180 ADVANCED PHOTOSHOP ELEMENTS 6 FOR DIGITAL PHOTOGRAPHERS 6.34 Sophisticated edges using grayscale masks IMAGE CHANGES ­ BEYOND THE BASICS Suitable for Elements ­ 6, 5.0, 4.0, 3.0, 2.0, 1.0 | Difficulty level ­ Intermediate | Resources ­ Web image 6.34 Related techniques ­ 6.33 | Tools used ­ Paint Brush | Menus used ­ layer You can create truly imaginative edges by using a grayscale mask to hide the edges of the picture. Start by using the Elements drawing tools to paint a black shape with rough edges on a white background. This is our grayscale mask. Ideally the dimensions of the painting should be the same as the picture to be framed. With both the picture and the mask open as separate docu- ments, use the Move tool to drag the mask image on top of the picture. The mask will become a new layer. Use the Free Transform tool (Image > Transform > Free Transform) to scale the mask to fit the image precisely. Grayscale mask borders >> You can use a grayscale mask to produce a creative border effect by stacking the mask on top and then changing the layer mode to Screen. With the mask layer still active change the layer mode to Screen. This will cause the image from beneath to show through the black parts of the mask whilst the white areas of the mask hide the rest of the picture below. This technique can also be used to create an image-filled border by inverting the mask before changing modes. This way the center of the picture is hidden by the white portion of the mask and the edges are filled with the image from below. Search the web for pre-made grayscale masks that can be downloaded and used directly in Elements. Step 1 >> Create or download a grayscale mask. Open image and mask. Drag mask onto image as a new layer. Step 2 >> With the mask layer selected use the Transformation tool (Image>Transform>Free Transform) to scale the mask to fit the image. Step 3 >> Switch the mask layer's mode to Screen to create the edge effect. To invert the effect select Image > Adjustments > Invert before changing the mode. Book resources at: www.adv-elements.com