Masks Workshop (2025)

[Jean Naumann]

@Cassel I just checked, and you were so right.  Both things I hadn't even noticed.  Day 2 the main image was set at 84% opacity, and Day 1 I had totally overlooked enlarging the shadow.  Many thanks

[Ann Seeber]

3 hours ago, Cassel said:

That kaleidoscope pattern is so delicate that I had to look twice to see it. I bet it shows more at full size

Here's a 600x600 piece from the background so you can see the pattern better.

[Harmony Birch]

It wouldn't be me if I wasn't running late. I am doing the workshop this time in affinity.

Showcasing a few photos from my first LARP of the year

[Sue Thomas]

Carole, I do believe you are right.  I should have added a frame, or  some other small detail to the layout.  I did add a small blur to the mask to fade out the outer edges a touch, which is the same as what I often do in PSP.  I am focusing on learning how to master the use masks and its tools, which is what this workshop is all about, along with with what else I have learnt in previous Affinity workshops.  I will have lots of time for revsion during the long prairie winter, when I showcase this summer's photos.  

Edited June 21 by Sue Thomas

[Harmony Birch]

And here we go with the second one. Not sure how I feel about the background drawing so much attention. The daisy was a tube I made in psp many years ago. As I use any of my tubes or fills I am saving them as Affinity assetts

Edited June 21 by Harmony Birch

[Jeni Simpson]

2 hours ago, AprilDawn said:

Hello Jeni, looks like we both found the same brushes on that Affinity Forum with StuartRc brushes. they are really great  don't you agree. There is about 12 packs of the  different Dot brushes and i downloaded them all.  Your Cathedral Cliffs looks terrific with the brush on the edges.

best wishes to you,

Dawn.

Dawn, thank you. I don't have such wonderful brushes for PSP, so was delighted to find them. Yes, I love Stuart's brushes, I also downloaded brushes from Del on the forum, they are gorgeous. She has Glitter& Gold Dust, Gold Circles & Spirals, Gold, and Nature Brushes. She made them, originally for use with Photoshop, and no longer uses that programme. She likes Affinity. I think she also said she made them for Corel Painter.  Find them here.

[kasany]

L5. Dome. 

[Jeni Simpson]

2 hours ago, Jean Naumann said:

Here is day 4.  I struggled getting the brush to work properly.  In Carole's video it looked so easy to paint in the mask, but it took me ages to get rid of the outline of the photo.

And Carole, I'll check on those things you mentioned, thanks.

I am loving these Sydney photographs, and they are so clear and bright. Years ago, I had an apartment in Kirribilli and could view the Opera House from my bedroom window. So I'm enjoying the memories, thank you, Jean.

[Harmony Birch]

And my number 3, because it's a productive morning. The title font is called Heart Heart, though I have no idea where I got it from.

[Jannette Nieuwboer]

6 hours ago, Cassel said:

f you use PSP, the mask might have been slightly grey. That makes it a bit transparent. If it is using Affinity, it could be the opacity level of the mask layer that is less than 100%. What command is not present in your case? With which program?

Ik kan kiezen tussen PSP 2020, 2021, 2023. Infinity heb ik niet. Ik heb gisteren gewerkt in de psp 2023. Daar zit bijsnijden naar selectie niet in alsook vastklikken aan de linialen niet. Die zijn er ooit door M uitgehaald en kennelijk op een zwarte lijst gezet. Ik heb de psp 2023 helemaal opnieuw geinstalleerd na het grondig gereinigd te hebben met het doorvoor bestemde gereedschap. Vastklikken aan de linialen heeft het toen letterlijk 1 dag gedaan en werkte goed maar een dag later was het weer verdwenen. En kennelijk is de functie bijsnijden naar selectie ook verdwenen. Dat ontdekte ik pas gisteren. Misschien kan ik het met een list oplossen. Ik zie dat dezelfde in de 2021 ook verdwenen zijn. maar de 2020 niet maar die staat als enigste op Engels en herkent de machine het woord niet. Dus denk ik dat ik de 2023 ook op Engels ga zetten dan ga herstellen met het herstel gereedschap. hopelijk blijft die het dan wel doen. 

[Jannette Nieuwboer]

Mijn caleidoscoop was erg makkelijk gemaakt. Ik vond de orginele achtergrond verschrikkelijk en heb het nooit gebruikt. Maar nu vind ik het wel leuk geworden. Een fijne trick om eerst iets nieuws te proberen. Dank jewel voor de tip 

Edited June 21 by Jannette Nieuwboer

[Ann Seeber]

Here's my Lesson 5 featuring a young European Starling. The fonts are Coral Reef and Corbel. 

[Corrie Kinkel]

10 hours ago, Jeni Simpson said:

Me, too, and when I go file > Open Recent I get my file back that I was working on. There may be a couple of steps not there, because I save every few steps, not every one 😉 But most of my file is there.

I use that too and like you I don't save each step, but there mostly is enough saved to make it easy to go on instead of starting anew!

[Jannette Nieuwboer]

1 hour ago, Jannette Nieuwboer said:

Misschien kan ik het met een list oplossen. I

I changed the psp 2023 to english and indeed the lost sheep are both there. without having to repair it.

[Jacques]

A little moment of respite (Day 4 with PSP)

What can he be thinking?

Edited June 21 by Jacques

[Harmony Birch]

And here we go my number 4 I actually used 2 brushes for the mask, one got the soft edges then the other cut out some tiny flowers. The font is Retro Daisy

 

[Robert Garrett]

10 hours ago, Cassel said:

@Linda RexfordAlthough we won't touch on photo editing with masks, once you get comfortable with them, you will see many other applications. I don't see any problem with the shape of the mask in the last layout. It follows the subject. Maybe it is just different than what you had in mind?

@Jenny MacKayThat is such a cutie! So photogenic! Great start. Did you add shadows on the small images of the second layout? Sometimes, they seem to "disappear" when you resize the layout.

@Susan Ewartif you want to simulate graffiti on the brick, I think that the paint on the title should not have shadows! I love that quote!

@Ann SeeberOccasionally, I might comment only on one layout if someone posted more than one. But I don't know why this one was not commented on. And yes, I was referring to the layout "Iba N’diaye ". I use the "Love" reaction once I see/comment on a layout (so I can know where I am). I guess I got distracted. That kaleidoscope pattern is so delicate that I had to look twice to see it. I bet it shows more at full size.

@SharlaThat grey background with noise is matching so well with your photo. It really showcases that robin.

@Sue ThomasThe rotation setting should be the same in Affinity but you also have to adjust how much of randomness. It is a bit like in PSP where you can choose Random, but you still have to set the % of jitter. What is it that makes you not overly happy with the oriole layout? The only thing I can think of is that you usually add a few more choice elements to your layouts. Could that be it?

@AprilDawnThose are great pages! I am glad you didn't give up when you struggled with the downloads. Your work is fabulous and those photos are great. Kuddos to your cousin! That kittie made me smile.

@CristinaThere are so many default brushes in Affinity that you have many choices to start. Great story about the chick's names. Those spray brushes can give very interesting edges, even if it is not on masks!

@fiona cookYou can always clone some of the space around your subject to make a "larger" image.

@Jannette NieuwboerIf you use PSP, the mask might have been slightly grey. That makes it a bit transparent. If it is using Affinity, it could be the opacity level of the mask layer that is less than 100%. What command is not present in your case? With which program?

@Robert GarrettIs Thurston a Siamese? We had a Siamese when my daughter was a baby and that cat was very aggressive toward her. We had to rehome him. 😞 You are doing very well with those masks!

@Gerry LandrethThose spectres give a real ghostie feel to that mask. Very relevant to the story!

@Art KuiperI have seen that kind of picture with a caption "Why women live longer than men".  It makes me smile. I bet those guys are still able to get the job done! And yes, once you get the hang of masks, the possibilities are endless.

@Donna SilliaOnce you will know all the settings for the brush tool, you will find that both PSP and Affinity are pretty similar. You'll become an expert in both over time.

@Connie CollierYour choice of not feathering the edges of the mask was the right one. As much as we might like soft edges, when you have a specific design in mind and you want to see it, your approach was the perfect one. I love that effect.

@gwen jewittI would suggest that you soften the shadow on the masked image. Since the splatters are small, a fainter shadow might be matching more.

@JacquesIf you merge the photo and the frame/mat, you could add some shadows to give them some volume. I love the colorful plaid. Did you use a segment of one photo? Now we have the proof that the baby is sleeping for you to work on the page! 🙂

@Corrie KinkelYes, you can definitely use different brushes on the same mask. You can use different textures, and different shapes. If you look closely at masks that you can find in some kits, some of them likely use half a dozen different brushes!

@ClarineWith so many people with the same name, that should become the title of that layout!

@Lynda DiGregorIs it just an illusion or did you squish the large photo horizontally? The people seem a bit tall/thin, unlike the lady with the yellow hat.

@Julie MagerkaThat mask is perfect for the photo. It gives that "water" feel all around it.

@Jean NaumannYes, Affinity makes using templates/masks much easier. On your first page, did you hide the shadow on the bottom right photo? On the second, if you were using Affinity, was it slightly translucent? If anything, you could brush some white where the people are so we don't see the pattern through.

As someone mentioned in this thread, you are giving me a lot of work going through all those wonderful pages. They are all so unique and inspiring. Keep them coming!

Thurston was a Himalayan. He was a pretty laid back cat. Thank you for the encouragement. I'm really enjoying the lessons.

[Robert Garrett]

Here is my Lesson 6 submission. This one is Mary Ann. She doesn't look too happy. I used todays lesson to create the rounded corner frame to put around Mary Ann. I used the bubble look to create the frame.

[Clarine]

#6       oops, sorry, again troubles with getting the mask to do what it was supposed to do, but my time is up, so this is my project for the day.

Grandpa Great was honored for being the oldest member in the American Legion in our city.  He proudly rode in the town parade.

[fiona cook]

Lesson 6. By mistake I had selected the 'Cork' texture instead of 'Current' Displacement Map. I made both and then used Screen Blend mode for my photo of Topsham boats.

[Bee Kelly]

Lesson 3 Like the Kaleidoscope.  They can result in some interesting images.

[Bee Kelly]

Lesson 1 - Grandparents' Wedding Day.

[kasany]

1 hour ago, Robert Garrett said:

Here is my Lesson 6 submission. This one is Mary Ann. She doesn't look too happy. I used todays lesson to create the rounded corner frame to put around Mary Ann. I used the bubble look to create the frame.

Sweet cat:) 

[Sue Thomas]

Day 6.  The Affinity tutorial rendered a really nice  background paper, not a lot unlike the linolium pattern in PSP.  I did both, the plain background is the PSP version. I can not believe that the linolium pattern was the very first background paper I created almost 10yrs ago. 

Always a joy to scroll through all the creativity, wonderful inspiration.  Well done ladies and gentlemen!

 

Edited June 21 by Sue Thomas

[Sue Thomas]

4 hours ago, Ann Seeber said:

Here's my Lesson 5 featuring a young European Starling. The fonts are Coral Reef and Corbel. 

Making an observation, I would say that the Starling showcased is  an adult which is about to enter breeding season.  As the beaks are dark brown, transitioning to yellow as the breeding season approaches. Also the white dots will change as they enter breeding season. (white dots siginfies  out of breeding season adults)  Adults  also have pinkish legs. Adults appear black, until the sun catches their feathers revealing a multitude of irridescent colours. Juveniles are typically brownish grey, they have a plain uniform brown plumage, including their heads.    They are an invasive  species in North America.  I believe there are over 200 million of them in North America. The species native to Europe and the UK is the only species of Starling.