Richard

Can you point me at the page where the book explains how to use the Layer Mask power tool? I cannot seem to find this in the index.

Thanks

Mike

If you mean the bonus tool, I don't explain those in the current edition of the book. the reason for that is, I keep expecting that adobe to remove those from the program. The method I show works visually, and just as well.

to use the bonus tool, all you need to do is choose a layer and click Layer Mask. it will add a mask to the current layer that is fully editable.

did you mean something else?

No, Richard, that was what I meant. It seems (now I have got to a point where I can sometimes make it work) a really useful tool. I shall be vexed if Adobe remove it; but perhaps by then I shall have finished archiving my family's historical photos, and I shall not need it so often. As a quick and dirty way of despotting and descratching, it's unbeatable.

We are always seeing complaints about how personal productivity apps have more functionality in them than we can use. Well no, perhaps more than we know how to use!

Regards, and thanks

Mike

If you mean the bonus tool, I don't explain those in the current edition of the book. the reason for that is, I keep expecting that adobe to remove those from the program. The method I show works visually, and just as well.

to use the bonus tool, all you need to do is choose a layer and click Layer Mask. it will add a mask to the current layer that is fully editable.

did you mean something else?

One reason not to upgrade is Adobe taking capabilities away. Doesn't make much sense since it is doubtful many will upgrade to Photoshop.

Anyway, playing around more with the tools and just experimenting with layer masks added with the Layer Mask bonus tool (trying to duplicate some of the book examples, etc.). However, it seems as I'm only able to paint on the layer mask and not copy something onto it (say a selection or a mask created by say the Blend Mask tool). Is painting all that can be done on a layer mask?

Is painting all that can be done on a layer mask? yes, and no. You can do more than that if you want to say base the content of the mask on a color component (channel) or other selection, but it is essentially still painting the layer. Other Hidden Power tools allow you to load RGB as a selection, for example, and then you can adjust that with some other tool (Curves/Levels) to mask highlights, shadows, midtones...Is there anything specific you thought you should be able to do with layer masks that you can't?

My new book will have work-arounds for Curves, Color balance, channel mixer, and much of the other stuff Adobe removed from the program. I think what they are doing isn't very conducive to sales...one of the only software packages I have ever heard of that tries to remove functionality. The goal, I hear is to make the program easier to use. I don't doubt that is part of the intent. However, the power to do any corrections you need is still in Elements.

There wasn't anything in particular I was trying to add to the layer mask, just seeing if I could duplicate some of the effects of using a clipping layer. When I tried to copy one of the masks created by the Blend Mask tool and paste it onto a layer mask created with the Layer Mask tool it ended up pasting the mask onto the layer content (not sure what this is called) instead of the mask even though I had the mask selected.