How Do I Apply Multiple Pixel Masks to the Same Layer?
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How Do I Apply Multiple Pixel Masks to the Same Layer?

on Apr 18th 2012 with 19 comments
Tutorial Details
  • Program: Adobe Photoshop CS5
  • Difficulty: Beginner
  • Estimated Completion Time: 11 Minutes

Final Product What You'll Be Creating

Masking is a non-destructive way to hide certain areas of an image. In this tutorial we will explain the best way to apply several pixel masks to the same layer in order adjust the transparency of a wine glass. Let’s get started!

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Martin is a Hungarian graphic designer, digital artist and an Adobe Certified Expert and Instructor (Design Master). He is currently teaching and working in London but usually travels around the UK and share his love for Adobe products and graphic design. You can follow him on his blog or on Twitter.  

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  • http://herozon.com Zarel

    WOW… you are very clever.. I never heard this technique before.. Thanks for sharing this useful technique, Martin!

  • Jesus Bejarano

    Oustandig technique

  • http://thenextlab.com/ Steven

    I like when tutorials are created as videos because author then explain more things that are not mentioned when there are only screenshots and some few lines of description.

    Thanks Martin for great tutorial!

  • http://www.euphoria-imaging.com Yahor

    Yep, I use the same technique

  • Michael

    This is just what I needed! Thanks for saving my sanity

  • tom

    Instead of using the Magic Wand to make the selection, I usually go to the Channels palette and find a channel that has a good contrast between the wanted and unwanted information in the Layer. In this case the Red channel would probably be perfect. Command-clicking on the thumbnail in that palette will make a selection of the Red channel’s grayscale information. Then go to the Layers palette and make your Layer mask based on this selection. You can then throw a Curve on the mask to improve its contrast, making the unwanted info totally black, and the stuff you want opaque pure white. Those little black and white eyedroppers are made for that. Bending the Curve up or down in between those two extremes will further refine the opacity of the mask. Using this method, you could probably get all your work done with just one layer mask, and it’ll be based on the image’s grayscale information rather than funky, jaggedy Magic Wand selections.

  • Moose

    This is some Inception level of depth right here. A mask within a mask WITHIN a mask? We need to go deeper! Good video btw. Glad it isn’t under the ridiculous “premium” tuts

  • http://www.rahult.com rahul

    its awesome tuts :)

  • karthik

    like this tutorials

  • http://www.cgvector.com cgvector

    I am Agree with @Steven. because a lot of time when we proceed screen cast tutorial in the result not same but in video case mostly 100% result thanks for nice tutorial.

  • Trevor

    Very interesting and helpful as usual, thanks again.

  • Andy

    Very interesting technique indeed (dispute the length of the video). Photoshop does allow you to add a second layer mask to a layer, but I have never really figured out the purpose of this?

  • Phil

    I prefer old school technique of channel masking and calculations. A group has same options as a layer so it could be considered to be a layer.

  • http://www.casualgamedev.com Shajedul

    Nice tutorial. The technique of this tutorial was awesome.

  • http://www.menacedesign.pl Rob

    Normally i would cut this glass into few pieces and play with opacity and one mask. Never thought about doing this that way – group in group in group using only one layer. Clever

  • DJ

    very useful and nice use of mask

  • Léo

    Clever but what if the background isn’t white ?

  • Jarzka

    I think the glass should be less transparent at the edges? Look at this picture for example: http://www.exchange3d.com/images/uploads/aff2275/Glass%20Bottle%20Collection/bottles-main.jpg

  • eddie

    wow..this is clever…hope i can use this in my future project