From the course: Photoshop 2025 Essential Training

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Layer mask essentials

Layer mask essentials - Photoshop Tutorial

From the course: Photoshop 2025 Essential Training

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Layer mask essentials

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Layer masks are a key feature of Photoshop that allow us to non-destructively hide and show selective portions of our image. In previous chapters, we've used the frame tool, which is great for simple rectangle and ovals, but layer masks are much more powerful. Let's take a look at the different layers in this document. We have a sky layer, as well as a water layer, a layer that has a bottle on it, a giraffe, and a texture. I'm gonna hide the texture layer for a moment and then select the giraffe layer. And I want to add a layer mask. We can use the layer menu and choose layer mask and then add a mask that reveals all or hides all. In this case, if I use the reveal all, I'll get a white mask and to hide all, I would get a black mask. Or we can use the add layer mask icon at the bottom of the layers panel. Now we have a white mask and wherever the mask is white, we can see the contents of the layer. If we paint with black in the mask, it will hide the contents of the layer. I'll use…

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