Photoshop_ Clipping Masks VS Layer Masks
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"Level Up Your Design Skills with Adobe Photoshop!
Join us on this exciting journey as we dive into the world of Adobe Photoshop. Whether you're a beginner looking to master the basics or an experienced designer seeking advanced techniques, our tutorials have something for everyone.
From photo editing and manipulation to creating stunning digital artwork, Photoshop offers limitless possibilities. Learn how to:
Edit and enhance photos: Adjust colors, remove blemishes, and add creative effects.
Design graphics: Create logos, posters, and social media content.
Manipulate images: Combine multiple images, add text, and apply filters.
Create digital art: Explore painting, drawing, and illustration techniques.
Subscribe now to get access to step-by-step tutorials, tips, and tricks that will help you unlock your full creative potential in Photoshop."
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LearningTranscript
00:00Hey everyone, in my last video where I showed you how to create candy cane text, I added a clipping mask to the candy cane pattern in order to place it inside my text layer, and a few of my viewers asked why I chose to use a clipping mask versus a layer mask. Let me show you the advantages to both methods.
00:17In this document we have a standard text layer and an image which I would like to be placed inside the text. Let's go over how this can be done with layer masks first.
00:27To place this image inside the text, we must first position our image over the text, approximately where we want it to end up.
00:34Once it's in place, holding down your command or control key, click on the text layer's thumbnail in the layers panel to turn it into a selection.
00:42Now that the selection is made, click on the add layer mask button at the bottom of your layers panel. This will hide everything outside the text layer.
00:50One slight disadvantage to using a layer mask in this situation is that if we decide we don't like the positioning of the image, the process is usually forgotten by most users.
00:59In your layers panel, you must unchain the layer mask from the image, click on the image, and then reposition the image to your liking.
01:06Once it's in place, it's usually a good idea to link the layer mask back on the image to avoid any misalignments.
01:13One of the advantages to using a layer mask is that it's not dependent on the original layer.
01:18For example, I'm able to hide or even delete my original text layer and my image layer remains intact.
01:24Another advantage to using a layer mask is that you have the ability to bring back or hide areas of your original image as you please.
01:31Grabbing a white brush, I can paint across the bottom of this document to bring back some of the original image to create a neat little transition effect.
01:39Now let's take a look at clipping masks.
01:41Starting off with a disadvantage, your image needs to be placed right above your text layer in the layers panel for clipping to work properly.
01:49Once it is, right click on the image in the layers panel and choose the create clipping mask option.
01:54Just like with layer masks, everything outside the image is hidden. So what's the big difference?
01:59Well, if you remember when dealing with a layer mask, if we weren't happy with the positioning of the image,
02:04we had to go through a bunch of small steps in order to reposition the image, which most people forget about.
02:09With clipping masks, none of that is necessary. I can simply drag the image around and even rotate it if I choose and it remains within the text layer.
02:17That alone I think is the biggest advantage.
02:20However, unlike using a layer mask, the original layer needs to remain visible at all times.
02:25If I were to hide my text layer, my image would go with it.
02:29While we're discussing clipping masks, let me touch on an issue that comes up a lot.
02:33Many users go to add a clipping mask to a layer and their image disappears.
02:37Nine times out of ten it's because the layer below it contains some sort of an overlay.
02:42If I turn on the pattern overlay for this layer, you'll notice that my pattern appears but the image disappears.
02:48Here's the solution. On the layer with the overlay, go into your layer styles and then into blending options.
02:54Now turn off blend clip layers as group and then turn on blend interior effects as group.
03:02That will allow you to see your clipped image once again.
03:05If you so choose, you can play around with the blending modes to achieve some pretty nice effects.
03:09So which method is better for you? Well, it really depends on your project you're working on.
03:14Look at the pros, look at the cons and see which benefits you the most.
03:17In many cases, both methods work great.
03:20I hope that helps those of you who are a little bit confused on the differences.
03:23If you're looking for more tutorials or free PSD files, make sure to check out iceflowstudios.com.
03:29Take care.