A few folk have asked how I created my flipped image of Ben Lomond from the other day. I'll try to explain how I did it. The method is quite simple, and really can only be applied to images that can be split with no areas crossing over into the other halves of the image. Ideally an image with a horizon line.
Open your base image in Photoshop.
Double click the layer to convert it from a locked background layer to layer 0
Hit CTRL + J to duplicate the layer (CMD + J on MAC)
You should now have two layers like below.
layers.JPG
Click on the bottom layer.
Go to Edit menu.
Transform > Flip Horizontal
Click on top layer and hit the layer mask button (see below)
layer mask.JPG
This creates a white box next to your top layer, like this.
layermask1.JPG
Here's the fun bit
Rule: Black to reveal, white to conceal
The layer mask (white box) is white to start with. This conceals the layer below.
Black reveals, so painting with a black brush with reveal the layer below, however, only the parts of the image you paint on.
Hit 'B' on the keyboard to highlight the Brush Tool. Hit 'D' on the keyboard to set the colour foreground/background colour picker to black and white, like below.
picker.JPG
Hitting the 'X' Key on the keyboard, you will see that the background and foreground alternate between black and white. Whatever is on the top left side is the active colour.
With black being the active colour, and using the '[' key to reduce the brush size and the ']' key to increase the brush size, paint onto the image on the lower part. You will see that the layer below starts to appear. and your layer mask icon will show black parts in it like below.
layermaskresult.JPG
This masked out area looks like this on the image.
imageresult.jpg
Changing the hardness of the brush can make the selection less harsh as seen at the horizon line. Change that setting in the brush menu like below.
brushhardness.JPG
It's worth having a play about with it to fine tune, however, that's the essence of how it's done. Layer masking is not limited to just this. You can use it on adjustment layers too. If you want to work on adding a lot of saturation or contrast to a certain part of the image, you create the adjustment layer and edit it accordingly. However, on the white layer mask hit CTRL + I to invert the mask. It returns your image to the non edited state, however, with a white brush, you can paint in the adjusted effect more locally.
The possibilities are pretty wide for this type of thing, and it's non destructive. If you don't like the effect, just paint in white or black to remove it, or delete the layer mask.
Hope that helps folk out. :)
Paul
Open your base image in Photoshop.
Double click the layer to convert it from a locked background layer to layer 0
Hit CTRL + J to duplicate the layer (CMD + J on MAC)
You should now have two layers like below.
layers.JPG
Click on the bottom layer.
Go to Edit menu.
Transform > Flip Horizontal
Click on top layer and hit the layer mask button (see below)
layer mask.JPG
This creates a white box next to your top layer, like this.
layermask1.JPG
Here's the fun bit
Rule: Black to reveal, white to conceal
The layer mask (white box) is white to start with. This conceals the layer below.
Black reveals, so painting with a black brush with reveal the layer below, however, only the parts of the image you paint on.
Hit 'B' on the keyboard to highlight the Brush Tool. Hit 'D' on the keyboard to set the colour foreground/background colour picker to black and white, like below.
picker.JPG
Hitting the 'X' Key on the keyboard, you will see that the background and foreground alternate between black and white. Whatever is on the top left side is the active colour.
With black being the active colour, and using the '[' key to reduce the brush size and the ']' key to increase the brush size, paint onto the image on the lower part. You will see that the layer below starts to appear. and your layer mask icon will show black parts in it like below.
layermaskresult.JPG
This masked out area looks like this on the image.
imageresult.jpg
Changing the hardness of the brush can make the selection less harsh as seen at the horizon line. Change that setting in the brush menu like below.
brushhardness.JPG
It's worth having a play about with it to fine tune, however, that's the essence of how it's done. Layer masking is not limited to just this. You can use it on adjustment layers too. If you want to work on adding a lot of saturation or contrast to a certain part of the image, you create the adjustment layer and edit it accordingly. However, on the white layer mask hit CTRL + I to invert the mask. It returns your image to the non edited state, however, with a white brush, you can paint in the adjusted effect more locally.
The possibilities are pretty wide for this type of thing, and it's non destructive. If you don't like the effect, just paint in white or black to remove it, or delete the layer mask.
Hope that helps folk out. :)
Paul
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