How to use Photoshop CS5 - Part 10: Use Layer Mask and Vector Mask to delete the background image

What is a Layer Mask?

It can be understood in a simple way that this is a hidden image layer, with a 'notification' function for Photoshop where 'concealing' the selected class information. More precisely, there is an alpha channel type used to cover the details on the image to be processed, simply because these details have been separated from the image by other channels.

Simple method: How to use Layer Mask?

Open the image to be processed, then create Duplicate Layer . The program will automatically rename the new layer to Background copy , click OK:

Then select the icon to temporarily hide the original Background layer, as shown on the left below:

Click to create a new coated surface on this layer. Make sure your Layer panel will look like the right image. After that, press B to select the Brush Tool, right-click anywhere on the image to adjust the properties, thickness and size. The default Hard Round level is quite suitable in this case, while keeping the item Hardness is 100%:

You should pay attention to Foreground / Background color mode  Before proceeding, press the D shortcut to switch between these black and white colors. On this new overlay, where you hover, the color will disappear, as shown below:

Unlike using the Eraser tool, using these mask layers can be turned on or off, allowing users to quickly return to the original image processing:

Depending on the picture, the steps required require different meticulousness and accuracy:

Let's start with the most difficult details, multicolored, close to the main object to handle, here is the butterfly shape:

Once you've finished processing the small area, resize the Brush to manipulate the remaining areas:

And this is our result after the implementation of the smallest detail:

Use Vector Mark to delete Background:

The following steps require users to have experience in handling and applying with Pencil tool:

Vector masks are not very different from Layer Mask , except using the original vector to create the Alpha mask channel layer. To create these original vectors, we will use the Pen to set up an area covered with the area to work:

Press P to select the Pen tool, then cleverly draw close to our main part, trying to ignore the sharp and small corners:

When you complete this process, your image and selection layer will look like this:

Then, choose Layer> Vector Mask> Current Path to create Vector Mask from the current Work Path section. The current selection becomes the Vector mask , the process of removing the background image is not difficult:

In addition, you can refer to the following video tutorials:

Good luck!

David Pac

Update 25 May 2019