A Guide to Mastering Layer Masking in Photoshop

Layer masking is one of the most powerful features in Photoshop you may know if you use it. However, if you are a beginner, we will explain how you can get started and master this practice. This feature is a fantastic solution for combining several photos or removing particular objects or people. Let’s understand it in detail:

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What are Layer Masks?

You can use layer masks to conceal or reveal different elements of an image by empowering the editing of individual layers of composition. In other words, you can change the transparency of the specific area of the layer without permanently erasing or damaging or deleting part of a layer.

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Layering in Photoshop is simply a pile of images on top of each other that can be edited simultaneously to create one final unique image. It is an essential tool in Adobe Photoshop that designers or photographers use to alter the visibility of an individual layer in an image file.

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Using the brush tool, you can hide and make specific areas of an image file. Generally, when we use the Eraser tool to erase any unwanted elements of an image, we end up making destructive changes to the original image file or layers that are permanent. But with the layer masks, you can efficiently handle the layer transparency without damaging the original file.

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What is the Purpose of Layer Masks?

The primary purpose of layer masks is to alter the opacity and transparency of an image layer without making any permanent changes. For example, using the Eraser tool in Photoshop to delete a part of a layer won’t allow you to undo or retrieve that action unless you use the “step backwards” function, which will also undo the rest of the work. On the other hand, Layer masks allow you to make changes that can be easily reversed without having to undo actions in sequence. Thus, it is a reversible way of hiding or highlighting a layer.

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When to use Layer Masks?

As explained above, layer masks help make significant changes in the specific areas of a layer without hurting an image’s original layer. So, whenever you need to remove an area from the layer, combine or isolate the subject from the background, layer masks are the way to go. 

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How do Layer Masks work in Photoshop?

The layer mask thumbnail can be found at the bottom right corner of your workspace. Once you add the default layer mask to the layer, there won’t be any changes to the layer yet. The layer will still be intact when you fill the layer mask with white. However, once you start using a brush with a black color on the layer mask, you will notice changes in the areas where the brush had strokes.

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The color you choose to perform strokes with a brush onto the layer masks determines the transparency of an area where you use a brush. For example, if you have a white color in the layer mask, the layer opacity will be 100%, while if you have a black cover in the layer mask, the layer opacity will be 0%. On the other hand, if you have different shades of gray, the opacity will be 0-100%. So, with the 50% gray color, the layer opacity will be 50% in that area.

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This is how YouCan use Layer Masks in Adobe’s Photoshop. Take a Look:

Key Takeaway - First, layer masks can be painted black, white or gray. Each color has a different function:

‍Black to Conceal - Adding black to a layer mask will hide the layer that has the mask and shows the elements in the layer below. 

White to Reveal - Adding white to a layer will show the layer with the mask.

Gray For Opacity - You can add shades of gray to vary the layer's opacity with the mask.

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If you want to become a pro in layer masking in Photoshop, here is a step-by-step guide to layer masks in Photoshop. Take a look:

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• Select the two images that you want to mask and arrange them in two separate layers.

• Select a layer in the layer panel that you want to edit.

• Click on the button “Add layer mask.”

• A white mask thumbnail will appear on the selected layer, revealing everything on the selected layer.

• Your default layer will now be white and doesn’t affect the image unless you use the brush.

• The next step is to select a specific area of the layer using the black brush.

• Now drag & move the brush over the areas of the mask layer you want to remove.

• You will notice that the areas get removed wherever you move your brush.

• If you paint your brush white, the content will appear again.

• In short, black conceals, and white reveals.

• Add grey to the area to change the opacity of a layer mask.

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Layer Mask shortcuts in Photoshop

If you want to speed up your workflow under layer masking, you can use some shortcuts. Here are some of the most helpful mask layering shortcuts that will improve your working:

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• Add Layer Mask - Go to the “Option Key on mac or Alt on Windows”. Click on the “Add Layer mask” button in the layers panel.

• Delete Layer Mask - Right-click the layer mask and delete it from the tooltip menu. 

• Invert Layer Mask - To invert the layer mask, select “Command + I’ on Mac (or Control + I on Windows)” to move between the two.

• Moving Layer Masks Between Layers - To move a layer mask, drag & drop the layer mask between different layers.

• Adding Layer Masks Based on Selections - Click the “Add Layer Mask” button to reveal your selection. Then, to hide it, hold the Option key on the Mac.

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How to Duplicate a Layer mask Between Layers?

To duplicate a mask layer, hold the “Option key on Mac (or Alt key on Windows)” and then click & drag to the new Layer. Well, this is the easiest & quickest way to add a layer mask to a layer. You must select the Layer and click on the mask icon at the bottom of the layers panel. This way, you can add a default white-colored filled layer mask to the Layer.

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However, another way of adding a layer mask to the image layer is to select the Layer that you want, go to Layer> Layer Mask, and then select one of the following options:

• Reveal All

• Reveal Selection

• Hide All

• Hide Selection

• From Transparency

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You can also access some layer mask options that you can choose from after adding a layer mask to the Layer:

• Delete

• Apply

• Enable

• Unlink

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Reveal All

Choosing the Reveal All button will add a white-colored filled layer mask to the layer and reveal the complete layer without affecting the layer transparency.

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Reveal Selection

On the other hand, the Reveal Selection option will add a layer mask filled with white color inside the selection area while black outside the selection area. The selection area will be revealed, while the remaining area will be hidden. An active selection is required for this option to be available.

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Hide All

As we have mentioned, adding a black layer will hide the layer, so using this button will bring you a black color-filled layer mask that will conceal the complete layer.

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Hide Selection

Contrary to the Reveal Selection, Hide Selection will add a layer mask filled with black color inside the area while white outside the selection area. So, the selected area will be hidden, and the remaining area will be revealed. 

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From Transparency 

Clicking on the “From Transparency” option will add a layer mask that is filled with white where the layer has visible pixels and with black where the layer doesn’t have visible pixels. 

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Delete

With this option, you can delete the current layer mask of the layer. You can also delete it by right-clicking on the Layers panel and choosing Delete Layer Mask. The original layer will still be intact before adding a layer mask to it.

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Apply

You can apply the layer mask by right-clicking on the layer mask in the Layers panel and choosing Apply Layer Mask. Here is an example:

• Select the area of a layer

• Go to Layer > Layer Mask > Hide Selection to add a layer mask that hides the specific part of a layer.

• Go to Layer > Layer Mask > Apply.

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Disable

Using this option will temporarily disable the layer mask, and you can enable it again at any time from the same menu. Another way to disable and enable the layer mask is by Shift click on the layer mask in the Layers panel.

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Unlink

The Unlink options will help you unlink the Layer and a layer mask, but you can always link them again from the same menu. Another way to do this is by clicking on the link icon between them in the Layers panel. 

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Adding a layer mask will automatically be linked with a layer by default, and if you move, transform or apply any filters to the layers or a layer mask, they will both be affected by those changes. However, when they are unlinked, the workings will be separated, i.e. you can move, transform or apply a filter to both separately.

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Let’s understand this through an example:

• Select an area of a layer by using any selection tools.

• Go to Layer> Layer Mask > Reveal Selection to reveal the selected part of the Layer.

• Go to Layer> Layer Mask > Unlink to unlink the Layer and layer mask. 

• Select the layer mask, choose the Move Tool and drag the layer mask where you want to reveal the other area of the Layer.

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Want to know More Layer mask options?

Here they are as follows:

• Density

• Feather

• Mask Options

• Select and Mask

Density

This option is synonymous with the layer mask opacity. As you decrease the density, the layer mask opacity will also be decreased. For example, when you set the density to 0%, the layer mask will be filled with white color and won’t make any changes to the layer. Here is the process:

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• Add any layer mask of your choice. However, it is essential that the mask hides an area of the layer so you can notice the changes in density.

• Go to Window > Properties. In the Properties panel, turn the density to 50%

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Feather

This option smoothes the edges of the layer mask. Go to Window > Properties. In the Properties panel, set the Feather to 50 px.

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Mask Options

With the Mask Options, you can adjust the display of the layer mask. All you need to do is Shift-Alt-click on the layer mask in the Layers panel.

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Select & Mask

This option brings you advanced mask adjusting options.

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Why Should we use Layer Masks in Photoshop?

Layer masking is a reversible way to hide a part of the layer. Unlike the erase tool, it doesn’t make any changes to the original pixels of the image. It helps make image composites, removing objects and limiting edits to a part of a layer. Here are the reasons why using Layer Masks in Photoshop can be helpful in many other ways. Take a look:

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1. A Non-Destructive Way To Apply Adjustments

The foremost reason to use layer masks in Photoshop is none other than its non-destructive nature to the editing of images. Before this, the users had to duplicate the image as a backup to the original, as edits were permanently made to the original layers.

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While on the other hand, adjustment layers in Photoshop eliminated this dilemma as it added a layer to the original layer we are working on. So the edits can be done or undone without making permanent changes to the pixels of the original image.

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2. Layer Masks Enable Us To Refine Edits

You might know from the above mentioned adjustment layer why there are better choices than an eraser tool while compositing images. The same thing applies while cutting out an image. After selecting & deleting a background, you can’t undo the actions to fix any mistakes. But with layer masks, you can easily add back or remove pieces of your cutouts later.

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Moreover, while adding an adjustment layer in Photoshop, it gets applied to the whole image. But sometimes, you need specific areas of an image to apply adjustments. This is where layer masks are helpful. When you add a new adjustment layer, it automatically adds a white layer mask.

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3. Use of Smart Objects

Smart Objects play a significant role in preserving an image’s source content with all its original features, enabling you to perform non-destructive editing to the layers. So this is not less than a boon for the photographers or designers as they can apply edits to the layer masks without making any changes to the original layers. So, how do you convert an image to a Smart Object? It is simple.

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Just click on the layer and select Convert to a Smart Object. There will be a small icon on the thumbnail that shows you that the layer is now a Smart Object. If you are editing images in Camera raw, you can export the image into Photoshop as a Smart Object. Press the Shift key and the Open image button to open the object.

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4. Layer Masks Can Selectively Change The Opacity Of A Layer 

As of now, you know that the essential role of layer masks in Photoshop is to hide or change the layer's visibility in an image. But apart from this, these can also selectively change the opacity. We have already mentioned above that in layer masking, black stands for 100% transparency, White stands for 100% visibility, and the shades of gray represent varying levels of transparency. So, it means that 50% gray represents 50% opacity, i.e. the layer would be half hidden.

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When you are required to change the opacity of a layer within the layer panel, the whole layer will be affected equally. Still, with layer masking, you can select one section to reduce more than another.

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5. Adjustment Layers Can Be Applied Selectively With Layer Masks

Unlike Lightroom, Photoshop doesn’t come with a selective adjustment brush, a gradient filter or anything like that to apply selective adjustments. But it has layer masks. For example, imagine you need to make only your subject brighten instead of anywhere else in the image. For this, you can add a Brightness & Contrast adjustment layer to make the subject brighter, but the whole image is getting affected. You only want to apply it to your subject.

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You must select a layer mask and press Command + I (Mac) or Control + I (PC). It will change the layer mask from white to black and hide the brightness adjustment layer. Now fill the Brush tool with white and make specific areas of the adjustment layer visible again. It means you can paint around the subject to make it brighter.

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6. Layer Masks Can Blend The Edges With Gradient Adjustments

If you're trying to merge or blend two images side by side by removing the edges in between, layer masks can be helpful. If you erase the edges, it will spoil both images. Instead, a layer mask can help you remove the edges and refine it later if needed. You can apply a gradient to the mask and make the transition smoother.

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The first step is to apply a layer mask to the layer you want to soften the edges of. With your foreground color set to black, you can click and drag it over the edge of your ledger. It will add a gradient effect to your layer mask. Now the in-between edge will be hidden, and a soft transition will occur.

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7. Selectively Apply Smart Filters

When you convert your layer into the Smart Object and add a filter, you can see an intelligent filter layer mask beneath your layer. This mask dominates the visibility of each filter applied to your layer. So, if you want to use a filter selectively, this mask can help you.

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For example, if you want to blur the edges of an image. You convert the layer into a bright object and apply a gaussian blur. But it blurs the entire image instead of the edges. To apply the selective adjustment, click on the bright filter mask and press Command + I (Mac) or Control + I (PC). Now the blur adjustment is hidden. To blur the edges, select the Brush tool and paint white on your canvas to reveal the blur again. But this time, it is only around the edges.

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8. You Can Apply Layer Masks On Multiple Layers

Another reason you should use layer masking in Photoshop is because you can make transparency adjustments for multiple layers. Once a pile of layers is set up, you can add a single mask to edit every layer. So, instead of masking every layer individually, you can mask multiple layers simultaneously. This way, a layer mask is an effective option for editing the visibility of multiple layers at once.

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9. You Can Copy & Paste Layer Mask

Imagine you are required to apply similar layer mask adjustments to multiple layers simultaneously. You can easily copy & paste layer masks between multiple layers. Hold Alt or Option (PC/Mac), click & drag the layer mask you want to copy over to the other. It will apply a duplicate mask.

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The main reason to use layer masking in Photoshop is that the entire process is non-destructive. However, you should remember a few tips while using layer masking in Photoshop. Here they are as follows:

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Tips To Master Layer Masks In Photoshop

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1. Start With Black Of White Layer Mask

Most of the time, users want to make their layer wholly hidden or visible. By default, clicking on the Add Layer Mask button will automatically create a new white layer mask. This means you can add the mask to make it completely visible.

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But if you want to hide your layer completely, you can create a white layer mask and then fill the layer mask with black. This will make the layer wholly hidden. However, to save your clicks & strokes, you can hold the ALT key while clicking on the Add a Layer mask icon.

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2. Moving Layers And Layers Masks Independently

It's expected that after applying a layer mask to an image, you need to set the framing & composition of the image. This means you either need to move the mask without moving the contents of the image or vice-versa.

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Layers and layer masks get linked by default, meaning that moving one will automatically bring movement to the other. To move or adjust separately, click on the chain icon between the layer preview and layer mask preview. It will allow you to move one layer accordingly.

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3. Creating Layer Mask From A Selection

Layer masks can come in a wide variety of shapes and forms. Also, any selection in Photoshop can be turned into a layer mask to hide or show the selected details or areas you want.

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But creating a layer mask from a selection takes a lot of work. Firstly, create a selection using any tool, and with that selection active, go to the layer to which you want to apply the mask and click on the Layer mask icon. It will automatically create a Layer Mask using the selection you defined.

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4. Inverting Layer Masks

Inverting a layer mask is about changing black to white & white to black on a Layer Mask. To invert a layer mask, select it and click on the CTRL or CMD + I. This will create the exact opposite of the original mask.

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5. Filling a Layer Mask with Black or White

Though Layer masks operate primarily in black or white color or gray can be used to create a similar effect, we can also use default color options with easy keyboard shortcuts to fill a layer faster. By clicking on D, you can set the foreground & background color to their defaults, i.e. black in the background and white in the foreground. Similarly, with the layer mask selected, hit the CTRL or CMD + DEL to fill the layer mask with the foreground color.

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6. Creating Layer Masks With Keyboard Shortcuts

Though Photoshop doesn’t have keyboard shortcuts to create layer masks, we can create custom keyboard shortcuts to speed up our workflow. Open the Edit menu and select Keyboard shortcuts near the bottom of the list. It will open Keyboard Shortcuts and Menus dialog box. Open the drop-down list of layer commands and locate the section for layer masks. Here, you can customize shortcuts to commands like Hide All or Reveal All.

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7. Copying Layer Masks From One Another

Do you want to take a layer mask from one layer and use it on a different layer? It is an easy task. For example, you want to copy the layer mask from one image over to another image we just brought into the image.

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You can copy the layer mask by holding Alt and then dragging the layer mask over the layer you want to apply it to. Once copied, the same layer mask will be applied to the new image.

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8. Changing Layer Mask Density And Adding Feathering 

You can efficiently adjust the opacity of a mask, i.e. density or add some feathering to its edges through the Properties Window. All you need to do is select the layer mask you want to adjust, go to the Window menu, and select Properties. Ultimately, adjusting the density will automatically change the opacity of the layer mask, making areas more or less hidden or visible.

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9. Using Layer Styles With Layer Masks

Layer masks can be associated with different other tools in Photoshop. For example, layer styles. Imagine we have an elliptical image, and we use Layer styles to bring a white stroke around the edge of the image. If you hide a small area of the image using a Layer Mask, Photoshop recognizes the layer mask and adjusts the stroke. 

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Wrapping Up!!

Now you know that layer masks are a handy, versatile and essential tool in Adobe’s Photoshop. They can hide or highlight a part of a layer, apply selective adjustments, or cut out an image while keeping the original image intact. They are a superior choice for non-destructive image editing and can improve things in Photoshop.