How To Make An "inverse" Layer?

Hey All,

First time post he

I'm using Photoshop CS6, trying to make a selection using a quick mask and a brush. Normally I would put the quick mask on, paint in my selection using a brush preset and then turn off the mask, invert the selection, and use refine selection to make it a new layer.

Now when I turn off the mask, I get the error "no pixels are more than 50% selected". I've seen on other forums that feathering can be a problem, but as far as I know the brush preset I'm using has no feathering. In fact, I just reset the tools and tried again and it still gives me that error. I've definitely selected the correct layer because there's only one to select.

Any advice?

Thanks! M

Hello,
l would really appreciate some help since I am coming to a deadline for printing some material. My problem seems to me like it should be quite eas, I have come close to a sufficient solution on my own but still not quite good enough resolution to print 24"x18" signs. In any case my issue is that I have an old design file of mine for a 5"x3" sticker with a logo on it as seen. When I try to enlarge it to the 24"x18" size the edges are way too pixelated. I have tried different selection techniques as well as refining the edges but no luck to make a high res version as yet. It's a rather simple shape and frankly I don't even care if it is redrawn to match at high res. In any case here is a copy of the logo in its native size on a 24x18 photoshop canvas. There is an image and an attachment Photoshop file, I would greatly appreciate it if someone can download the photoshop file and repost it with their efforts.
Thanks,
Dino
24x18 canvas with low res hook.psd

I used to know it but can't remember anymore and after a long search online, still can't figure it out.

Ok, I have a bunch of layers and I want to make a lasso selection on the top layer and then use whatever the correct keyboard shortcut is to make a new layer with a merge of all the underlying layers made in the lasso selection area.

I know I can cntrl-alt-shift E and stamp a new layer on top of the stack with a merged version of all the layers below and then make a lasso selection and cntrl-J that to a new layer, then delete the cntrl-alt-shift E layer...but I would like to save the step of having to make the merged layer first. There is a keyboard short cut for this but I just cant find it.

Any of you pro's have the answer to this? Would really appreciate it.

Thanks!!

Dear people smarter than me,

I need to do some rotoscope work on a piece of video in Photoshop. I can't use After Effects in this instance, I have to use Photoshop. So I want to cut out the image of a submarine as it is sinking slowly. The sub is slightly rotating as it sinks, so it's basic shape changes only slightly from frame to frame. What would make my life much easier in working with all 200 frames, would be if I could use the lasso tool to draw around the sub and cut out the shape, the copy that shape of lasso selection, and apply it to the next frame around the sub, and then just alter the shape of the lasso, to the now slightly changed shape of the sub. This would speed up the process infinitely, so I don't have to redraw the shape on every single frame. Is there a way to do this? Help, advice, tutelage in this area would be so very much appreciated. Thanks in advance, and I am glad there is a place I can go where people smarter than me are willing to help. Thank you so much!

Cheers,
Carlo

I have a problem with photoshop. Everything I do gets pixelated.

When I paste or place an object from Illustrator CS6 I choose place as smart object and as soon as I pace it it gets pixelated. I have tried with and without the anti-aliased box checked. When the box is checked photoshop pixelates the image and when the box is not checked the image looks really strange and digital with the pixels showing. All curves that were smooth and nice in Illustrator looks jagged and strange.

When I try and draw a shape in photoshop it looks in the layer-list like it's a shape layer but the object is heavily pixeled.

I have tried opening a file created in Autocad (by using dwg to PDF) and opening it as a smart object in Photoshop. Everything is pixelated.

When starting a new file in PS I have a 300 pix per inch resolution, 16 bits RGB color, sRGB IEC61966-2.1 as my color profile and square pixels as my pixel aspect ratio.
Under general preferences I have the box for "Place or drag raster images as smart objects" (I have also tried without it). I have also tried with the box for "snap vector tools and transform to pixel grid" on and off.


Regardless of what i do photoshop still pixelates everything. I have no idea what to do. Could there be some sort of setting that I have overlooked?

Hello everyone, I'm fairly new to Photoshop CS 5 so I apologize if I am asking the wrong type of questions, here goes:

When working with Vector Masks can you:
1) "Link" or "share" one image's vector mask with other images? (ex. If I made "Building A" then duplicated it, but then wanted to change what Building A looked like, I would only have to change the source mask and the copies would be updated.
2) Move the image independent of the vector mask (it seems like I can only move the vector mask, not the image itself). Or in other words: can I move the image and have the mask follow it, instead of only being able to move the vector mask inside of the image boundaries?

My application of the question:
I'm making a 2D top down layout of a "city block" type area. To fill in the buildings, I've made Building A,B,C etc, and use multiple copies of each building. Ideally, I would like to be able to "link" or share say Building A's vector mask with all the other instances of Building A (so that when I change the master, they all change to the new mask shape). The second behavior I'm trying to find is the ability to move the layer without moving where the Vector Mask is on that layer (since it seems that you can only move where the mask is, meaning that even if I could share masks, they would all end up in the same place meaning I would have to re-position each one by hand again.

Any ideas are appreciated, thank you for reading.

Hi!

I'm having this problem since I upgraded to Photoshop CC.

This logo is made with a Brush preset that I created when I was using Photoshop CS6, but now that I'm using photoshop CC, when I use the "Drop Shadow" option and I rasterize the layer, the shadow fixes itself into something that I don't want, I've tried a lot of things, but just can't make it look correctly.



The first picture shows the logo with the effect before rasterizing, and the second photo is after rasterizing.


What could be wrong? Help!

Hi!
Even though I LOVE using Photoshop, it's been a while since the last time I actually used it, therefore there are lot of things that I knew that I no longer remember (I'm getting old, clearly!) and I was wondering if anyone can refresh my memory here.
Unless I'm completely mistaken, I remember that in CS3 (though I just started using CS6) I always used Quick Mask Mode and Paths to smooth the edges of whatever abstract shape I drew, even if it was just something random that I obtained using the Polygonal Lasso selection tool to make the shape and then the Paint Bucket tool to fill it.
I no longer remember the correct steps though and when I tried, I got close but it wasn't the result I was looking for: the edges were still a bit jagged and it took me too much time (something like 13/15 steps) to get there while I remember it was quicker and easier. I searched a LOT for the very first tutorial that taught me this but it's been probably removed by now as it was quite old. All the other tutorials I found concerning Quick Mask Mode were for different purposes. I hope I made enough sense and, if anyone can help me, I'd be really grateful!

Hello,
I wondered if someone would hear me out and possibly help or advise me.
In the attachment there is a great picture of a bass jumping with the sky and sunset in the background.
I added a white paw to the sky and hope to make it look or blend in as a beleivable cloud in the sky.
My novice thoughts about how I might do this was as follows:
1) create and save a precise selection of the paw with a close detailed trace (I am having trouble donig this ste) and save the selction.
2) take that selection to the background copy layer and delete all the area inside that selection
3) take the background copy for cloud breakthrough layer and place it below the background copy layer with color enhancements to show through the holes in the background copy layer.

there is also a cloud paw layer which I aborted efforts working with.

-Bottom line is I am looking for a cloud paw in the sky which looks good, an orange emphasis is desired.

If you can do some work in the file and post it back up or at least advise how you would reccomend I try and go about it would be greatly appreciated.
BTW - The selection process really giving me fits with the idea I had, If you know of a great selection tutorial please send me some info.

Thanks,
Joe

Hi,
1st post in here so here goes with my cherry ..... be kind

I've been using Gimp for a while so not totally green but certainly not strong in the "Editing Department" and have just switched to CS6

I always have a problem trying to replace skies where there's not a clear distinction between sky and ground and where there's a ground mist or sea mist but appreciate the software is also struggling as it's not that clear and wonder if anyone has any better / easier ways than I've tried so far.

Here is the one I've struggled with



I've tried using colour range as well as the quick selection tool and the magic wand tool and the magnetic lasso. the quick selection tool would be the easiest but as I drag from left ti right it starts off fine and then all of a sudden as the sky darkens it suddenly gobbles up the sea with it and goes straight to the land. The Magic Wand takes ages as I start with one tolerance and then change accordingly to reduce the tolerance going from left to right, The Magnetic lasso I had a reasonable amount of success dividing between the land and sea but when I then try to do the straight vertical lines either side and the horizontal along the top despite being outside of the frame it creates a jagged line that keeps dropping down into the sky in places.

Any help would be appreciated but please be aware my understanding of some "jargon" goes waaaaaayyyyyy over my head, I can copy how people are doing it in you tube vids parrot fashion but I often have absolutely no comprehension what it means nor how one interacts with the other.... ie layers, masks etc

Actually if anyone knows of good spoon fed tutorials for those would appreciate as I really am struggling to get my head round them.