Some tips for PS layer styles and masks

First step

You have had this kind of taste: sometimes feel oneself Genter clever, the result is to fall on the basic common sense, the common sense is basically to let you think originally the self-proclaimed cleverness is simply stupid to arrive at home. Oh, if you are like me is a PS veteran, but do not know that there is such a trick, congratulations! Don't miss the following tips!

Before this, I have never known incredibly can do so, but also not long ago to make up for the next step in the workflow process defects, so can not say I have missed it, but now I know, I will always use it to improve my work efficiency!

I will use the following simple example to do a demonstration. (Although the figure is ugly, but in order to save time, I focus on the main skills!) First I create a new layer and then use the Elliptical marquee tool to draw a circle and fill the color, then add a few simple layer styles (such as shadows, outer glow and bevel and emboss).

　　Second Step

Next, I use the rectangular marquee tool to create a selection at the top of the circle. To keep the selection, click the < add Layer mask > button at the bottom of the layers panel to add a mask to the layer so that only the selection section is visible. The topic we are going to talk about today is self-evident. As you can see, not only did I add a mask to the circle, but Photoshop also adjusted it automatically to apply all of the previous layer styles to the masked pixels. Sometimes you think it's clever, sometimes you think it's superfluous.

　Third Step

Adding a gradient to the mask is more reflective of the problem, as Photoshop struggles to apply a layer style to the opaque pixels before it looks black on the bottom of the circle.

Fourth Step

Here is to give you a weapon!

If we double click on the layer where the circle is located to open the Layer Style dialog box, the page defaults to the settings for blending options. You will notice that at the Center of the dialog box is an option area called advanced blending, one of which is "layer mask hide effect," which is not checked by default. You'll also see that there's an unchecked selection for the vector mask, clatter is hooked up to two types of masks.

Fifth Step

If I check the layer mask hide effect, you will see that the mask will be independent of the layer style and that the layer style is applied to the actual pixels on the layer.

If you already know this trick, send you two words--shameful! Not to share with fellow citizens who are not in the dark. If you do not know, hehe, how does this taste? Tense, I know, you know I know!

Category:

• PS Getting Started Tutorial
• PS Mask Tutorial