PSE 5--what is a clipping mask and how does it work?

Question

Can anyone explain what a clipping mask is, how it works, and most importantly if Photoshop Elements 5.0 has this capability?
Also, are there any tutorials out there that I can teach myself on this topic? I am trying to mimic a layout explained in digital scrapbooking magazine and this technique is used.
Thank you!
Heather

Answer 1

Heather,
You can find one explanation at Janee's tutorials: http://www.myjanee.com/tuts/elements/elemask.htm
Since PSE does not support layer masks per se, the clipping group simulates a layer mask and hence Janee's name for it, "elemask" (cute, huh?)
Here are 2 examples:
In this example I wanted to blur the background leaving the flower in focus:
http://www.pixentral.com/show.php?picture=1euavV1sDqzrEqqqierfc5dSEH9yI01
1. Duplicate the Background layer and apply a Gaussian blur to the new layer.
2. Add an adjustment layer below the blur layer (any kind of adjustment layer will do), but do not make any adjustment - just click OK.\
3. Group the blur layer with the adjustment layer. On the adjustment layer paint the subject with black
to mask out the blur, paint with white to restore the blur.
Of course you can use other tools on the adjustment layer besides the paint brush, e.g., make a selection and fill with the black or white. In some cases it might be easier to first fill the adjustment layer with black and then paint with white.
In this example (not actually a mask but still demonstrates a clipping group) I wanted to crop the picture into a leaf shape.
http://www.pixentral.com/show.php?picture=1ys9Z7FspSwF8HHKGLrxjGVhbTodmF0
1. Use the leaf from the Custom Shape tool to draw out the leaf, creating a new layer.
2. Move the leaf layer below the picture layer.
3. Group the two layers.
Note that in order to move a layer below the Background layer you have to rename the Background layer to anything else (layer 0 in my example).