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Create a basic mask
Open your photograph. Create a duplicate layer that we will add a mask
to, and make sure it is selected. We are going to first add a mask that
covers the entire layer (we will discuss different mask creation methods
a little later).  Choose
Masks>New>Hide All from the main menu, or right click on the Create
Mask icon in the Layer Palette and choose Hide All from the pop-up menu.
This places a mask over the entire layer.
 Nothing
will happen to your image, though an icon will appear with your layer
settings to represent that there is a mask on the layer. In order to
see the mask, choose Mask>View mask from the main menu. See the result
at the left. The second photo shows the mask covering the entire layer.
The image you see in this view is actually the one on the background
layer since everything is masked on the current layer, meaning nothing
will show. To acheive the results in the photo shown at the top of this
page, we will have to create "holes" in the mask to let the
photo show through. We will soon fill the background layer with black,
but for now we need it to guide where we will place the holes in the
mask.
Choose Mask>Edit Mask from the main menu. When this option is checked,
any changes you make will take place on the mask. Create an oval selection
with the ellipse selection tool, and a feather setting of 25% for this
look. Fill the selected area with white to create a hole in the mask
to let your photo show through.
To create text on the mask, make sure you have selected  Mask
Edit mode and enter your text. It will be presented as a selection boundary
on the mask. Fill with white to remove masking. In this sample you can
see the selection boundaries and the shaded areas in the letters showing
the photo behind the mask.
Now fill the background layer with black to acheive the final appearance.
In this sample, I deliberately held the oval selection a little short
of the child's head to illustrate that you can also edit the mask with
the brush tools. Choose Masks>View masks to turn off the mask view.
The mask is still in effect, but will not show.
Note that the mask is over the watering can in the photo above, but
in the one at the right, the watering can is now exposed. With the Mask
Edit turned on, and white foreground color, paint to remove any areas
you would like to exclude from the mask. Use a soft brush for a feathered
appearance, and if necessary, soften the edges with the Retouch tool.
Now that we have worked through this sample with this method, I would
like to introduce another way to acheive the same result and is actually
a more efficient method, since you can have your background color already
set. (I did the first sample with a full layer mask, since I think masks
are easier to understand if you start without a selection.)
Open your photo as above and create a duplicate. Fill the background
layer with the final background color.
Create the same oval selection as above BEFORE you create the layer
mask. Click on the Create New Mask icon and choose Show selection or
choose Masks>New>Show selection and a mask will be placed using
the selection boundaries. If you would prefer the inverse to the selection
to be showing through the mask, choose Hide selection as you create
your mask.
Enter your text as above.
This is the basic method for all masking in PaintShop Pro. Practice,
since it does take a while to remember to switch back and forth from
Edit Mask to standard mode. The shortcut to toggle between the two modes
is CTRL K – one well worth learning. Carry on to the next page
and see an artisitic application of this method and make sure to come
back for part two of this tutorial when we look at advanced mask tools
and methods.
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