this is a quick bonus video talking about a different type of layer mask which is a vector layer mask to be quite honest it's probably not used by many people anywhere near is often as a regular mask but it's worth knowing about for those situations where for example you want to mass something it has a very definite edge you might find it easier in this particular case to use a vector mask and the difference is very simply layer mass traditionally normally or ask use black and white and gray paint vector mask uses a shape and that shape is an editable vector path so let's have an example of how we might actually use that I've got this stock photo and I want to replace this sign with one that I've created this made up of several different pieces so it is to make my life easier at this point I'm going to take these layers and convert them to a smart outfit and that's just so it's going to be easier for me when it comes time to it's using this as something in my other document so I'm just...

gonna take this and drag it in here so if I went to the normal adlai airmass button you see there is the regular layer master if he ever happened to click it a second time you would see another layer mask and this is the vector mask no just using it this way can be a little challenging so if I click on this layer this vector mask it could get a little bit confusing because if I go to take the pen tool and work on it as soon as I do a couple of clicks it's kind of disappeared until I start showing more so drawing a mass this way frankly is a little bit challenging so we're going to just delete these and look at in a way that's probably gonna be a little easier for you so what I would suggest especially a case like this is the whole reason I want to use a vector mask in this case is I want the corners to be have like kind of a round edge of fat at and it's gonna be easier to do that in here so I take my rounded cornered rectangle tool you see it has a corner radius and I have no really idea what corner number to use in here so I'm just going to kind of make a guess and start off just by simply making a path so I first made this choice up here to make it a path this is one of things that I can do now in a photo shop cc is aiken go on edit this shape on the fly if I want but for now we're just going to take a guess that that's roughly where we wanted to be now I need to turn that vector shaped into a mask so I go to layer and then victor mask and I'm gonna tell it to use the current path now when I do that it will create this path or I will use this path to create the vector mask now at this point let's be ad this is where potentially gets confusing because while on the surface level it works that the principle is the same as a lair match because we're hiding instead of deleting the way we use the layer mask when it's vector is a little bit different so here's an example of what I mean now I want to try and transform this to fit this unusual shape that I have normally if you see the layer and the mass are linked together if I get free transform what will happen it would transform both them together you can see what's happening here is his transfer it's transforming on ly the mask so that's not gonna work so what I need to do in and to me just sort of an off interface have to click again on this vector mask thumbnail for some reason and now when I do free transform and you can see is I'm using that command or control little trick to edit each individual corner you see now is in fact adjusting the mask the vector mask and what's on the layer keep tweaking it here and trying to get results we want so in this particular example this work fairly well because of this ability to turn a round of corner rectangle path into a mask now this is still an editable path so if I take the direct selection tool I can still click on this path and if I need to tweak the corner slightly even though they're already rounded maybe he'd go into these individual ones and adjusted and not that I would in this case but you also have the potential to add an additional anchor point on here should you need to adjust the vector mass so one of the reasons people use vector masses for people that are more comfortable or already comfortable using the concept of paths and anchor points and so on this just gives me a nice sharper edge already seeing a party want to go in here and tweet okay I'll just go back and fix this but you get the idea that a vector mask is a little unusual now is possible and it will be harder hard pressed for me to come up with a quick example where you could have a photograph we had already done some part of a regular layer mask and on top of that you also have a vector map because it is possible to have both on the same one that's even more unusual but at least this gives you an idea of how we could use a vector masked hide part of a layer using that nice hard edge vector shape

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Dave Cross

For 25 years, Dave Cross has been helping photographers and creative professionals get the most out of their Adobe software. Since 1987, Dave has taught Adobe Photoshop®, Adobe Illustrator® and Adobe InDesign® to thousands of users around the world. He has a Bachelor of

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Adobe Photoshop Photo Editing

Ratings and Reviews

Melinda Wong

Very good teaching. I really liked how clear Dave was with everything, the order he taught the material, and I thought the stories were very helpful. I REALLY wanted to understand photoshop and extremely thankful for his wisdom and knowledge. Thank you so much! This is what was holding me back from getting my photography started! :) It just seemed so intimidating and now I have a greater understanding.

a Creativelive Student

Lots of information! Initially I thought I'd just watch the free version as I already have several Creativelive videos on Photoshop but I really like how the classes are broken into subjects and shorter, 1 hour sessions-it will make reviewing much easier! I love Dave's teaching style-he covers everything very well. (Plus the fact that he's Canadian, eh?) :D Thanks for offering such a great course! I'd would love to see Dave do a similar one on Illustrator.

a Creativelive Student

I'm a beginner and have found that the information Dave gives is great, although a little to fast at times. I'd like to buy the course but am curious. If I purchase can I watch it and pause it and rewind it? That would be extremely important to me. Thanks for a great service CreativeLive...

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Bonus Video: "Vector Masks"

Bonus Video: "Vector Masks"

Lesson Info

17. Bonus Video: "Vector Masks"

Lessons

Class Introduction

Overview of Days 1-15

Overview of Days 16-30

Preview of Content, Part 1 - Layers, Comps, Styles, Masks

Preview of Content, Part 2 - Smart Objects and Paths

Day 1 Introduction

Day 1 Exploring Photoshop

Day 1 Realistic Expectations

Day 2: Best Practices I Part One

Day 2 Best Practices I Part 2

Day 3: Lay of the Land

Day 4: Best Practices II – Working Non-Destructively

Day 5: Layers I

Day 6: Layers II

Day 7: Layers III - Masks

Bonus Video: "Layers"