Layer Mask in Elements

Trying to darken certain portion of photo using layer mask and brushes etc. I follow instructions to the letter, but obviously am missing something. Any thoughts to help me?

You could do something like this:
1. add the levels adjustment layer
2. adjust the slider to darken the areas you want (this will darken the whole photo, but just pay attention to the specific areas)
3. Click on the levels layer mask (white box) to make it active.
4. press Ctrl+i (cmd+i on a mac) or Filter>Adjustments>Invert (this turns the layer mask black)
5. paint on the areas you want to darken with a white brush.

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Layers Mask, Photoshop Elements 3 (Win)

Hi,
Hope someone can help me, I've a basic understanding of Photoshop 7 but can only afford Elements. Can someone advise how to set up a Layer Mask in Elements, is it possible? I want to blend several photographs.
Regards,
Ernie

Jim....
Can you just clarify a couple of things, please?
When you drag the second image onto the first, are you using the Move Tool?
When you say the second image becomes the background is this confirmed in the Layers Pallete? That is you when you turn off Layer 1 you see you second image.
Regarding the size of the image. The image you first open determines the size of the canvas based on how many pixels it has. If you open a second image that has more pixels, it wont all go on unless you transform it.
Colin

Layer Mask Simulation in Photoshop Elements 7

I downloaded a PDF file from the Photoshop Elements 7 website Adobe Elements Inspiration Browser entitled Layer Mask Simulation in PSE7 and followed the steps exactly. However, one of the steps instructs you to choose "Layers>Create Clipping Mask". I don't see "Create Clipping Mask" in the Layers menu or anywhere else. Is this tutorial messed up, or am I missing something???

Here's the PSE 7 help page. As Mark states in his post, it's Layer<Group with Previous. I would assume the tutorial must have been written with PSE 8 in mind.
http://help.adobe.com/en_US/PhotoshopElements/7.0_Win/WSae2ea3b149d0c3591ae939f103860b3d59 -7f85.html
Adobe changed the command's name from clipping group to clipping mask. They work the same exact way only the name is different. *Keep this name change in mind when you watch or read tutorials on the web.
I think this command's name change was made to help match commands between various Adobe products.

Photoshop Elements 9 Layer Mask Difficulties

Hi,
I am trying to use the Photoshop Elements 9 layer mask tool but every time I brush over my image to hide sections of it, the image merely becomes faded-out, as if I were using a brush with a low opacity. However, my brush opacity is at 100%, as is the opacity for the layer mask itself. I have made sure that I am using a black brush, that my brush mode is set on normal, that the layer mask mode is set on normal, that the image's color mode is RGB, and that the layer mask is selected when I am painting on it. I have reset all the tools to their default settings, and have gotten rid of all other layers except for the image in question and the background layer so that nothing is obstructing my view. Whenever I paint on the layer mask, the thumbnail shows the black areas in which I painted, as it should; however, the image is still apparent. Meanwhile, when I use the eraser tool, areas I erase disappear just fine. What am I doing that is causing the layer mask tool to behave in this way?
Thanks!

Could you post a screenshot?
If you press the D key then the X key, does that make any difference when you paint on the layer mask?

PS Elements 10 Layers and Layer Masks - novice

I'm new to layers and layer masks. Can anyone give me a quick tutorial, or a link, on how to do the following:-
I wish to put the cobweb in to the witch's cave. Obviously, making it smaller and rotating it in the process. I hope the attached photos (from my own album) will help explain.

You'll probably get more complete answers in the photoshop elements forum, but it's looks like your in the Qiuck Edit mode.
Press the Full button to get to the full edit mode.
http://forums.adobe.com/community/photoshop_elements?view=discussions
Added: i see they already moved your question from the full photoshop forum to the elements forum.
Message was edited by: R_Kelly

Elements 11 - Brush tool not working when using layer mask

My brush tool won't work when using layer mask in PS Elements 11. I also have Elements version 10 installed and there it works fine. If I do the exact same proces in version 11 nothing happens.
Is this a bug or has something changed in the proces?
Please help.
Thanks.

Make sure you have the mask thumbnail selected - it will be highlighted in blue.

Need help translating PS Bloom Tutorial to Elements 8 ~ layer mask

http://photoshoptutorials.ws/photoshop-tutorials/photo-effects/bloom.html
I'm having difficulting translating this PS tutorial into Elements. Could someone familar with elements please take a look at the tutorial and offer guidance?
Thanks in advance!
Credo

Yes, see if the following gives the results your looking for:
1. Steps 1 and 2 are the same.
2. The part where it says add layer mask, click on the background layer and
    add an levels adjustment layer. (Layer>New Adjustment Layer>Levels) Click on layer 1 and select group with previous.
    (Layer>Group with Previous or Add Clipping Mask)
3. Steps 3 and 4, instead of apply image, click the eye icon on the levels layer to make
   the levels layer and layer 1 not visible.
Click on the background layer and then do a select all, copy. (Select>All) then (Edit>Copy)
   Alt-click the levels mask and paste (Edit>Paste) (a grayscale image will be pasted into the mask).
   Deselect (Select>Deselect).
4. Step 5 is the same.
5. Steps 6 and 7, click on layer 1 to make it visible and then click the levels layer mask
    to make the mask active, Then run the gaussian blur filter on the mask.
6. Step 8 is the same.
Hope this helps.
MTSTUNER

Importing a layer mask from outside Elements 11

I have some masks I created outside Elements 11 and also imported from the web. I would like to use these masks to blend two or more layers in Elements 11.

Here's another way in pse 11:
1. Ctrl (Cmd) click on the layer mask to load the selection of the layer mask
2. Make the layer active that you want to copy the layer mask to.
3. Go to Select>Save Selection and choose layer mask from the dropdown menu.
The above will make a new layer mask on the active layer using the selection you loaded from the layer mask.

Can someone tell me if there is any way to add a fully editable layer mask in pse 8?

Hi I am a web designer and ahve been working hard recently in adding new web graphic skills to my arsenal. Now, the problem I have been expiriencing with elements 8 is that while trying to reproduce a mirrored text effect, following a tutorial online I found myself not being able to add a layer mask on top of one of the text layers, to then apply a gradient. In the end I did it with Fireworks but is there any way around it in Photoshop Elements 8.
Thanks in advance
Carlo

Sure. You can grab the mask from an adjustment layer, or there are a number of add-on downloads. A popular one is here:
http://www.elementsvillage.com/forums/showthread.php?t=51319&highlight=grant%27s+tools

Cropping layer in Photoshop Elements

Hey~
I have just started using Photoshop Elements.I have three different pictures i their each individual layerss. I would like to crop one and when i use the crop tool it crops all the layers together. I have done my research and i tried using the Marquee Rectangular tool to select what I want. But, after I Inverse, I cant do Edit Clear( as suggested else where) becasue it "won't work". I also cannot do cntrl J to select that in a new layer. It just wont let me.
If this doesn't make sense, feel free to ask questions.
I appriciate any kind of help:-)
Thank you!

Here's a couple of non-destructive methods to crop a layer.
With the layer selected, make your selection with the marquee. Right-click the selection and select Layer via Copy. Hide the original layer.
With the layer selected, make your selection with the marquee, click Add Layer Mask. I like this one as (if you unlink the mask) you can then reposition the mask in the layer image.
Cheers,
Neale
Insanity is hereditary, you get it from your children
If this post or another user's post resolves the original issue, please mark the posts as correct and/or helpful accordingly. This helps other users with similar trouble get answers to their questions quicker. Thanks.

How to paste an image on a layer mask?

Hi All,
I've just started using PS Elements 10 again after not having used it for some time, and I've forgotten a few things. When I paste an image which I've selected from another image (image A) into a layer mask for image B, the image A selection appears in black and white. Also, is there a quick way to return PS Elements 10 to its default settings? I'd be grateful if you could help with these questions. Cheers!

Hi Again Michel,
I guess I'd better say what I'm trying to do and then maybe you can help me. Maybe I'm not using the correct tool. What I wanted to do is cut a person from an image and superimpose this person on a second image. I thought I did this using the layer mask. When I do this, and look at the background image, all I can see is an outline of the shape of the person's image on the second image. Can you perhaps point me to a video which explains how to do this. I thought I had to use a layer mask to do this. Thanks for staying with me.

Cannot find Layer Mask Button!!!

I have had photoshop elements for a long time, been busy raising kids ,,they're grown and moved away so now I am dabbling in watercolor art and my photoshop . I know how to use a few things however , I am having trouble finding layer masks button in Adobe Photoshop Elements 5.0 2006 version, I did this yesterday , I think I've hid my tools somehow on the right side of my screen,, Please Help!!!!

Haven't used PSE5 in a very long time. I don't remember what version of Elements we added Layer Masks to, but I do remember that older versions didn't have this feature, and it is possible that 5 falls under this category. There is a bit of a hack though, as seen in this link: Faking A Photoshop Layer Mask In Photoshop Elements

Bonehead layer mask question: CS5

I am new to photoshop.
I am running PS CS5 on a Macbook Pro.
I have a document with two layers.
The top layer is a black & white adjustment layer with mask.
Opacity is set to 50%
The bottom layer is a colored background layer.
I don't know what the little square is called at the lower left of screen.
The background part is set to white and the foreground part is set to black.
When I select a brush and try to reveal some of the colored elements below nothing happens.
Do I need to activate any other settings to make this happen?

Good advice above, but one more thing (sorry for a very basic question): Have you targeted the mask? You have to click on it before you can paint on it.
Just reviewing... With your Opacity at 50% your image will still have some color, and painting black on the layer mask will hide the effects of the Black & White layer and reveal more color.
If you're still having trouble, please capture your entire screen, save as a JPEG, and post it here using the little "camera" icon just above the edit box. Usually people can home right in on what's wrong by seeing the various Photoshop indicators on the screen.
-Noel

Need help using layer masks

I have tried to use the quick selection tool to select areas of a photo in an adjustment layer but it does not seem to make them available to the adjustment. The selection occurs on the photo but not in the adjustment layer box, as the selection brush does. I find that the selection brush is rather hard to use as you can not see exactly what you are selecting as it indicates only on the layer box not on the photo itself.
I am sure there is a better way to do this but I can't find it.
Can someone give me a hint or clue, please?
It sure would be handy to be able to use the quick selection tool, or one of the other selection tools to isolate parts of images for either extra work, or to keep separate from work on the rest of the image.
I know I am misunderstanding something in Barbara's instructions in Elements 8 page 129+.

You could use "select >"save selection", then reload it when you have the layer you want to work on active.
Keep in mind all you need to do is double click on a layer mask to activate for painting.
Creating an adjustment layer automatically gives you an attendant layer mask, you locally diminish its effectiveness locally by painting (Brush Tool) with black, and varying the brush opacity as needed.

Layer mask visibility

Hi, I am trying to figure out how to set the mask visibility in Elements 9. If I create a mask, it sometimes comes in handy to see where you have been. In other programs I use you can turn the mask red for instance. Can't find that feature in pse 9 When a mask is turned red it would also be easier to see the different shades and oppacities you use.
Thanks a million

In pse9 you can use the backslash key to show the red overlay.
(the key just below the backspace key)
You can also change the mask overlay color or opacity by right clicking
on the layer mask and choosing Mask Options.
To show the mask as black and white you can Alt click on the layer mask.
MTSTUNER

Layer Mask in Elements

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