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Clipping masks

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Photoshop Elements

Photoshop Elements

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  1. Get to know Photoshop Elements
  2. Photoshop Elements User Guide
  3. Introduction to Photoshop Elements
    1. What's new in Photoshop Elements
    2. System requirements | Photoshop Elements
    3. Workspace basics
    4. Guided mode
    5. Making photo projects
  4. Workspace and environment
    1. Get to know the Home screen
    2. Workspace basics
    3. Preferences
    4. Tools
    5. Contextual task bar
    6. Panels and bins
    7. Open files
    8. Rulers, grids, and guides
    9. Enhanced Quick Mode
    10. File information
    11. Presets and libraries
    12. Multitouch support
    13. Scratch disks, plug-ins, and application updates
    14. Undo, redo, and cancel actions
    15. Viewing images
    16. Importing Files
  5. Fixing and enhancing photos
    1. Resize images
    2. Cropping
    3. Process camera raw image files
    4. Add blur, replace colors, and clone image areas
    5. Adjust shadows and light
    6. Retouch and correct photos
    7. Restore Photos
    8. Combine Photos
    9. Sharpen photos
    10. Transforming
    11. Auto Smart Tone
    12. Recomposing
    13. Using actions to process photos
    14. Photomerge Compose
    15. Create a panorama
    16. Moving Overlays
    17. Moving Elements
    18. Moving Photos
  6. Adding shapes and text
    1. Add text
    2. Edit text
    3. Spell Checker
    4. Create shapes
    5. Editing shapes
    6. Painting overview
    7. Painting tools
    8. Set up brushes
    9. Patterns
    10. Fills and strokes
    11. Gradients
    12. Work with Asian type
  7. Quick Actions
  8. Generative AI
    1. Generate Image
    2. Insert Object
  9. Guided edits, effects, and filters
    1. Guided mode
    2. Filters
    3. Guided mode Photomerge edits
    4. Guided mode Basic edits
    5. Adjustment filters
    6. Effects
    7. Guided mode Fun edits
    8. Guided mode Special edits
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    10. Guided mode Color edits
    11. Guided mode Black & White edits
    12. Blur filters
    13. Brush Stroke filters
    14. Distort filters
    15. Other filters
    16. Noise filters
    17. Render filters
    18. Sketch filters
    19. Stylize filters
    20. Texture filters
    21. Pixelate filters
  10. Working with colors
    1. Understanding color
    2. Set up color management
    3. Color and tonal correction basics
    4. Choose colors
    5. Adjust color, saturation, and hue
    6. Fix color casts
    7. Using image modes and color tables
    8. Color and camera raw
  11. Working with selections
    1. Make selections in Photoshop Elements
    2. Saving selections
    3. Modifying selections
    4. Move and copy selections
    5. Edit and refine selections
    6. Smooth selection edges with anti-aliasing and feathering
  12. Working with layers
    1. Create layers
    2. Edit layers
    3. Copy and arrange layers
    4. Adjustment and fill layers
    5. Clipping masks
    6. Layer masks
    7. Layer styles
    8. Opacity and blending modes
  13. Creating photo projects
    1. Project basics
    2. Making photo projects
    3. Editing photo projects
    4. Creating Photo Reels
  14. Saving, printing, and sharing photos
    1. Save images
    2. Printing photos
    3. Share photos online
    4. Optimizing images
    5. Optimizing images for the JPEG format
    6. Dithering in web images
    7. Guided Edits - Share panel
    8. Previewing web images
    9. Use transparency and mattes
    10. Optimizing images for the GIF or PNG-8 format
    11. Optimizing images for the PNG-24 format
  15. Keyboard shortcuts
    1. Keys for selecting tools
    2. Keys for selecting and moving objects
    3. Keys for the Layers panel
    4. Keys for showing or hiding panels (expert mode)
    5. Keys for painting and brushes
    6. Keys for using text
    7. Keys for the Liquify filter
    8. Keys for transforming selections
    9. Keys for the Color Swatches panel
    10. Keys for the Camera Raw dialog box
    11. Keys for the Filter Gallery
    12. Keys for using blending modes
    13. Keys for viewing images (expertmode)

About layer clipping masks

A clipping mask is a group of layers to which a mask is applied. The bottommost layer, or base layer, defines the visible boundaries of the entire group. For example, suppose you have a shape in the base layer, a photograph in the layer above it, and text in the topmost layer. If the photograph and text appear only through the shape outline in the base layer, they also take on the opacity of the base layer.

You can group only successive layers. The name of the base layer in the group is underlined, and the thumbnails for the overlying layers are indented. Additionally, the overlying layers display the clipping mask icon.

Note

You can link the layers in a clipping mask so that they move together.

The shape in the bottom layer of the clipping mask determines what area of the photo layer above shows through.

Create a clipping mask

  1. Do one of the following:

    • Hold down Alt (Option in Mac OS), position the pointer over the line dividing two layers in the Layers panel (the pointer changes to two overlapping circles), and then click.

    • In the Layers panel, select the top layer of a pair of layers you want to group and select Layer > Create Clipping Mask.

  2. When making a clipping mask from an existing layer and one you are about to create, first select the existing layer in the Layers panel. Then select New Layer from the Layer menu or the Layers panel More menu. In the New Layer dialog box, select Use Previous Layer To Create Clipping Mask, and select OK.

    The layers in the clipping mask have the opacity and mode attributes of the bottommost base layer in the group.

    Note

    To change the stacking order of the clipping mask relative to other layers in the image, select all layers in the group. Then, drag the group’s base layer up or down in the Layers panel. (Dragging a layer without selecting all the layers in the group removes that layer from the group.)

Remove a layer from a clipping mask

Ungrouping the base layer from the layer above it ungroups all layers in the clipping mask.

  1. Do one of the following:

    • Hold down Alt (Option in Mac OS), position the pointer over the line separating two grouped layers in the Layers panel (the pointer changes to two overlapping circles), and then click.

    • In the Layers panel, select a layer in the clipping mask and select Layer > Release Clipping Mask. This command removes the selected layer and any layers above it from the clipping mask.

    • In the Layers panel, select any layer in the group except the base layer. Either drag the layer below the base layer or drag it between two ungrouped layers in the image.

Release clipping mask

  1. In the Layers panel, select any layer other than the base layer in the clipping mask.

  2. Select Layer > Release Clipping Mask.

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