Using Mask in Photoshop

[MRRGraphix]

Hi everyone,
Well I'm tryin' to get myself into Photoshop and I'm having a hard time understanding how to use mask and when to use which one such as layer mask, vector mask, clipping mask. I see these and I go blank. Also I'm having a hard time with the polygonal tool. I've had a bad year when it comes to my graphics so it's like I want to learn to new habits and maybe that will make me better and more confident.[/COLOR]

[urstwile]

Simplest explanation:

Layer mask: you make a selection, and save it as a layer mask, and that part of your layer outside of the mask isn't visible.

Vector mask: Same basic principle, a vector mask masks out the part of your layer you don't want visible, except the edges are harder, so you wouldn't be able to have feathered edges, as an example.

A clipping mask is different, essentially, it clips the pixels based on the reference layer below which is the clipping mask. So if you have a layer mask applied to the layer you're using as your clipping mask, that will also reflect itself in your layer to which you've applied the clipping mask.

I hope that helps. Experimentation helps, it's pretty obvious what the effects of the masks are once you fiddle with them.

[budafist]

Purple Comic Sans. My eyes are bleeding.

[The_Black_Knight]

Purple Comic Sans. My eyes are bleeding.That's why I have "Allow pages to choose their own fonts" option UNCHECKED in Firefox. Everything's rendered in nice Helvetica Neue.

[MRRGraphix]

Thanks Urst,
That helps the other ones worked for me :confused: but I'm still having a hard time understanding the clipping mask:)

[hewligan]

Let's say you have a layer with the word "BOING!" on it. On the layer directly above it, you fill with a purple -> lime green gradient. Now option/alt click between the two layers to clip the top layer to the bottom one. You're left with the word "BOING!" in a purple to green gradient.

So, the top layer is transparent where the underlying layer is transparent, and opaque where the underlying layer is opaque.

Also, with that gradient, your eyes are really bleeding now!

[MRRGraphix]

ohhhhhh ok that makes much more sense now. thanks you so much everyone i'm going to be masking away now!!!!lol