Everything About Image Masking: Why, What & How to Do?

Introduction

Even though the original essence of any photo keeps it real and natural, the incredible tools and techniques of masking images would enhance its aesthetics with innovation. So, before masking an image, let's see what it is all about.

What is Image Masking?

Image making is a graphic software tool that helps to conceal or reveal any specific portion of an image or photo. With this non-destructive photo editing process, you don't have to remove or delete any portion, so you can retrieve those hidden areas later if needed. This process is mainly used to manipulate any image with creativity. This process allows you to adjust different layers of the image to enhance your photo editing purpose.

What is the Commonly found Masking in Photo Editing?

The concept of image masking is very effective when it comes to the partial editing of an image. For example, when a picture has a dark bright forefront with a faint and light background, to neutralize the dark and light color combination, you can't select any one shade or tone. Instead, you need to mask either the background or the forefront portion of the image separately for editing. Let's see the most commonly used image masking techniques.

• Background removal
• Selective area adjustment
• Different images blending
• Giving a shape to an image
• Give a transparent effect to an image

What are the Purposes of Image Masking?

Images always speak for you or on your behalf, from promoting your business poster to preserving your precious moments. So, before conveying any message through any image, you need to know the purposes of masking an image.

• For Customization: If you want to use any image for any specific reason, like a business promotion or invitation for a function, while using masking image technology, you can customize any portion of the image per your requirement.
• Intact Originality: With this non-destructive image masking tool, you can keep the originality of an image intact. Since retrieving any deleted portion of any picture is challenging, this tool returns the original portion after editing anytime later.
• Simple Hide & Highlight: This tool allows you to hide or highlight any part of any image while using different layers or masks. From hiding a gloomy background to highlighting your wedding dress, you can do anything with this tool.
• Creating Collage: If you want to create a unique frame to convey any specific message through the image, you can create a collage while combining multiple images in a single frame with image masking.
• Multiple Editing in Single Image: It allows you to do different types of editing, like colors, texture, size, shapes, sharpness, brightness, etc., in one image without any internal interference of the unedited portion.

What Types of Image Masking are Available?

For masking images, Photoshop and lightroom are the most commonly used software. While using these image masking services, you can easily meet your specifications with perfection.

Photoshop

Through this image masking service, you can explore five types of layer masking since this program uses layer-based image editing techniques.

• Alpha Masks: This technique involves color channels to isolate any specific edges. It helps in delicate masking adjustments, like hiding the edges of anyone's frizzy hair.
• Clipping Masks: With this mask, you can merge two layers by putting one layer over another, where the top layer is the highlighted one, and another one acts as a background. For example, you are combining any text with an image.
• Standard Layer Masks: This is one of the most commonly used brush tools with manual painting options. With it, you can make any area of an image completely visible or invisible by using white & black, respectively.
• Vector Masks: It helps to balance the sharp edges of an image in graphic design with the pen or shape tool.
• Gradient Masks: This mask works magically to make blending adjustments between the visibility and transparency of an image.

Lightroom

Instead of layer masking, this image masking service uses selective adjustment techniques to provide direct masking to any image.

• Selective Adjustment Brush Masks: These let you make specific adjustments in any area by selecting them separately while adjusting the brush's hardness, flow, and opacity.
• Gradient Filter Masks: With this feature, you can get excellent results in blending contrast, exposure, and color of any part of an image. You can also adjust visibility and transparency with this filter masking.
• Auto Masks: While sampling the exposure value and color to your brush, it helps to refine your masks and prevents spilling over the edge.
• Range Masks: It gives you a compelling masking option with a luminance value.
• Radial Filter Masks: It works the same way Gradient masking works, but it doesn't work in a circular shape.

How to Image Masking with Two Image masking Services?

To apply these masking features practically on any image, you must know the steps of image masking. Here, you go with the methods of two image masking services.

Image Masking with Photoshop

Step 1: After opening the Photoshop software on your PC, to add the image, you must head to the "File" left corner at the top & click it > scroll through the folder to select image > Open.

Step 2: Move to the layer option at the side of the layer panel > layer icon > choose " Create a New Layer" > Name it 2 > keep it under layer 1.

Step 3: Head to layer 2 > "Toolbox" screen's left side > selection tool > select area of the image via the tool's hole. You can try the Rectangular Marquee tool or any other tool.

Step 4: Turn off the layer's visualization to fill the selected area. Move to Menu Bar at the top > Edit > Fill > select any color/pattern of your choice to fill the area.

Step 5: To deselect the selection, head to the Menu bar > click Select > Deselect > layer 1> layer > Create Clipping Mask in the menu bar > by default, clipping mask will become Layer 1 > put any image under this layer as a background. This main subject is ready to be used on any other image.

Image Masking with Lightroom

Step 1: After opening lightroom on PC, select the image to edit and move to the "Develop" module > toolbar below Histogram > access masking option by clicking on the far-right icon.

Step 2: Select the type of mask you like to apply > select "Settings" to make changes in the masked area > over on the original mask > drop-down menu > "Duplicate & Invert mask" > create a new mask.

Step 3: To refine the mask through manual correction > go to the "Add" > "Brush" > do the necessary adjustment > edit the background to get the final masking result.

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Last Word

This article would give a new life with a fresh look to your favorite images with high-end image masking techniques. So, why don't you give the same chance to all of your old favorite videos or DVDs with the DVDFab Enlarger AI to enhance its elegance in higher resolution and quality?