Re: [Gimp-user] keyboard shortcut for show mask? change opacity?

[scl <scl gplus gmail com>]

Hi,

after the night I've had another idea that
could solve both problems better - the Quickmask.
This is a quite convenient way to edit and refine
a selection by just painting it.

1. On your layer press Q to show the Quickmask.
By clicking on the little button left to the image's
horizontal scrollbar you can set the opacity of the
mask and control whether to show the selected or
unselected areas (mask or inverted mask).
2. When you're done, press Q again.
3. Add a layer mask to the layer, choose 'From selection'.
You can also assign a keyboard shortcut to it
by assigning it to the action 'Add layer mask'.
4. Remove the selection with Ctrl+Shift+A.

The benefits are
- it's a convenient and intuitive way to achieve what you want,
- much more selection editing capabilities than
with the normal Selection tools. You can for
instance apply filters like (Gaussian) Blur, Gradient
Flare or the Paint/Color/Clone Tools.
- you can start right out from a normal selection of the image,
- you can apply the known Selection tools to the Quickmask,
- if sth. doesn't work on the Quickmask it might work
on the layer mask.

The downsides are
- you loose your current selection (but can of course
save it before to a channel),
- not all Filters and Tools work on the Quickmask.
If the Transform tools wouldn't have the floating
selection they worked here, too. But you can do it
after making a layer mask from it.


On  23.2.2014 at 11:04 PM Elle Stone wrote:
> I came up with a quick workaround, which is to lower the opacity of the
> layer to 50%. Usually the underlying layer is similar enough to act as a
> guide for painting on the mask.

That's an interesting idea for a workflow. I usually have the
layer mask opaque or transparent and paint on the parts I want
to have more or less visible.

Greetings,

Sven