Weeks 3&4 - Review questions

1. Based on the reading out of the book, what exactly is the function of a transparency mask?: Each selected image has opaque and transparent pixels. By locking the transparency mask on the layer you are working, you can, for example, paint the opaque pixels without touching the transparent pixels, which means that it won't spell over other images you might have in other layers of the same composite.
2. What are some of the benefits to using Layer Masks?: It gives more flexibility. Instead, for example, of having to cut a selection to add it to your composite, a layer mask will let you import the whole picture but only show the selection you've made. That way you can change the selection you've made and the place it should go in your composite as many times as you like and without having to redo the selection over and over.
3. Once a mask has been created, how do you edit the mask?: By clicking on the icon, you can change the shape of the mask using the brush or selection tools. You can also unchain the layer and the mask, and move the mask independently around the inage.
4. How do you know if a mask is active in the Layer Palette?: It is active if there is a black rectangle around the icon.
5. How would you temporarily disable/enable a mask?: By shift-clicking the mask thumbnail.
6. If you wanted to move either the layer's contents or the mask independently from each other, what would you have to do?: Unchain them.
7. Briefly explain how Layer Masks can help your digital collages and color/brightness corrections?: You can use a layer mask in conjunction with the gradient tool to better mix two pictures. Adjustments, filters and special effects can also be added to a mask.
8. How can the pen tool be useful as a selection tool?: Selections made with the pen tools can be edited with precision, by adding, deleting or moving anchor points.
9. How do you add an anchor point to a Path?: By selecting the "add anchor point tool" and clicking on the path
10. How would you delete an anchor point on a Path?: By choosing the "delete anchor point tool" and clicking on the anchor point you want to delete.
12. How do you select an entire path?: By choosing the "path selection tool" or black arrow and clicking inside the path.
13. How do you drag points and handles to reshape a path?: By using the "direct selection tool" or white arrow.
14. Explain in your own words what the primary function of a clipping group or layer is.: By clipping layers or masks together you can edit all the layers together. The bottom layer will control all the ones on top of it.
15. Deke explains how you can improve the appearance of color scans using channels. Briefly explain what some of these techniques are.: The idea is to work on each color channel separately. If one of the channel seems to be out of alignment, you can use the move tool to re-align it with the others. You can sharpen one of the channel to improve definition. You can also use the channel mixer to give less weight to a very bad channel as long as the added values stay at 100%.
16. What are some of the benefits to working with mask channels?: You can save a selection as a mask channel, that way it can be use again later. It is also useful to make complicated selection.
17. When you save a selection as a mask, where is the mask stored?: It is saved as a new channel in the channel palette.
18. How can you edit a mask in a channel once you've saved it?: By loading the mask as a selection.