layer/mask question

[Craig Ryder]

Hi:
Simple Q.
I am following a tutorial. It tells me I can add a layer by clicking the create new fill or adjustment layer icon. Then I should be able to say, choose B&W, and then use the paint brush to reveal color in the layer below because it is a mask. However, I am not allowed to do this. Instead a message appears saying "Could not rasterize because the pixel data for this layer is not directly editable." It won't even allow me to use the brush.

The tutorial's screen looks slightly different from mine. In it the new b&w 1 layer has the create new fill or adjustment layer icon in it. Mine does not as you see below. I'm not sure if that is important or what that means.

Any advice is appreciated.

Thanks,
Craig

 

[hawkeye]

There is no layer mask on the BW adjustment layer. Click the icon on the layers palette to add one.

 

[IamSam]

If you had used the New fill or Adjustment layer Icon.....

Sorry, I did not show the Black and White adjustment layer, I showed the Solid color, but you get the idea.



It would look like this...



As Hawk stated, just add a layer mask to what you have.

 

[Craig Ryder]

Yes thanks. If I add a mask it works. What confused me is in the tutorial it is a one click process. He never clicks the mask but a mask is added as soon he hits the adjustment layer icon, and like I said his new layer looks different than mine. Im not sure if that is a preference you can set or what. I can just add a mask as a separate step and that works fine too.

Thanks to both of you!

 

[hawkeye]

You can set that in the layer panel options dialogue. Obviously that option is currently unchecked in yours.