saving and loading selections

[paul_soohoo2]

This is a follow up and asking for clarification on a previous question on layer masking and compositing. Attached is a simplified version.

 

A. There seems to be a difference between saving a selection via the channel palette and saving the selection via the select menu. In my

illustration when I did a rectangular selection and did a save via the circle at the bottom of the channel palette I get a white rectangle with

a black background. This is what I expect i.e. the white shows what is selected/revealed the black is part is "masked" or protected.

 

 

B. I went up to the select menu and did a save selection to a new channel and named it save from menu and the rectangle is black and

the background is white. I looked in the Photoshop online help and don't see any documentation that these methods are different.

 

 

C. Back to my original question and whether it is related to A&B. I copied the blue channel, selected the top portion via magic wand and

filled it with white. This is essentially a hand drawn mask with the top white, and the bottom black. I called this drawn mask.

 

I duped this channel and inverted it calling this invert mask bottom white top black.

 

 

D. When I do a load selection via the palette or the menu what is selected seems backwards to me. When I load selection of drawn

mask the black part (bottom) is selected. Similarly when I do load selection of invert mask the black (top) is selected. This seems

backwards to me because I'm under the impression that white represents a selected area.

 

A common technique for building complex masks is using a dupe of one of the Alpha channels as a beginning point and building

essentially an accurate hand drawn mask/selection which follows the normal selection rules that the white part indicates selected, black

indicates protected/masked areas and grey of course indicates pixels that are partially selected.

 

Insights as to what obvious thing in my mechanics or misunderstanding would be greatly appreciated. I must have some concept

completely backwards but everything I've researched says my thinking is right but it doesn't follow what I see in practice.<div></div>

[pam_r]

<p>When you are working in the channels palette, PS sees these selections as a "Quick mask". You need to change

your quick mask selection behavior if you want the selected area to be white. Double-click the quick mask icon in the

toolbox, then choose "Masked areas". Masked (selected) areas will now be white when working in the channels

palette.</p>

 

<p>Now when you use quick mask while working in the layers palette, areas you paint over will be masked (not

selected).</p>

 

<p><img src="http://upload.pbase.com/image/104664769/original.jpg"></p>

[pam_r]

<p>I should have added that this can also be done through the channels palette by double-clicking on one of the

alpha channel thumbnails to pull up the channel options. You can also change the color and opacity of the quick

mask in this dialog box. I've changed mine to bright green. Yours should be at the default of 50% red:</p>

 

<p><img src="http://upload.pbase.com/image/104665529/original.jpg"></p>

[paul_soohoo2]

Thanks Pam ... I think you saved my sanity. I missed this not so subtle point.

 

Can you tell me how you did all of the shots of the Photoshop panels? The layout to your answer looks like a

textbook. I want to be able to do that too. In particular how did you do the text and shadow effects

[pam_r]

<p><i>"Can you tell me how you did all of the shots of the Photoshop panels? The layout to your answer looks like

a textbook. I want to be able to do that too. In particular how did you do the text and shadow effects."</i></p>

 

<p>Sure. I use a screen capture program called SnagIt, but you can use any screen grab/capture program. There are

many simple free programs out there. I capture the palettes, toolbox, etc., then to make things more understandable,

I put them all together and add text, shadows, highlights, call-outs, etc.</p>

 

<p>To add a shadow to your text (or anything else with transparency), just activate your text layer, then click

on the "Add a layer style" icon (fx) at the bottom of the layers palette and choose "Drop Shadow". Play around

with the settings to taste:</p>

 

<p><img src="http://upload.pbase.com/image/104690614/original.jpg"></p>