Beginner Problem with quick mask in CC

Elines

Elines

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Name
Chris
Edit My Images
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(I have searched on t'internet and on TT but not found a solution:().

I have CC on windows 10

I want to use quickmask but when I try to follow tutorials what happens in the videos does not happen on my screen.

In particular I can:

- open the image

- duplicate the background layer

- hit Q (to select quick mask)

- paint the red overlay with a brush

BUT

when I then hit Q again to create the selection the whole image is selected.

Also (in case it helps folk to advise) .........

I understand from the tutorials that when I enter quick mask that the colour tiles at the bottom of the tools icons should go black and white, regardless of what colours they are showing. In my case they change to what appear to be the same shade of grey.

:help:
 
Chris, instead of hitting Q try selecting by clicking on the quick mask icon at the bottom of the tools palette. It also help to set the opacity ay 50% so that you get a better idea of where you are painting.
 
Hi Chris

It should work with Q

they change to grey, (or whatever), when you hit Q after you have stopped "painting" ..... then you can start "working" on your selection, (you may have to inverse it, to get the area that you have painted - Select, Inverse in the top menu)

it is set at Red by default

Q toggles you in and out

make sure that you have selected the layer that you want to work on

I use PS 13 on a Mac but it should be the same
 
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Thanks for the prompt responses.

I had been getting the same results by clicking on the icon. HOWEVER ......

I just opened up CC/PS again to check and by chance I happened to use a colour image - I had been using a B&W one before.

And with the colour image it worked.

So is it that you can't use quickmask with B&W????
 
Elines said:
Thanks for the prompt responses.

I had been getting the same results by clicking on the icon. HOWEVER ......

I just opened up CC/PS again to check and by chance I happened to use a colour image - I had been using a B&W one before.

And with the colour image it worked.

So is it that you can't use quickmask with B&W????
Click to expand...

works the same on a B & W image in my stand alone version, PS 13
 
Ok, thanks for that.

So presumably it is something to do with settings (maybe)???
 
Have you checked that your foreground and background colours are set to black and white (or white and black) before you start painting. It can do funny things if one or both are set to some shade of grey or another colour.
 
Yes - tried that it doesn't make any difference.

Just been pressing random buttons and annoyingly got it to work* but don't know how. It must be somethikng to do with the opening settinds adn then the order in which yoiudo stuff.

ie:

- all image was covered with a red mask

- when I painted the mask disappeared

- when I exited QM I had a selection

So rather confused :banghead::(
 
Was the brush 'white'? White removes the mask and, as you know, black paints the mask.
 
Chris, the way I would do it in PS 13 on my iMac

open the image in PS

duplicate the image if you want - but try it without for starters, that makes sure you have not a problem at this step

hit Q

make sure that the two squares down the left hand side near the bottom on the side menu are black and white - they should be -they are above the small rectangle with the hole in the centre, (the Q mask icon) - that's part of what "hit Q" does

if the top one is not black hit the little arrow at the side to change them around

click on the brush


paint red, (if it is not red then your default is set to another colour) - set opacity to 70% to 100% - that makes sure you see it - if your opacity is say 20% you may not see the "paint"

hit Q

you will see the area you painted surrounded by a dotted line - "marching ants"

if you have overdone it - change the black square to white, hit Q click on the brush and remove paint

hit Q

work on the area that is outlined

get out of the edit by clicking say the rectangular Marquee tool on the image, (others will have the same effect)

if you want to take it further - work in layers and adjustment layers

Photoshop normally drives "mere mortals" mad .......... it's not you
 
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Thanks Bill

Just tried your suggestion

When I do the painting there is no effect ie no red layer mask.

And if I open a curves adjustment layer and move the curve then the whole image is affected - which confirms there is no mask.

I keep trying and I sometimes again get it to work but by then I have pressed so many buttons and combinations that I can't remember what I did and I can't deliberately recreate the correct way:mad::(
 
Ok - I found this (just to confirm that I AM trying to sort this out myself too:))

https://forums.adobe.com/thread/887988?tstart=0

And if you scroll down you will see a test involving a rectangular marquee selection - that works for me as described.

UPDATE

I CAN now get QM to sort of work if:

  • open image
  • duplicate
  • double click QM icon and ensure the 'selected area' is blobbed
  • exit QM
  • select all
  • re-enter QM - mask covers whole of image
  • painting with a white brush removes the red mask
  • quit QM gives a selection
  • inverse selection and the bit I have painted on is selected and can be altered by using a curves layer (eg)

BUT this rigmarole is nothing like as described in all the tutorials where you just open QM and start selecting:thinking:

EDIT

If I follow the same process and have the blob against 'masked areas then the brush does not paint in a mask - it has no effect
 
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Elines said:
Thanks Bill

Just tried your suggestion

When I do the painting there is no effect ie no red layer mask.

And if I open a curves adjustment layer and move the curve then the whole image is affected - which confirms there is no mask.

I keep trying and I sometimes again get it to work but by then I have pressed so many buttons and combinations that I can't remember what I did and I can't deliberately recreate the correct way:mad::(
Click to expand...

what is the opacity set at Chris - in the top menu bar - next to the Mode indicator?

why did you select all
 
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BillN_33 said:
what is the opacity set at Chris - in the top menu bar - next to the Mode indicator?

why did you select all
Click to expand...

100% opacity and 100% flow

I selected 'All' because that is the only way I can (currently) get it to work.

I can partially 'over' select just a parat of the image and, doing the same process, remove the excess mask but I can't paint the mask just on the areas I want, which seems to be what is done in the tutorials
 
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Let's take this in steps

Open the image in PS

Hit Q

click on the brush

and paint part of the image

you should have an image with a "red" area

what do you have?

you should have this
PS_1.jpg
 
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then just work on that selected area - if you find that the area outside the dotted area has been selected - go to SELECT and hit Inverse

then work on that area

when you have finished

get out of the edit by clicking say the rectangular Marquee tool on the image, (others will have the same effect) ...... as I indicated above


don't touch Q again
 
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until you have figured it out - as I said do not bother duplicating the original image - you are just adding a complication to what is a simple task
 
Let's take this in steps

Open the image in PS - done

Hit Q - done

click on the brush- done

and paint part of the image - done

you should have an image with a "red" area

what do you have? - NO RED AREA

The following screen shot is after doing above steps - you can see that I am working on the b/g image and not a duplicate of some kind, so that is not the reason for the problem

22408113607_5646c65144_b.jpg


Getting out of editing mode is not currently a problem as I can't get into it in the first place, unless I follow my convoluted route set out above:(
 
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what does Photoshop - preferences - cursor - painting cursors say

PS_4.jpg
 
Elines said:
Let's take this in steps

Open the image in PS - done

Hit Q - done

click on the brush- done

and paint part of the image - done

you should have an image with a "red" area

what do you have? - NO RED AREA

The following screen shot is after doing above steps - you can see that I am working on the b/g image and not a duplicate of some kind, so that is not the reason for the problem

22408113607_5646c65144_b.jpg



Getting out of editing mode is not currently a problem as I can't get into it in the first place, unless I follow my convoluted route set out above:(
Click to expand...

because that square is white, i.e. you are not painting you are "erasing" - click the arrow next to it to toggle between B & W

Black paints - white un-paints


from post #10 above

hit Q

make sure that the two squares down the left hand side near the bottom on the side menu are black and white - they should be -they are above the small rectangle with the hole in the centre, (the Q mask icon) - that's part of what "hit Q" does

if the top one is not black hit the little arrow at the side to change them around
 
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Bill - cursor settings are as yours - so that is ok

YES - changing the colour of the squares has sorted it.

Thanks for allowing me to retain some hair.

It's amazing how something so simple can create so much hassle - thanks to everybody for all the help.

And yes - I see that you had already said about he colour of the squares but I had missed it, so grovelling apologies for prolonging the agony longer than necessary.

And for what it's worth (probably not very much) here is the final image - with the cymbals (only) altered for more contrast

Hit me with your rhythm stick

22435019559_105d7fcd8b_b.jpg
 
Double click on the quick mask button... it should bring up a quick mask options dialogue. Select the "color indicates: selected areas" so that you are "selecting" with the brush rather than "masking out" ("color indicates: masked areas").
 
Elines said:
Bill - cursor settings are as yours - so that is ok

YES - changing the colour of the squares has sorted it.

Thanks for allowing me to retain some hair.

It's amazing how something so simple can create so much hassle - thanks to everybody for all the help.

And yes - I see that you had already said about he colour of the squares but I had missed it, so grovelling apologies for prolonging the agony longer than necessary.

And for what it's worth (probably not very much) here is the final image - with the cymbals (only) altered for more contrast

Hit me with your rhythm stick

22435019559_105d7fcd8b_b.jpg
Click to expand...

Well done Chris - it gets us all but it's magical when it works

as I said "

"Photoshop normally drives "mere mortals" mad .......... it's not you"
 
I tried so many options that I can't remember exactly what I did - but changing the little squares round was a crucial part (for me)

Anyway - hope this thread saves someone else a load of grief.:)
 
Elines said:
I tried so many options that I can't remember exactly what I did - but changing the little squares round was a crucial part (for me)

Anyway - hope this thread saves someone else a load of grief.:)
Click to expand...

I find that you just get used to one way - it's a bit look using the keyboard for certain things and a mouse for others, when actually you can probably use either for the same thing

but just keep practising - it is easy just to be thrown off track by one simple thing ........

remember - paint with Black ....... in this case

another quite common "mistake" I find, is to work on the wrong layer without realising it
 
Bill - thanks, in particular for being so patient and sympathetic
 
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