[For Beginners] what are the differences and contact details of the mask, channel, and constituency?-PS tutorial

It is the three concepts that many beginners are most confused about PS. Don't worry, let's talk about the differences between the three and their connections today, hoping to help new friends. It is the three concepts that many beginners are most confused about PS. Don't worry, let's talk about the differences between the three and their connections today, hoping to help new friends.

It is the three concepts that many beginners are most confused about PS. Don't worry, let's talk about the differences between the three and their connections today, hoping to help new friends.

There are many kinds of masks, such as layer masks, vector masks, scissors masks, and quick masks. the method of making constituency is also wide-ranging and overwhelming. The concept of tunnel is so obscure that people can see the cloud, it seems like a fog. The three concepts are totally different. This tutorial aims to explore the essence and internal relationships of the three, in order to open up the fog, distinguish between right and wrong, and form a general system of mask, channel, and constituency.

Note:

First:This tutorial does not show you how to use masks, channels, and constituency, but tries to explain the connotation of the three theoretically and further explore the internal relationships between the three. therefore, this post is a theoretical discussion post.

Second:Some of the ideas and ideas in this article may be very different. most of them are the words of the next family. if there is anything wrong, please let us know.

I. Mengban

1. basic functions of Mengban

Mask, in fact there is another name: Mask, in ADOBE's video editing software PR and later special effect production software AE called mask. Although the two are called differently, they are essentially the same.

As the name suggests, the basic function of mask or mask is to block. That is, through the mask, a part of the target object (in PS, it is a layer, in PR and AE, it is the material in the video track) is hidden, and the other part is displayed, in this way, different layers (different video tracks in PR and AE) are mixed to achieve image (or video) synthesis.

2. mask type

In terms of PS, we can divide the board into three categories:

(1) layer masks

A layer mask is essentially a layer. The layer used as the mask controls the explicit and hidden of other layers based on its opacity.

In a broad sense, any layer can be regarded as the mask of all layers under it. the opacity of this layer will directly affect the explicit hiding of its layer. However, in PS, it is not necessary to name the case as "masked". Otherwise, the "masked" in PS is not flooded yet.

The clipboard is also a layer-like mask that uses a layer as the base layer and controls the explicit hiding of all layers in the clipboard layer group through the opacity of the layer pixels.

A notable feature of this type of mask is that the layer as the mask is located at the bottom of all the masked layers, rather than the top, which is somewhat different from our habit of understanding.

Think about the above two situations in the mask layer:

One is that a certain layer blocks the layers under it,

One is that a layer blocks the layer on it. this is a wonderful and interesting situation in PS.

(2) channel mask

A channel is simply a channel. to be precise, it is a grayscale image in the Channel. This grayscale image cannot exist independently and must be attached to the channel carrier.

A layer mask is a typical application of channel-like masks. it aims to control the explicit hiding of a layer.

It should be particularly noted that when we add a layer mask to a layer, an identifier will be added to the back of the corresponding layer, but this identifier is not the layer mask itself, the real layer mask is actually a channel and a grayscale image in the Channel. Therefore, you can see the true face of the layer mask only by opening the channel palette. If we delete this channel in the Channel palette, the original mask identifier in the layer disappears. The so-called "The skin is not saved, the hair will be attached ".

Layer mask is only one of the application of channel mask. As a matter of fact, the specific application of channel masks is still more than that. if you are familiar with quick masks, they also belong to channel masks. However, they are mainly used to modify the selection area, which will be described below.

It should be pointed out that no matter which application of channel mask is used, it is actually based on a key information in the grayscale image-grayscale. When used for occlusion, the greater the gray-scale value of the mask, the greater the degree of appearance of the target layer, that is, the greater the opacity of the target layer. Conversely, the lower the gray-scale value of the mask, the lower the level of appearance of the target layer, that is, the smaller the opacity of the target layer.

(3) path mask

A path is essentially a path. Vector mask is the only application of this type of mask.

Vector masks use paths to control the explicit hiding of the target layer. The target layer corresponding to the closed area is displayed, and the target layer outside the closed area is hidden. For some complex cross paths, you can refer to the parity winding rules to determine whether a region belongs to a closed area.

Similar to channel masks, when we add a vector mask to a layer, a vector mask identifier will be added to the back of the corresponding layer, but this is not the vector mask itself, to view the real vector mask, you must be on the path palette.

3. analysis on editing methods of various masks

All kinds of masks can be edited.

For layer masks, the main object to edit is the opacity of layers and pixels. Therefore, all operations that can change the layer or pixel opacity can be used to edit such masks.

For Channel masks, the main object to be edited is the grayscale image in the Channel. to be precise, it is the grayscale image. Because of this, you can use all the means to edit the image to edit this template, including various painting editing tools, color adjustment commands, and various filters. Obviously, the editing methods are the most diverse among the three masked panels.

For path masks, the main object to be edited is the path, which means that we can use any method to edit the path.

4. Summary

(1) confusions brought by the title of the board in PS.

Although the three masks belong to different mask categories, they are applied to all layers, and the names of the masks are clearly based on this. This makes one wonder: if the three types of masks are named based on their respective categories, the clipboard shall be entitled to the "layer mask" patent; if we use the action objects of the three masks as the basis for the command, since everyone's role objects are layers, what is the title of the layer mask exclusive? In fact, there are some historical reasons for this confusion. This is because of the oldest and most senior appearance of layer masks in PS. The clipboard and vector board were changed to mask in the latest PS version. The original version was not called mask. As a result, the layers were first registered and entitled to the "layer mask" patent. the clipboard and vector mask had to sigh, complaining that they were born. Fortunately, it is not important to understand the essence of PS.

(2) the relationship between the mask and the channel is emerging.

By analyzing the essence of the three types of masks, we vaguely felt some connection between the tunnel and the mask. it also seemed that we were touched by the silk line connecting the mask and the Channel. this silk line leads the channel at one end, one side is leading the channel. Next, we will follow this thread into the channel and continue to further explore the channel mask.

At the same time, the layers and paths have been discussed so far. For the convenience of expression, if there is no special explanation in the subsequent description, the "mask" in this article refers to the channel mask.

The above is an introduction to the differences and connections between the mask, channel, and constituency. although they are both theoretical knowledge, they are very practical for new friends and hope you can read them carefully.