Selection: Painting with a Brush in Quick Mask Mode

Selection:Painting with a Brush in Quick Mask Mode

Ben Brown and Haley Nash

What is it?

• QuickMask is a convenient way to modify selections using pixel-changing tools such as the paintbrush, eraser, or any plug-in filter. It lets you make very precise adjustments to your selections.

• Also known as the Toggle Mask

When Do I Do This?

• When you need to make adjustments to your selections

How Do I Use This?• Open the photo you wish to edit in Photoshop. Select the part of the image you

want to change using any of the selection tools.

• Click the Quick Mask button toward the bottom of your toolbar; it looks like a square with a circle inside it.

• Check your paint color, setting it to black if it is not already that color. Paint on your image over the portions of the image that you don't want to change. You will see red strokes on your image. The painted area is your quick mask.

• Click the Quick Mask button again to turn off the mask. The painted area is now surrounded by a moving dotted line.

• Click the Quick Mask button again to paint or erase as needed. Toggle back and forth as much as you wish to get a quality selection. When you are satisfied, make any changes you wish to the image. Save your selection when you are finished to finalize your changes.

Options: What Do They Do?• Eraser-Opacity: changes the transparency of it-Brush: Different sizes and shapes -Scale: changes the size of the tool-Brush Dynamics: Changes the effects~Fade Out~Apply Jitter~Incremental~Hard edge~Anti erase (Alt)

Review Questions

• What is another name for the Quickmask?• Which project have we used this tool in?