Ok, so masking is really the equivalent of selecting, only easier (often) to work with. At least I think that's right.

Making a selection and then applying a quick mask is easy. :) Extending the mask with a brush is easy. It seems to me that it's only useful if one can convert the mask back to a selection so that one can operate on the selection (and possibly save it for future use!). How does one do that?

"Command 'Make' is not currently available" is all I get when I try to create a mask layer.:(

As usual, I'm probably missing something fairly straightforward...which leaves me...confused :confused:

Camner;

After you have extended your quick mask with the paint brush set to white and have it ready for your selection click on the selection brush tool on the tool bar to make it a selection before you turn off the quick mask. You do not need the mask layer. Clicking the selection brush tool while in quick mask will make the clear area a selection. I think this is what you want. If not ask again and maybe someone else will have a better answer. CaseyJ

At the bottom of your toolbar you have a way to choose between mask and selection. Click one and the other to make quick changes... see the attachment...

Scott

I neglected to mention explicitly that I'm using Photoshop Elements 2, not Photoshop, so I don't think Scott's solution will work.

I'll check out CaseyJ's solution this evening.

Thanks both.

You can get Hidden Power Actions II and use Quick Mask with that. It is one of the handy additions on the Hidden Power tab.

Get the free tools here:

http://hiddenelements.com/freetools.html

If you are trying to make a masking layer for a background, that won't work. You have to be working on a layer -- the background has different properties.

There are several ways to make a layer mask, including layer mask that is included with the free tools. There are also clipping masks.

Did that answer the question? it seems to have gotten off in more than one direction.

I am using the Quick Mask from HPA2. My questions is how to turn the mask into a selection. I start with a rough selection, turn on Quick Mask, and extend (fine tune) the mask with a brush. Now I want to turn the mask back into a selection so I can selectively work with the part not masked out (such as cut it out, or alter the hue, etc.). How does one do that?

The answers given above seemed to apply to 'big' Photoshop, not Elements.

Your response to my other question conerning how to create a mask layer makes sense. Thank you.

To convert a quick Mask to a selection, just turn off quick mask. It's that easy! The colored pink area automatically converts to a selection.

OK?

Embarassing...the first time I tried turning off Quick Mask, it didn't turn into a selection (so, I must have done something I didn't think I did).

It works now. Consistently.

Thank you.