How to use Layer Masks

Layer masks are a useful way to adjust transparency of Layers without losing any image data. This tutorial will explain how to use them.

1. I am going to make a new image and fill the background with blue.

2. Then I am going to copy an image of a grid on top of this image as another layer. You can use any image. Your layers pallete should look something like this:

3. Now click the layer mask button to add a layer mask to layer 1.

4. In layer masks, anything painted white will be opaque, while anything painted black will be transparent. You will notice that the mask is already white, and that you can see the top layer.

5. Now with the paintbrush, paint some black. What happens? The black parts become transparent and you can see the blue.

6. This is why layer masks are useful. You can make things transparent without actually erasing any data. If you make a mistake, you can fix it by painting it over with white. Now, use the gradient tool to make a black to white gradient across the picture.

See how useful this can be? Experiment with it and have fun!

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