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Inverting Existing Mask

Posted: February 14th, 2016, 2:31 pm
by AHuntley
Once a mask is built, is it possible to invert it for some other use later on? For example, using Color Range in the masking tool I created a mask for the blue tones in a beautiful puffy-white sky. Then, using this mask I modified the sky hue toward magenta to remove a bit of the cyan. Then, I wanted to slightly adjust the contrast within the clouds and I thought: Hey, wouldn't it be great if I could simply invert that prior mask I made? Sounds like a solid idea to me! :) But, I couldn't find any "Invert" command. Then, I had the brilliant idea to activate the mask window, and then bring up a Brightness Curve transformation thinking I could simply move the end points appropriately. Well, PWP really didn't like me doing that and crash just trying to bring up the transformation. Am I trying to do the impossible?

Thanks!

Re: Inverting Existing Mask

Posted: February 14th, 2016, 2:44 pm
by Bob Walker
Alan,

Not hard at all. I am assuming you already have the image and the original mask as two separate windows. A two-step process:

Load the image you want to work with, and bring up the mask tool.

(1) In the Mask dialog, click on the "Combine Masks" icon, on the bottom row of little boxes, 4th from the right. Load the original mask, and "Apply"
(2) Now click on the "Invert" box, top row, third from the left.

You may now continue to work with the inverted mask, modifying it as desired using any of the other mask tools.

BobW

Re: Inverting Existing Mask

Posted: February 14th, 2016, 6:43 pm
by AHuntley
Beautiful! That's exactly what I wanted. Thanks, Bob!!

Re: Inverting Existing Mask

Posted: February 15th, 2016, 2:45 pm
by Marpel
And just a smidgeon bit different process from Bob's:

If you have the mask and any same size (same height/width) dimensioned image (can also be another same sized mask, if you want) open, just click on the image, then click the "Mask" button along the top bar ( just after File, Edit, Transformation), which drops down a list of all open masks (of the same size as the image you just clicked on) and just click on the appropriate mask from the list. This automatically loads the mask on the image and brings up the Mask Dialogue. Then just click on "Invert". If you wish to keep the mask inverted but not in use on the image, click OK. And, bit of a tip, if you have multiple masks open (which I do quite often) and you don't want to search the drop down list of masks, first click on the mask itself, then on the image you wish to work on (or any same sized image), then click the "Mask" button. This brings the chosen mask to the top of the list so you don't have to search for it in the list. (I use that same tip when I have multiple images and masks open and I wish to composite two images using a mask - click on the mask, then click on the Overlay image, then click on the Input image, then open the Composite Transform. The Input image is automatically placed in the appropriate box, when you click on the Overlay box, the Overlay image is at the top of the list. When you click on the Mask box, the required mask is the first on that list).

Regards,

Marv

Re: Inverting Existing Mask

Posted: February 15th, 2016, 6:18 pm
by AHuntley
Fast & efficient...I like it!! Thanks for the tip, Marv.