Image as mask?

I have a grayscale image which I wish to use as a mask. If possible, the white of the image would let through the layer below, the black would block the layer below, and the various grays would let more or less of the layer below.
Is that possible? If so - how?
Help is much appreciated.

To paste you clipboard into the layer mask make sure you opt/alt click on the mask icon. Everything will turn black & white, and then you can paste(your clipboard will paste in grayscale, when in the mask)

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How to make a one-color fill images with masks in documents from our multiple layers ?

Hello everyone!
I`m to open PSD document with same layers. I need to:
1. Save the jpg file (preview) in a certain place
2. All layers with masks to make one-color fill instead of images with masks.
Thanks
This is way ?
var theLayers = collectLayers(app.activeDocument, []);
alert (theLayers.join("\n"));
function collectLayers (theParent, allLayers) {//---------------------------------------------------
if (!allLayers) {var allLayers = new Array}
   else {};
   for (var m = theParent.layers.length - 1; m >= 0;m--) {
      var theLayer = theParent.layers[m];
      if (theLayer.typename == "ArtLayer") {
           var bar = new Array;
           bar = theLayer.bounds
           l0= Math.abs(this.app.activeDocument.width - theLayer.bounds[2] - theLayer.bounds[0]);
           l1= Math.abs(this.app.activeDocument.height -theLayer.bounds[3] - theLayer.bounds[1]);
            if((l0+l1)>0) { // layer mask is set
                // delete this layer
                //create new layer
                //create new mask from array bar
                //fill selection
            allLayers.push(theLayer);
   return allLayers

I may not quite follow.
Would you mind posting an example (a screenshot with the Layers Panel visible for example) and an overview of the resulting images you want to produce?

Help with cutting a whole in an image/clipping mask

Hello.
I am needing to cut out circles in an image so that the background shows through. Sort of like an inverse clipping mask..but I don't know if those exist.. And once I cut holes in the image I am needing to put a clipping mask on the whole thing so that only part of the image is still showing with parts of the cut-outs.
Or i guess if I could figure out how to create an odd shape clipping mask that would work as well.
The image below is something like what I'm trying to accomplish just different image and different sizes and locations of the cut-outs along the edge.

I am not certain about the previous postings but here is how to do it.
1 place your circle on top of the image select the image and make sure the image is filed with white no stroke.
2 Go to the transparency panel and from the flyout select opacity mask make
3. make sure invert is select and clip is deselected as in the screen shot.
Works with linked or embedded images.

Animate image behind mask, without mask moving

Hey guys this is probably really easy but this is my first run at doing a video project and cant get this to work for the life of me!
OK, I have 3 images which I imported from PS CC ( AE is CC as well for reference ) a company logo, a spacer line then the company name stylized so I want to use this and not just a text tool...
Now I have the logo and spacer fade in then I want the text to slide in from behind the logo and spacer making it look like its coming out of the vertical bar, I know I need to mask from the bar all the way to the left of the logo and offscreen to pull this off but I cannot get the mask to not slide when I try to animate the text layer! please help me figure this out!

I ended up just making another comp of the animation I wanted, brought that into comp1 and positioned it where I wanted it and bam, bobs your uncle! So easy but as I said my first time doing something in AE so I had to stumble through it

Printing image with mask in Adobe Air

I have createad an application for framed photos.This application creates a Canvas which can hold several framed photos. Following is the code of the framed photo:
<mx:Canvas id="imageContainer" horizontalScrollPolicy="off" verticalScrollPolicy="off" clipContent="false">
        <mx:Image id="image_img" source="app:/image.jpg" maintainAspectRatio="false" width="500" height="500" cacheAsBitmap="true"/>
        <mx:Image id="mask_img" source="app:/mask.png" maintainAspectRatio="false" width="300" height="300" cacheAsBitmap="true"/>
        <mx:Image id="frame_img" source="app:/frame.png" maintainAspectRatio="false" width="300" height="300" cacheAsBitmap="true"/>
</mx:Canvas>
when these are loaded, I use:
image_img.mask = mask_img;
to apply the mask on the image. this looks fine on the screen, but when I try to print it the mask is not applied!
Actually I have found two ways to do this. The first is to add the Canvas directly to a print job:
     var printOption:PrintJobOptions = new PrintJobOptions();
     printOption.printAsBitmap = true;
     myPrintJob.addPage(frameContainer, null, printOption);
     myPrintJob.send();
this has a very good print quality but the masks do not work.
the second way is to take a "screenshot" in a bitmap and print that:
     var previewBD:BitmapData = new BitmapData( frameCanvas.width, frameCanvas.height, false );
     previewBD.draw( frameCanvas, null, null, null, null, true );
     var b:Bitmap = new Bitmap;
     b.bitmapData = previewBD;
     var s:Sprite = new Sprite;
     s.addChild(b);
     myPrintJob.addPage(s, null, printOption);
in this case the mask works but the print quality drops drastically!
is there any way to print with good quality AND having the mask?
is this a bug of AIR or am I missing something?

here is the full code of the PhotoFrame file. (the mxml of which I sent in my first post)
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<mx:Canvas xmlns:mx="http://www.adobe.com/2006/mxml" creationComplete="init( )"
    horizontalScrollPolicy="off" verticalScrollPolicy="off" clipContent="false">
    <mx:Script>
        <![CDATA[
            import mx.controls.*;
             * Initialize
            private function init( ) : void
                image_img.mask = mask_img;
        ]]>
    </mx:Script>
    <mx:Canvas id="imageContainer" horizontalScrollPolicy="off" verticalScrollPolicy="off" clipContent="false">
        <mx:Image id="image_img" source="app:/image.jpg" maintainAspectRatio="false" width="500" height="500" cacheAsBitmap="true"/>
        <mx:Image id="mask_img" source="app:/mask.png" maintainAspectRatio="false" width="300" height="300" cacheAsBitmap="true"/>
        <mx:Image id="frame_img" source="app:/frame.png" maintainAspectRatio="false" width="300" height="300" cacheAsBitmap="true"/>
    </mx:Canvas>
</mx:Canvas>
and this is the full code of the main application file. in the printing I have commented out the bitmap printing part which has low quality.
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<mx:WindowedApplication
    xmlns:mx="http://www.adobe.com/2006/mxml"
    layout="absolute" showFlexChrome="false" visible="true"
    applicationComplete="init( )"
    horizontalScrollPolicy="off" verticalScrollPolicy="off"
    usePreloader="false" >
    <mx:Script>
        <![CDATA[
            import mx.controls.*;
            private function init( ) : void
                nativeWindow.maximize( );
                var newFrame:PhotoFrame = new PhotoFrame( );
                frameCanvas.addChild( newFrame );
            private function printMe( ) : void
                var myPrintJob:PrintJob = new flash.printing.PrintJob;
                if(myPrintJob.start()) {
                    // Create the options
                    var printOption:PrintJobOptions = new PrintJobOptions();
                    printOption.printAsBitmap = true;
                    try {
                        // This has a mask but prints in low quality
/*                        var previewBD:BitmapData = new BitmapData( frameCanvas.width, frameCanvas.height, false );
                        previewBD.draw( frameCanvas, null, null, null, null, true );
                        var b:Bitmap = new Bitmap;
                        b.bitmapData = previewBD;
                        var s:Sprite = new Sprite;
                        s.addChild(b);
                        myPrintJob.addPage(s, null, printOption);
                        // This prints in desired quality but the mask does not work.
                        myPrintJob.addPage(frameCanvas, null, printOption);
                    catch(e:Error) {
                        Alert.show("Printing canceled");
                    myPrintJob.send();
        ]]>
    </mx:Script>
    
    <mx:Canvas id="frameCanvas" width="100%" height="100%" horizontalScrollPolicy="off" verticalScrollPolicy="off" backgroundColor="#FFFFFF" backgroundAlpha="0.01" />
    <mx:Button top="400" left="200" label="Print" click="printMe()"/>
</mx:WindowedApplication>
Note: I also tried printing the newFrame directly instead of the frameCanvas, but the mask is still missing.
finally I attach the three images used so that you can have the full project.

Image Dynamic Masking

I got this code from an online source. I will appreciate your help in editing the code very much.
NEED HELP IN THE FOLLOWING:
I need the image to be inside the stage and not load externally.
I also want the masking to start when mouse rolls over.
the file id made out of 2 frames and has an external file named test.jpg...
frame 1:
Stage.scaleMode = "noScale";
_root.createEmptyMovieClip("foo",1);
_root.foo.createEmptyMovieClip("img",2);
_root.foo.onEnterFrame = function()
if(this._width > 100 && this.img.getBytesLoaded() >= this.img.getBytesTotal() && this.img.getBytesLoaded() > 0)
this._x = 80-this._width/2
this._y = 300-this._height/2
nextFrame();
if(n==undefined)
loadMovie("test.jpg",_root.foo.img);
} else {
loadMovie(n,_root.foo.img);
stop();
frame 2:
stop();
_global.h = 50;
_root.createEmptyMovieClip("mask",3);
_root.foo._visible = 0
_root.foo.img.setMask(_root.mask);
mask.onEnterFrame = function()
this.onMouseMove = function()
this.a++;
this.createEmptyMovieClip("l"+this.a,10+this.a);
this.lc = this['l'+this.a];
with(this.lc)
   beginFill(0x000000,100);
   moveTo(0,-h/2)
   lineTo(100,-h/2)
   lineTo(100,h/2)
   lineTo(0,h/2)
   lineTo(0,-h/2)
   endFill();
this.x1 = _root._xmouse;
this.y1 = _root._ymouse;
this.lc._x = this.x1;
this.lc._y = this.y1;
this.x2 = this['l'+(this.a-1)]._x == undefined ? _root._xmouse : this['l'+(this.a-1)]._x;
this.y2 = this['l'+(this.a-1)]._y == undefined ? _root._ymouse : this['l'+(this.a-1)]._y;
this.lx = this.x1 - this.x2;
this.ly = this.y1 - this.y2;
this.rotation = Math.atan2 (this.lx,this.ly);
this.rotation *= 180/Math.PI;
this.lc._rotation = 270-this.rotation;
this.lc._xscale = Math.sqrt(this.lx*this.lx+this.ly*this.ly)+1;
_root.foo.img.setMask(_root.mask);
updateAfterEvent();
_root.foo._visible = 1
mask.onMouseUp = function()
this.a++
this.onMouseMove = undefined;
foo2._alpha = 20
this.onMouseMove

Is this AS3? I'm no expert, but if the image isn't loading I might suggest using an event to wait for the JPG to fully load before executing your other functions. Something like this:
     public class loader extends Sprite {
          private var loadObj          :     Loader          = new Loader();
          public function loader() {
               var url               :     String               = "insert_file_path_here";
               var target          :     URLRequest     = new URLRequest(url);
               loadObj.contentLoaderInfo.addEventListener(Event.COMPLETE, initHandler);
               loadObj.load(target);
          public function initHandler(event:Event):void {
               addChild(loadObj);
That would load an external image or movie clip, and when it was ready add it to the stage of the movie. The way I have it written there is for a document class, but you could modify that code for a frame script instead.

Modify Image Within Mask

Hi folks. New to AE. There's something that's driving me a little crazy. I've got some images that I have masked. I simply want to either move or scale the image within the mask but leave the masks position and dimensions alone. Is this possible?
Like in Photoshop you can unlink an image layer with its layer mask. In Illustrator you can use the white arrow and select the image and not its mask.
I'm sure its something easy but I haven't been able to figure it out. Thanks very much!

If you just want to pan the masked image, you can use the Pan Behind tool (the slashed box with four arrows inside). This will let you alter the location of the image relative to the mask. Bear in mind when keyframing that Pan Behind works by neutralizing the relationship between the layer's Position Position property and the Mask Shape property, so if you don't keyframe both it'll behave unpredictably.
See Move a mask or pan a layer behind a mask in AE Community Help
If you also need to rotate or scale the masked image, yes, no doubt the method decribed by Mylenium would do it.

Image Matte / mask independent of the video applied

I have a project in which I need to do a 3 or 4-way split screen. While it's easy to set that up and position them at the right places, I cannot seem to find a way with which I could change the scale of the video with an Image Matte applied without changing that of the Matte as well. I can use offset and push the video around "underneath", so to speak, but I would love to be able to scale that video underneath as well. I know that could be done with a layer on top obscuring the video below but I find that rather cumbersome, especially with 4-way or more, adding quite a few more layers.
Any ideas?

Thank you for the comments and help above. Indeed there're many ways to achieve one effect.
My project is a 15mins cut with a lot of editing. The resulting footage is cutting in and out of 3/4-way splits every now and then. Most footages are at least 10mins long.
1. Nesting
Nesting sequences would generate a huge number of nested sequences (which is already the case due to a few multi-cam moments).
2. Putting clips into its own sequences
Again, I would have to go into the sequences and find the exact moment where I need to do the zooming and such.
Ideally, I would love to be able to:
1. Create a preset of the each 'way' of splitting for individual clips. For example, in a 4-way split, presets for Top Left, Top Right, Bottom Left and Bottom Right. And then I can just drop one of these effects onto a clip.
2. scale the clip freely without going into another sequence or nested sequence. The matte stays there without being scaled
Sometimes I have nested sequence of anthoer nested sequence. It's just a project nightmare after a while. Anyway, well, I guess I'll just have to deal with it. Thanks!

Composite image, color mask, opacity question?

Hello,
Illustrator newcomber who would love some help with a problem.
I have a photo taken with a green screen background and I would love for the green to become opaque to let a background artwork layer come through behind the photo. Seems like a simple task but I can't figure it out. Can anyone point me to a past discussion where help could be found?
Thanks

[scott w] wrote:
After Effects is not needed unless you are working on video. Silly. Might as well post it could be done on a $6000 Silicon Graphics machine... sure it CAN be done but going that route is sort of ridiculous.
Well we should ask the Op what they are using the image for after all Illustator is used often for video work, you might not use it but many users do.
I do not see anything ridulous about any suggestion you made, I think you have tunnel vision and only see Illustrator as a pprint media when Illustrator was integrated with Adobe Premiere when Premiere and After Effects was two of the only video programs around.
I think you do not realize how often Illustrator is used for projects in After Effects.
I think you should rethink what you wrote and think beynd your own experience and give other users more benefit of a doubt than you are willing to do.
For instance this is the New Document window
It is a video document thatn is being create and it is a preset built into AI.

What's the process to replace an image inside a mask?

Hi There,
The new replace image function is a massive time saver but it doesn't seem to work with masked images.
These images are masked because they're part of an animation so I really need to replace them - not re-import and re-create the animation from scratch.
If this isn't possible, how do I remove the mask? That way I could just delete the mask, replace the image, then re-mask.
Any pointers in the right direction would be much appreciated.
Cheers
Ben

The image replace works perfectly with a masked image intact, only if the two images dimensions are the same.
However, doing the following gets you 95% of the way with just a final tweak of the mask:
select the image on the slide
Format > Copy Animation
then replace image
Format > Paste Animation
Format > Image > Edit Mask

Illustrator: Transparency/masked image printing issue

I edited an image in photoshop. The image was masked then set to grayscale in Photoshop and then "Placed" into Illustrator where I'm working in CMYK mode.
The background color in Illustrator is set to 0 0 0 100K. When I print the artwork, the masked area of the image (Which is transparent showing my background color) prints blacker than the backgound color of the whole artwork. When I went in with the eyedropper to read the CMYK value in masked area, it reads 75 68 67 90 where as it should read the background CMYK value 0 0 0 100K. This explains why it prints different intensity of blacks. I then went in to View -> Proof Colors to see what the printer should see, but the image looks perfectly fine there. So can anyone explain to me what I can do to fix this issue? Is this a known problem with Placing the image into an illustrator rather than opening it in illustrator, or it's only a printer issue?
Thanks in Advance.
Image attached in "Proof Color" View

Preferences -> Appearance of Black.
Set those both to Accurately. I don't know why they default to rich blacks when that's not always what is used. I would think most users would perfer to see ACCURATE colors.

Viewing image and layer mask?

Hi, thanks for stopping by and reading.
I've a layer with a group of people on it over a layer with a background on it.
The layer with the people has a layer mask which I've worked on to cut the people out...
Now I want to work round the cut out edge (layer mask) subtly refining it.
The image is going to be printed large so I need to pay attention to the detail... like strands of hair.
Intuitively (to me) I cut more hair off as opposed to left more hair on - if you follow. Perhaps unconciously thinking it was the way to minimse work because if it looks ok then job done.
Now of course I'm effectively working blind as I seek to refine the mask by adding-in soft blurred hair. (Hope you follow) So...
Q: Is there a way to view the entire original image with the mask overlaid?
I've come up with a working fix... I'm duplicating the layer with the mask, deleting the mask and adjusting the opacity so I can work through this new layer onto the layer mask below.... should I have approached this differently... more elegantly? Hind sight is a marvelous thing.
How do sensible people approach this exercise..?
Hope you'll share, thank you and keep well.

Hi MTSTUNER & J Maloney
I really appreciate the interest you've both taken in the question.
Yes, J Maloney you would be correct. I was wanting to see the whole of the image, the masked bits and the not masked bits... as well as the mask too all simultaneously.
I'm currently kicking myself that I've not explored the Masks panel. Don't know when it was introduced, I have kind of skipped a version of PhotoShop or two on my own machine - lame excuse, I know gov. The density idea is far more elegant than my solution. However, I did find that by creating the duplicate I've been able to colourise it so as to make the results of what I was doing really obvious visually. I like the invert idea too, so simple - and it might prove the best of the options... but I'll try it on another image as I've pretty much done this one - lots of hats, not much hair.
No offence on the "last paragraph". My reaction was "it's not unasked" though I wasn't clear: "How do sensible people approach this exercise?"
Thank you too MSTUNER, I appreciate the time spent.
"Quick Mask?" occurred randomly to me. Something I've never bothered with, tending to go straight to Layer Mask work. I'll own up that Quick Mask has never managed to make itself part of my workflow, I've no idea why because I'm sure it should if I gave it time. However, a quick experiment hasn't produced a Eureka moment. I was hoping I could easily subtract or add a Quick Mask from/to an existing Layer Mask... nope, doesn't seem to want to - though it was a 'quick' experiment.
Thank you again for taking the time and enjoy the rest of your day. Regards.

Moving from mask to image.

I've just moved from CS3 to CS6. Previously, when working on a layer mask I could make the image active by Command – ~ . This doesn't work now - is there another keyboard shortcut for this? I can't find any references to this anywhere. I use a Mac, OS 10.7.4.

From CS4 onwards, you have to 'Option + click' on the layer mask to reveal toggle between image and mask.
However, there is an option CS6 has for seasoned legacy users, like you!
Photoshop > Edit > Keyboard Shortcuts.
Enable checkmark on highlighted read area in the image - Use Legacy Channel Shortcuts. You'll be able to revive the legacy shortcuts for channels/ layers.
Do note that CS6 has a lot of improvements in shortcut commands for other layer/ channel options and tools within PS. You will be sacrificing these if you choose to use Legacy Channel Shortcuts.
Nevertheless, trust this helps

Using Mask To 'Zoom' In On Photo?!

Hi all,
I'm struggling a bit to produce a smooth outcome for an effect I am trying to acheive. I am currently working on an awards show video presentation featuring a variety of photos which I would like to animate. My main strife comes when I mask a photo with the intention of the size of the mask remaining the same while the image within the mask is scaled up or down and perhaps moves using the Anchor Point to shift the focus of the image. Another way to describe this would be that I would like to zoom in/out on an image that is contrained by a frame which does not change size or position.
One method I have attempted is to draw a rectangular mask around the image at the point when it first enters the composition. This first mask is the exact size of the 'frame' I want to perserve. I then duplicate the image layer/mask, move forward in time on the original image layer and animate the scale and perhaps anchor point. Then using the duplicated image as a guide, I animate the original mask path to match the duplicated size, which is done by sight. I leave the key frames linear, but still can';t get it right as the mask still appears to grow and then reduce again. Take a look at this example below.
I have attempted to copy the exact values of hte original 'frame' mask size, but those values scale with the layer itself and the frame does not retain it's original size.
I have feeling I am missing a trick in terms of perhaps pre-comping this or parenting, etc. Can anybody point me to a tutorial or tip that can help me smooth this out?
Please let me know if you require any other informaiton, etc. I am running CS5 on a Windows 7 PC.
Thank you,
Lindsay

You can make a solid, mask it to the size you want, and use it as a track matte for the picture below it. You can then scale the picture as you wish, and the size remains the same.

Apex 3.1, Interactive Report Row Text Search, image bitmap as TEXT?

I think this IR thing is powerful which could save me lots of time in development.
One question: does the row text search(default: all columns) treat image column as regular text(string)? I did the following search on:
SAMPLE APPLICATION-->Products, I put 300 in the search column( for $300 list-price search), the search produces 3 lines( should only have 2). the 3rd line's list price is $1999, I looked it in SQL*PLUS and saw its image bitmap (long string) includes a "300" inside, so I believe the "default all columns search" treat image as regular string.
How can I avoid the image bitmap search included in IR? This bitmap strings are very long for each image and can EASILY match searching conditions for something like PRODOUCT DESCRIPTION, PRODUCT PRICE for our products data( about 25000)? thanks
sean

Sean / Russell,
Thanks for reporting this, it's certainly a bug.
By the way, the search is performed in SQL, on whatever column values are being displayed (run the page in debug mode to see the full SQL). So in the case of the sample application, it is not matching the image bitmap, but the image size, which is selected in the SQL. The bug is that the full search should not include columns which have filtering disabled or one of the special image format masks. We'll try to fix this for an upcoming patch.
Thanks,
Marco

Image as mask?

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