Edit Selection Mask
The edit selection mask mode enables you to edit a bitmap selection using the paint tools and filters by means of a temporary mask. There are three main steps involved:
- Enable Edit Selection Mask. This bitmap selection changes to a selection mask and the bitmap selection’s dotted line is replaced by a red overlay (the selection mask).
- Use the paint tools and filters to edit the selection mask.
- Disable Edit Selection Mask. The selection mask is converted to a bitmap selection.
This raises the question: If you start with a bitmap selection and you end up with a bitmap selection, what is the point of this mode? The advantage of the edit selection mask mode is that you can call upon (almost) all the paint tools and filters to create your select. In short, it enables you to create complex selections with relative ease.
By convention, the selection mask appears as a red overlay. Selected areas are transparent, unselected areas are red. The red areas are slightly transparent to allow you to see through to the image. Even though the mask is shown in red, internally it is actually a grayscale image.
Use white to paint a transparent (i.e. selected) region, or black to paint a red (i.e. unselected) region. Use grays for semi-transparency (i.e. partial selection).
Once you have finished editing the selection mask, disable the mode and the mask will be converted to a bitmap selection.