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Author Topic: Simple PS question  (Read 3824 times)

Jeremy Roussak

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Simple PS question
« on: February 02, 2014, 06:44:40 am »

I don't do much work in Photoshop, as this question will probably indicate.

How do I confine the effect of an adjustment layer to the layer immediately beneath it?

Jeremy
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Manoli

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Re: Simple PS question
« Reply #1 on: February 02, 2014, 07:20:03 am »

How do I confine the effect of an adjustment layer to the layer immediately beneath it?

Right click on the adjustment layer and select 'Create clipping mask'. That will limit the adjustment to the layer immediately below.
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Bart_van_der_Wolf

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Re: Simple PS question
« Reply #2 on: February 02, 2014, 07:29:26 am »

How do I confine the effect of an adjustment layer to the layer immediately beneath it?

Hi Jeremy,

Depends on what you are trying to achieve, but you could create a group and put your image layer and the adjustment layer in that group.

Cheers,
Bart
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== If you do what you did, you'll get what you got. ==

stamper

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Re: Simple PS question
« Reply #3 on: February 02, 2014, 08:20:31 am »

Layer Style ... Blend If

Christoph C. Feldhaim

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Re: Simple PS question
« Reply #4 on: February 02, 2014, 08:40:00 am »

Lots of wrong answers here.

The right thing is the creation of the clipping mask mentioned above.
On adjustment layers you can also click the small symbol at the bottom of the Layer properties which looks like a rectangle with a striked arrow pointing down coming out of the left side of it. Its the leftmost icon at the bottom of the properties tab - not to confuse with the layer style. There are also some shortcuts I can't remember right now.

Jeremy Roussak

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Re: Simple PS question
« Reply #5 on: February 02, 2014, 10:07:12 am »

Lots of wrong answers here.

The right thing is the creation of the clipping mask mentioned above.
On adjustment layers you can also click the small symbol at the bottom of the Layer properties which looks like a rectangle with a striked arrow pointing down coming out of the left side of it. Its the leftmost icon at the bottom of the properties tab - not to confuse with the layer style. There are also some shortcuts I can't remember right now.

That's the one, Christoph. Creating a clipping mask works, but if I then alter the layer mask on the underlying layer, the clipping mask doesn't get updated (I may not be expressing this well). Clicking the icon you suggest does exactly what I want.

Bart, I tried linking the layers and putting them in a group, but it didn't seem to make any difference.

Jeremy
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Christoph C. Feldhaim

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Re: Simple PS question
« Reply #6 on: February 02, 2014, 10:34:36 am »

That's the one, Christoph. Creating a clipping mask works, but if I then alter the layer mask on the underlying layer, the clipping mask doesn't get updated (I may not be expressing this well). Clicking the icon you suggest does exactly what I want.

Bart, I tried linking the layers and putting them in a group, but it didn't seem to make any difference.

Jeremy

The Layer with activated clipping mask only works where there is content in the underlaying layer.
If the underlaying layer has a layer mask and you paint on it to mask out content the effect of the upper layer also gets diminished (when painting grey on the mask) or completely masked out.
At least that's what happens when I try it (just did it 1 minute ago - PS CS6).


Manoli

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Re: Simple PS question
« Reply #7 on: February 02, 2014, 10:44:42 am »

Creating a clipping mask works, but if I then alter the layer mask on the underlying layer, the clipping mask doesn't get updated (I may not be expressing this well).

Nor should it.
To be clear, a clipping mask on an adjustment layer affects the underlying layer. It does NOT actually create a mask ( well, it creates a blank mask - a placeholder)- but has no effect UNLESS you start masking with some colour other than  100% white.

The masks are independent of each other.
e.g.  if the underlying layer is masked, the clipping mask affects the UNnmasked or partially masked portion of that layer. Say you add a curves adj layer but find that effect too strong, by adding a mask and/or changing the opacity TO THE ADJ LAYER you will refine whatever is exposed on the underlying layer.
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Jeremy Roussak

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Re: Simple PS question
« Reply #8 on: February 02, 2014, 11:31:12 am »

Again, thanks. Let me give a little more detail.

Over my base layer, I have Layer 2, at about 50% opacity, with some image info on it. It has a layer mask, substantially restricting its effect. I then have a HSL adjustment layer, which i want to desaturate only Layer 2. The overall effect of Layer 2 is to put some detail into a blown-out highlight area in the base layer.

The little icon in the adjustment layer's properties, which Christoph mentioned, seems to do exactly what I was looking for. If there are other approaches, I'd be interested in those too. The "clipping mask" approach seems inflexible, since it doesn't adjust very readily if I edit Layer 2's mask.

Jeremy
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Christoph C. Feldhaim

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Re: Simple PS question
« Reply #9 on: February 02, 2014, 11:41:32 am »

Again, thanks. Let me give a little more detail.

Over my base layer, I have Layer 2, at about 50% opacity, with some image info on it. It has a layer mask, substantially restricting its effect. I then have a HSL adjustment layer, which i want to desaturate only Layer 2. The overall effect of Layer 2 is to put some detail into a blown-out highlight area in the base layer.

The little icon in the adjustment layer's properties, which Christoph mentioned, seems to do exactly what I was looking for. If there are other approaches, I'd be interested in those too. The "clipping mask" approach seems inflexible, since it doesn't adjust very readily if I edit Layer 2's mask.

Jeremy

First the layer with the clipping mask is applied to the underlying layer as far as its layer mask allows, then the underlying layers layer mask is applied to the result.

So basically you'd use the adjustment layer and the underlaying layer to create your patch for the blown out area first. Then you use the underlying layers layer mask to restrict this result to a certain area (where it's blown out).

Jeremy Roussak

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Re: Simple PS question
« Reply #10 on: February 02, 2014, 05:39:28 pm »

First the layer with the clipping mask is applied to the underlying layer as far as its layer mask allows, then the underlying layers layer mask is applied to the result.

So basically you'd use the adjustment layer and the underlaying layer to create your patch for the blown out area first. Then you use the underlying layers layer mask to restrict this result to a certain area (where it's blown out).

Yes, exactly; and now I know how to restrict the effect of the adjustment layer to the underlying layer, I'm all set.

I don't need a clipping mask, though, and I'm struggling a little to understand what it might be for.

Jeremy
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Christoph C. Feldhaim

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Re: Simple PS question
« Reply #11 on: February 02, 2014, 05:46:02 pm »

Yes, exactly; and now I know how to restrict the effect of the adjustment layer to the underlying layer, I'm all set.

I don't need a clipping mask, though, and I'm struggling a little to understand what it might be for.

Jeremy

If you use a normal layer with image content and apply the clipping mask thing to it, it is clipped by the underlying layer and transparency of the underlying layer applies to it as well..

Jeremy Roussak

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Re: Simple PS question
« Reply #12 on: February 02, 2014, 05:47:27 pm »

If you use a normal layer with image content and apply the clipping mask thing to it, it is clipped by the underlying layer and transparency of the underlying layer applies to it as well..

Nope, you've lost me. Could you post an example, please?

Jeremy
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Christoph C. Feldhaim

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Re: Simple PS question
« Reply #13 on: February 02, 2014, 05:58:10 pm »

Nope, you've lost me. Could you post an example, please?

Jeremy

Sure - just check the attached PSD file.

Cheers
~Chris

Manoli

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Re: Simple PS question
« Reply #14 on: February 02, 2014, 05:59:16 pm »

I don't need a clipping mask, though, and I'm struggling a little to understand what it might be for.

Jeremy,
I hope this simplifies and doesn't add to the confusion. If you click on Christoph's 'small symbol at the bottom of the Layer properties which looks like a rectangle with a striked arrow pointing down.. ' - you ARE creating a clipping mask. It's the same thing as my 'right-click' suggestion.

If after the 'little box' you right-click on the adj layer you will see that the 'CREATE clipping mask' has changed to 'RELEASE clipping mask'.

Edit:
Christoph's .psd example is a clipping mask, but it is not an adjustment layer.
« Last Edit: February 02, 2014, 06:12:10 pm by Manoli »
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TonyW

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Re: Simple PS question
« Reply #15 on: February 02, 2014, 07:19:24 pm »

...
Over my base layer, I have Layer 2, at about 50% opacity, with some image info on it. It has a layer mask, substantially restricting its effect. I then have a HSL adjustment layer, which i want to desaturate only Layer 2. The overall effect of Layer 2 is to put some detail into a blown-out highlight area in the base layer...
It sounds like all you need to do is to turn your HSL adjustment layer into a clipping mask/layer which will then restrict the effect of HSL to just whatever is on the layer below.  If this is the case then just turn your HSL layer into a clipping layer by highlighting it right click and select clipping mask

Maybe the attachment is some help in understanding what is happening?  Background layer original image, yellow blob layer is the one I want to effect with the  HSL layer directly above it set as clipping mask you can use Hue, Sat and lightness and it will only affect the layer below.  Image should change in a few seconds
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stamper

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Re: Simple PS question
« Reply #16 on: February 03, 2014, 04:17:48 am »

Lots of wrong answers here.

More than one way to skin a cat? Unfortunately Jeremy didn't provide a lot of information in his post which meant that Chris's statement was a bit churlish?

http://www.dummies.com/how-to/content/how-to-use-the-blend-if-options-in-photoshop-cs6.html

Christoph C. Feldhaim

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Re: Simple PS question
« Reply #17 on: February 03, 2014, 06:59:49 am »

... How do I confine the effect of an adjustment layer to the layer immediately beneath it?
Jeremy

Lots of wrong answers here.
More than one way to skin a cat? Unfortunately Jeremy didn't provide a lot of information in his post which meant that Chris's statement was a bit churlish?

http://www.dummies.com/how-to/content/how-to-use-the-blend-if-options-in-photoshop-cs6.html

Stamper - how could this clear and grammatically correct phrase be misunderstood?
Bart van der Wolf had  a sort of working but a little indirect and clumsy proposal, your suggestion was plain wrong,
because it did NOT "confine the effect of an adjustment layer to the layer immediately beneath".

I was expressing myself a bit pointed, because I didn't want Jeremy to get messed up too much and get the solution he was seeking for,
which was exactly the first answer given by Manoli.

But we can surely discuss me being "churly" - if you like ... lets derail this thread and bash each other a little ... :P

Cheers
~Chris

stamper

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Re: Simple PS question
« Reply #18 on: February 03, 2014, 07:10:56 am »

Chris do you have any knowledge of the use of Blend if in PS? Did you read the link? There is more than one way of achieving an effect in PS. If you feel that you are correct and everyone else is wrong then it would be sensible for you to communicate with Jeremy via PM.   ::)

stamper

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Re: Simple PS question
« Reply #19 on: February 03, 2014, 07:54:21 am »

Only by seeing what Jeremy's image looks like and the layer then and ONLY then can accurate advice be given. I have just opened an image in PS with a sky in it that has overexposure. I could have reduced this in LR but imported it into PS. I duplicated the Layer and set the blend mode to Multiply which darkened the whole image as well as the highlights. I clicked on the duplicate layer and clicked blending options and the Layer Style appeared. I clicked on This layer and moved the sliders on the left - representing shadows - and then pressed Alt - windows - and feathered the selection. The two black triangles were then moved to a position where the multiply effect ONLY affected the highlight areas of the layer and left the shadows untouched by the multiply blend. The mask can be reduced by 50% if desired as stated by Jeremy. I don't know if it affects HSL layer. This is quite a simple method to isolate an area of an image with feathering to make it more pleasing. It can also be used to affect only shadows and the two areas - shadow and highlights - at the same time but alas - as far as I know - it can't affect the midtone areas. My explanation isn't 100% but Googling for Blend If will bring up a better explanation. :) Another method would be to invert the mask and paint in the effect.  ;D
« Last Edit: February 03, 2014, 08:05:46 am by stamper »
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