Photoshop -> Clipping Masks

Discuss stuff not about Indigo.
Post Reply
12 posts • Page 1 of 1
User avatar
madcoo
Indigo 100
Posts: 206
Joined: Thu Jun 11, 2009 9:05 pm
Location: in France, near Orange (84)
Contact:

Photoshop -> Clipping Masks

Post by madcoo » Tue Feb 02, 2010 8:36 pm

Hi all!

I was wondering if someone had a good link to a tutorial that would explain how to use Black & White clipping masks in Photoshop.

I've recently bought some 2D trees with the corresponding Black & White masks, so I can integrate them nicely into a 3D render.

But I'm struggling with telling Photoshop to treat white as transparent, black as solid, and grey shades as anti-aliasing.

Many thanks, keep enjoying Indigo !!!
:wink:
Visit my website!
http://www.fairview-3d.com Studio 3D

User avatar
madcoo
Indigo 100
Posts: 206
Joined: Thu Jun 11, 2009 9:05 pm
Location: in France, near Orange (84)
Contact:

Re: Photoshop -> Clipping Masks

Post by madcoo » Tue Feb 02, 2010 9:48 pm

I think I found a nice and easy one :
http://www.lunacore.com/photoshop/tutorials/tut003.htm
Cheers !
:wink:
Visit my website!
http://www.fairview-3d.com Studio 3D

StompinTom
Indigo 100
Posts: 1828
Joined: Mon Sep 04, 2006 3:33 pm

Re: Photoshop -> Clipping Masks

Post by StompinTom » Tue Feb 02, 2010 11:52 pm

To clarify, you want Layer Masks, not Clipping Masks, in Photoshop. It's basically a BW layer that you can paint on to make parts of the layer invisible/visible.

- Copy the black and white mask.
- Press Q to go into Quickmask mode.
- Paste the BW mask (it'll show up red and transparent over your image, that's fine)
- Press Q to exit Quickmask mode. The part that's being masked should be selected now.
- In the Layers panel, right down between the fx button and the filter/layer adjustment button, click on the Add Layer Mask button. Your selection should be turned into a black and white layer mask. If it's inverted, click on the layer mask and hit Ctrl + I.

User avatar
madcoo
Indigo 100
Posts: 206
Joined: Thu Jun 11, 2009 9:05 pm
Location: in France, near Orange (84)
Contact:

Re: Photoshop -> Clipping Masks

Post by madcoo » Wed Feb 03, 2010 3:04 am

Great!

Thanks for your reply, I'll try this tonight and keep you informed!

Cheers !

:D
Visit my website!
http://www.fairview-3d.com Studio 3D

Soup
Posts: 444
Joined: Sat Jun 13, 2009 1:20 am

Re: Photoshop -> Clipping Masks

Post by Soup » Wed Feb 03, 2010 9:34 am

If you're using it in Indigo, you can just set the black and white image as a mask/clip for the material and Indigo will clip it properly.

User avatar
madcoo
Indigo 100
Posts: 206
Joined: Thu Jun 11, 2009 9:05 pm
Location: in France, near Orange (84)
Contact:

Re: Photoshop -> Clipping Masks

Post by madcoo » Wed Feb 03, 2010 9:41 am

Thanks for your replies guys!!

StompinTom -> your tips helped me greatly, thanks!

Soup-> thanks for this tip, I'll try it also, soon!

:D
Visit my website!
http://www.fairview-3d.com Studio 3D

neo0.
Posts: 1784
Joined: Thu Feb 28, 2008 7:11 am
Location: the US of A

Re: Photoshop -> Clipping Masks

Post by neo0. » Wed Feb 03, 2010 11:42 am

When I first tried indigo, I was expecting the ability to render to save as a PNG with an alpha channel.. Until that happens, I'll just use the magic wand tool to remove the black parts in photoshop. :)

User avatar
madcoo
Indigo 100
Posts: 206
Joined: Thu Jun 11, 2009 9:05 pm
Location: in France, near Orange (84)
Contact:

Re: Photoshop -> Clipping Masks

Post by madcoo » Wed Feb 03, 2010 7:51 pm

I thought Indigo was able to render your scene as a BW mask by clicking "Alpha" (in Blendigo)
:?:
Visit my website!
http://www.fairview-3d.com Studio 3D

StompinTom
Indigo 100
Posts: 1828
Joined: Mon Sep 04, 2006 3:33 pm

Re: Photoshop -> Clipping Masks

Post by StompinTom » Wed Feb 03, 2010 11:44 pm

madcoo wrote:I thought Indigo was able to render your scene as a BW mask by clicking "Alpha" (in Blendigo)
:?:
Yep and that's the way you should do it. Using the magic wand could mix up dark parts of your rendering or shadows and interpret them as background. It also doesn't work for scenes with the sky system or scenes where there are complex objects against the background, such as trees (have fun magic wanding all those tiny spaces between the branches and leaves).

User avatar
WytRaven
Indigo 100
Posts: 905
Joined: Mon Aug 27, 2007 8:24 pm
Location: Dubbo, Australia
Contact:

Re: Photoshop -> Clipping Masks

Post by WytRaven » Sun Feb 07, 2010 3:02 pm

madcoo wrote:I thought Indigo was able to render your scene as a BW mask by clicking "Alpha" (in Blendigo)
:?:
It does and I have used it successfully in an indigo + photos composition project. It works well.

Only one thing bothered me, which was the need to render normally first and alpha map second. I believe I requested at the time that both be done simultaneously. As far as I know that request was ignored.
:idea: "A foolish consistency is the hobgoblin of little minds..." - Emerson 1841

neo0.
Posts: 1784
Joined: Thu Feb 28, 2008 7:11 am
Location: the US of A

Re: Photoshop -> Clipping Masks

Post by neo0. » Sun Feb 07, 2010 4:51 pm

Or better yet, just render to a PNG with an alpha channel. By for the most straight forward and easy solution. I used to use yafray before indigo (4+ years ago) and it supported this.

Soup
Posts: 444
Joined: Sat Jun 13, 2009 1:20 am

Re: Photoshop -> Clipping Masks

Post by Soup » Mon Feb 08, 2010 10:39 am

You're right, and the request is on the list. I think at least the alpha render will make its way to the Indigo GUI.

Post Reply
12 posts • Page 1 of 1

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 29 guests