Clipping Masks

uptowngirl

New member
Does anyone have or know of a really good tut on this?? I have followed a few before but for some reason I am still "duh" about doing this... :confused:

TIA!!!
 
I did one for another site...about how to make your own templates for photo clipping masks (that doesn't make sense, does it??) Anyway I used it in this LO...

MarchQuoteWonder.jpg

credits are here


It's here if you wanna look. Hope it helps even a little!
 
I used a clipping mask w/ paper on this LO: It is one of Penny's BTW

HappinessLove-1.jpg


PS: It is the paisley/flower paper

I use PSE5 and all I do is make the mask a layer, then I pick PLACE from the File drop down menu...open whatever you want to use and hit place on that screen...then when it shows up just click on the red check mark and hit CTRL+G and it is there.

Hope that helped even a little :unsure::confused:
 
I use photoshop.... and i guess i feel pretty stupid that i can't figure this out... I have a couple of overlays and frame masks i would like to use but not entirely sure how to.

Christine: that is really cool how you did that!! I will take a looksie!

Thank you so much everyone!
 
i think I have some sort of clipping mask in every LO i do.

for photoshop (at least CS3) to make a clipping mask is

top layer is your paper or photo
underneath that is the mask

make sure top layer is selected then ctrl alt g to make clipping mask
OR can just position cursor btwn the 2 layers and hit alt, a little icon shows up (bucket?) then click.

same steps if you want to undo the clipping mask

for overlays you might want to play with blend modes too.
 
I use clipping masks for everything. In fact, I probably shouldn't I'm wondering if it brings my file size up to do it that way. Hmmm.. My fave is to use them on brushes and all the masking goodies. But I also use them to make mats and all my paper pieces.

How do you all make little strips or mats/blocks of papers? Do you just cut them? I almost always make shapes and then use clipping masks and I'm wondering if I'm making it more complicated than necessary.
 
I use clipping masks for everything. In fact, I probably shouldn't I'm wondering if it brings my file size up to do it that way. Hmmm.. My fave is to use them on brushes and all the masking goodies. But I also use them to make mats and all my paper pieces.

How do you all make little strips or mats/blocks of papers? Do you just cut them? I almost always make shapes and then use clipping masks and I'm wondering if I'm making it more complicated than necessary.

I used to cut my papers and shapes and it's a PITB! I think the mask way is much easier because if you don't like the shape or size, you can just change the mask and it won't distort the paper in any way.
 
yep, I like clipping masks for the strips and and blocks and such too.

i never thought about the file size LOL but yeah I probably have twice as many layers as I need.

although when I am *finally* done I do merge the clipping mask layers.

eta: a lot of times to make the mask i use the marquee thing to make a circle/square/rectangle and fill it. Or I use the polygonal lasso to make my own shape to fill. and then I clip something to it :D
 
you guys are fancy... i so need to do stuff this way then my way... i always do a pattern fill and usually that works but i notice on some papers when you try to rotate the shape then it looks all funky.

can someone come to my house and show me?? lol!!
 
Before I shadow (which is always my last step), I merged whatever is clipped, together. I always use shapes as my clipping masks for pieces of paper and stuff. I like that it's non-destructive.
 
WHen i use masks, I put my paper on whatever i want hit ctrl + alt + g and it takes the shape of whats underneath it. If you want to change the shape, rotate whatever you only do it to the thing you have it clipped too not the actual paper.
 
for anybody (like me) that HATE shortcuts just put your paper on top of whatever you want it clipped/shaped to then click Layer-Create Clipping Mask-You can play with the nodes and stuff to rearrange it as you please. When you have it how you want, merge down
 
for anybody (like me) that HATE shortcuts just put your paper on top of whatever you want it clipped/shaped to then click Layer-Create Clipping Mask-You can play with the nodes and stuff to rearrange it as you please. When you have it how you want, merge down

What do you mean when you say "I hate shortcuts"? My brain does not compute.
 
Okay... is this like what you would do if you use templates?

I only have PSE so it's not called clipping masks... but based on what mimi said, I do this with pretty much every single layout as well! I don't think I ever crop anything.
 
I was just gonna say Sara is rockin at clipping masks! She was the on that introduced me to them many moons a go LOL. I hope your figuring it out honey!
 
Learn something new everyday by reading through these threads,lol. Lots of cool tips.
I've got PSE6. All you need to do is hit Ctrl+G to clip mask. then I just merge down.
 
Those pesky shortcuts!

I was actually thinking of getting a G15 keyboard, just so I could set up function keys to do stuff for me like UNDO and Clipping Mask.

I'm all about the lazy! :thumbup:
 
yay for me... i finally sat down and did it. how fun!! of course now that i want to play my lil one has woken up from her nap... thanks all!!
 
I know how to use em in PSP! Ok...I only use 9...but here's what I do...I do a select all>float then defloat on the portion I'm using...then...I paste the paper as a new layer and I can move it to where I want it to be...then...I go to selections>invert and hit the delete key and then ctrl+d (this is deselect)...the only thing I really wish I were better at PS because those text paths look fun! I can make my own but I love the really cute premade ones...mine are pretty simple and text paths...well psp could use a little more user friendliness because I have to really mess with it or it distorts the words on the path and it takes a bunch of work to make it fit just the right way. I need to just shut up and learn CS2. I have it...just...by the time I got it I already knew PSP and...have been refusing picking up new software. I do hybrid the 2 together though lol. Have too many cute brushes and actions and styles not to! If I'd just quit being stubborn and really learn PS I could probably do many things quicker. I'm o....k....at PS but not like smooth or fluent on it. In PSP I'm like clickety click click...clack...clicky...in PS it's like...um...clickkk? nooo wait...let's...this one? ok....nowww where's adjust?
 
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