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Corel Photo-Paint 9

Mask Paint Tool & Channels

by Joyce Evans

September 1, 2000

 
 

We are going to be exploring masking and channels some more. We will be looking at the Paint on Mask tool in this exercise. The technique is to show you how to select a portion of an image.

1

Open your image.

 

2

Open the Channels Docker (CTRL +F9)

Go to Mask|Paint on Mask. Notice the new Current Mask. The reason you can't see any image is that the eyes are all off. If you want to see your image click the top one and all the eyes will come on.You will then notice a small representation of your image in each of the channels.

 

3

The paint on mask is covering our entire image. We are going to take a detour here to examine how the paint on mask works. The current mask is white. Notice how you can see your whole image, that is because nothing is protected.

From the color paint palette, right click on black (be sure the fill icon on the bottom of the page shows black), click the fill tool and fill your image. Black means the whole image is protected. Click on Objects real quick and test it out. Click on your background and try to fill it, nothing happens because it is totally protected by the mask.

4

Ok, back to channels, make your Current Mask the selected channel, and left click on white (be sure the paint icon shows white) and click on your paint brush. Remember, where there is white,the image shows through and is unprotected from change or manipulations

After you choose the brush look at the properties bar. Change the settings to work with your image. The nib size depends on how big a brush you need to paint in part of your image. But use the settings of 70 for the transperancy and a soft edge of 80.

5  

Be sure you have white as the paint color and begin to paint over the part of your image you want to show through the mask. I'm painting over a section of the clouds in mine.

What you are doing is revealing or unprotecting that part. Notice the Current Mask, see the white that is appearing?

If you get too much, and want to paint it back simply change your brush color to black (by left clicking on black) and the mask is returned to that area.

             

6

Go back to the object manager,click the background, see the mask?

7

Go back to the object manager,click the background, see the selection? If you don't see the marching ants go to Mark|Marquee Visible

8

Go to Effects|3D|Emboss Depth of 4 Level of 288 or higher and Original color Direction of 135

Just adjust until it looks nice and embossed, you may want more or less depth and levels. Move the sliders around until you see what you like. Preview is a great feature, it allows you to play with the controls before accepting the changes.

Click Ok

Remove your mask

6

The effect isn't real dramatic on my image, but it does add some interest and depth. You could do this to a person as well, that is a neat effect.

 

 

 

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