Layer Mask

Layer Mask

Layer Mask is a powerful tool in digital image editing that allows for non-destructive editing and selective application of effects, adjustments, or compositing. It is a grayscale image that is linked to a layer in an image editing software, where the mask's black areas conceal and white areas reveal the linked layer's content. This enables users to control the visibility and opacity of specific areas within a layer without permanently altering the original image data. Layer masks are created by painting or selecting areas using tools like brushes, gradients, or selection tools, with shades of gray representing varying levels of transparency. They provide a flexible and reversible way to blend layers, create composite images, or apply targeted adjustments such as color correction, sharpening, or filtering to specific regions of an image. The use of layer masks is a fundamental technique in professional digital image editing workflows, as it allows for precise control, experimentation, and refinement of image manipulations while preserving the ability to make changes or revert to the original state. Layer masks have revolutionized the field of digital image editing, enabling designers and artists to achieve sophisticated visual effects and seamless composites that were previously challenging or impossible with traditional destructive editing methods. Fun fact: The concept of layer masks was pioneered by the developers of Adobe Photoshop, who introduced this feature in version 3.0 released in 1994, setting a new standard for non-destructive image editing that has since been adopted by numerous other software applications.

transparency, opacity, non-destructive editing, compositing, blending, selective adjustment, grayscale

— Stephan Trump

CITATION : "Stephan Trump. 'Layer Mask.' Design+Encyclopedia. https://design-encyclopedia.com/?E=436054 (Accessed on June 04, 2025)"