Adobe Photoshop Unmasked: The Art and Science of Selections, Layers, and Paths

Introduction

Selections, channels, alpha channels, layers, layer masks, shape layers, vector masks, paths, clipping paths, clipping masks. The list goes on. As Photoshop becomes increasingly complex, Photoshop users—even those with years of experience—may feel dizzy with confusion. It’s no wonder then that understanding the differences between channels, paths, and layers—and perhaps more importantly, understanding when to favor one approach over another—has become a burning issue for many Photoshop users.

Essential skills for any Photoshop user include making clean, efficient selections, and being able to recall those selections at any time as well as targeting specific areas of an image by tone or color. All of these skills require knowing what ...