Help with Elements 6 and layers mask - sharpening eyes

rubbertree

TPF Noob!
Joined
Sep 7, 2007
Messages
727
Reaction score
0
Location
Canada
Can others edit my Photos
Photos OK to edit
What I am trying to do is use a gaussian blur to soften the skin then reveal the sharp eyes. I have Photoshop Elements 6 and downloaded a layers mask.
I have made a duplicate layer of the picture, layers mask, gaussian blur on the layer 1, filled in the layers mask black and then I should be able to select a white paint brush, paint over the eyes to reveal the sharp eyes from the original picture underneith, but yet that isn't working. What I can do is reveal the blur of the skin, leaving the eyes sharp. Is there a way to do it so the whole picture is blurred then I just paint out the areas I was sharp? The way I'm doing it seems to be backwards.
Any advice?
TIA.
 
Last edited:
I might be a bit tired but I don't get your description of how your working.
What I can say is how I would go about doing this (in elements 6 as well :))

1) duplicate the main layer
2) apply gaussian blur to the copied layer
3) use the brush tool on black to paint in any area on the blured layer where I want the image below to show through - thus paint over the eyes for example to show them as sharp
 
That's what I'm trying to do but it's not working!
Is your background layer on the layers mask white or black?
If I leave it white and use a black brush, it does nothing. If I fill in the layer black , the image turns sharp again. Then use a white brush to paint but it paints in the blur so I have to paint out all the skin and leave the eyes sharp. Seems like I should be able to have the whole picture blurred and then paint out the eyes sharp.
Not working for me and I can't figure it out!
 
hmm odd - first does the layer mask for things like levels and contrast layers work as normal?

I don't know? I use an adjustment layer for levels and contrast, etc. How do I do this with a layers mask?
 
when you make an adjustment layer for levels and contrast (as well as a few other things like hue and saturation) the layers command for those options attaches a layermask to those layers (the white empty section to the right of the image in the layers pallet). That is a layer mask and works just like any ordinary layer mask - bit of cheek in a way that they give us a limited use layermask ;)
 
oh yes, I see what you mean, I thought you were asking about something else... anyway yes, those work fine. And I am sure that site you gave is the same site I downloaded layers mask from.
I must just be missing something so obvious and right in front of my face. I have tried a million times and it just will not work the regular way but works well the way I described above, which seems backwards!
 
OMG I figured it out, I figured it out!!
Duh me, I knew there had to be a box checked off or something that I just wasn't noticing... the mode was set to lighten from a previous action I had done. As soon as I put it back to "normal" it worked!
Thank you Overread for working through it with me!
 

Most reactions

Back
Top