Using Help
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318
Adobe Photoshop Help
Using Layers
Using Help
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Contents
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318
To disable or enable a vector mask:
Do one of the following:
•
Shift-click the vector mask thumbnail in the Layers palette.
•
(Photoshop) Select the layer with the vector mask you want to disable or enable, and
choose Layer > Disable Vector Mask or Layer > Enable Vector Mask.
A red
X
appears over the mask thumbnail in the Layers palette when the mask is disabled,
and the layer’s content appears without masking effects.
To convert a vector mask to a layer mask (Photoshop):
Select the layer with the vector mask you want to convert, and choose Layer > Rasterize >
Vector Mask.
Important:
Once you rasterize a vector mask, it cannot be changed back into a
vector object.
Unlinking layers and masks
By default, a layer or layer set is linked to its layer mask or vector mask, as indicated by the
link icon between the thumbnails in the Layers palette. The layer and its mask move
together in the image when you move either one with the move tool. Unlinking them lets
you move them independently and shift the mask’s boundaries separately from the layer.
To unlink a layer from its mask:
Click the link icon in the Layers palette.
To reestablish the link between a layer and its mask:
Click between the layer and mask path thumbnails in the Layers palette.
Applying and discarding layer masks
When you have finished creating a layer mask, you can either apply the mask and make
the changes permanent or discard the mask without applying changes. Because layer
masks are stored as alpha channels, applying and discarding layer masks can help reduce
file size. (See
“Storing masks in alpha channels” on page 280
.)
To apply or discard a layer mask:
1
Click the layer mask thumbnail in the Layers palette.
2
To remove the layer mask and make changes permanent, click the Trash button
at
the bottom of the Layers palette, then click Apply (Photoshop) or Yes (ImageReady).
3
To remove the layer mask without applying the changes, click the trash button at the
bottom of the Layers palette, then click Discard (Photoshop) or No (ImageReady).
You can also apply or discard layer masks using the Layer menu.
Selecting opaque areas on a layer
By loading a layer mask, you can quickly select all the opaque areas on a layer—that is, the
areas within the layer boundaries. This is useful when you want to exclude transparent
areas from a selection. You can also load the boundaries of a layer mask as a selection.
