• Adobe Photoshop

  CS4 – Use BW Image as Layer Mask

  Posted by Stephen Rutherford on June 23, 2010 at 3:53 pm

  I am trying to use a black/white image as a layer mask. I thought, in the past, I was able to simply copy/paste the image INTO the layer mask, directly (i.e.–activating the layer mask only). For some reason this is not working.

  Any suggestions?

  Thank you in advance for your time.

  Stephen Rutherford
  Graphics Producer: Gale Force Media, CanesVision & Wolfpack TV
  st******@****************es.com
  https://www.facebook.com/swrutherford
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  CAROLINA HURRICANES: 2006 STANLEY CUP CHAMPIONS!

  Current System Configuration:
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  Windows Vista Ultimate 64 Bit
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  Stephen Rutherford replied 15 years, 11 months ago 3 Members · 3 Replies
• 3 Replies

• 

  Christina Rodriguez

  June 23, 2010 at 5:13 pm

  Did you try to “Select All” and then paste? Perhaps that will work.

  C.R.
• 

  Darby Edelen

  June 23, 2010 at 6:13 pm

  [Stephen Rutherford] “I thought, in the past, I was able to simply copy/paste the image INTO the layer mask, directly (i.e.–activating the layer mask only).”

  This is how it should work in CS4.

  My process is to copy the image, opt-click (alt-click in Windows) the layer mask to view it, then paste.

  If that’s not working you could create a new alpha channel in the channels tab, paste the black/white image there, command-click (control-click on Windows) the channel to make a selection and then make a layer mask from that selection, but that’s a round about way to get there.

  Darby Edelen
• 

  Stephen Rutherford

  June 23, 2010 at 6:22 pm

  Thanks! I honestly didn’t know the ALT+Click trick! Good to know!

  I also just found another thread that pointed me in a good direction, but you have to do things in a specific order:

  1 – Select the layer mask on the layer to be edited
  2 – Go to the Channels palette and view/select the layer mask only
  3 – Paste the BW image into the layer mask

  ALT+Clicking is much more straightforward and worked like a charm.

  Thank you all for your assistance!

  Stephen Rutherford
  Graphics Producer: Gale Force Media, CanesVision & Wolfpack TV
  stephenr@carolinahurricanes.com
  https://www.facebook.com/swrutherford
  https://www.twitter.com/CVHD

  CAROLINA HURRICANES: 2006 STANLEY CUP CHAMPIONS!

  Current System Configuration:
  Intel i7 920 PC 2.67 GHz
  Windows Vista Ultimate 64 Bit
  12 GB DDR3 RAM
  NVIDIA GeForceGTS 250 512MB DDR3

  Adobe Production Premium CS4
  3D Studio Max 2010

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