Using Masks in Photoshop

1.  Open a JPG mask that you would like to use.  I am using one of Rachel’s Masks RD_mask710.jpg  You can see the set here.

2.  Open a digital scrap paper you want to use and resize it to the same size as the mask. Click IMAGE-IMAGE SIZE and change the size from there. (If your paper is an even size on both sides, like 700x700 or 800x800 skip Step 3a.)  I’m going to just use a color filled canvas for this tutorial. 

3.  If the mask is an odd size like 610 x 745 or something odd like that.  ( I have run into this) 

a.  Instead of resizing your paper to that and distorting it.  I just open a new canvas that size and drag the paper over to that canvas.  I select-all and then image-crop.  Then select-deselect.  Voila!  You have a canvas the same size as your mask and its not distorted! 

4.  On your digital scrap paper canvas click the “add a mask” at the bottom of the layer palette, shown in the first image below.  You will see a white rectangle box open up next to your paper in the layer palette like in the second image below. 

5.  Press ALT and click on the white box in the layer palette, shown below.  Your canvas will turn to the white color.  It’s ok.  Your paper is still there.  You will still see it in the layer palette.

6.  Make your mask canvas active and click select-all then CTRL-C.

7.  Now make your paper canvas active by clicking somewhere on the top.  CTRL-V.  Then you can click somewhere under your last layer and you will see the masked paper, shown in the images below.

8.  I always “add a new layer” then right-click just to the right of that added new layer, and merge visible.  Shown below.

9.  Now if you are working on your tag or whatever, and decide you don’t like the color you chose or the paper you chose then on your canvas you would open a new layer above the current mask you have and then flood fill with another color or drag a new digital paper to your canvas. Your layer palette will look something like this:

10.  Then in the layer palette press and hold ALT and hover over the line in between the paper/color and the mask.  You will see a white square pop up and then you just click.  Your new color/paper will “clip” to the original mask. If you hate it..just delete that added paper or color and try again. lol  The original mask will still be intact.