From the course: Photoshop: Channels and Masks

Welcome to Channels and Masks - Photoshop Tutorial

From the course: Photoshop: Channels and Masks

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Welcome to Channels and Masks

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- Hi, I'm Deke McClelland. Welcome to my course on Photoshop CC's channels and masks. An in depth examination into the process of masking and compositing inside the ongoing and ever-changing beast that is Adobe Photoshop CC. Now Photoshop is a different program for different people. There is no doubt in my mind that you and I at least occasionally use the program for different purposes. But at the end of the day, it doesn't matter. As good as Photoshop is at retouching portraits, correcting colors, mocking-up web and UI designs, and even evaluating scientific imagery, Photoshop is at its best, better than any application out there, at masking and compositing. Take two photos, assign them to independent layers and seamlessly blend them together. All without harming either image in the slightest. Whether you're looking to enhance a photo, alter it or create an absolutely otherworldly piece of art, no program handles these tasks better than Photoshop. Now, if you're watching me, you already know this. You know that masking is about creating the most accurate selections possible. Which is why you've self-selected to take this course. Me personally, I love channels and masks for three reasons. First, they're old as the hills. Not only were they both made available in the very first version of Photoshop, they pre-date Photoshop and even personal computers by years; one might even argue decades. And yet, they remain every bit as relevant and indispensable as the day they were invented. Second, they permit you to merge different images into a seamless work of art. Take this example: we start with the Parthenon. Extract it using a black and white layer mask, remove it from the legendary Acropolis of Athens, posit it against this brown map, blend the map with the blue sky, add a hint of white mist along the bottom and then perhaps a bit of vignetting along the top. The moment you see the final composition, the term given to a multi-layered file that contains many photos, graphics and effects, often mingling to form a single continuous image, you know what you're seeing is not real or even possible. But that's part of the fun! And its credible execution sells you on the authenticity of its conceit. The fact that it required perhaps 15 minutes of effort, assuming that you know what you're doing, which you will once you finish this course, is pure bonus. But the biggest reason I love channels and masks is that despite many efforts, masking has yet to be all-together automated. Don't get me wrong! Photoshop offers a few dazzling solutions, all of which you're about to see. Each is amazing in its own right, and offers its own specific advantages. But none of them works 100% or even 25% of the time. The fact is, so far machines just can't see the world the way people do. And once again, God help us! In the meantime, masking is often delicate work. It involves secret knowledge of some of Photoshop's most labyrinthine features and, as you'll learn over the course of these movies, no two jobs are the same. Which can make for a challenging but secure career. Because it involves seeing photographs and other imagery in a way that a computer simply can't, masking relies on the pluck and talent of the compositor. By which I mean, not to put too fine a point on it, you! But before we dig in our heels I invite you to watch the following set-up movies. The first shows you how to load my custom DekeKeys keyboard shortcuts, which are designed to help you move at maximum capacity. The second examines how to establish some essential color settings which will enhance your masking abilities whether you're working in RGB or CMYK. The third shows you how to set up the ultimate power user workspace. And the fourth, offers up a collection of tweeks that, between you and me, make Photoshop work a little better. If you're like most people, you kinda hate introductions. I mean, who doesn't wanna skip all the boring stuff and just get started? But if you follow along with these movies, patience, always patience, everything after this is gonna make a lot more sense. And then just like that you'll be ready to go. Upon completing this course, I think you'll find that whether you're creating a complicated montage, or just trying to apply an adjustment layer to a particular area of your image, equipping yourself with first-rate masking and compositing skills will keep you at the absolute top of your game. Oh. And just one more thing. Be sure to watch the conclusion movie at the very end of this course. I'll give you some ideas where to go next to keep honing your skills. But more importantly, we'll review which selection tool or masking command to use when. I think you'll find it very helpful. And with that, I release you on your way! It's a bold promise, but I truly believe that you're about to learn more about channels and masks than you ever thought possible.

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