Adobe® Photoshop® CS2 Studio Techniques

Image as Layer Mask

You can achieve interesting transition effects by pasting scanned images into a Layer Mask (Figures 15.68 and 15.69). I like to run off to the art supply store, purchase interesting handmade papers, and spatter a bunch of ink on them using paintbrushes. Then, to get the image into a Layer Mask, I scan the paper, select the entire image by choosing Select > Select All, and then copy the image by choosing Edit > Copy. After I've done that, I close the scanned image and switch over to the image I would like to use it in. Next, I click on the layer I would like to work on and add a Layer Mask. In order to paste something into a Layer Mask, you must be viewing the Layer Mask. That means you must Option-click (Mac) or Alt-click ...