
By:
Photoshop Gurus Forum

Welcome to Photoshop Gurus forum. Register a free account today to become a member! It's completely free. Once signed in, you'll enjoy an ad-free experience and be able to participate on this site by adding your own topics and posts, as well as connect with other members through your own private inbox!

Layer lockout part 2 --the mask


M

madelyn

Member
Messages
19
Likes
0
I searched and saw the recent "locked out" post, but I still can't find my answer.

I use layer masks and do work on them, then go do something else. When I want to add to the former mask(s), the mask icon is grayed out . When I click on the mask , nothing happens. When I double click the icon a box comes up that says "Layer Mask Display Options, Color, opacity 50%" . And when I click on the layer, a large drop down "Layer Styles" with blending options appears.


I would really like to fine tune my layer masks after the first go around.

Notes: These are not background layers, or even copies of background layers. I can click the unlock between the layer and layer mask, but it doesn't seem to help.

Thanks in advance! m
 
Hello!

ALT+click on the layer mask to be able to see the edits you are doing, instead of the layers content.

If it does not work, what version of Photoshop? Win/Mac?
Greyed out? Could you post a screenshot?
 
Hi! I'm glad you up at this hour! I'm going to try that right now.

I don't know how to post a screenshot. Is there a thread for that? In fact I"m pretty sure I've posted to the wrong forum--I should have posted to the newbies one. Maybe a moderator can switch it for me?

I'm new to photoshop, photography and this board. I got cs5 for my birthday a few weeks ago and I work on my mac powerbook with a second monitor.

Thanks for answering.
 
It is mid day up here... I'm on the other side of the pond...
Targeting your layer mask should fix your issue.

For the screen shots, follow those instructions: Capture a Screen Shot with Mac OS X
Maybe crop the image in photoshop to show the relevant part, save it, then attach it to your post.
Hope this helps!
 
I saw that as soon as I posted. :) I was just waking up and not quite "with it" yet. I tried alt and get nothing. I'm going to try to post a screen shot.
 
Yes, no too fast, if it is that early up there ;D
Did you try to click the layer mask's thumbnail? What is peculiar about those layers? What is the color mode of the files, etc.
 
Here are the screen shots.
goldierose

and
goldierose

I hope they show up.

It looks like I posted the wrong code. Can you see it?
 
I've tried to click on the thumbnail. What the color mode refer to? I haven't heard of that before. I'm new, though.
 
Madelyn, your albums are protected by a password.
Sorry, I was not specific enough: Did you ALT+click the layer mask icon?

I was asking if the files are 32 bit, if they are in another mode than RGB, but you might not have changed it from the default.
 
Screenshot2010-11-24at33131AM.png

Screenshot2010-11-24at33444AM.png

Maybe these will work. They are in 16 bit, RGB pro. And I alt-clicked the layer mask icon. So frustrating. But thanks for your help!

I think it worked! The first one is from clicking on the layer mask icon, the second screen shot is when I click on the layer itself.
 
Last edited:
Looking at your screenshots, you are not ALT+SIMPLE clicking on the mask thumbnail.
The first thumbnail is the image. We can see it is targeted (the outline). Then, there is the link, then the mask's thumbnail.
The menus you get are normal, if you DOUBLE-click on the thumbnails.

If it does not work, dismiss all the menus (layer style, or layer mask disply options), and try again, it should work!
 
Last edited:
Maybe I'm not understanding the problem here but to work on an existing layer mask just select the mask,
chose a brush, and paint on the image with white to reveal or black to hide.

You can post images directly by clicking on the
insertimage.png
Insert Image icon above.
 
You may be right, but in both images she posted, the layers not the masks were selected.
I'm assuming she wants continue to work on the mask so I laid out the steps.

BTW, I didn't know about the Alt+click thing, thanks.
 
Thanks for the responses. The reason why I'm not clicking on the layer mask IS the problem. I can't get the selection box to go around the mask. I've tried alt-click several times along with single click, double click, frustrated single and double and alt click(s) ;), and every other combination I could think of and my screen shots tell the story: Nothing opens, nothing changes.
 
Last edited:

Back
Top