Being able to see the mask on-screen is crucial when making accurate selections, while at other times, for example, when brushing-in adjustments, it can obscure your view. Thus, when using the Draw Mask (B), Linear Gradient Mask (L), Radial Gradient Mask (T), Heal Mask (Q), or Clone Mask (S) the Viewer toolbar has several display options to suit a particular task.
After the mask has been applied, you can evaluate the selection more clearly with a grayscale mask. This black and white preview shows the masked area in white, unmasked as black, and gray tones depending on opacity. It is ideal for inspecting edge accuracy and the uniformity of the selection itself with regard to opacity. The masked area itself can be tidied up using one of the mask types.
- Go to the Viewer toolbar.
- Long-press on the Mask Visibility Settings icon and select one of the following options.
- Always Display Mask (M) - useful when examining the mask for drawing accuracy and feathering effect.
- Only Display Mask When Drawing - the recommended option for quick drawing.
- Display Grayscale Mask (Alt+M for Windows or Opiton+M for Mac) - useful option to verify the accuracy of mask edges, including the overall effectiveness of the selection when inverted.
- Never Display Mask (M) - used when drawing individual local adjustments directly to the image or layer.
- Use the keyboard shortcut M to toggle the mask on or off (to toggle the grayscale mask on or off use Alt+M for Windows or Option+M for Mac).
- You can also access the Mask display options by going to the menu and choosing Layer -> Mask Visibility -> [option].
