Making Masks in PhotoPaint

In many pixel graphics programs, you indicate an area that you want to do something with (copy, delete, paint over, fill etc.) by creating a mask.  For the Yearbook, you’ll need to mask areas of photos for two main reasons:

                

Masked Object in Original File                        Object Copied and Pasted to a Collage

 

Creating a good mask for copying is essential to making a good digital collage, similar to cutting cleanly around a head on a printed picture.  When combined with Object Transparency techniques, it allows you to do a beautiful job of a collage.

 

Here are the main tools I use to create masks in PhotoPaint.  As always, if you can do an excellent job in PhotoShop, you can use it instead.

 

Usually you start masking a complex object (e.g. a head) by selecting the Freehand mask tool.  Make sure the mode is “new mask” (see above).  Zoom out until you have the whole object on the screen.  Click just outside the head, and keep moving and clicking to roughly surround the head, not trying to get too close.  When you’re back where you started, double-click to say you’re done this step.

 

Then you need to remove bits of the mask to get close to the head, so you click on the Subtract mode.  Use either the Freehand tool or the Mask Brush tool to shave away bits of the mask.  Zoom in a lot (400 – 600%) so you can get as close as possible.  DON’T take away bits of the head though – it’s better to leave a pixel or two around the outside that you’ll fade with the transparency tool when you paste the head into your collage.

 

Zoomed in, Using Subtract Mode & Freehand Mask Brush to Nibble Away at the Red Areas:

If you take away too much, you can Undo (Ctrl-Z) your last step.  If you realize you took too much, you can click on the Add mode, and whatever you brush or freehand will be added back onto the mask.

 

Always keep track of what mode you’re in, or you’ll get really confused!  Remember Undo!!!

 

Another option for selecting areas, usually to subtract from your mask, is the Magic wand.  It selects areas of similar colour, so if you have a solid coloured background you could click it in subtract mode to remove it from a mask.  Be careful though – even when you adjust the Tolerance (see tool diagram above), you often end up leaving little holes behind or eating into your object.

Copying & Pasting the Masked Area

Okay, I’ve made the perfect mask – now what?

 

First of all, save (often, as your working) in PhotoPaint Format (you can’t save mask info in a JPEG).

When you’ve got your object perfectly masked, do a Copy (Ctrl-C).  Open your collage file (or use the Window menu if it’s already open), and do a Paste As New Object  (Ctrl-V).  Then you can shrink it, move it behind or in front of other objects, and smooth the edges with the transparency tool.  Your collage will end up having lots of separate objects in it.