Isabella Flores
Masks are a powerful tool in PaintShop Pro that can be used to create unique and imaginative art pieces from your photos. Masks can be used to cover parts of an image, create a frame around specific elements, or produce a fading effect. PaintShop Pro offers a variety of built-in masks, and users can also download free masks or create their own. Masks are typically black and white (and sometimes grey) images, and they work by blocking or revealing sections of the underlying image. In this guide, we will explore the different types of masks available in PaintShop Pro and provide step-by-step instructions on how to create and apply masks to your photos.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| How to create a mask | Use an image as a mask for another image, or create a mask from scratch |
| Image format | ..pspmask or ..jpg |
| Mask colours | Black, white, and grey |
| Mask function | Black blocks the image below, white allows the image to show through, and grey allows partial transparency |
| Mask layer application | Applies to the selected layer only |
| Mask layer editing | To edit, use the Selection tool, the Freehand Selection tool, or the Magic Wand tool |
| Mask layer display | Click the Highlight mask area button on the Layers palette |
| Mask layer application to all layers | Drag the mask layer from the layer group to the main level on the Layers palette |
| Mask layer opacity | Determines the degree of masking; opaque pixels produce no masking, transparent pixels produce full masking, and partially transparent pixels create more masking |
| Mask layer transparency | To reverse transparency, mark the Invert mask data check box |
| Mask layer luminance | Determines the degree of masking based on the luminance value of the pixel colour |
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What You'll Learn
How to create a mask from an image
Creating a mask from an image in Paint Shop Pro is a simple process, but it can be used to achieve some impressive creative effects. Masks are typically black and white (and sometimes grey) images, and they work by "protecting" certain sections of an image, like tape on a wall you want to paint. The black areas of the mask block the image underneath, while white areas let the image below show through, and grey will let some level of transparency show through.
To create a mask from an image, first, open the image that you want to use as a mask. Then, on the Layers palette, choose the layer that you want to mask. Next, choose Layers > New Mask Layer > From Image to open the Add Mask From Image dialog box. Here, you can open the Source Window drop-list and choose the image you want to use as a mask. In the Create Mask From group box, you can choose Source luminance, which determines the degree of masking based on the luminance value of the pixel color. If you want to reverse the transparency of the mask data, mark the Invert mask data check box.
You can also use a +.pspmask file and load it from the disk, or any black and white image as a mask. The process is slightly different but still very simple. To apply a .jpg mask, open it on your workspace and minimize it if you wish, but keep it open so that PaintShop Pro can "see" it. Then, click on Layers > New Mask Layer > From Image. By default, the file that will show as a Source window will be the active image, but you can pull down the list to see all the open images.
Once you have created your mask, you can edit it using the various tools available in PaintShop Pro. For example, you can use the Selection tool, the Freehand Selection tool, or the Magic Wand tool to make a selection on a layer. To mask the selection, choose Layers > New Mask Layer > Hide Selection. You can also adjust the mask's opacity to bring out more of the photo underneath.
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How to use a mask in Paint Shop Pro
Masks are a great tool to create different cut-outs for photos or papers or to create a frame around elements you want to focus on. Masks come in a variety of shapes and are available in many places. Masks are typically black and white (and grey) images. They work like adding masking tape to protect a section of a wall you want to paint. In PaintShop Pro, black areas will block the image below, white areas will let the image below show through, and grey will allow some level of transparency.
You can use a +.pspmask file or a simple +.jpg image as a mask. To apply a .jpg mask, open it on your workspace and click on Layers > New Mask Layer > From Image. This will open the Add Mask From Image dialogue box. Open the Source Window drop-list and choose the image. In the Create Mask From group box, you can choose Source luminance, which determines the degree of masking based on the luminance value of the pixel colour. If you want to reverse the transparency of the mask data, mark the Invert mask data check box.
The mask layer and the selected layer are added to a new layer group. The mask layer applies to the selected layer only. To apply the mask layer to all underlying layers, drag it from the layer group to the main level on the Layers palette. To display the mask on the image, click the Highlight mask area button on the Layers palette.
You can also create your own masks using particular scripts or images that you create or find yourself.
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How to adjust a mask
To adjust a mask in PaintShop Pro, you can modify the layer opacity to change the mask effect. You can also use the Paint Brush tool to erase or add to the mask. Painting with white will erase parts of the mask, revealing more of the photo underneath. Painting with black will add to the mask, blocking more of the photo. Painting with grey will add a translucent area to the mask, partially blocking the photo. The lighter the shade, the more transparent it will be.
To use the Paint Brush tool, ensure the mask layer is active. In the Materials palette, set the Foreground (top) swatch to white. Activate the Paint Brush tool and adjust the brush size by holding down the Alt key and dragging the mouse up or down. Now, paint over the mask to erase parts of it.
Additionally, you can reverse the transparency of the mask by marking the "Invert mask data" check box. To display the mask on the image, click the "Highlight mask area" button on the Layers palette.
When adjusting a mask, it is important to remember that the mask layer only applies to the selected layer. To apply the mask layer to all underlying layers, drag it from the layer group to the main level on the Layers palette.
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How to save a mask
Saving a mask in PaintShop Pro is a straightforward process. Firstly, you should know that masks that come with PaintShop Pro are identified as ..PspMask file format. However, you can also use any black-and-white image as a mask, such as a ..jpg file.
To save a custom mask, go to the Layers palette, where you can see the mask group, with the black area blocking and the white serving as a window. Then, go to Layers > Load/Save Mask > Save Mask to Disk. This will open a dialogue window where you can choose a file name for your mask. To avoid overwriting an existing mask, add a prefix to the file name.
If you save your mask in .PspMask format, it will be applied in the same location every time. If you save it in .jpg format, you can place it anywhere in your project. To save in .jpg format, you must first make sure you have a solid black layer showing through the mask. Then, right-click on the top layer for the group, select Merge > Merge group. This will give you a single raster layer with an inverted version of your mask. At this point, you can copy that layer and paste it as a new image.
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How to find masks for Paint Shop Pro
Masks can be used in PaintShop Pro to create different cut-outs for photos or papers or to create a frame around elements that you want to focus on. Masks are typically black and white (and grey) images. They work like adding masking tape to protect a section of the wall you want to paint. In PaintShop Pro, whatever is black will block the image from view, so remember that "black will block". White areas will let the image below show through, and grey will let some level of transparency show through.
PaintShop Pro comes with several masks installed. You can download more free masks from the Welcome Book. To get more masks, open the Welcome Book, select "Get More" in the left menu and then click on the "Creative Content" tab. Scroll down to find the "Creative Content Pack" and download.
You can also use an image that you create or find yourself. You can use a black and white or colour image as a mask, though PaintShop Pro will reduce it to grayscale when used for masking. You can also use any mask in .jpg format, and if you find masks in a .
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Frequently asked questions
Masks are used to cover part of an image or to create a fading effect. They are typically black and white (and sometimes grey) images. The black areas of the mask block the image from view, while the white areas allow the image to show through.
First, open the image you want to use as a mask. Then, on the Layers palette, choose the layer you want to mask. Next, go to Layers > New Mask Layer > From Image to open the Add Mask From Image dialog box. In the Source Window drop-list, choose your image. Finally, in the Create Mask From group box, choose Source luminance or Source opacity.
Open an image in the PaintShop Pro Edit workspace. Go to Layers > Load/Save Mask > Load Mask From Disk. Click on the dropdown menu arrow to see the library of available masks. Choose your desired mask and leave the default options as they are, then click Load.
You can create your own masks from scratch using scripts or particular images. To create a mask from an image, simply open the image file and follow the same steps as above. To create a mask from scratch, you can use the Hide All, Show All, Hide Selection, Show Selection, or From Image mask options.
