Photoshop Masking and Compositing: Fundamentals

Shows how to make selections, refine the selections with masks, and then combine them in new ways.

Introduction

• Loading my custom dekeKeys shortcuts
• Adjusting the color settings
• Setting up a power workspace
• Welcome

1. It All Starts with the Channel

• The Masks and Channels panels
• How color channels work
• Viewing channels in color
• How RGB works
• Single-channel grayscale
• Mixing a custom "fourth" channel
• The other three-channel mode: Lab
• A practical application of Lab
• The final color mode: CMYK
• Introducing the Multichannel mode
• Creating a unique multichannel effect
• The channel is the origin of masking

2. The Magic of Masking

• The origins of the alpha channel
• How a mask works
• Making an alpha channel
• Using the new channel icons
• Saving an image with alpha channels
• Loading a selection from a channel
• Putting a mask into play
• Loading a selection from a layer
• Loading a selection from another image
• The alpha channel is home to the mask

3. The Science of Compositing

• Viewing a mask as a rubylith overlay
• Changing a mask's overlay color
• Painting inside a mask
• Cleaning up and confirming
• Combining masks
• Painting behind and inside a layer
• Blending image elements
• What to do when layers go wrong
• Hiding layer effects with a mask
• Introducing clipping masks
• Unclipping and masking a shadow
• The mask meets the composition

4. The Essentials of Selecting

• The marquee tools
• The single-pixel tools (plus tool tricks)
• Turning a destructive edit into a layer
• Making shapes of specific sizes
• The lasso tools
• Working with the Magnetic Lasso tool
• The Quick Selection tool
• Combining Quick Selection and Smudge
• The Magic Wand and the Tolerance value
• Contiguous and Anti-aliased selections
• Making a good selection with the Magic Wand
• Selecting and replacing a background
• Resolving edges with layer effects
• Adding lines of brilliant gold type
• The seven selection soldiers

5. The Versatility of Combining and Transforming

• Introducing "selection calculations"
• Combining two different tools
• Selections and transparency masks
• Selecting an eye
• Masking and blending a texture into skin
• Painting a texture into an eye
• Combining layers, masks, channels, and paths
• Moving selection outlines vs. selected pixels
• Transforming and warping a selection outline
• Pasting an image inside a selection
• Adding volumetric shadows and highlights
• Converting an image into a mask
• Selections reign supreme

6. The Unmatched Power of Color Range

• Introducing the Color Range command
• Working in the Color Range dialog box
• Primary colors and luminance ranges
• A terrific use for Color Range
• Introducing the Quick Mask mode
• Moving a selection into a new background
• Smoothing the mask, recreating the corners
• Integrating foreground and background
• Creating a cast shadow from a layer
• Releasing and masking layer effects
• Creating a synthetic rainbow effect
• Masking and compositing your rainbow
• The best selection tools are commands

7. The Unearthly Joy of Refinement

• Introducing the Refine Mask command
• Automated edge detection
• Turning garbage into gold
• Starting with an accurate selection
• Selection outline in, layer mask out
• Matching a scene with Smart Filters
• Cooling a face, reflecting inside eyes
• Creating a layer of ghoulish skin
• Adding dark circles around the eyes
• Creating a fake blood effect
• Establishing trails of blood
• Integrating the blood into the scene
• The ultimate in masking automation

8. The Rewards of Everyday Masking

• Choosing the ideal base channel
• Converting a channel into a mask
• Painting with the Overlay mode
• Painting with the Soft Light mode
• Mask, composite, refine, and blend
• Creating a more aggressive mask
• Blending differently masked layers
• Creating a hair-only mask
• Using history to regain a lost mask
• Separating flesh tones from hair
• Adjusting a model's color temperature
• Introducing the Calculations command
• Extracting a mask from a Smart Object
• Integrating a bird into a new sky
• Creating synthetic rays of light
• Masking and compositing light
• Introducing a brilliant light source
• Using the image to select itself

9. The Mechanics of Layer Masks

• White reveals, black conceals
• Layer masking tips and tricks
• Generating a layer mask with Color Range
• The Masks panel's bad options
• The Masks panel's good options
• Creating and feathering a vector mask
• Combining pixel and vector masks
• Working with path outlines
• Combining paths into a single vector mask
• Sharpening detail, reducing color noise
• Recreating missing details
• Masking glass
• Refining a jagged Magic Wand mask
• Masking multiple layers at one time
• Establishing a knockout layer
• Clipping and compositing tricks
• The synthesis of masking and compositing

More to Come

• Next steps