CS2 Noob: How do I make a simple mask?

Hello group.

Being a total noob about PS, I downloaded CS2 tryout some time ago (I know, I know, CS3 is available now...) but I still haven't figured out how to do a simple mask that covers my needs:
I have an image that I want to use as texture. Then I want to create a mask that is shaped like a trapez and be able to set the size in milimeters (or inches or whatever; just to set it to a specific size instead of dragging it with the mouse).
Can someone tell me how to do this or am I using a completely wrong program for this task?

Best regards
Stefan

Help menu. Type in MASK.

Fer gods sake, you paid an arm an leg for the software, so USE it!

Stefan wrote:

Hello group.

Being a total noob about PS, I downloaded CS2 tryout some time ago (I know, I know, CS3 is available now...) but I still haven't figured out how to do a simple mask that covers my needs:
I have an image that I want to use as texture. Then I want to create a mask that is shaped like a trapez and be able to set the size in milimeters (or inches or whatever; just to set it to a specific size instead of dragging it with the mouse).
Can someone tell me how to do this or am I using a completely wrong program for this task?

Best regards
Stefan

Masking is a type of advanced command which may require you to know or master few basic commands before you can be able to learn the "Mask". And it won't be easy to post the whole book on Usenet hoping you may be able to catch some.

So, I think GOOGLE probably is the best way for you to understand what Masking is, and you should be able t learn much quicker by watching the Video Tutorial than reading few quick answer which usually only help *if* you already know some basic.

And I would suggest to watch several to *understand* what Masking is about, or may not be a good idea to learn some specicifc method which may and may not work well for you. But whatever you may watch, I would suggest you to master the Brushing technique cuz it's a very basic but very useful on Masking (and it may take few months or few years of working to master the brushing depending on the level's you wanna archive).

On Mon, 04 Aug 2008 19:15:36 -0500, Joel wrote:

Stefan wrote:

Hello group.

Being a total noob about PS, I downloaded CS2 tryout some time ago (I know, I know, CS3 is available now...) but I still haven't figured out how to do a simple mask that covers my needs:
I have an image that I want to use as texture. Then I want to create a mask that is shaped like a trapez and be able to set the size in milimeters (or inches or whatever; just to set it to a specific size instead of dragging it with the mouse).
Can someone tell me how to do this or am I using a completely wrong program for this task?

Best regards
Stefan

Masking is a type of advanced command which may require you to know or master few basic commands before you can be able to learn the "Mask". And it won't be easy to post the whole book on Usenet hoping you may be able to catch some.

So, I think GOOGLE probably is the best way for you to understand what Masking is, and you should be able t learn much quicker by watching the Video Tutorial than reading few quick answer which usually only help *if* you already know some basic.

And I would suggest to watch several to *understand* what Masking is about, or may not be a good idea to learn some specicifc method which may and may not work well for you. But whatever you may watch, I would suggest you to master the Brushing technique cuz it's a very basic but very useful on Masking (and it may take few months or few years of working to master the brushing depending on the level's you wanna archive).

Masking is nothing more and nothing less then the masking tape used when painting your lounge wall. You did stick masking tape to the part that had to be protected, didn't you? The part you wanted another color on? And you removed the masking tape afterwards and stuck it elsewhere for the rest of the alterations, didn't you?
In fact uncle Joel, masking is another one of the selecting tools. A very sophisticated one, granted, but still a selecting tool.

Help menu. Type in MASK.

I'll try that.

Fer gods sake, you paid an arm an leg for the software, so USE it!

As I said, I downloaded the try out to see if it could do the job.

I'll get back with some more intelligent questions if I get lost in the help ;-)

Stefan

On 5 Aug, 00:59, John wrote:

Help menu. Type in MASK.

Fer gods sake, you paid an arm an leg for the software, so USE it!

I am sorry, but I am also new to this group and we all have to start somewhere. Like learning to drive, people forget were were are learners once and needed help and advice so why not go to the right place? Its easy to chastise those who may ask a dumb question, but if you dont ask you probably will never know.

Give us newbies a chance, you were there at one time :-D

By the way I may have asked also some dumb questions earlier, but I sure appreciated the help.

"" wrote in message

On 5 Aug, 00:59, John wrote:

Help menu. Type in MASK.

Fer gods sake, you paid an arm an leg for the software, so USE it!

I am sorry, but I am also new to this group and we all have to start somewhere. Like learning to drive, people forget were were are learners once and needed help and advice so why not go to the right place? Its easy to chastise those who may ask a dumb question, but if you dont ask you probably will never know.

Give us newbies a chance, you were there at one time :-D
By the way I may have asked also some dumb questions earlier, but I sure appreciated the help.

Baby girl
it's not that the questions are dumb
your questions are just about very BASIC techniques
so people here are saying there is already an ABUNDANCE of info about these and so many already written and filmed tutorials if you will GOOGLE or look in the HELP (you tube has many many vids)
Adobe website has MUCHO Materials and instructions

the things you are asking are very elementary to using PS well it is wise to spend as much time as possible learning selections and masks (properly no shortcuts) as this is the MOST important technique you will need for almost any image manipulations of the more complex sort...

open a picture
make a new layer above it and fill with a color like blue then click the little rectangle with a circle inside at bottom of layer palette
this makes a white thumbnail next to your blue layer
now click the thumbnail to activate painting on the MASK not the layer itself
take a paintbrush in black and paint on the mask (not the blue) to reveal the layer below

this erases the above layer visually but it is still there if edit is needed any part can be "put back " by using the white brush on the layer

selecting areas with wand or marquee and then click mask will make an auto filled mask
\TRY IT

erasing will work but will give you grief later, trust me

On Tue, 5 Aug 2008 11:35:00 -0700 (PDT), ""
wrote:

On 5 Aug, 00:59, John wrote:

Help menu. Type in MASK.

Fer gods sake, you paid an arm an leg for the software, so USE it!

I am sorry, but I am also new to this group and we all have to start somewhere. Like learning to drive, people forget were were are learners once and needed help and advice so why not go to the right place? Its easy to chastise those who may ask a dumb question, but if you dont ask you probably will never know.

Give us newbies a chance, you were there at one time :-D
By the way I may have asked also some dumb questions earlier, but I sure appreciated the help.

Well here's something you should have learned from any news group. How to use a kill filter.
I think you're posting from google groups, meaning that's where you're getting the posts also.
So just use the spam filter and ignore that jerk. He obviously has nothing to contribute, and feeding his ego, only fills this group more unnecessary spam. For future reference he's what's known as a troll for generic identification in other news groups. Kill filters are good for only a few times, since they change nyms more often than their underwear.
No fun shouting into a vacuum. Takes a few weeks till they find out they're using a killed nym cause no one is responding to them.
Or just hit your next key. Either one stops this endless spam.

--
more pix @ http://members.toast.net/cbminfo/index.html

On 8/5/08 2:39 PM, in article ,
"" wrote:

So just use the spam filter and ignore that jerk. He obviously has nothing to contribute, and feeding his ego, only fills this group more unnecessary spam. For future reference he's what's known as a troll for generic identification in
other news groups.

I have contributed more here than you have. So, OP, add keepout to your killfile.

wrote:

On 5 Aug, 00:59, John wrote:

Help menu. Type in MASK.

Fer gods sake, you paid an arm an leg for the software, so USE it!

I am sorry, but I am also new to this group and we all have to start somewhere. Like learning to drive, people forget were were are learners once and needed help and advice so why not go to the right place? Its easy to chastise those who may ask a dumb question, but if you dont ask you probably will never know.

Give us newbies a chance, you were there at one time :-D
By the way I may have asked also some dumb questions earlier, but I sure appreciated the help.

I've been able to get some answers from people in this group, but I'm amazed at some of the questions that arrive here, when basic information on how the program works, available from You Tube, dozens of tut sites, the public library or, as many have suggested, the Help file, would deal with them.

As for the driving analogy, some of the questions are like asking a driving instructor how to make the steering wheel get the car to go onto a new street.

--
Tim Tayshen

The poster formerly known as Graham Waiffers, Roger Thaat, Watson deMeneux or Jack Skwaht.

On Tue, 5 Aug 2008 11:35:00 -0700 (PDT), ""
wrote:

On 5 Aug, 00:59, John wrote:

Help menu. Type in MASK.

Fer gods sake, you paid an arm an leg for the software, so USE it!

I am sorry, but I am also new to this group and we all have to start somewhere. Like learning to drive, people forget were were are learners once and needed help and advice so why not go to the right place? Its easy to chastise those who may ask a dumb question, but if you dont ask you probably will never know.

Give us newbies a chance, you were there at one time :-D

He is not yet where you are. People making stupid remarks like this are not worthwhile to respond to. Follow the directions KatWoman pointed out...

By the way I may have asked also some dumb questions earlier, but I sure appreciated the help.

and remember, there are no dumb questions but only dumb answers.

Dave

On Tue, 05 Aug 2008 21:11:22 GMT, Tim Tayshen
wrote:

Give us newbies a chance, you were there at one time :-D

If you'll notice there's not a lot of support in actually answering how to create a mask.

Because no one knows how to create a mask..
Now Trolling, this groups full of them.
--
more pix @ http://members.toast.net/cbminfo/index.html

On Tue, 05 Aug 2008 21:11:22 GMT, Tim Tayshen wrote:

As for the driving analogy, some of the questions are like asking a driving instructor how to make the steering wheel get the car to go onto a new street.

As sure as anything, someone will post tomorrow, or the next day, asking the same exact type of questions that you are complaining about right now.

No matter how much we gripe, newbies are not going to know anything about what's been asked here before, and that includes complaints from the regulars about the level of the questions. In many cases they won't know how to phrase their question effectively, much less google for it.

Everyone who's been around here for more than a few months knows all this. So what's the real reason to complain about newbies? IMHO it's a form of group bonding behavior. We define our association by poking fun at people who don't have their bearings yet - the one's who don't belong.

IMHO taking a swipe at newbies is a mild form of net bullying. It subtracts from the value of this group, particularly because it's done by people who should know better.

The tone of the group depends on the regulars here, not the newbies. The solution is as old as Usenet itself - when a dumb question comes up, either ignore it or try to help with a pointer to a youtube or a tutorial. --
Mike Russell - http://www.curvemeister.com

wrote in message
On Tue, 05 Aug 2008 21:11:22 GMT, Tim Tayshen
wrote:

Give us newbies a chance, you were there at one time :-D

If you'll notice there's not a lot of support in actually answering how to create a mask.

Because no one knows how to create a mask..
Now Trolling, this groups full of them.

--answered her with EXACT and explicit directions

see above

Dave wrote:

<snip>

Masking is nothing more and nothing less then the masking tape used when painting your lounge wall. You did stick masking tape to the part that had to be protected, didn't you? The part you wanted another color on? And you removed the masking tape afterwards and stuck it elsewhere for the rest of the alterations, didn't you?
In fact uncle Joel, masking is another one of the selecting tools. A very sophisticated one, granted, but still a selecting tool.

Are you the same stupid Dave I beat so many times?

On Wed, 06 Aug 2008 16:45:48 -0500, Joel wrote:

Dave wrote:

<snip>

Masking is nothing more and nothing less then the masking tape used when painting your lounge wall. You did stick masking tape to the part that had to be protected, didn't you? The part you wanted another color on? And you removed the masking tape afterwards and stuck it elsewhere for the rest of the alterations, didn't you?
In fact uncle Joel, masking is another one of the selecting tools. A very sophisticated one, granted, but still a selecting tool.

Are you the same stupid Dave I beat so many times?

I am the headmaster in the reform school where you grew up, arshole.

On Aug 4, 2:50 pm, Stefan wrote:

Hello group.

Being a total noob about PS, I downloaded CS2 tryout some time ago (I know, I know, CS3 is available now...) but I still haven't figured out how to do a simple mask that covers my needs:
I have an image that I want to use as texture. Then I want to create a mask that is shaped like a trapez and be able to set the size in milimeters (or inches or whatever; just to set it to a specific size instead of dragging it with the mouse).
Can someone tell me how to do this or am I using a completely wrong program for this task?

Best regards
Stefan

Stefan,

Masks are usually derived from a selection and selections can be created from a path, you can create a path right in PS or in Illustrator and paste it into PS.

Try starting using the vector based path tool so you can build and tweak the basic shape as you see fit, this will save you the grief of having to free hand it with the marquee selection tool. Once you have a path built to the shape and position you like, convert it to a selection and save as a Alpha channel, for further editing with your airbrush or erase tool if need be.

KB

Dave wrote:

On Wed, 06 Aug 2008 16:45:48 -0500, Joel wrote:

Dave wrote:

<snip>

Masking is nothing more and nothing less then the masking tape used when painting your lounge wall. You did stick masking tape to the part that had to be protected, didn't you? The part you wanted another color on? And you removed the masking tape afterwards and stuck it elsewhere for the rest of the alterations, didn't you?
In fact uncle Joel, masking is another one of the selecting tools. A very sophisticated one, granted, but still a selecting tool.

Are you the same stupid Dave I beat so many times?

I am the headmaster in the reform school where you grew up, arshole.

Yup! the same stupid Dave alright.