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Layer masks: how do you memorize which color means opaque?

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Layer masks: how do you memorize which color means opaque? yahvuu 10 Oct 11:21
  Layer masks: how do you memorize which color means opaque? Patrick Horgan 10 Oct 19:18
Layer masks: how do you memorize which color means opaque? yahvuu 19 Oct 09:32
  Layer masks: how do you memorize which color means opaque? Ofnuts 19 Oct 09:48
yahvuu
2010-10-10 11:21:26 UTC (over 14 years ago)

Layer masks: how do you memorize which color means opaque?

Hi,

i'm curious how other people regard layer masks. In particular, which memory aids exist to remember when to use black and when to use white.

Two contradicting examples which both seem to survive inside my head:

- the (correct) math perspective: black equals zero, zero opacity means fully transparent

- the (wrong) book example: black is where the letters are printed, that is where the layer is active, that is opaque.

This one frequently lets me stumble for a split second, especially when working on a mostly opaque mask over a white background layer..

Obviously, the very question tells i'm using masks not that often.. How do you handle the situation?

Do you use a memory aid to remember when to use black and when to use white? Or does it seem just natural to you, so you don't have to think (anymore)? How do you explain the "white means opaque" relationship when teaching masks to other people?

regards, peter

Patrick Horgan
2010-10-10 19:18:03 UTC (over 14 years ago)

Layer masks: how do you memorize which color means opaque?

On 10/10/2010 04:21 AM, yahvuu wrote:

Hi,

i'm curious how other people regard layer masks. In particular, which memory aids exist to remember when to use black and when to use white.

I think of it like illumination. Black is no illumination, can't see a thing so it's transparent, white is fully illuminated, the thing shows up clearly, so opaque. (Really I think of it in rgb with black 000000 means nothing is there and white ffffff is fully turned on, but that translates to illumination for those who don't think quite so technically as I.)

Patrick

yahvuu
2010-10-19 09:32:28 UTC (over 14 years ago)

Layer masks: how do you memorize which color means opaque?

On 11.10.2010 18:29, Chris Mohler wrote:

On Sun, Oct 10, 2010 at 2:18 PM, Patrick Horgan wrote:

i'm curious how other people regard layer masks. In particular, which memory aids exist to remember when to use black and when to use white.

I think of it like illumination.

Cool. I think of it as a window or transparent overlay.

Thank you very much, Patrick and Chris, for sharing your style of thinking. It's very interesting to learn how different the mental concepts/mnemonics are.

If other variations are in use, please keep em coming!

regards, peter

Ofnuts
2010-10-19 09:48:47 UTC (over 14 years ago)

Layer masks: how do you memorize which color means opaque?

On 10/19/2010 11:32 AM, yahvuu wrote:

On 11.10.2010 18:29, Chris Mohler wrote:

On Sun, Oct 10, 2010 at 2:18 PM, Patrick Horgan wrote:

i'm curious how other people regard layer masks. In particular, which memory aids exist to remember when to use black and when to use white.

I think of it like illumination.

Cool. I think of it as a window or transparent overlay.

Thank you very much, Patrick and Chris, for sharing your style of thinking. It's very interesting to learn how different the mental concepts/mnemonics are.

If other variations are in use, please keep em coming!

One can't look under the bride's dress :-)