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What Is Layer Masking in Photoshop?

Last updated on September 24, 2022 @ 2:27 pm

Layer masking is one of the most useful and powerful features in Photoshop. It allows you to selectively edit parts of a layer without affecting the rest of the image.

Layer masks are also non-destructive, meaning you can always go back and make changes if you don’t like the results.

There are two ways to create a layer mask: with a selection or with a brush tool. To create a layer mask with a selection, simply use any selection tool (such as the lasso tool) to make a selection on the layer you want to mask.

Then click the “Add Layer Mask” button at the bottom of the layers panel. Your selection will now be masked, and only the selected area will be editable.

PRO TIP: Layer masking is a powerful tool in Photoshop, but it’s also one of the most misunderstood. A layer mask is essentially a grayscale image that is used to mask or hide parts of a layer. The darker the gray, the more hidden the layer becomes. The brighter the gray, the more visible the layer becomes. White reveals the entire layer, black hides the entire layer, and gray falls somewhere in between.

To create a layer mask with the brush tool, first make sure your foreground and background colors are set to black and white respectively. Then select the brush tool and begin painting over the area you want to mask. The area you paint will become white and be editable, while the rest of the layer will remain black and unedited.

Once you have created a layer mask, you can edit it just like any other layer. You can use the brush tool to paint over areas you want to reveal or hide, or you can use selections to add or remove parts of the mask. Layer masks are an essential part of Photoshop and allow for much more precise editing.

Layer masking is an essential part of Photoshop that allows for much more precise editing by selectively hiding or revealing parts of a layer. Layer masks can be created with selections or with brush tools, and they offer a Non-Destructive method for editing images.

Drew Clemente

Drew Clemente

Devops & Sysadmin engineer. I basically build infrastructure online.