"Carrie" wrote:
Of course we do enjoy what we do, and I ain’t gooa nor mean to stop what
other doing. I just point out what I see for the person to decide.
IOW, I can’t lie to myself saying it’s a perfect mask, and I bet the person should be able to see it too. Me? I do enjoy masking, and I use Mask
on 99.xx% of my work.
I’m kind of getting into learning about masking. There are so many ways
of doing the same things, or what might turn out the same way.
Masking, you may want to use Layer Mask which is very flexible.
Me? I started with most techniques most normal people use or teaching, but for many years of trying I just can’t get the result I want. Some technique I reached to some point and got stuck with no way out (years later
I see from some video tutorial), so I developed my very own technique using
the skills I have. And after so many years using the same techique daily on
just about all images I get used to it and very good at it.
So, I don’t create any masked file but applying directly to the image (layers) and it turns out lot quicker and simpler than creating the masked file then fine tuning the masked file (when I treat the original image as masked file).
I can’t share my technique because I don’t use any channel, don’t use any normal masking trick most people use but good brusing skill with some dirty
quick tricks (also require good brushing skill).
Also, try to use Layer Mask on most if not all image you work on. Just treat it as advanced erasing tool, cloning tool, healing tool etc. then you
will be good with masking (then you can come up with many techiques)
Thanks for the help. I’ve been finding sometimes I go through a tutorial, and all the little steps, and then figure out how to do it in an easier way. I guess it’s the end result that counts.
You just need to MASTER few basic steps, when you are real good at it/them then you should know what to do with it. The reason, because when you mastered few basic techniques which also means you already learned what to do to get it.
IOW, you don’t want to do all fancy technique but the very basic sample ones that you use daily. And because I have worked on hundreds of thousands of photos so I can smell the result.
Here is one of the most important things you may need to learn to do it. And it will become a habit, and you will find it’s the must (that all professional do but newbie usually won’t).
1. BEFORE making the very first move (command), you want to STUDY the image to check the condition, to see what you may or can/can’t not do with it etc..
At first, it may take awhile and you may not be able to see the result, but after a while (lets say years) of doing it you should be able to do in split second.
2. You get to MASTER few very basic command(s) to be able to move up to the more advanced technique(s).
Depending on your work, if you are retoucher then RUBBING could be one of them, if you are artist (drawing) then BRUSHING could be one of them (also, Rubbing and Brushing are pretty similar). Cuz when you have mastered the rubbing/bushing then you should be good with Erasing, Masking, Cloning, Dodge/Burn etc..
And I would suggest NO PLUG-INS which often SLOW and STOP you from learning.
