How to Use Clipping Masks in Photoshop and Photoshop Elements
Take your digital scrapbook pages or projects to a new level with the use of Clipping Masks. What are Clipping Masks and Where Do I Find Them? Simply defined, a clipping mask is a shape which will define the edges and transparency of an item to which it is clipped. Shapes are available in both Photoshop and Photoshop Elements (PSE), under the Custom Shape Tool You can purchase shapes, typically called "masks," in digital scrapbook stores . I Have a Clipping Mask. Now What? Open your clipping mask in Photoshop/PSE. In the Layers panel , place a photo on a layer above the clipping mask layer. Click on the photo layer to make that the active layer. While holding down the ALT key ( CMD key on a Mac ) hover your mouse between the photo layer and the clipping mask. Once you see a white square, with a down-pointing arrow, left-click your mouse, then let go of the mouse and the ALT/CMD key. The photo will take the shape of the mask. How Can I Tell...