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TK7
©2020 Tony Kuyper

TK7 Panel ©2020 Tony Kuyper

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Table of Contents

Legal Notice / Acknowledgement 4

Overview 4

New Features 5

Very Important Information 11

Installation 12

Features Commons to All Modules 12

Combo/Cx Modules 14
Web-Sharpen section 21
The TK► button−ACTIONS menu 23
The TK► button−COLOR menu 28
The TK► button−BLEND menu 32
The User► button 33
Instant Action (►) button 33
User-programmable buttons 34
Right-click color-tagging 35

RapidMask Module 36
1. SOURCE 38
2. MASK 42
3. MODIFY 45
4. OUTPUT 51
Layer Mask Mode 55
User-Created Color Masks 57
Converting Color Images to Black and White 59
The "X" Button 60

Go Module 61
1. MASK 62
Lights, Darks, and Midtones presets 64
(Infinity) Zone masks 66
Infinity Color masks 67
Adjustment Layer Color masks 69
Saturation/Vibrance masks 70
My Channels masks 70

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Calculated Masks
2. MODIFY 72
3. OUTPUT 74
4. Rapid Mask mode 78
5. Layer Mask mode 81
6. Settings

Saturation/Vibrance 84
Saturation Painting 86

Batch Module 88

Workflow Considerations 89

Troubleshooting 91

NOTE: Button names are underlined in the sections that follow.

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LEGAL NOTICE

The TK7 panel is copyrighted material (©Tony Kuyper). You may use the panel for
your personal work and enjoyment but transfer or sale is prohibited. If someone is
interested in using the panel, please have them visit my website www.Goodlight.us
to obtain it.

The terms TKActions, TK7, Rapid Mask, Luminosity Lock, and Quick Paint were
coined by Tony Kuyper and are trademarks of his products− TKActionsTM, TK7TM,
Rapid MaskTM, Luminosity LockTM, and Quick PaintTM.

Thank you for respecting the time and effort it takes to develop these techniques
and for showing the appropriate consideration for the intellectual property of
others. As always, please feel free to contact me if you have questions, comments,
or suggestions.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

The TK7 panel owes much to the many photographers who have contributed
suggestions and feedback. Thank you. Sean Bagshaw, André Distel, Luca Libralato,
Antonio Prado, Roy Yuan, Isabella Tabacchi, and Rafael Coutinho were the alpha-
testers and have provided valuable recommendations. Bruce Bartholomew did in-
depth testing on the Go module, provided many ideas for the different modules,
and edited the Go modules instructions. Gerald Vincent provided ideas to improve
Infinity Color masks. The panel has also drawn on the work of Alex Nail (web-
sharpening) and Chris Tarantino (saturation masks). In addition, numerous
websites and videos have continued to influence and inspire my own workflow and
panel-coding. I have included their names in the pertinent sections when I
remember them.

OVERVIEW

Since the publication of the original tutorial in 2006, luminosity masks have become
widespread and widely-accepted in the digital photographic community. From
initially intersecting selections, to 16-bit calculations, to the Infinity Mask and Zone-
Picker, to the Rapid Mask engine, to Infinity Color masks, TK panels have been the
leading innovator in integrating luminosity masks into the Photoshop workflow. The
panel continues to grow and evolve, and while luminosity masks are the primary
masks used by most photographers, the spectrums of masks created by the panel
are no longer limited to just luminosity. Component channels, color, saturation,
and vibrance can now be accessed in a similar manner. And unlike masks with
hard or mathematically feathered edges, pixel-based masks generated by the TK7
panel are always self-feathering because they are generated from data encoded
into image's pixels. There is wide agreement that pixel-based masks provide some
of the most natural selections for blending and adjusting images.

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Workflow efficiency has taken on new importance in TK7. The compact, modular
design of previous versions is maintained. TK7 keeps its familiar, small footprint
and fits conveniently in any workspace. The Combo/Cx modules still pretty much
run Photoshop and RapidMask and Go modules makes all the masks. There's no
need to open multiple modules or to be constantly shifting to a different interface or
tab. Smart menus provide quick access to extra features and these menus know
when to close once they've served their purpose.

For those already using TKActions V6, TK7 will be a smooth transition to an even
easier workflow for luminosity and other masks. For those new to these advanced
masks, the panel's layout will help guide them through the process of building and
deploying masks in order to quickly start using them with their images. TK7 is
designed to make luminosity masks easy for everyone, and to make sure there is
plenty of room to keep growing once you see what these masks can do.

NEW FEATURES (Original release April 2019)

Updated Rapid Mask engine. The scripts that create masks in the MASK section
of the RapidMask module have been improved. Mask generation is about 20%
faster, though, this may be hard to actually notice since new masks already
appeared at near real-time speeds in the V6 panel. This feature is best appreciated
in masks that traditionally required multiple calculations, like Lights-5 and -6 or the
extreme ends of the Zone masks.

Single-slider modify. The RapidMask module's MODIFY section has been

completely redesigned. The most prominent new feature is a triple-handle slider
for making a Levels adjustment to any mask directly from the module. This brings
the infinity mask concept pioneered in the V4 panel directly to the module's
interface instead of having to open a separate window to perform the adjustment.
The handles on the slider are the same as Photoshop's Levels
adjustment−shadows, midtones (expressed as gamma), and highlights−and they
even move the same way, with the gamma handle automatically adjusting on the
slider when either the shadows or highlights are changed. Single-slider modify is
the easiest way yet to modify almost any mask. It's fast and efficient and is
available in Layer Mask Mode as well as the Rapid Mask Mode. In Layer Mask Mode
the adjustment affects the layer mask on the active layer. In Rapid Mask Mode, it
affects the current Rapid Mask being created on the Channels panel and viewed on-
screen. It's an obvious and intuitive addition to the module and will be easy for
anyone to use.

MODIFY options. In addition to single-slider modify, the MODIFY section of the

RapidMask module has several other changes that allow more precision control of
Rapid Mask modification. Burn and Dodge brushes have been added. These are
Photoshop tools that can now be easily accessed from the module. Dodging the
highlights is a great way to make light gray areas of the mask lighter or white
without affecting the midtones and shadows. Similarly, burning the shadows

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makes dark gray areas of the mask black without affecting highlights and midtones.
So Burn and Dodge can be useful for making the mask more pure black and white
in those situations where a mask with more contrast would be helpful.
The MODIFY section also now has its own black and white brushes for painting
black and white directly on the Rapid Mask. This makes it easy to create conceal
and reveal in the mask in large areas with a few brushstrokes. Burn/Dodge and the
Black/White paintbrushes allow highly customizable masks since users are able to
apply these effects exactly where they want.
Another new feature in MODIFY is the Mask the Rapid Mask button. This allows
users to better create a mask of just those parts of the image that should be
affected by the mask, for example, the sky and clouds in a landscape image. The
selection can be made using a selection tool, like the Lasso or Marquee, or it can be
made by loading a saved selection from the Channels panel. Once there's an active
selection, click the Mask the Rapid Mask button. The non-selected areas turn black
in the mask effectively concealing that entire part of the mask from affecting the
image when the mask is deployed.
There is a new Brightness/Contrast button in the MODIFY section that allows
this type of adjustment to directly affect the Rapid Mask, like Curves and Single
Slider Modify, which are also present in the MODIFY section. Finally, there is a new
ACR button in the MODIFY section that brings the full power of Photoshop's ACR
filter to be used to adjust the Rapid Mask.

Web-sharpening. In response to user requests, web-sharpening has been

expanded. There are now separate input fields for vertical and horizontal
dimensions, and users can choose which to use with any image. They can also use
the "Fit" button to size their image to fit in the dimensions defined by these vertical
and horizontal inputs. These new features are available in both the Combo/Cx
modules and Batch module.

Color-zones. There are also new masks on the SOURCE > Color menu on the
RapidMask module. These six new "color-zones" stretch the color selections across
wider ranges of color in the image. At first this might seem counterintuitive.
Usually the goal is to make masks more specific and less general. However, the
new color-zones are always adjacent colors on the color spectrum, and some of the
new groupings are particularly useful. The Yellow-Red color zone, for example, is
an easy way to select the warm tones in the image. And the Blue-Cyan color zone
selects the cool colors. But all the zones are worth a bit of experimentation. It's
often surprising which works. For example, Cyan-Green might be a good choice for
ocean water in some lighting situations, and Green-Yellow is good for foliage, which
often contains a considerable amount of yellow. It's important to note that these
new color zones are NOT merely combinations of the previous Color Range masks.
They are separate calculations that are highly specific for the colors in that
particular range. The new color zones provide a great starting point for making
masks if color is the primary criterion for making a selection. Unlike luminosity
masks which only have two options, Lights and Darks, color zones have six. So the
initial mask already has a more exact choice than the binary options with luminosity
masks. And once the initial color zone mask is made, the full spectrum of Lights,
Darks, and Zone masks can be made using the data locked in for that mask. So in

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terms of precision and options, the new color zones have a lot to offer. My own
experience in using them indicates they work best when selecting more saturated
colors in the image. They can easily be used to adjust color brightness and
contrast, and, when added as a layer mask on a Selective Color adjustment layer,
provide precision control over subtle color modification.
The previous Color Range masks are still present in the TK7 panel.

Keep Channels panel clean. This is a new checkbox option in the settings for the
RapidMask module. The Rapid Mask process creates two new channels on the
Channels panel ("Lum Lock" and "Rapid Mask") as a "memory" for creating
luminosity and other masks. In previous versions of the panel, these memory
channels persisted until the user intentionally deleted them. In some situations
this can be helpful since the Rapid Mask could be reused for multiple output options
without having to recreate it. However, some users always wanted to start with a
fresh mask anyway. The "Keep Channels panel clean" option lets users choose
which they prefer. The default is to have this option unchecked so that the memory
channels are NOT automatically deleted. This mirrors the behavior of these
channels in the V6 panel. Checking this option will delete these channels anytime
an output (except for the Save option) is invoked or when turning off Layer Mask
Mode by un-checking the "Layer Mask" checkbox and returning to Rapid Mask
Mode. These are the times when it's most likely that the user would prefer to have
the Channels panel cleaned of masks generated by the panel. NOTE: The Save
output button does NOT clean the Channels panel because when saving the mask,
the user often still wants to immediately use the mask for some other output
purpose with one of the other buttons in the OUTPUT section.

Auto-hide selection edges. Because the RapidMask module provides an

integrated 16-bit workflow, selections from luminosity masks are less necessary
than in previous versions of the panel. The most common use for them is to paint
through them so that the active selection guides where paint lands on a layer mask
(mask painting) or on a pixel layer (luminosity painting). In both these cases it's
advantageous to have the selection edges (marching ants) turned off so they don't
interfere with user's evaluation of how the painting is affecting the image. As such,
there is now a setting in the settings window called "Auto-hide selection edges"
that, when checked, automatically hides the selection edges for selections created
using the Selection output option. It's recommended to leave this settings
checkbox checked unless you prefer to see the selection edges and to turn them off
manually if you if don't want them. Even without the selection edges appearing,
the active selection indicator still turns on to provide an indication that the Rapid
Mask has successfully been loaded as a selection and that the selection is active
and ready to be painted through.

Quick Paint buttons. As mentioned above, one of the most common uses of
luminosity masks is to make a selection from a mask and then paint through that
selection onto a layer mask to either reveal or conceal the contents of that layer.
The new Quick Paint buttons on the RapidMask module significantly improve the
efficiency of preparing for mask painting. There are two Quick Paint buttons: a
White Mask/Black Brush button and a Black Mask/White Brush button. If mask

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painting is the goal, one of them can be clicked AFTER using the Selection button to
load the current Rapid Mask as a selection (that's why they're located next to the
Selection button). Both buttons do five tasks in a single click:

1) Creates a layer mask on the active layer that matches the background
color of the button. A white background on the button means the layer mask is
also white, indicating that it is a Reveal All mask, revealing all contents of the layer.
The black background button creates a black, Hide All layer mask to completely
hide all contents of the layer.
2) Activates the Paintbrush tool.
3) Sets the brush color to the opposite color of the mask (the color of the
brush icon on the button). This allows painting through the active selection to
counter what the mask is doing, which is the primary purpose of mask painting.
4) Makes the layer mask the active painting canvas. This insures the paint
goes on the mask on not on the image.
5) Makes sure the active layer's visibility is turned on. It's important to be
able to see the layer in order to evaluate the mask painting on the overall image.

Now all that's left to do is choose the brush size and opacity and start painting on
the on-screen image. Everything else has been taken care of by the Quick Paint
button.

Filter mask. The Apply output button now has a small secondary option designated
"FM" to make filter masks instead of layer masks. Filter masks are only available
on Smart Object layers where there are smart filters already present. A filter mask
filters the smart filters according to the mask. The rest of the Smart Object is
unchanged. So a filter mask on a smart object layer can actually take the place of
two or more pixel layers depending on the filters that are applied. It's a somewhat
advanced application and will be most useful to users already familiar with Smart
Object layers.

Multi-dimension web-sharpening. Several users requested independent

dimensions for vertical and horizontal images for web-sharpening. This is now
available in the Combo/Cx and Batch modules with separate input boxes for the two
dimensions. It allows users to enter both vertical and horizontal dimensions and
then resize and sharpen their image to correspond to the dimension of their
choosing. The "Fit" button is also still available. It now resizes and sharpens the
image to fit in a box defined by the Vertical and Horizontal input values. This
should be a useful addition for users who sharpen landscape and portrait images to
different dimensions when preparing them for the web.

New/Updated Actions. There are several new actions in the TK► menu:

1) Freehand vignette. After creating an outline of the desired vignette using the
Lasso tool, this action turns it into an actual vignette for the image. The action
stops at the Gaussian Blur to allow setting the blur radius of the vignette that best
matches the image.

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2) Spotlight. This action is sort of the opposite of the freehand vignette. The
user again first uses the Lasso tool to select part of the image. Then, clicking this
menu item creates a spotlight affect within the selection. The Gaussian Blur dialog
again opens to allow for adjusting the size of the blur radius.
3) RBG ↔ Lab. For those who like to use LAB Color mode for some adjustments,
this action creates the LAB workspace as a smart object and then can also save the
LAB adjustments back to the smart object in the original document.
4) Dehaze. This is an action Sean Bagshaw contributed to the panel that sort of
works like the dehaze feature in ACR/LR. It increases saturation and contrast in a
manner that cuts through atmospheric haze but without the color shift that
sometimes accompanies the ACR/LR slider. It's also adjustable after the action
runs.
5) Add Color. While this action has been available in the previous version, it now
uses a new method that allows previewing the effect the color will have on the
image and even the ability to change the color later on.

Updates on all modules. Several features have been upgraded that affect the
interface on all modules. These are meant to improve the user experience when
using the panel.

1) Buttons are 20% larger. Easier to see, easier to click.

2) Rollover help. This is now accessed by holding down the ALT key (Mac: option
key) and rolling the mouse over a button or feature on the panel. The help
message for that button will then appear at the top or bottom of the module.
NOTE: Do NOT click on the button when the ALT/option key is depressed. Simply
roll the mouse over the button to see the help message.
3) More icons. Icons have replaced written button names in many places to
create a cleaner look and to provide a more universal interface since TKActions
users speak many different languages. If you're not sure what an icon means, roll
the mouse over the button while depressing the ALT/option key. The help message
that appears will tell you what the button does.
4) Settings access. There are two ways to access the settings for a module.
a) Click the "TK" icon on the module
b) Click "Settings…" from the fly-out menu in the upper right corner of the
module.
Settings are where the module's language, color, and active selection indicator can
be customized to the user's preference.
5) Easy update. Settings from the previous V6 panel are automatically imported
when the TK7 modules are installed. Language choice and personal action names
transfer from the previous version.

NEW FEATURES (September 2019 update).

1. Image/Mask (I/M) toggle button. Instead of two different buttons to switch

between the image view and the mask view, the updated version now has just one
I/M button that does both. If the mask is being viewed, the I/M button switches to
a view of the image, and if the image is displayed on−screen, the I/M button

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switches to a view of the mask. This makes it easy to quickly switch between the
mask and the image by pressing the same button repeatedly.

2. My Channels. The SOURCE > Channel menu in the RapidMask module has a
new item at the bottom called "My Channels." Clicking it opens a new window on
the module that lists the user's alpha channels by name that have been saved on
the Channels panels. An Active Selection button and a Current Layer Mask button
are also displayed in the new window if these items are present in the current state
of the image. When one of these buttons is clicked, that channel (or active
selection) becomes the new Rapid Mask in the Rapid Mask engine. Once this
occurs, then all the buttons in the MASK, MODIFY, and OUTPUT section of the
module can be used with it. My Channels is a great way to bring the user's
personal masks into the Rapid Mask process for calculations using the mask
calculator or for outputting using the buttons in the OUTPUT section.

3. Infinity Color Masks. The Choose item in the SOURCE > Color menu has
been repurposed to allow users to create highly accurate and infinitely adjustable
masks based on color. These masks are essentially a "Magic Wand" tool specifically
for color. They are very much like luminosity masks except they are based on color
instead of pixel brightness. Like luminosity masks, these new color masks feather
seamlessly into the surrounding colors. Luminosity masks opened a whole new way
to adjust images based on tonal brightness, and these infinity color masks will do
the same thing for color.

NEW FEATURES (June 2020 update)

1. The Go module. An entirely new module for making pixel-based masks using
mask previews is now available. It still provides real-time, 16-bit masks, but it
organizes the most common ways of generating, modifying, and outputting them
into a single interface. The Go module also upgrades Infinity Color masks and
provides an entirely new method for making Zone masks. There is a separate
section of this instructions document that goes over all the features of the new Go
module.

2. Right-click color-tagging. This feature was added to help organize the

buttons and menus. On the Combo/Cx module, users can right-click on the buttons
to toggle between solid-color and edge-shadow color. The user's favorite buttons
can now be made solid to make them easier to find. Several menus now also have
the right-click color-tagging feature. These include the TK► actions and User►
actions on the Combo/Cx modules, the Output menu on the Go module, and the
Layer menu on the RapidMask module. In the case of these menus, right-click
opens a selection of different colors that can be assigned as the background color
for that menu item.

3. Improved User actions. There is a new Instant Action (►) button on the
Combo/Cx module to allow playing a favorite action directly from the main interface
without opening the User ► actions menu. The User ► actions process has also

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been complete redesigned. Now, recording or dragging an action into the new
TK_USER_ACTIONS action set triggers the action showing up automatically the next
time the User ► actions menu is opened. However, probably the most significant
change with regard to user actions is the ability for users to directly code their
actions into the main buttons on the panel itself. Twenty-three different buttons on
the Combo and Cx modules can now be easily re-coded to run user actions. The
names of the buttons even change to match that of the action.

4. New Combo/Cx items.

a) Live-Clipping button. Toggles a live-clipping preview on and off.
b) I/M button. Toggles between viewing the composite image and the mask on the
current layer. No need to ALT/option+click on the layer mask to view it. I/M now
toggles this for you.
c) Apply button. This is essentially a Channels panel on the Combo/Cx module.
Clicking the Apply button opens a menu of user-created channels on the Channels
panel. Clicking one applies that channel as the layer mask to the active layer. No
calculations or intervening selection is required. The module does all the work in
16-bit mode. In addition, CTRL/command+click on one of the menu items loads
that channel as a selection (just like on the Channels panel without having to go
there).
d) Paint Contrast menu item. This action is found in the Color section of the TK►
actions menu. It allows you to paint with black, white, gray, or different colors to
affect the contrast AND color of the image at the same time.
e) Soft Pop action. This action, also found in the Color section of the TK► actions
menu, subtly enhances contrast, saturation, and sharpness to quickly add a bit of
pop to any image.

VERY IMPORTANT INFORMATION

1. The TK7 modules only work in Photoshop CC and Photoshop 2020. The
advanced features cannot be programmed into panels that work in Photoshop CS6

2. Properly set up the working color space. There is a PDF called "Setting Up
the Color Working Space" in the download folder. It explains how to properly set
the color and gray working spaces in Photoshop. Be sure to read it and implement
its recommendations to get the best results when using luminosity masks.

3. The actions in the panel are meant to be used in RGB and Lab color
modes. While some actions will work in Grayscale and CYMK, the buttons have
only been tested in RGB and Lab. Not all buttons will work in Lab because
Photoshop doesn't allow that particular function. For example, it's not possible to
create a Black and White adjustment layer in Lab. As such, the menu item to
create a masked Black and White adjustment layer only works in RGB color mode.
Nothing will happen if you click it in Lab Color mode. NOTE: The Go module only
works when images are in RGB Color mode.

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4. Mask speeds will vary. The Rapid Mask engine significantly speeds up the
process of generating pixel-based masks, but speeds will vary depending on factors
such as computer speed, image size, and available memory. SOURCE masks take
longer to generate than the spectrum masks in the MASK section. Once a SOURCE
has been selected, though, spectrum masks are generated up to 90% faster than
previous methods. The Rapid Mask engine also makes deploying the mask very
fast since all the calculations have been completed for the mask when the mask is
generated.

6. Give the actions time to complete their steps. While the panel increases
speed and efficiency of many functions, it's important to keep in mind that
Photoshop is still executing numerous steps in the background each time a button
is clicked. Some of the multistep actions called by the panel are memory-intensive
and still take considerable time to execute. At other times, buttons will not work
because there is a condition, like an open dialog window, that precludes any
Photoshop function from running, including buttons and actions in the panel. While
the panel itself is nearly impossible to break, it is possible to push buttons too
rapidly or at the wrong time and end up creating error states in Photoshop. It
should be infrequent, but it's not impossible. If you do notice a predictable and
repetitive error, please contact me so I can fix it.

INSTALLATION

There are installer files in the download folder as well as instructions on how to use
these installers. Please be sure to read the installation PDF before installing.

NOTE: The June 2020 update to the TK7 panel contains a major change to the user
actions accessed via the User ► actions menu. You can continue using the same
actions in the most recent update, but you’ll need to drag your actions from the
“TK-User-Actions” action set to the new “TK_USER_ACTIONS” action set that gets
installed the first time you open the modules.

FEATURES COMMON TO ALL MODLES

Settings−All modules have settings specific to that

module. To access them, click the "TK" icon on the
module or click "Settings…" from the fly-out menu in the
upper right corner of the module. The settings window is
the place to set the module's language, color, and active
selection indicator.

Rollover Help−Most buttons and functions on the

modules have instant rollover help available (image at
right). Simply hold down the ALT key (Mac: option key)
and roll the mouse over a button. A pop-up help message
will appear either at the top or the bottom of the module
that describes what it does or how to use it. NOTE: Do

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not click on the button to access the help message. Simply roll the mouse over the
button’s edge while holding down the ALT/option key.

Active Selection Indicator−Each module has a built-in

active selection indicator. This indicator turns on whenever
there is an active selection. Its purpose is to remind the user
that an active selection is present even if the marching ants
have been purposely turned off or if the degree of selection is
not sufficient to generate marching ants,
such as the Midtones-1 selection.

The settings window for each module,

accessed by clicking the "TK" icon or via
the module's fly-out menu, includes four
options for displaying the active selection
indicator: Fixed, Pulse, Animated, and
Off (image at right).

"Fixed" is the default setting (image at

left). In this mode, the active selection
indicator displays as a series of red
dashes across the top of the module
when there is an active selection. The
"Fixed" setting is a good choice to start. It generally does not
require additional CPU resouces when it displays on a module.

The "Pulse" option is the same graphic as the "Fixed" option,

but it blinks on and off every second to provide a more visible
reminder that there is an active selection.

The "Animated" option (right) displays as a scrolling

series of small black and white dashes similar to the
marching ants that surround selections in Photoshop.
The continuous movement associated with this option
makes it a more obvious reminder that there is an
active selection. However, the Adobe architecture for
extension panels requires more CPU resources to
display the moving gif image of the "Animated" option.
While one animated gif on one module won't make a
noticeable difference in computer performance,
multiple gif images on multiple open modules might.

My basic strategy for selection indicators is to use

"Pulse" on all modules. "Animated" is a bit more
visual, but can take up extra computer resources. If
you want to use "Animated" for the selection indictor,
just use it on one module and set the other modules to
"Fixed," "Pulse," or "Off."

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Right-click color-tagging−Color-tagging allow users to customize their modules

to give added importance to features they use most. On the Combo/Cx module,
right clicking any button toggles between a solid-color button and edge-shadow-
color button. The following menus also have at right-click feature:
1) TK► actions on the Combo/Cx module.
2) User ► actions on the Combo/Cx module.
3) Output menus on the Go module and RapidMask module.
In the case of these menus, right-clicking opens another menu where you can
select the menu item's background color can be changed.

COMBO/CX MODULES
The Combo and Cx modules perform
identical functions. They just have
different layouts so the user can choose a
workspace configuration that works best
for them.

The Combo module (left) is the same width

as the RapidMask, Go, and Batch modules.
This makes for aligned stacking in a
dedicated panel dock in Photoshop

The Cx module (right) is tall and skinny

and is meant to be used in a different
fashion. This "toolbar" layout is similar to
the Photoshop Tools panel. It can be
conveniently tucked to the side of the
workspace so that it's functions are always
available but with a minumum horizonital
footprint to allow maximum space for
working on the image. While it's still best
to put the Cx module in a dedicated dock
to insure proper interaction with the image
workspace, it will take up less than half the width of the stacked
Combo/RapidMask module. When using the Cx module, stacking it in
the same dock as the RapidMask module is usually not recommended.
They are different widths and will not align properly resulting in
wasted space. Instead, when using the Cx module, it's usually best
to dock the RapidMask module ABOVE Photoshop's Layers panel.
Since it's not needed all the time, RapidMask can be minimized to just
its tab by double-clicking on the tab. Whenever RapidMask is need,
single-clicking its tab will instantly maximize it. This makes Cx
available all the time while still having RapidMask quickly available
when it's needed. This video by Sean Bagshaw provides a detailed

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and excellent overview on how to create a custom workspace with these different
modules.
The Combo/Cx modules have buttons for menu commands, keyboard shorcuts, and
pop-up menus from various other standard Photoshop panels. In addition to
running many common Photoshop functions, the modules have menus for creative
actions. The purpose of the Combo/Cx modules is to provide quick-click access to
these different functions.

The Combo/Cx modules use a variety of icon buttons for different commands. The
image below provides details for what each icon and abbreviated button means.

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The color of the border shadow for each button helps group buttons with similar
function together. It can be dimmed or brightened using the slider in the module's
settngs. Many of the buttons are self-explanatory, but rolling the mouse over any
button while holding down the ALT key (Mac: option key) displays its function in a
pop-up help window. These help tips are especially useful when first starting to use
this module in order to learn the functions of the icon buttons. When there is an
active selection, an active selecton indicator displays at the top of the module.

There is information on each button below (the color refers to the button's
border shadow color). Images of the Cx module are shown here, but
there are corresponding buttons and menus on the Combo module.

The one magenta button at the top left of the module

opens a menu of adjustment layer buttons. Click on this
button to open the menu. The icons on the buttons
match Photoshop's adjustment layer icons. These
adjustment layers will be created with a white, Reveal All
layer mask unless there is an active selection. If there is
an active selection (like a luminosity selection) when one
of these buttons is clicked, that selection is incorporated
into the layer mask for the adjustment layer created.
Only adjustment layers permitted by Photoshop in the
current color mode of the image can be created. For
example, an image in Lab color mode cannot have a
Selective Color adjustment layer created for it because
Photoshop does not allow this. Once an adjustment layer
is created, the Properties panel automatically opens so the user can make
the desired adjustment. New in the TK7 module is the ability to
somewhat choose where the new adjustment layer is inserted in the layer
stack. The default placement for the new adjustment layer is directly
above the current active layer. However, sometimes, like when working
INSIDE a group of layers, the goal is to make a new adjustment layer
OUTSIDE the group, and the default won't do that. Simply clicking one of
the adjustment layer buttons always places the new layer INSIDE the
group if the current active layer is inside group or if the group layer itself
is active. To change this default behavior, CTRL/command+click on the
adjustment layer button instead. Doing this automatically inserts the new
adjustment layer at the TOP of the layer stack OUTSIDE any groups that
may exist on the Layers panel.

Cyan buttons make documents available.

Open−Opens the dialog for opening an existing image.
New document−Opens a dialog for creating a new document.

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White buttons
Near the top on Cx, in the middle on Combo:
Live Clipping−Toggles a layer that creates a clipping preview for the current
document. Clipped highlights turn red and clipped shadows turn blue.
Undo−Steps back sequentially through the Photoshop history
Redo−Steps forward through the Photoshop history.
In the center on both Cx and Combo:
+/- Layer Mask−Removes a layer mask if one is present on the active layer
and adds a layer mask if there is none. If there is an active selection when a
layer mask is created, the selection is incorporated into the layer mask.
Half of this button has a translucent black overlay. If this part of the button
is clicked, a black mask (Hide All) is added to the current active layer.
+/- Clip−Turns the previous layer into a clipping mask for the active layer.
Clicking the button a second time releases the clip.
Delete Hidden Layers (lightning bolt)−Removes all layers from the Layers
panel whose visibility (the eyeball) has been turned off.
Apply−Opens a menu with button for each user-created channel on the
Channels panel. Click one to apply that channel as the layer mask on the
current active layer. An 8-bit selection is not part of this process. It's all
done using the current bit depth of your image, which is likely 16-bit.
Additional, users can CTRL/command+click on one of the buttons in the
menu to load that channel as an active selection.
I/M−Toggles between viewing the composite image and the layer mask of
the active layer. This button makes it so you don't have to ALT/option+click
on the layer mask to view it.
Red X−Toggles disable/enable for the layer mask on the active layer.
Makes it possible to quickly see if the mask is having the intended effect on
control the overall effect of the layer.

Yellow buttons determine how the image is displayed by Photoshop.

Fit−Fits the image in the existing image window space.
100%−Displays the image so one pixel in the image is displayed as one
pixel on the monitor.
Plus sign (+)−Zooms-in
Minus sign(-)− Zooms out

BRUSH ICON BUTTONS:

Black brush/white brush buttons−These buttons select the Brush tool and
set the foreground to that button's color−black or white. The background
color is set to the opposite color. There is a lot of mask-painting that
happens with either black or white paint when developing an image in
Photoshop. These buttons provide a quick way to choose the desired paint color
without clicking back and forth using the "D" and "X" keys.
Color brush−This button selects the Brush tool and opens the Photoshop Color
Picker so the user can select their desired color, usually by clicking somewhere on
the image. The foreground and background colors are set to the selected color.
The Color brush can be used to paint color on different layers.

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Gray brush−This button selects the Brush tool and sets the foreground and
background colors to 50% gray. The gray brush is a precision eraser for
pixel layers set to Soft Light, Hard Light, or Overlay blending modes. For
layers with these blending modes, 50% gray is transparent. So painting
this "color" on such a layer essentially creates transparency and reveals the
contents of the layers below. The Gray brush can be used to undo or refine
layer painting procedures, like burning and dodging.

Blue buttons change the blending mode of the active layer. The button
name determines the blending mode. If more than one layer is selected,
only the blending mode of the topmost layer is changed. In order to save
space, these buttons collapse to an abbreviated name on the module.
Rolling the mouse pointer over one of these buttons instantly expands it to a
more complete name. The expansion and contraction of these buttons can
make them jump around a bit. It's best to roll over these buttons
approaching from either above or below. Sliding the mouse along the row
sometimes means they can jump in and out from under the mouse pointer.
Approaching and rolling over from above or below expands the correct
button so it can be appropriately clicked.

Orange buttons affect the dimensions or resolution of the image. These are
useful in preparing an image for printing.
Dup Img−Creates a duplicate of the current image.
Size−Opens the Image Size dialog so the image can be resized to the
desired output size and resolution.
Flatten−Flattens the layers of the active image, often to facilitate resizing
and sharpening.
Canvas−Opens the Canvas Size dialog window.

Green buttons are generally associated with operations performed on layers

in the Layers panel. These are all icons, so it may take a bit to learn all
their functions. Use rollover help function by holding down the ALT key
(Mac: options key) to quickly see what each button does
New Layer−Creates a new, empty pixel layer. The default insertion point
for the new layer is directly above the current active layer. To insert the
new layer at the top of the layer stack, hold down CTRL/command when
clicking this button.
Merge Visible−Merges the current active layers into a new pixel layer. It's
often a good idea to use the New Layer button first to make a blank pixel
layer at the top of the layer stack to insure that the Merge Visible button
creates the merged layer in a position where it will not be affected by any
adjustment layers above it.
Invert−Inverts the contents of the layer. On adjustment layers and group layers,
the contents of the layer mask are inverted. On pixel layers without a layer mask,
the pixels are inverted. On pixel layers with a layer mask, the element contained
within the layer's framing brackets is inverted.
Duplicate Layer−Duplicates the active layer. If the active layer is a smart object,
the duplication process runs the "New Smart Object via Copy" so that the

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embedded object in the new duplicate smart object layer is independent of

the original smart object.
Smart Object−Creates a smart object of the current active layer.
CTRL/command+click creates a new layer at the top of the layer stack
merges the contents of the active layers into this new layer (merge visible),
and then turns the layer into a smart object.
Group−Puts the selected layer or layers into a group. More than one layer
can be selected to be included in the group. If there is an active selection, it
is turned into a mask for the group. If there is no active selection, then the
group is given a white (reveal-all) layer mask. The left half of this button
has a black overlay. Clicking this part of the button creates the group layer
with a black (Hide All) layer mask. The Group button is particularly useful
for the masking-the-mask technique described in Sean Bagshaw's videos.
Delete Layer−Deletes the active layer. This is a particularly useful button
for experimentation. If an experiment doesn't work, click the Delete Layer
button and try something else. If multiple layers are selected they are all
deleted.
Burn−Creates a "Burn" pixel layer set to Soft Light blending mode for
painting black to darken image contents below the layer. Once the layer is
created this action also selects the Brush tool and changes the foreground
color to black in preparation for burning. A transparent layer is created by
the right half of the button. A transparent burn layer makes it easy to
Ctrl+click (Mac: command+click) on the layer thumbnail to create a
selection of its contents, which can be useful for additional adjustments and
masks. The left half of this button has a gray overlay. Clicking the gray
half of the button fills the layer created with 50% gray. This can be useful
when turning off the visibility of other layers to see what has been painted
on the Burn layer. While the user can choose between a transparent and
50% gray Burn layer, the actual results of painting on this layer will be the
same.
Dodge−Creates a "Dodge" pixel layer set to Overlay blending mode for
painting white to lighten the contents below the layer. Once the layer is
created this action also selects the Brush tool and changes the foreground
color to white in anticipation of dodging. The button can create two
different types of layers: transparent and gray-filled. A transparent layer
is created by the right side of the button. Transparency makes it easy to
Ctrl+click (Mac: command+click) on the layer thumbnail to create a
selection of its contents, which can be useful for additional adjustments and
masks. The left half of this button has a gray overlay. Clicking the gray
half of the button fills the layer created with 50% gray. This can be useful
for turning off the visibility of other layers to see what has been painted on
the Dodge layer. While the user can choose between a transparent and 50% gray
Dodge layer, the actual results of painting on this layer will be the same.

Purple buttons are some miscellaneous functions. These actions need to be allowed
by Photoshop in order for the buttons to work. If nothing happens when a button is
clicked it means that Photoshop cannot perform the action. Example: A Gaussian
Blur is not possible on an adjusment layer without a layer mask.

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Stroke−Opens the Stroke dialog window. There are lots of rules in

Photoshop as to when it's possible to use the stroke function. If this function
doesn't work, it's possible that you've violated one of Photoshop's rules
which make the stroke function unavailable. If that happens, a message is
displayed that reviews some of the rules. One of the safest things to do
before using the stroke function is to make an active selection of the edge
that you want to stroke.
Fill−Opens the Fill dialog window.
Blur−Opens the Gaussian blur dialog window.
ACR−Opens the dialog for the Camera Raw filter. This filter only works on a
pixel layer or smart object layer. If the button is clicked when another type
of layer is active, a pixel layer is automatically created at the top of the layer
stack and the contents of the other layers are merged into the new layer
(merge visible) so that the filter can be opened. If the ACR button is clicked
on a smart object layer, the results become a smart filter within that smart
object.
CAF−Opens the Content-Aware Fill dialog window normally found in the
menu Edit > Content-Aware Fill... This function was introduced in Photoshop
CC 2019, so it only works in this and later versions of the application.
Content-Aware Fill requires an active selection of the area to be filled. Use a
selection tool, like Lasso or Marquee, to create that selection before clicking
the CAF button. Normally, Content-Aware Fill also requires that the active
layer be a normal pixel layer. However, the panel checks the current layer
type and creates a new pixel layer with a merged composite image if need
be. So an active selection is the only requirement to use the CAF button
since the action can automatically generates the normal pixel layer if the
current active layer is a different type.

Red buttons are associated with selections, masks, and the Channels panel.
Inverse−Inverts the current selection.
+/- Select−This button toggles between Photoshop's Deselect and Reselect
commands.
S&M (Select & Mask)−In Photoshop CC 2015.5 and later, this button opens
the "Select and Mask" dialog. In Photoshop CC 2015 and earlier, this button
opens the Refine Edge dialog box if there is an active selection, or opens the
Refine Mask dialog if there is a layer mask on the active layer.
Save−Opens the Save Selection dialog window so the active selection can be
saved as a channel mask on the Channels panel.
+/- selection borders−A toggle button to turn the selection borders
(marching ants) off and on.
Red X−Toggles disable and enable of the layer mask on the active layer.
Allows seeing the effect the mask is having on filtering the adjustment created by
the layer.
Clear channels (trashcan icon)−Removes non-color channel masks (alpha channels)
from the Channels panel.

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Web-Sharpen section
The Web-Sharpen section of the Combo/Cx modules
is a quick way to prepare any full-size image for
presentation in a web browser. It uses an algorithm
that has its origin in this post by Alex Nail:
http://www.alexnail.com/blog/tutorials/resize-and-
sharpen-for-web/. The module includes several
modifications that appear to be beneficial for most
images and that allow the user to further customize
how their images are sharpened for the web.

In the Web-Sharpen section, the user

enters values the algorithm uses for
sharpening. The sharpening action then
duplicates the current image and sharpens
it according to these parameters. The
image to the left shows the Layers panel
for the sharpened image. The module
remembers what the user enters as
parameter values and these become the default the next time that web-
sharpening is used.

The TK7 panel now allows separate input values for the vertical and
horizontal dimensions of the final sharpened image. Simply click in the
input box next to the Vert or Horz button to enter a value, in pixels, that
corresponds to that dimension.

The Opacity parameter is the opacity, in percent (1 to 100), of the "TK

Web-Sharpening" group that actually sharpens the image. A higher value
causes the final web-sharpened image to be sharper. This value can vary
depending on the image. An Opacity setting of 50% is a good starting
point. Images with lots of detail or large output size can often handle a
higher Opacity setting. Images that are grainy or with soft, smooth
features might benefit from a lower value. The user's workflow can also
affect the Opacity setting. If significant sharpening has already been
added during RAW file conversion, for example, then a lower Opacity
setting might work better.

The Extra Sharp parameter provides a checkbox that, when checked,

disables the layer mask on the Sharpen #2 layer. This mask has the effect
of confining sharpening to darker values in the image in order to prevent
light halos from appearing in the sharpened image. For highly detailed
images, though, these halos might not be a problem, and disabling the
mask by checking Extra Sharp might look OK. However, disabling this
mask can cause the web-sharpened image to look a bit crispy sometimes.
The mask can be re-enabled with a Shift+click on the mask (or by using
the red X button) in the sharpened version.

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The Action checkbox makes it possible to automatically play an action

after the image has been sharpened and resized. Checking this box
causes the "Post-Sharpen Action" in the "TK-User-Actions" action set on
Photoshop's regular Actions panel to be played at the end of the
sharpening process. The "TK-User-Actions" action set installs
automatically when the Combo/Cx modules are first opened in
Photoshop CC. The "Post-Sharpen Action" is blank when the action set
installs. It is up to the user to record their own steps into the action.
Whatever is recorded will be played after the image is resized and
sharpened if the Action checkbox is checked. As an example, adding a
watermark to the image is a common task that works when recorded as
the "Post-Sharpening Action." Sean Bagshaw demonstrates how to
create a watermark in this YouTube video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-GLKpfnW8Q4. He also shows how
to assign a user created action to one of the personal actions in the "TK-
User-Actions" action set in this video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_XIWCOefqXk.

The sRGB parameter is also a checkbox. Checking it means the web-

sharpened image is converted to the sRGB color profile as part of the
action. The sRGB profile is often preferred for images posted on the
internet.

Once the parameters are set, the user clicks the Vert, Horz or Fit button
to run the web-sharpen action. If Vert is clicked, the input value next to
the Vert button becomes the final vertical dimension of the web-
sharpened image. Clicking the Horz button makes it so the dimension
entered in the input box next to the Horz button becomes the final
horizontal dimension of the web-sharpened image. The Fit button
downsizes and sharpens the full-size image so that it fits within a box
created by the vertical and horizontal dimensions in corresponding input
boxes. NOTE: The orientation (portrait or landscape) and aspect ratio
of the image is NOT changed during the downsizing and sharpening
process. Even with the Fit button, the ratio of the sides of the
sharpened image are the same as original image.

After the web-sharpen action completes, the user can adjust layer
opacity or add a layer mask to restrict the sharpening to specific areas if
desired. The Combo/Cx modules can also be used to add adjustment
layers if there is need to adjust things like brightness, contrast, color, or
saturation.

Once satisfied with the web-sharpened image, clicking the Save button opens
Photoshop's (now legacy) Save for Web dialog window in order to save the image
on the computer's hard drive.

NOTE: Web-sharpening is not intended for print output. Web-sharpening and print-
sharpening are two very different processes. Web-sharpening, because it involves

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significant down-sizing of most images and display on a single medium (computer

monitor), can be programmed as a series of steps that work for all images. Print-
sharpening, on the other hand, may involve enlarging or down-sizing the image
with output on a variety of different media each requiring a different sharpening
algorithm. While everyone seems to have their own preferred print-sharpening
method, my personal recommendation is Nik Sharpener Pro. It provides a nice
variety of sharpening options, and, once the user finds what works for them on
their preferred paper, the same settings can be used repeatedly with good results.
Nik Sharpener Pro was free for a period of time, but is now available from DxO:
https://nikcollection.dxo.com

The TK► button

The TK► button opens a menu of actions useful in working with or

enhancing images. It usually will not need to be accessed as
frequently as the some of the other buttons on the Combo/Cx
modules, but in the right situation, the actions accessed here can
create some nice effects in the image or can speed up processing.
It is divided into three submenus−Actions, Color, and Blend. The
individual menu items are discussed below. This is a smart menu.
It closes automatically after running the action that was clicked.
Color-tagging is also an option for all items listed. To access it, just
right-click on any menu item and then choose a color from the pop-
up list of choice. The background color for the menu item turns that
color. Color-tagging lets you organize this list by color-coding
actions that you use most frequently.

The TK► button−ACTIONS menu

Vignette−This action creates an oval/circular vignette for the image. The

action stops to allow the user to choose the blur radius for the vignette to
facilitate the best blending of the vignette into the image. The module
makes a best guess as to what might work for the image as a starting
point, but you're free to increase or decrease the blur. The resulting
vignette will likely be a bit stronger than what is desired. Lowering the
Vignette layer opacity or painting black on the white part of the mask will
dial back the vignette to what works best for the image.

Freehand Vignette−This action is new to the TK7 panel. In order to use

it, the user first makes a freehand selection with the Lasso tool around
those parts of the image where they want the vignette. Then clicking this
menu item creates a vignette using the selection as a guide. The action
stops at Gaussian Blur so the blur radius of the vignette can be adjusted to
what works best for the image. The module makes a guess at an

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appropriate amount of blur for the vignette based on the size of the image, but this
can be adjusted in the final step. After the action is finished, use the layer's opacity
setting to strengthen or dial back the effect.

Spotlight−This action is also new to the TK7 panel and is a way to add a
lightening effect to parts of the image, often to help move the viewer's eye
to that location. It works by the user again using the Lasso tool to create a
selection that will be spotlighted. Then clicking the Spotlight menu item
runs an action to subtly lighten that part of the image. The action stops at
the Gaussian Blur so the spotlight can be adjusted to best blend into the
image. (The starting blur value is the module's best guess at what might
work.) Once the action finishes, use the Layer's opacity setting to adjust
the brightness of the spotlight.

Dehaze−I was introduced to this action by Sean Bagshaw. It creates an

effect similar to the "Dehaze" slider in Lightroom/Adobe Camera Raw when
it's pulled to the right. Clarity and contrast are added to a wide range of
midtone values so that it effectively removes the sense of atmospheric haze
in nature photographs. It's also worth trying this action on non-nature
images since the effect is quite pleasing sometimes. After the action
finishes running, there is a new "Dehaze Group" group on the Layers panel
that contains the results. There are several ways the effect can be
modulated:

1) The "Fill" slider for the "Dehaze" layer in the

group can be used to increase or decrease the
effect.
2) There is an "Adjust Dehaze" layer that is a
clipped Brightness/Contrast layer with a preset
adjustment added as part of the action. The
Properties panel for this layer can be used to
adjust the brightness of the effect. (The Contrast
slider has little effect).
3) The layer mask on the "Dehaze Group" layer
can also be painted with a black brush to mask
the effect out of various parts of the image if
that's needed.
4) The layer mask created for the "Dehaze" layer
as part of the action is somewhat important to
getting the best results. You can try replacing it
if you'd like, however, it's hard to return to the
original mask if you do, and you might just want to delete the entire group
and start over if alternative masks aren't working.

The dehaze effect is modulated by the action to look good on any size
image. Usually you can just click the Dehaze menu item and then adjust the
results with the "Fill" slider on the "Dehaze" layer as needed.

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Clarity (via smart object)−This option uses

Photoshop's High Pass filter to increase edge
contrast in the image. However, it does so in a way
that does not change color saturation. The Clarity
action stops to allow the user to select a radius
value. Choose a lower radius value (5 to 15 pixels)
if the effect is going to target light tones in the
image or to enhance fine detail. Choose a higher
radius value (30 to 60 pixels) if the effect is going
to be constrained to darker tones or for a more
artistic effect. As always, some experimentation is
useful in deciding how much clarity to add. It is
often helpful to constrain clarity to specific tonal
ranges in the image−Lights, Midtones, or Darks.
The Layer Mask Mode of the RapidMask module
makes it easy to experiment with different masks as layer masks on the
Clarity layer. In additions, since added clarity was accomplished using s
smart object, it’s possible to adjust the final result by double-clicking "High
Pass" under the "Smart Filters." This will reopen the "High Pass" dialog
where a new radius can be chosen.

+/- Dust−This menu item helps find sensor dust. It is actually a toggle
that does two different things. Clicking the menu item the first time creates
several layers at the top of the Layers panel. The image is changed to black
and white via the "Desaturate For Dust" layer. This monochrome view has
its contrast enhanced via the "Amplify Dust" Levels
adjustment layer above it to better show dust spots.
Below these two layers is a blank pixel layer called
"Heal/Clone" where the actual dust removal occurs.
The image is zoomed to 100% magnification to better
see the dust spots and the Spot Healing Brush is
activated. It's only necessary to click on the sensor
dust spots on the image to remove them. (NOTE:
Make sure that "Sample All Layers" is checked in the
Spot Healing Brush's options.) Each image is different
and it may be necessary to adjust the sliders in the
Properties panel of the "Amplify Dust" layer to better
see sensor dust. Once the dust has been removed,
click the +/- Dust menu option again to remove the
"Amplify Dust" and "Desaturate For Dust" layers since
they are no longer needed. The image will return to a
size where it fits on the screen. This will also close the TK ►
button menu. The "Heal/Clone" layer can also be used for cloning instead of
healing. To do this, just change the tool to the Clone Stamp and make sure the
tool's "Samples:" option is set to "Current & Below."

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Correct CA−Chromatic aberration (CA) is most

often seen along high contrast edges in the image
and is usually best removed by the RAW convertor
initially. Light Room and Adobe Camera RAW
generally do a good job of eliminating it. The
Correct CA option could be useful in situations
where obvious chromatic aberration remains
despite attempts to optimize its removal during
conversion of the RAW file. The
Correct CA option works simply by
creating a Gaussian Blur that blurs
away the unwanted colored edges.
The action creates a new layer in
Color blending mode and stops so
the user can zoom in and choose
the optimum pixel radius to create a CA-removing blur. The blur
necessary to remove chromatic aberration almost always produces
undesirable color changes in the rest of the image. So the action
finishes by creating a black Hide All mask on the new layer and
selecting the Paintbrush tool set to white. When the action is
finished, the user zooms in to the areas with chromatic aberration
and paints white on the mask to selectively reveal the blurred layer
without the chromatic aberration.

RBG ↔ Lab−This is another action suggested to me by Sean

Bagshaw. It allows edits in Lab Color mode to be incorporated into
an image being processed in RGB Color mode. Clicking this menu
item the first time creates a smart object of the current state of the
RGB image, opens the smart object as a new document in
Photoshop, and converts the document to Lab Color mode. From
here, the user can make edits in Lab Color Mode. Some
photographers, for example, prefer using Lab Color mode for certain
color adjustments or print sharpening. Once these edits are
completed, clicking the RBG ↔ Lab menu item a second time saves
the edits in the original smart object in the RGB document. It also
closes the Lab document. If it's necessary to revisit the Lab edits,
simply double click the smart object's thumbnail image to reopen the
Lab document. It will again open as a second document with any of
the adjustment layers previously added still intact.

Frequency Separation−This is an interesting option most often

associated with portrait photography to even out skin tone and
texture. But it can also produce useful and artistic effects with
landscape and other types of photography. This video shows how
it's created and used with portraits: https://phlearn.com/amazing-
power-frequency-separation-retouching-photoshop

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The Frequency Separation option creates a "Frequency

Separation" group on the Layers panel containing two
layers. The bottom layer, called "Color/Blur,"
contains a Gaussian blurred version of the
image. The action stops to allow the user to
enter a blur radius. Choose a radius that
blurs away some distracting tonal difference
in the image, such as a too-bright highlight,
color transition, or even a distracting
element. After clicking OK in the Gaussian
Blur dialog, the action continues and updates
the "Texture" layer so that it perfectly
counteracts the blur resulting in no noticeable
change to the image when the action
finishes. But this is where the fun begins.
Frequency separation effectively separates
color and texture so they can be managed independently. Guassian
Blur and the Clone Stamp tool are most common methods for doing
this. Below are a few suggestions, but there are no doubt many more
practical and artistic applications for Frequency Separation.

1) To create more even color transitions, make the "Color/Blur" layer

active and using the Lasso tool with a generous feathering radius select
areas with uneven color. Then Guassian Blur these areas to create the
degree of color evenness desired. The "Texture" layer above maintains
texture in these areas; only the image's color changes.

2) Use the same technique, but use the Lasso to draw around areas of
the image where a bit of Orton-like glow would look good. Again,
Gaussian Blur the selected area, being sure to select the same blur
radius that was used when the Frequency Separation group was
created. This creates a subtle color-glow in the selected area with the
original texture being maintained.

3) To make a more dramatic color change, use the Clone Stamp tool.
On the "Color/Blur" layer, ALT+click (Mac: option+click) on the area
whose color is to be sampled. Then use the Clone Stamp tool to paint
this color on the area where the color change is desired. The color
changes to the sampled color (and can be aligned to the sampled area
via the options bar), but the texture remains the same because it's
controlled by the "Texture" layer. Using the Clone Stamp tool at lower
opacity allows the color change to be built up gradually using multiple
mouse clicks (or click-and-drags). This technique can be used to help
manage lens flare.

4) To change the texture of an area, use the Clone Stamp tool on the "Texture"
layer with the "Sample:" option set to "Current Layer." This is a particularly
effective technique if the blur radius selected when creating the Frequency

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Separation group is sufficiently large to blur away a particularly

distracting element in the image. Then, cloning in new texture similar to
the texture surrounding that item on the "Texture" layer effectively
eliminates the element from the image. The blurred color from the
"Color/Blur" layer comes through, and the texture, if sampled correctly
from an adjacent area, matches the surrounding texture.

Lights TP/Darks TP−The Triple Play (TP) is a technique that uses

luminosity masks on adjustment layers to simultaneously affect
brightness, contrast, and detail in an image. It uses multiple layers, and
the user controls the effect by choosing which layers to make visible. The
Triple Play was originally released in 2011 in Version 1 of the TKActions
panel. It survived in the panel through Version 3 as a series of 36
buttons so that the different variables (Lights/Darks, Curves/Levels, and
pixel blur) could be controlled by the user. The Version 4 panel did not
include the Triple Play technique. I was personally using it less as I
learned new ways to use luminosity masks. Additionally, coding those 36
buttons into the V4 panel would have been a Herculean task. However,
the absence of the TP in the V4 panel prompted emails of dismay from
several users who had developed their own way of using this technique in
their workflow. I said I would try to bring it back and am glad to say it's
present again starting in the V6 panel. It's been reduced to just two
menu options, Lights TP and Darks TP. The user is prompted for their
preferred blur radius at the start, and then the masked layers are
generated as Curves adjustment layers. There is a 39-page PDF that fully
explains how to use the Triple Play included in the tutorials associated
with the panel. To access this tutorial, click the TK button in the settings
window of either the Combo or Cx module. This will open a browser
window where you can download this PDF tutorial plus several others.

The TK► button−COLOR menu

The options in this sub-menu are a collection of actions that can alter,
enhance, and correct image color.

Add Color−This action is a technique I learned from a Ryan Dyar video.

Ryan's method was essentially to burn and dodge with color instead of
just using black and white paint. The TK7 panel improves on this by
using a Solid Color adjustment layer instead. The way it works is to first
click the Add Color menu item. It creates the Solid Color adjustment
layer and sets the blending mode to Soft Light. When the Color Picker
opens, choose a color that you want to add to the image, maybe only in a certain
part. The preview will show the color across the entire image at full strength, but
you'll be able to actually paint it in as you like later. The preview just lets you pick
a good starting color. After the color is chosen, the adjustment layer's layer mask
is inverted so that it becomes a Hide All layer mask. The action finishes by
choosing a white brush at 20% opacity. At this point, simply adjust brush size and
start painting on the image. White paint will be slowly applied to the layer mask

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revealing the adjustment layer's underlying color in just those parts of the
image where you paint. Use multiple brush strokes to gradually build up
the effect in a realistic manner. After the color starts to show in the image,
it's also possible to fine-tune it by double-clicking the layer icon and
choosing a different color when the Color Picker opens. It's also possible to
clip additional adjustment layers to this layer to further refine the painted
area, like making it darker or lighter with a Curves or Levels adjustment.

Soft Pop−This is a technique originally created by Bruce Bartholomew. It’s

a one-click method to subtly boost contrast, saturation, and sharpness
throughout the image. It works fine on many images but the opacity of the
final layer can be lowered if it’s too strong.

Paint Contrast−This is another technique I learned from Bruce

Bartholomew. The action creates a layer where you can paint in contrast
and color at the same time. Paint with 50% gray to add contrast to all
tones. Paint with black to primarily darken shadows. Paint with white to
primarily brighten highlights. Or paint with varying shades of gray to affect
varying zones of the image. Adding color to the paint adds that color to the
image predominantly in the tones being affected by the simultaneous
lightening/darkening effect.

Orton Effect−The Orton Effect was originally an

in-camera technique developed by Michael Orton
using transparency film to make photographs look
more like paintings. You can read more about on
Michael Orton's website. Photoshop makes it
easy to create a similar effect during post-
processing, and the Orton Effect option offers a
starting point. It creates a degree of blur and
color intensification for the image that provides a
nice glow in many situations. The action stops at
the blur step so the user can enter a Guassian Blur
radius that best suits their image. Photoshop-
produced Orton Effects are generally too strong
unless starting with a dull image. So lowering the
Orton Effect group opacity can help moderate the
effect produced by the action. However, a better
alternative is to add a Lights- or Midtones-series luminosity mask to the
Orton Effect group layer. The Orton Effect can over-saturate dark colors
sometimes, so targeting the effect to lighter tones or midtones is often beneficial.
The Layer Mask Mode in the RapidMask module makes it easy to try different
luminosity masks on this final group layer to see what works best. By using a
luminosity mask, layer opacity needs to be adjusted less and the tone-targeted
effect will have greater impact.

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Smart Orton−This action attempts to give photographers

more control over the different aspects of the Orton
Effect. It's loosely based on a soft glow technique that
Sean Bagshaw shared with me. Shadow darkening,
highlight lightening, blur radius, un-blurring, and contrast
can all be addressed in the layers created in the Smart
Orton group that this action creates. Shadows and
Highlights can be adjusted by changing the
opacity of the correspondingly named layers.
Gaussian Blur can be changed by double-clicking
"Gaussian Blur" in the "Smart Filters" of the
"Shadows/Blur" layer. The "Un-Blur" layer offers
a unique method to moderate or completely
remove the spatial pixel blur introduced as part
of creating the Orton Effect while leaving the
color blur intact. The image's original sharpness
and contrast are maintained even as the Orton
Effect's color-enhancement-via-blur is added.
Setting this layer's opacity to 0% provides the
standard Orton Effect. As the layer's opacity is
increased, the blurriness of the Orton Effect is
decreased but the color blur is still visible. Opacity of 40% is the default
setting for this layer. At this setting the image generally still has some
Orton Effect spatial blur and plenty of color blur. But every image is
different, so it's worth experimenting with this layer's opacity to see what
works best. The "Adjust Contrast" layer is simply a Curve adjustment
layer to allow a contrast adjustment as part of this action. As with many
of the actions in these menus, adding a luminosity mask to the "Smart
Orton" group layer is a good way to confine the effect to specific tones.

Color Lum−This is an action for adjusting brightness of different colors

and is based on a tip in this YouTube video by Jesús Ramirez:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PyPMM3HFSzg. Clicking this option
creates a Black and White adjustment layer set to Luminosity blending
mode. The color sliders in the layer's Properties are initially set so that
there is no change to the image. When the action completes, the
Properties panel is opened so the user can move the sliders to adjust the
brightness of the various color ranges lighter or darker. Even better, the
targeted-adjustment tool can be used to click and drag on the image itself
to change the brightness of the chosen colors. While a Black and White
adjustment layer is used for this action, the image is NOT converted to
black and white. The Luminosity blending mode makes it so that only
color luminosity is affected. NOTE: Color Lum only works in RGB Color
mode; it does not work in Lab.

Neutralize Cast 1−This menu option uses the "Neutralize" option in

Photoshop's Match Color dialog window to create a best guess at the
correct color balance for the image. Since this is a one-click action, the

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results won't automatically be good or even expected. Often, however, there is

something useful in the outcome, so lowering layer opacity or applying a luminosity
mask using the Layer Mask Mode in the RapidMask module can provide a degree of
control as to how this action ultimately affects the image. NOTE: Neutralize Cast 1
only works in RGB Color mode; it does not work in Lab.

Neutralize Cast 2−This action provides

another method to counterbalance a color cast
in the image with more control than the
previous option. It's a variation on a technique
described by Blake Rudis. Neutralize Cast 2
creates a Solid Color adjustment layer whose
color is a negative of the Blur Average for all
pixels in the image. It is set to Soft Light blend
mode and provides a neutralization effect of
the images image's "average" color. Beyond
that, though, a Hue/Saturation adjustment
layer is clipped to the Solid Color layer. This
allows additional control over the neutralizing
color. The Saturation and Lightness sliders are
particularly useful. The Saturation slider
increases or decreases the strength of the
neutralizing color depending on the direction it
is moved. The Lightness slider increases or
decreases the brightness of the neutralizing
color. These two adjustments allow such fine
control of the images color cast that it's worth
experimenting with this action at least once on
most images since it can help impart a very
natural look when done right. In addition, a
luminosity mask can be added to the Solid
Color adjustment layer or the layer mask can
be painted appropriately to confine the effect to
specific parts of the image.

Make-It-Glow—This action imparts a glowing

quality to the image. It is like a mild Orton
Effect except that only the color is blurred; the
underlying texture is not. It is described in the
Make-It-Glow tutorial included in the tutorials
that can be downloaded using the TK button in
the settings window for the Combo/Cx modules. The action stops to allow
the user to input a pixel radius for the Gaussian Blur step. A good starting
point is the megapixel count of the image's original capture, i.e. a 24-pixel
radius Gaussian Blur for an image from a camera with a 24-megapixel
sensor. The module now has a feature to make a best-guess calculation as
to what this initial blur radius should be.

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Color Clone−This action creates a pixel layer set

to "Color" blending mode. It is used for changing
color in the image while maintaining the
underlying texture. This is described in detail in
the Cloning Color, Retaining Texture tutorial. The
basic technique is to first make the necessary
layer by clicking the Color Clone menu item.
Then select an appropriately sized and feathered
brush to match the area to be painted. Next,
Alt+click (Mac: option+click) on a color to paint
with from another part of the image. This selects
the desired color that will be cloned into the mis-
colored area. Painting the new color on the "Color
Clone" layer changes the area's color, but not the
underlying texture. It's usually best to start with
a low-opacity brush and slowly build up the effect using multiple brush
strokes and multiple color samples.

The TK► button−BLEND menu

Stack−This action stacks all images open in Photshop into one document
with each image becoming a layer in the document. The layers are given
names that match the name of the original image and each is given a layer
mask. The original images are closed as part of the stacking process. The
Stack action is useful for images that will be composited from multiple
exposures. Exposure-blending and focus-blending are examples of
situations where the Stack action might be useful if there are separate
images open in Photoshop that need to be stacked into one document.

Align−The action executes Photoshop's Edit > Auto-Align Layers… menu

command. It is intended to be used after the Stack action to insure that
the image layers stacked in the Layers panel are properly aligned with each
other in case the camera shifted between exposures or if resizing occurred
as a result of focus shift. NOTE: This action does NOT work on smart
object layers since Photoshop's Auto-Align Layer… command only aligns
non-smart object layers.

Focus Blend−This action executes Photoshop's Edit > Auto-Blend Layers…

menu command with the "Stack Images" and "Seamless Tones and Colors"
options turned on. This action is the final step in what is frequently
referred to as "focus stacking." It should be use AFTER the Stack and Align actions.
Photoshop does a pretty good job focus-blending multiple images, but it's always a
good idea to examine the output at high magnification and paint black or white
appropriately on the layer masks in case Photoshop didn't quite get it right. NOTE:
Again, this action does NOT work on smart object layers since Photoshop's Auto-
Blend Layer… command only works on non-smart object layers.

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The User► button

The User ► button opens a menu that provides access

to your personal actions located in the
"TK_USER_ACTIONS" action set on Photoshop's
regular Actions panel. This action set is automatically
installed on Photoshop’s regular Actions panel the first
time you open the Combo, Cx, or Batch modules.
Fifteen (15) different actions can be displayed in this
menu. You can record actions in this action set or
drag them in from other actions sets on your Actions
panel. Once they are inside the "TK_USER_ACTIONS"
action set, they will automatically be displayed in the
menu when the User ► button is clicked using the
name you have assigned to the action in the action
set. To play the action, simply click the name on the
menu. After running the action the menu automatically closes.

NOTE #1: If you want to use actions from a previous TK panel, go to

Photoshop’s regular Action panel and simply drag those actions from the "TK-
User-Actions" action set to the new "TK_USER_ACTIONS" action set. They will
then be automatically displayed when you click the User ► button.

NOTE #2: Only letters and numbers should be used for naming actions added
to the "TK_USER_ACTIONS" action set. Special characters, like &, >, and <,
are not accepted and will cause an error when trying to play the action from
the panel.

Instant Action (►) button

Between the TK► and User ► buttons on the main

interface, there is now a single right-pointing arrow
button (►). This is the new Instant Action button that
runs the "Instant Action" action in the
"TK_USER_ACTIONS" action set on Photoshop's regular
Actions panel. Once you record an action into the
"Instant Action" action, it can be played directly from
the main interface of the Combo/Cx panel without
opening the User ► actions menu. The Instant Action
is one that you use all the time where having it readily
available would be most efficient.

NOTE #1: The name of this action in the

"TK_USER_ACTIONS" action set should not be changed.
When you click the Instant Action (►) button, it specifically looks for the "Instant
Action" action within this action set. So record or your preferred action directly into

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this "Instant Action" action to insure the Instant Action (►) button can properly find
it.

NOTE #2: Only letters and numbers should be used for naming actions added to
the "TK_USER_ACTIONS" action set. Special characters, like &, >, and <, are not
accepted and will cause an error when trying to play the action from the panel.

User-programmable buttons
Twenty-three buttons on the Combo
and Cx modules can now be
reprogrammed by the user to play
actions from Photoshop’s regular
Actions panel. This is a new feature
in the June 2020 update and is
available in all the blend mode
buttons and all the buttons with
orange, purple and red edge
shadows. To use them, first drag an
actions or record some into the
"TK_BUTTON_ACTIONS" action set on Photoshop’s regular Actions
panel. This action set was added to the Actions panel the first time
you opened the Combo or Cx modules. Then, CTRL/command+click
on one of the available buttons that can be used for this (blend mode,
orange, purple and red buttons). This opens a new menu listing the
actions in "TK_BUTTON_ACTIONS" action set. Click on the one you’d
like to be associated with this button going forward. The action's
name now appears on the button and each time you click it, it runs the
matching action in the "TK_BUTTON_ACTIONS" action set.

NOTE #1: It’s best to give the actions in the "TK_BUTTON_ACTIONS"

action set names that contain five to nine characters to make sure the
name fits on the button that will be playing the action.

NOTE #2: Only letters and numbers should be used for naming
actions added to the "TK_BUTTON_ACTIONS" action set. Special
characters, like &, >, and <, are not accepted and will cause an error
when trying to play the action from the panel.

NOTE #3: To return the button to its original function,

CTRL/command+click on the button and click the Reset Default button
in the menu.

NOTE #4: If there are no actions in the "TK_BUTTON_ACTIONS"

action set, the menu to choose an action to associate with a button will
NOT be available. So be sure to add at least one action to the
"TK_BUTTON_ACTIONS" action set before using this feature.

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NOTE #5: If you change the name of an action in the "TK_BUTTON_ACTIONS"

action set after associating it with a particular button on the Combo or Cx module,
you will have to CTRL/command+click on the button again an associate the new
action name with that button.

Right-click color-tagging
All buttons on the Combo and Cx modules can now be
made more prominent by right-clicking on them.
Doing so changes the colored border shadow at the
edge of the button into a solid color that spreads
across the entire button. Color-tagging can be useful
for highlighting buttons that are frequently used or
those that have been reprogrammed with the user’s
personal actions.

Color-tagging is also an option in the TK► button and

User ► button menus. Simply right-click any menu
item and choose a new background color for that item.
Color-tagging can make it easier to find your favorite
actions when you open these menus.

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RAPIDMASK MODULE

The TK7 RapidMask module is the control center for making, modifying, and
deploying an infinite number of pixel-based masks. While luminosity masks are the
primary masks generated by most users, they're really only the beginning of what
the RapidMask module can do. Channel masks, color masks, and
saturation/vibrance masks can all be created just as easily with this module. The
RapidMask module can easily access a wide range of pixel data and turn it into 16-
bit masks that target tone, color, or saturatation at the pixel level. These pixel-
based masks perfectly reflect fine differences across the entire image so that each
mask insures a perfect blend when it's used on layers that alter the image.

While there are lots of buttons and options within the

RapidMask module, the interface is designed to create a
logical workflow. The module is partitioned into sections
where the function of each section is stated at the
top−SOURCE, MASK, MODIFY, and OUTPUT. In
addition, the sections are numbered. The normal
process for creating and using a mask, especially for
people new to luminosity masks, is from top-to-bottom.
The 1-2-3-4 process is meant to help beginners learn to
use these techniques. More experienced users will be
able to jump around the panel a bit to access different
features based on what the image needs, but they will
still be moving generally from top-to-bottom as they
create the right mask for their image.

The TK7 version of the RapidMask module also brings a

number of improvements over previous versions.
Single-slider modify, quick-paint buttons, color-zone
masks, channel cleaning, selection edges that are
automatically hidden, and new MODIFY and OUTPUT
options are discussed below.

Settings−There are two new settings options in the

TK7 RapidMask module:

• Keep Channels panel clean

• Auto-hide selection edges

Keep channels panel clean makes it so the channels

used to generate Rapid Masks are deleted whenever
the user deploys a Rapid Mask using the OUTPUT
section of the panel. So clicking any of the menu items
displayed by the Layer button, or clicking the Selection
button or Apply button removes the "Lum Lock" and
"Rapid Mask" channels from the Channels panel once
the deployment of the Rapid Mask is complete. This

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essentially makes the Rapid Mask channel one-time-use since it is deleted if the
Keep Channels panel clean checkbox is checked. There are some advantages in
doing this. The Channels panel is kept free of extra masks, image file size and
scratch memory requirements are reduced, and the RapidMask module
automatically uses fresh pixel data from the current state of the image the next
time it creates a mask (there's no risk of using older pixel data when making a new
Rapid Mask). The disadvantage of checking the Keep Channels panel clean
checkbox is that the Rapid Mask cannot be reused for different OUTPUT options.
The Rapid Mask is deleted with the first deployment and is therefore no longer
available for the OUTPUT buttons to use again. If you like to use the Rapid Mask
multiple times, then it's best to leave the Keep Channels panel clean checkbox
unchecked and clean the Channels panel yourself with the X button when you want
to do that. The Keep Channels panel clean option is also invoked when the user
unchecks the Layer Mask check box when leaving Layer Mask mode since this is
also a time when tasks with the current Rapid Mask are generally complete and it's
time to move on and use fresh pixel data for the next mask. The Keep Channels
panel clean option is NOT invoked when first checking the Layer Mask checkbox to
enter Layer Mask mode (since the current Rapid Mask
might still be needed to modify the layer mask) or when
clicking the Save button in the OUTPUT section (since
the mask might still need to be deployed after saving
it). The default when first opening the RapidMask
module is that the Keep Channels panel clean option is
checked. Users need to uncheck it to turn it off.
Personally, I very much like leaving the Keep Channels
panel clean checkbox checked thereby letting the
module keep my Channels panel free of the background
masks used to create and modify the Rapid Mask. The
masks deleted pretty much operate in the background
and it's easy to forget that they're present. So letting
the module automatically delete them once they've
been used makes a lot of sense. It's also important to
note that masks saved and named by the user are not
deleted when the Keep Channels panel clean checkbox
is checked. Only masks that have been created by the
module get removed.

The Auto-hide selection edges checkbox only comes into play when the Selection
OUTPUT button is clicked. Clicking the Selection OUTPUT button is often the step
right before painting through the now active selection for things like painting a
mask or luminosity painting. For these situations, the selection edges are usually
turned off anyway since they make evaluating the painting difficult. Having Auto-
hide selection edges checkbox checked simply makes it so the module hides the
edges (also know as marching ants) by default, thereby saving a step in the
painting process. The module's active selection indicator still turns on to show that
there is an active selection, but there are no marching ants cluttering the on-screen
view of image. In this way, the Auto-hide selection edges checkbox option provides
a quicker and cleaner approach to mask painting and luminosity painting.

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1. SOURCE
The SOURCE section of the module refers to the data
source for masks. Early versions of the TKActions panels
made just luminosity masks, which are based on the
luminance values for each pixel. However, there are many
pixel-based values that can be accessed in Photoshop and
turned into self-feathering masks. The SOURCE section
provides access to many of these different datasets.

The Composite button reads the luminance value for each

pixel and is the starting point for making classic luminosity
masks. Clicking this button stores the luminance data for
the entire image in a newly created "Lum Lock" channel on
the Channels panel. It also creates a "Rapid Mask"
channel equivalent to the Lights-1 mask of that data. The
"Rapid Mask" channel is displayed on-screen. So clicking
the Composite button creates an updated storage channel
for image luminance and calculates a Lights-1 mask from
this data that is shown to the user. NOTE: The Composite
button is the only actual button in the SOURCE section.
The other options (Channel, Color, and SAT) are rollover menus that automatically
expand when the mouse is rolled over them. No mouse click is needed to open
these menus.

The Channel menu offers a method for accessing

component channel data in the same way that the
Composite button accesses pixel luminance values. Red,
Green, and Blue are the component channels in RGB Color
mode. Clicking one of these choices from the Channel
menu stores the image's pixel values for that channel in
the "Lum Lock" channel and creates a Lights-1 equivalent
Rapid Mask of that data, which is displayed on-screen. If
the image is in Lab Color mode, the Channel menu choices
gather and use the L, a, and b channel data to make the
"Lum Lock" and "Rapid Mask" channels. New to the TK7
panel is the ability to make CMYK (cyan, magenta, yellow,
and black) masks. CMYK is a subtractive color model,
which means its masks are essentially negatives of the
corresponding colors. However, the TK7 inverts them
when they are generated, so they are like the RGB masks
in that lighter pixels in the mask show where that color is
more concentrated in the image. Of the new CMYK masks,
I'm finding the Black mask the most useful. I've tried it
with exposure blending with surprisingly good results.

An update to the Channel menu now has a My Channels menu item at the bottom
that allows masks the user has saved as alpha channels on the Channels panel to

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be accessed from the module. Clicking My

Channels brings up a list of the user's saved
masks as a new window on the module. An Active
Selection and Current Layer Mask button are also
included in the list if these exist at the time that
the My Channels menu item is clicked. Clicking
one of the buttons in this window turns that item
into the Rapid Mask. Then, the buttons in the
MASK, MODIFY, and OUTPUT sections of the
module can be used to modify or deploy it. The
real advantage of the My Channels option is that
the user's masks and selections can now be
incorporated into calculations done with the mask
calculator. Previously, the mask calculator was
limited to calculations involving masks generated
by the RapidMask module. Now the user's own
masks can be fed into the Rapid Mask engine so
they can be added, subtracted and intersected
along with module-generated masks.

The Color menu makes masks based on color and has been
significantly improved in TK7. Clicking one of the single-
color options on the left side of the Color menu stores the
Color Range data for that choice in the "Lum Lock" channel
and displays a Light-1 equivalent mask of the that data on-
screen. The Create option in the Color menu provides the
option to create a custom color mask. This is discussed in
more detail in a later section in this guide. The right side of
the Color menu is new in TK7 and contains new color
zones, which are calculated color combinations of adjacent
hues in the color spectrum. Some of these color zones will
be more useful than others. For example, the Blue-Cyan
color zone is a great way to target cool tones in the image.
Likewise, the Yellow-Red color zone targets warm colors.
Green-Yellow could be useful for foliage in some images
and Cyan-Green for water. It all depends on the image and
what needs to be selected. Color zone masks can be used
to target brightness/contrast changes to the specific colors
selected by the mask, and, when applied as a layer mask
on a Selective Color adjustment layer, can be used to shift
the color hue in a very precise and pleasing manner. The color-zones add new
options for selecting and making adjustments to the image, and are more precise
than luminosity masks if color is the main selection criterion. Definitely take some
time to experiment with color-zone masks to see what they can do for your images.

While the above color options can all be useful, they are, for the most part, preset
color masks. They are calculated using defined equations for specific colors or color
ranges in the image.

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A better way to build a color mask would be to allow the

user to select a color from the image and then build a mask
around that specific color. This is now possible with the
latest addition to the SOURCE > Color menu and is available
via the Choose menu item at the bottom of the left column
of color options. Clicking Choose first opens Photoshop's
Color Picker so that a color can be selected from the open
image. Clicking "OK" on the Color Picker creates an on-
screen mask preview specific for the chosen color and also
opens an "infinity color mask" window on the RapidMask
module. The new window has three sliders to allow the
mask to be fully customized (though in many cases, the
mask initially generated will be a nearly perfect match for
chosen color):

1. The Hue Range slider (top color

spectrum slider) allows the color
range to be manually adjusted based
on hue. Normally, a narrow range,
like that automatically generated and shown in the image at
the left, will produce a mask focused on a specific color.

2. The Brightness slider (bottom left) determines the

amount of white in the mask based on the degree of color
saturation. As the chosen color gets more saturated in the
image, it appears whiter in the mask. The slider is initially
set at its maximum value since most colors in photographs
aren't all that saturated. If the mask has a lot of white in it,
though (indicating that color is quite saturated in the image),
decreasing the brightness using the slider can create better
separation in the mask of the different saturation levels of
the color. NOTE: White, black and gray (and colors with
very low saturation) appear black in the mask. Remember,
this is a "color" mask, and if there is no color, then there is
nothing to be selected by the mask. Luminosity masks would
be the way to make masks and selections based on the brightness of
colorless pixels.

3. The Feather slider (bottom right) determines how the mask bleeds into
adjacent colors outside the range defined by the Hue Range slider. It's worth
noting that this feathering is hue-based. It is NOT based on similar tonal
brightness (like luminosity masks) nor is it a spatial feathering, like a blur.
Since the feathering is color-specific, it means that the color mask perfectly
feathers into adjacent colors just like luminosity masks perfectly feather into
adjacent tones. So any adjustments through these infinity color masks
seamlessly feather into the surrounding colors. There are no harsh or obvious
selection edges because color feathering provides a smooth transition.

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The I/M button toggles between viewing the mask

preview and viewing the image.

The Eye Dropper button allows the user to select a new

color from the image.

The X button closes the infinity color mask window and

deletes the mask preview.

The OK button turns the mask preview into a Rapid

Mask. When the infinity color mask window is open, it is
actually displaying a preview of the mask using different
layers on the Layers panel. There is no mask yet. The
mask is only generated once the user clicks OK. Clicking
OK generates a Rapid Mask on the Channels panel,
closes the mask preview, closes the infinity color mask
window, and displays the matching Rapid Mask on
screen. (The user won't notice any change in the on-
screen view, but a lot has happened in the background.)
Once the Rapid Mask is generated, the MASK, MODIFY, and OUTPUT sections of the
module can be used to modify it and to deploy it into the processing workflow.

For color images, infinity color masks can provide a useful alternative to luminosity
masks if color is the main criteria for selecting an area for adjustment. They are
highly specific for a given color, completely customizable, and they blend
adjustments perfectly into the surrounding pixels. Definitely give these masks a try
if you're looking to make a color-based mask.

SAT is the final choice in the SOURCE section. "SAT"

stands for "saturation," and the pixel-level dataset
accessed in this menu can be used to make Saturation and
Vibrance masks. For Saturation masks (SAT), the more
saturated a pixel's color, the brighter its value in the
mask. The opposite is true in Vibrance masks (VIB) where
the least saturated colors have the brightest values. The
SAT menu choices work like the other SOURCE options.
The saturation or vibrance pixel data is stored in the "Lum
Lock" channel. A Lights-1 equivalent Rapid Mask is
calculated using this data and displayed on the monitor for
evaluation. (The Paint button in the SAT menu provides
access to saturation painting features, which are discussed
later in this guide.)

While Composite is probably the most common SOURCE

choice since it makes classic luminosity masks, the other
SOURCE options provide additional opportunities to
experiment with different pixel-level datasets to see what
works best.

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2. MASK
The MASK section is the next stop in creating a mask.
While the SOURCE section locks pixel data into the
"Lum Lock" channel, it's the MASK section that uses it
most. The MASK section calculates all sorts of different
16-bit masks starting with the data saved in the "Lum
Lock" channel. Lights, Darks, Midtones, and Zone
masks can all be quickly generated. This section is also
where the power of the Rapid Mask engine is on full
display. Luminosity-locking pixel data in the "Lum
Lock" channel significantly reduces the time needed to
calculate a new mask. As a result, the different masks
in this section are updated and displayed at near real-
time speeds. The "Rapid Mask" channel updates each
time a MASK button is clicked, but this all happens in
the background. The user just sees new masks on their
screen so they can quickly find and choose the one they
want to use in their image.

The MASK section is a way to create entire spectrums of masks from any pixel
based data source. While the terms "Lights" and "Darks" originally referred to
luminosity masks, the concept in these names applies equally well to any mask. A
"Lights-1" mask is simply the mask based on the original data encoded into each
pixel. A "Lights-2" mask is the "Lights-1" mask multiplied by itself. Multiplication
always narrows what is revealed by the mask, so a "Lights-2" mask is always
darker than a "Lights-1" mask. And masks continue to get dark and more
restricted when moving to higher-numbered "Lights" masks.

A "Darks-1" mask is always the inverse of a "Lights-1" mask. In other words, if

"Lights-1" is the positive, then "Darks-1" is the negative. The Darks-series masks
work just like the Lights-series masks in that each higher number mask is the
previous mask multiplied by itself. So Darks-series masks also get darker and
more restricted as they progress to higher numbers.

Midtone and Zone masks are a little different. Midtone masks are calculated by
subtracting off a Lights- and Darks-series mask leaving midtone values as being
selected. Midtones-1, for example, is what's left when a Lights-1 and Dark-1 are
subtracted from the entire image.

Zone masks are small segments of the pixel-based spectrum created by subtracting
masks from within the same series. A Zone 6 mask, for example, is a Lights-1
mask minus a Lights-2 mask. Zone masks tend to be darker masks overall since
they select a smaller range of pixel-based values.

To read more about how Lights, Darks, and Midtone masks are made, please review
the original luminosity mask tutorial. To read about making Zone masks, read this
blog post. NOTE: The steps in these older tutorials have been continually updated

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over the years. The current calculation method used in the TK7 panel insures that
the resultant 16-bit masks are the best possible masks for every image.

The main point to keep in mind when using the MASK section of the RapidMask
module is that whatever the source of the pixel based data (luminance, channel,
color, or saturation), the MASK section can make an entire spectrum of masks from
that data. So it's possible to have a Zone 8 Saturation mask. Or a Lights-3 Yellow-
Red color zone mask. Or a Darks-2 Blue channel mask. It simply depends on what
data was initially selected in the SOURCE section to be locked into the "Lum Lock"
channel. The MASK section of the panel simply takes that locked data and uses it
to create a corresponding mask depending on which MASK button is clicked. The
panel is even smart enough to know that if no SOURCE is chosen initially that it will
automatically default to making standard luminosity masks using pixel luminance as
the starting point for the buttons in the MASK section.

While the theory behind these masks might sound a bit complicated, the practical
applications are much simpler. The TK7's mask-based interface means the masks
show up instantly on-screen as different MASK buttons are clicked. So the user can
make mask choices based on the masks presented on the monitor while the
background calculations happen silently in the background. For example, if one
mask seems too broad (too light), choose a different one in the series that narrows
the selected pixels. Seeing the actual masks makes it easy to find the right one,
and the speed of the RapidMask module makes it possible to quickly explore many
different possibilities.

The Pick button (eyedropper icon) in the MASK section is

one of the smartest buttons in the panel. It chooses a
Zone mask that matches where the user clicks in the
image. The corresponding Zone button on the module
then shows the accent-colored shadow so the user knows
which Zone was picked. The Pick button also keeps track
of the SOURCE the user has chosen. So, for example, if
"Blue channel" data has been saved in the "Lum Lock"
channel, then a Zone mask matching the "Blue channel"
value at the point chosen in the image is generated. The
"Pick" mask is always making its choice specific to the
saved pixel dataset as long as Photoshop's Color Picker
can access it. And this points out again how the
RapidMask module moves beyond standard luminosity
masks. It is not confined to using only pixel luminance for
its calculations. A Zone 9 Saturation mask is just as easy
to calculate for the RapidMask module as a Zone 9
luminosity mask. So while the spectrum of masks
available in the MASK section (Lights, Darks, Midtones, Zones) have their origins in
luminosity masks, the RapidMask module makes this same spectrum of masks
available for color, channel, saturation, and vibrance data.

There are few important things to keep in mind when using the MASK section.

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1. If a SOURCE has not been chosen prior to clicking one of the MASK buttons,
the button assumes the user wants a luminosity mask and will save pixel
luminance data in the "Lum Lock" channel and proceed to make standard
luminosity masks based on that data.
2. The "Lum Lock" channel saves pixel data as it appears when the SOURCE
button is first clicked. If the image has changed significantly from the point
where the luminosity lock occurred, the saved "Lum Lock" data might be
outdated. Clicking one of the SOURCE buttons is an easy way to refresh the
"Lum Lock" channel with the latest image data. The TK7 RapidMask module
now also has a "Keep Channels panel clean" option in the settings that
automatically removes the current data once the mask is deployed. It is
recommended to keep this option checked to force the panel to always
luminosity lock the freshest image data each time a mask is created using
the module.
3. The Pick button reads data from Photoshop's Color Picker in order to
determine which Zone mask to make. There is no readily available "color"
value generated by the Color Picker, so the Pick button doesn't work if one of
the options in the SOURCE > Color menu has been luminosity locked. Also,
the pick button doesn't work if a CMYK channel is the SOURCE. CMYK masks
are made from a duplicate image where pixel values have changed relative to
the original image. However, for both Color and CMYK masks, Zone masks
can still be generated for these masks using the Zone buttons on the module.

There are a few other buttons in the MASK

section. The I/M button stand for "Image/Mask."
It allows the user to switch back and forth
between viewing the Rapid Mask and viewing the
image.

The +/- buttons at the top corners of the MASK

section toggle the creation and removal of the
respective Darks-series or Lights-series of masks
on the Channels panel. Some photographers still
like to see the entire series of masks on the
Channels panel and work from there. However,
this really isn't necessary with the RapidMask
module since the individual masks can be viewed
just about as quickly by using the regular MASK
buttons. In addition, the Rapid Mask created
when using the MASK buttons offers a lot more
options in terms of modification and output
possibilities.

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3. MODIFY
While the MASK section can make a large variety of
masks, there are times when the user will want even
more control over which pixels are selected. The
MODIFY section offers a variety of different ways to
adjust the current Rapid Mask to better match the
intended use in the image. In the TK7 panel, this
section has many new features to make it even better
at quickly modifying masks to meet the user's needs.

NOTE: With the exception of the buttons for the

mask calculator, the MODIFY buttons do NOT change
the dataset that was locked into the "Lum Lock"
channel. This means that you can return to the
MASK section of the module to make a new mask
using the same dataset at any time. So if the
modification process gets out of hand, simply click
the "Lights-1" button in the MASK section to see your
original dataset as a mask and the start over at
finding the best mask and modification.

Single-slider modify. The most obvious change in the MODIFY section with TK7
is the three-handle slider with the black-to-white background gradient. This slider
is an on-module Levels adjustment. (NOTE: If you want a full dialog window for a
Levels adjustment of the Rapid Mask, CTRL/command+click on the slider instead of
dragging the handles.) The slider handles are the same as in the Levels dialog:
shadows, midtones (expressed as gamma), and highlights. They also move like the
Levels sliders with even the
midtones slider automatically
adjusting to maintain the same
gamma when either the shadow or
highlights slider is moved. Moving
the shadows slider right turns darker
gray tones in the mask black.
Moving the highlights slider left
turns lighter gray tones white.
Moving the midtones slider right
resets the midtone point to expand
dark tones in the mask and
compresses light tones (the on-
screen mask gets darker). Moving
the midtones slider left expands
light tones and compresses dark
tones (the on-screen mask gets
lighter). Just release the slider
handle to update the mask. Multiple
positions of the different slider

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handles can be tried to achieve the best mask. NOTE: The Levels modification of
the mask happens AFTER releasing the slider handle. The panel cannot produce the
same real-time effect as the Levels adjustment in a Levels window. However, the
visual update to the mask after releasing a handle should be very fast. So one way
to use this slider is to make several small adjustments, each one being a quick
drag-and-release of one of the handles. An even better method, though, is to click
to the right or the left of a handle, directly on the slider. This will move the handle
to this position on the slider and instantly initiate the Levels update on the mask.
No handle dragging and releasing is required in this second method.

Single-slider modify has its origins in the "infinity mask" concept first introduced in
TKActions V4. The on-module TK7 version makes this feature easier to access.
There are a few situations where it is particularly useful.
1. Inter-series masks. Sometimes, for example, a Lights-1 mask selects too
much of the image but Lights-2 selects too little. In this case, generate the
Lights-1 mask and then just move the midtones slider to the right for
modification. This has the effect of making a mask where the selection is
intermediate to the Lights-1 and Lights-2 masks.
2. Mask contrast. To increase contrast in the mask, move the highlights slider
left and the midtones slider right. To decrease mask contrast, move the
midtones slider left.
3. Enhance black to decrease reveal. Pixel-based masks often bleed more
widely throughout the image since even partially selected pixels are revealed
to some degree. Moving the shadows slider right adds more black to the
mask and completely conceals some of the pixels where unintended bleed
might otherwise occur.
4.
The counterclockwise arrow to the right of the slider resets the slider handles and
the mask. The A button to the left of the slider executes an "auto" Levels
adjustment on the mask making the brightest pixel white and the darkest pixel
black with no clipping. It works independently of the slider, so additional
adjustments of the mask are still possible using the slider.

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Black Brush/White Brush. The black

button and the white button in the MODIFY
section activate the black and white
Paintbrush tools respectively. They provide
an easy way to paint directly on the Rapid
Mask. Users still need to set their brush size
and feathering in the Options bar. Generally,
an "Opacity" value of 100% will be the best
choice to completely conceal (black paint) or
reveal (white paint) parts of the mask, and
the panel chooses this value as the starting
point.

Burn/Dodge. The Burn and Dodge buttons

activate the matching Photoshop tool so that
burning and dodging can occur directly on
the Rapid Mask displayed on screen. The
Burn/Dodge options modify the mask in
order to increase contrast in specific parts of
the mask to make it more precise for specific
parts of the image. This is best accomplished by matching the tool's "Range" in the
Options bar to the tool. For BURN, it's generally best to set the "Range" to
"Shadows" and the module does this automatically along with setting the
"Exposure" option to 50%. Burning the "Shadows" means that darker gray tones
are preferentially burned darker. This increases contrast in the mask and increases
the concealment of darker parts of the mask. For Dodge, setting the "Range" to
"Highlights" works best. In this way, dodging preferentially lightens light gray
tones in the mask resulting in more reveal of these areas through the mask. The
module again chooses "Highlights" as the "Range" for the Dodge button and sets
"Exposure" to 50%.

Mask the Rapid Mask. Sometimes users only

want a luminosity mask to affect certain parts of
the image, like the clouds in a landscape
photograph or the face in a portrait. Areas outside
the designated element, however, may have similar
tones and be included as selected tones in the
initial version of the mask. To quickly remove
them, create a selection of just those elements to
be included in the mask. This can be done with a
selection tool, like the Lasso or Marquee tool. A
saved selection can also be loaded to define the
desired area where the luminosity mask should be
applied. Then click the Mask the Rapid Mask button
to turn any areas outside the selection black in the
Rapid Mask. This effectively conceals these areas
when the mask is deployed as a layer mask or
active selection. While luminosity masks are

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naturally self-feathering, combining them

with a hard-edged selection can still
produce a hard-edged mask. Feathering
helps to insure smooth blending at the
selection edges so the panel calculates an
appropriate amount of feathering based on
the size of the image. The module will
calculate and display the recommended a feather radius in a "Feather Selection"
window. Unfortunately, there is no preview possible to see how the feathering will
actually look. If you prefer no feathering at all, click the Cancel button in the
"Feather Selection" window. The Mask the Rapid Mask option is one way to
combine luminosity masks with Photoshop's regular selection tools to target
luminosity masks to specific elements in the image.
When making a Rapid Mask, the Mask the Rapid Mask button works on the
evolving Rapid mask. Users will see the black concealed areas appear on the Rapid
Mask when the button is clicked. In Layer Mask mode, the Mask the Rapid Mask
button is actually a Mask the Layer Mask button since it masks the layer mask. In
this case, users will see the effect on the image when black is added to the layer
mask which conceals the corresponding parts of the image.
The Mask the Rapid Mask button should not be confused with the "Mask-the-
Mask" technique, which involves putting an adjustment layer inside a group and
then using a mask on the group to control which parts of the mask layer are visible
in the image. They can achieve the same end result, but there are differences.
The Mask-the-Mask technique is non-destructive of the underlying luminosity mask.
The Mask the Rapid Mask button, on the other hand, makes a permanent change to
the luminosity mask (or layer mask when in Layer Mask mode) when the non-
selected parts of the mask are filled with black. However, in situations where the
element needs to be further isolated from other similar tones in the image, the
Mask the Rapid Mask button can provide a quicker method for making the
appropriate mask.

NOTE: Black Brush, White Brush, Burn, Dodge, and Mask the Rapid Mask are local,
precision modification tools. The other MODIFY options, including the slider,
produce global changes to the mask. The Black Brush/White Brush, Burn/Dodge,
and Mask the Rapid Mask options provide a way to make more precise
modifications to the mask by purposely changing specific parts of the mask.

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Curves. This MODIFY button uses Photoshop's Curves adjustments to modify the
mask. The Curves button opens a dialog window to manually adjust the mask.

Brightness/Contrast. This button opens a Brightness/Contrast dialog that can be

used to modify the current Rapid Mask.

Invert. The Invert button

inverts the current mask,
essentially creating a
negative of it. This is
sometimes useful for
inverting a narrower mask,
like Darks-3, to create a very
broad Lights mask.

ACR. The ACR option is new

to the TK7 panel. It opens
the current Rapid Mask in
Photoshop's Camera Raw
Filter. This allows the
features in this filter that
affect monochrome images
(like a mask) to be used to
adjust the mask. Clicking
the OK button in the filter
updates the Rapid Mask with
the filter's changes.

Contract and Expand buttons. These buttons do what would be expected.

Expand increases the selected areas in the mask by adding the mask to itself. The
mask gets lighter as a result. Expansion is useful if the mask is selecting too little,
like with some Zone masks and Color masks. Contract shrinks the pixel area
selected by the mask by intersecting the mask with itself. The mask gets darker.
Contraction is helpful if the mask is selecting too much.

Blur. The Blur button opens the Gaussian Blur dialog window in order to add the
desired level of blur to the on-screen Rapid mask. Occasionally blurring the mask
can be helpful for even better blending of the layer where the mask is applied.
However, since it is a spatial blur of the existing mask, it can also counteract some
of the perfect feathering that comes from using pixel-based mask.

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Mask Calculator. These MODIFY buttons

allow different masks created using the
RapidMask module to be:
1) Added − Plus(+) button,
2) Subtracted − Minus(-) button, or
3) Intersected− Multiply(x) button.
The mask calculator works just like a
regular calculator except that it uses masks
instead of numbers. The way to use it is to
first make a mask using the SOURCE, MASK,
or MODIFY buttons. Then click one of the
operators, Plus(+), Minus(-), or Multiply(x).
Then create a second mask using the
SOURCE, MASK, or MODIFY buttons. Finally,
click Equal(=) to complete the operation and
display the new mask on-screen
The calculator was designed to handle all
masks that could be created using the
RapidMask module, including modified
masks. So not only can masks produced by
the module be combined, but they can also be modified during and before
completing the calculation process.
The calculator is also quite smart in other ways. If you click the wrong
operator, no problem. Simply click the correct one you want and the calculator will
switch to the operation. Or, if you change your mind and decide you don't want to
do a calculation after all, just click the same operator button again to turn the
calculator off. The accent-colored shadow on the button will help keep you
informed as to what's active in the calculation proces. Try it and see.
The calculator is an advanced tool and can be extremely useful for creating
masks that combine things like color and luminosity.

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4. OUTPUT
Once the user has created the
Rapid Mask that targets the tones
they want to adjust, the OUTPUT
section offers a variety of options
for actually using the mask.
There is no "right" output choice.
It all depends on the
development goal the user has in
mind for the mask. The OUTPUT
section makes different
alternatives easily available.

It's worth noting that the

OUTPUT section is the best way
to maintain the bit-depth of
masks. The RapidMask module
always makes masks whose bit-
depth matches the image. 16-bit
images will always have 16-bit
masks because all the masks are
made with calculations. Older
methods for making masks
involved successively intersecting selections. But selections are always 8-bit by
default, so using them permanently introduces an 8-bit quality to the output mask,
which can accumulate and is generally undesirable. With the exception of the
Selection output option, the OUTPUT section of the RapidMask module maintains
the 16-bit character of the Rapid Mask straight through to its ultimate deployment
destination.

Layer menu button

The Layer menu button offers a lot of different choices. It

opens a menu where the user is presented many options for
deploying the Rapid Mask on the Layers panel. The left side
of the menu is adjustment layers. Clicking one of these
creates the corresponding adjustment layer on the Layers
panel with the Rapid Mask as the layer mask. The user still
needs to use the Properties panel to actually make an
adjustment to the new layer, so the Properties panel is
automatically opened as part of the action that creates the
adjustment layer. The mask will be in place to control how
this adjustment affects the image. The default placement
where the adjustment layer is inserted into the layer stack
on the Layers panel is directly above the current active
layer. If the group layer is active, the new adjustment layer
is inserted into that group.

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A new option with the TK7 RapidMask module is to hold down the CTRL/command
key when clicking these adjustment layer options to insert the new layer at the TOP
of the layer stack. This is especially useful to avoid having to drag the new layer
out of a group if placement within the group is not intended.

On the right side of the layers menu are some pixel layer
choices. These make pixel layers on the Layers panel, again
with the Rapid Mask as the layer mask for the new layer.
Burn and Dodge create transparent layers for burning and
dodging. The blend mode for the layers is set appropriately,
the Paintbrush tool activated, and the proper paint color
chosen (black for burning, white for dodging). The user just
needs to choose their brush opacity and size and then paint
on the layer to burn or dodge. The layer mask confines
painting to the parts of the image revealed by the mask.

Clarity creates a layer that adds edge contrast to the image

with the Rapid Mask as the layer mask. This action uses
Photoshop's High Pass filter and stops to allow the user to
select a radius value. Use small radius numbers to enhance
fine, local detail. Large numbers have a more global impact
and can create some interesting effects depending on the
image. The Rapid Mask as the layer mask controls which
tones are affected by the Clarity action.

Paint-In Color creates a transparent pixel layer set to Soft Light blend mode with
the Rapid Mask as the layer mask. The Color Picker then opens and the user can
choose a color for painting. The action makes the Brush tool active and as the color
is painted on the new layer, the layer mask confines it to the pixels revealed by the
mask. Soft Light blend mode makes the effect subtle and transparent. The color
and its brightness (or darkness) comes through, but the background details are
preserved. Paint-In Color is a great way to enhance the warm hues of sunset by
painting them into various parts of the image.

Orton Effect creates the Orton effect on the image. The Rapid Mask is again added
as a layer mask to control in which tones in the image reveal the effect.

The Mask To Pixels option is the last Layer menu button option. It creates a pixel
layer that matches the Rapid Mask. This is useful for those times that the mask
being created could be used as an actual black and white image. The Color >
Create menu option in the SOURCE section offers an additional method for making
black and white images from masks. This is discussed in the "User-Created Color
Mask" section of this PDF. NOTE: The Mask To Pixels option is the only option in
the Layer menu button menu that does NOT create a layer mask of the Rapid Mask.
It just creates a pixel layer of the Rapid Mask with no layer mask. This blog post
has more information on how to use masks as a method for converting color
images to monochrome.

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Selection button

The Selection button turns the Rapid Mask into an active

selection. As mentioned above, the Selection button is the
only instance where the 16-bit masks calculated by the
RapidMask panel become 8-bit. Selections are always 8-bit
by default in Photoshop, even on 16-bit images. Since
RapidMask strictly avoids selections when creating Rapid
Masks, the selections produced by the Selection button are
"first-generation" 8-bit selections. There has been no
cumulative degradation as a result of using selections
elsewhere in the mask-generation process. A first-
generation selection is essentially indistinguishable from
what is selected by the 16-bit mask. This means that the
quality of the selections created here are as high as possible,
and there are times when selections definitely have a role in
developing the image. Luminosity painting and mask
painting are the two most important situations where
painting through selections definitely has advantages over
using a masked layer. NOTE: The RapidMask module has an
option to "Auto-hide selection edges" in the settings window
for this module that automatically turns off the selection edges when the Selection
button in the RapidMask module is clicked. It is recommended to leave this
checkbox checked (or to check it if it's not checked) to avoid having to deal with
selection edges when painting through selections created from luminosity masks.

Quick Paint buttons

On both sides of the Selection button is a Quick Paint

button. These are used to quickly set up mask
painting, which is a common process after loading a
luminosity masks as a selection. The two buttons offer
two different painting options: a white mask with a
black brush and a black mask with a white brush. If
you're planning on doing some mask painting, click a
Quick Paint button immediately after clicking the
Selection button. Doing so completes five different
processes:

1) A mask is created on the active layer whose color

matches the background color of the button. Black
background makes a "Hide All" layer mask and white
background creates a "Reveal All" layer mask.
2) The Paintbrush tool is activated.
3) The brush color is set to match the brush icon on
the button. A white brush is selected for the black
background layer mask and a black brush for the white
layer mask. This makes it so painting through the

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active selection deposits paint on the layer mask that is the opposite color of the
mask itself.
4) The active layer visibility is evaluated and turned on if it has been turned off.
5) The layer mask is selected as the painting canvas.

After clicking a Quick Paint button, it's just necessary to choose the brush size and
opacity and start painting. The active layer has been completely set up to accept
the paint in a way to make the desired change to the image by painting on the
layer's layer mask. NOTE: Don't forget that the module's preferences can be set to
automatically hide the selection edges as discussed on the previous page.

Save button

The Save button in the OUTPUT section creates a

new channel on the Channels panel of the current
Rapid Mask. The "Rapid Mask" channel updates
frequently. Every time a SOURCE, MASK, or MODIFY
button is clicked, the old "Rapid Mask" channel is
deleted and a new one created. The Save button
provides a method to save a Rapid Mask in case it is
needed again at some point in the future. The Save
button simply duplicates the current "Rapid Mask"
channel and then provides the user the opportunity
to give that channel a new name.

Apply button

The Apply button

applies the current
Rapid Mask as a
layer mask to the
active layer on the Layers panel. This is similar to
what many of the options do with the Layer button
menu except that no new layer is created with the
Apply button. This button simply applies the Rapid
Mask to whichever layer is currently active.

This button can also be used to apply any channel

mask on the Channels panel as a layer mask. First
click on the channel mask you want to apply and
then CTRL/command+click the Apply button. This
feature is useful for applying a saved mask as a
layer mask.

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Apply FM button

Clicking the FM part of the Apply button creates a

filter mask instead of a layer mask. Filter masks
can be added to smart object layers that have
smart filters. The filter mask will only mask the
effects produced by the smart filters, not the layer
itself. Filter effects with filter masks is an
advanced way to use smart object layers. There
are a number of YouTube videos that can give you
more information. If you accidentally click FM
when the active layer is not a smart object layer
that has smart filters, the button is smart enough
to know that a smart filter is not an option at this
point, and so it will simply apply the Rapid Mask as
a layer mask to the active layer since that is the
only "Apply" option available.

Important OUTPUT notes

1) It is not necessary to actually be viewing the Rapid Mask on-screen to use the
buttons in the OUTPUT section. As long as there is a "Rapid Mask" channel on the
Channels panel, the OUTPUT option will find it and use it to complete the chosen
OUTPUT operation.
2) New to the TK7 panel is the "Keep Channels panel clean" option in the settings
window. If this is checked, the "Lum Lock" and "Rapid Mask" channels are
automatically deleted at the end of all output actions except Save. This is usually
desirable in order to decrease file size and to make sure stale image data in the
Lum Lock channel is not being used to generate masks in the future. Un-checking
the "Keep Channels panel clean" option allows the Rapid Mask to be used multiple
times in multiple output processes, but the user needs to remember to manually
delete the "Lum Lock" and "Rapid Mask" channels using the X button in the upper
right of the corner of the module, and to refresh the "Lum Lock" channel using a
SOURCE button when creating a new mask.

Layer Mask Mode

In addition to creating a large variety of masks that the
user can actually see up front in real time, the RapidMask
module also has "Layer Mask mode." It is turned on by
checking the "Layer Mask" box in the upper left of the
module. Doing so changes the interface slightly and places
an accent-colored border around the buttons.

In Layer Mask mode, the SOURCE, MASK, and MODIFY

buttons work very much like in "Rapid Mask mode," but
instead of the user actually seeing the mask, it is
automatically applied as a layer mask on the active layer.

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The user continues to look at the image when in Layer Mask mode. Instead of
deciding which mask to use by looking at the different masks on-screen, they
instead decide which mask works best by looking at how the image changes as
different layer masks are automatically applied.

NOTE: Layer Mask mode should be used on layers that have been set to actually
produce some change to the image. The different masks that are applied or
modified then help fine-tune this layer's contribution to the image. The user
determines when the mask is right by when the image looks right.

The Rapid Mask engine is still running in the background in Layer Mask mode. The
"Lum Lock" and "Rapid Masks" channels are still updating as appropriate. The user,
though, will be less aware of this since they won't actually being seeing different
Rapid Masks with each button click or mask modification. However, the actual
image will be changing at near real-time speeds as the updated masks are
automatically applied as layer masks. In this way, Layer Mask mode provides an
image-based method for choosing the best mask for a particular situation.

Incorporated into Layer Mask mode is an optional "2-UP"

view which shows the layer mask and the image at the
same time but in separate windows. It is turned on by
clicking the 2-UP (optional) checkbox. The Vertical and
Horizontal buttons that appear then allow a choice of the
preferred 2-UP orientation. Once the 2-UP view has been
established, the user can use the SOURCE, MASK, and
MODIFY buttons of Layer Mask mode. As they do, they will
see both the mask and image updated in the two different
windows. 2-UP view is particularly useful in those cases
where the user wants to paint on the mask directly instead
of using the module's buttons to change the mask. The
user can see what they paint and how it affects the image
at the same time. The double-square button (□ □) is for
those situations where one of the 2-UP windows has been
zoomed-in. Clicking the □ □ button synchronizes the two
different views so they are both zoomed to the same part
of the image.

NOTE #1: 2-UP view cannot be closed using the RapidMask module. Un-checking
"2-UP" in the module turns off the function, but the user also needs to manually
close one of the windows when they are through using it. Also, 2-UP view is
programmed to work when only one image is open in Photoshop since multiple
open images can make 2-UP viewing somewhat confusing.

NOTE #2: The mask calculator in Layer Mask mode is a simple Plus(+) or Minus(-)
operation whereby the next mask generated instantly undergoes that operation
with the previous mask. There is no option to modify the mask before the
operation completes due to the complexity of the 2-UP view.

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User-Created Color Masks

The Rapid Mask engine
uses calculations to
generate and modify all
the masks in the
RapidMask module with
one exception, and that is
the user-created color
mask. This option is
accessed in the SOURCE
section using the Color >
Create menu item. It is
available in both Rapid
Mask mode and Layer
Mask mode. Clicking this
option creates a
temporary state with new
adjustment layers added
to the Layers panel in a
"Create Color Mask"
group. A Black & White
adjustment layer is part of the temporary group
and its presence makes it possible to use the
group to produce a monochrome image that can
eventually be turned into a matching mask. In
other words, by converting the actual image to black and white with adjustment
layers, the image itself becomes a mask preview. Before getting turned into a
mask, though, the adjustment layers can be used to fine-tune the preview to make
a custom mask for the image.

The Properties panel for the B&W adjustment layer

automatically opens when generating a user-created
color mask. The color sliders in the Properties panel are
used for customizing the mask preview based on image
color. There are six different sliders and they can be
used to make the corresponding image colors either
lighter or darker in the mask preview depending what
needs to be emphasized in the final mask. The presets
in the drop-down menu can also be used as can the
panel's targeted-adjustment tool. The goal is to make
specific colors in the image that will be targeted by the
mask lighter and to make colors that should not be
targeted by the mask darker. The Black & White
adjustment provides a unique opportunity to work with
specific colors in real time to generate the ideal mask.

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Beyond the Black & White adjustment layer, it's also possible to use the other
adjustment layers in the temporary "Create Color Mask" group (Curves, Levels, and
Brightness/Contrast) to modify the mask preview. There's even a blank pixel layer
that can be painted black, white, or gray depending on what is needed for the
mask.

As the temporary "Create Color Mask" group is generated

on the Layers panel, some temporary buttons also appear
on the RapidMask module. Once the mask preview has
been adjusted to the user's satisfaction, clicking the Rapid
Mask button in the new buttons on the RapidMask module
moves it into the normal Rapid Mask process. That is to
say, it is luminosity-locked on the Channels panel in the
"Lum Lock" channel and a Lights-1 "Rapid Mask" channel is
generated and displayed on-screen. The temporary
adjustment layers are deleted in the process. So by
clicking the Rapid Mask button, the mask preview converts
to an actual Rapid Mask. The on-screen image goes from
being a mask preview generated by the temporary
adjustment layers to being an actual mask that is stored in
the "Rapid Mask" channel. The user actually sees no
change in the on-screen image, but a lot of things have
happened in the background to convert the mask preview
to a Rapid Mask.

Once the mask preview has been luminosity-locked on the Channels panel, all the
MASK, MODIFY, and OUTPUT buttons can be used with it. The user-created color
mask is now fully accessible within the Rapid Mask engine. The calculations that
can be performed on other masks generated by the RapidMask module can now be
carried out on the user-created color mask as well.

The user-created color mask in Layer Mask mode works

the same as in Rapid Mask mode except it uses an Apply
button instead of a Rapid Mask button. In Layer Mask
mode, the mask preview is automatically applied to the
active layer on the Layers panel. It is also fed into the
Rapid Mask engine, so it is fully compatible with the
MASK and MODIFY buttons of Layer Mask mode.

Because they become part of the Rapid Mask engine,

user-created color masks can be added and subtracted
using the Plus(+) and Minus(-) buttons on the RapidMask
module.

IMPORTANT NOTE: User-created color masks are only

available for images in RGB Color mode since the Black &
White adjustment layer necessary for generating the
mask preview requires this mode.

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Converting Color Images to Black and White

As I was developing the user-created color mask, it
quickly became obvious that the temporary group of
layers used to create the mask preview were also ideal
for converting color images to black and white. As such,
an option was added to the buttons that appear when
the temporary adjustment layers are created. The B&W
button preserves the temporary group of layers by
renaming the group "Convert to B&W." In this case, the
mask preview is NOT converted to a Rapid Mask. The
temporary group becomes permanent and the user can
further modify the adjustment layers in the group if
necessary. Below is a color image that was easily
converted to monochrome using this process.

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The "X" Button

There is an X button in the upper right corner of
the SOURCE section. Its purpose is to clean the
Channels panel of any masks created by the
RapidMask module. User-created masks are not
removed. Only the various masks calculated by
the module ("Lum Lock," "Rapid Mask," etc.) are
deleted. NOTE: In the TK7 panel, there should be
much less need to use the X button if the "Keep
Channels panel clean" option is checked in the
settings for the RapidMask module. This option
will automatically delete the module-generated
masks during most OUTPUT processes.

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GO MODULE
The Go module is the newest addition to the TK7 panel. It's an effort to rethink the
masking workflow based on feedback I've received on how the RapidMask module is
used and which features are most important. Over the years, more and more
functions have been incorporated into the RapidMask module, and overall it's done
a great job of accommodating them. But based on the comments from other users
and the way I use the panel myself, it's worth asking if there are alternatives that
could be simpler and more efficient. The Go module provides this new level of
functionality. It takes the most frequently used features of the RapidMask module
and puts them on the main interface. It also guides the user through the masking
process. There are familiar sections from the RapidMask module and some new
ones. There are familiar buttons from the RapidMask module and some new ones.
There are familiar masks from the RapidMask module and some new ones. Anyone
who has used the RapidMask module will understand much of what the Go module
does, but the layout and flow will make the process of creating and using custom
pixel-based masks even better, both for experienced users and for people starting
to work with these masks for the first time.

NOTE: The term "pixel-based masks" refers to masks based on specific data sets
common to all pixels. Luminance, hue, and saturation are the primary data types
that serve as the source for pixel-based masks. Pixel-based masks are able to take
one set of data and generate a variety of different masks based on that data.
Luminosity masks, for example, use pixel luminance as the data source and use this
data set to make Lights masks, Darks masks, Midtones masks and Zone masks.
Using pixel data to generate masks is what gives them their self-feathering
character and insures seamless blending when they are used to adjust an image.

There are three main sections to the Go module:

1. MASK
2. MODIFY
3. OUTPUT

These sections correspond to the steps needed to make

and deploy pixel-based masks. Each has its own section
on the Go module with a slightly different shade of
background brightness to better separate the three
sections. The workflow for making and using the
module's masks matches the arrangement of the
sections: top-to-bottom.

The main interface for the module is meant to cover the

majority of masking processes most users will need, but
there are also some secondary menus for specialized
purposes.

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• Enhanced OUTPUT menu.

• Layer Mask mode for layer mask modification.
• Rapid Mask mode for mask modification.

These specialized menus will be discussed later. As you get more skilled at using
these masks, some of these alternate menus might be helpful. However, they are
not required for most mask applications and, for some users, may never be
necessary or used at all. To quickly start using the panel, just focus on the main
interface and the MASK/MODIFY/OUTPUT process. These three stages are designed
to meet the needs of most users. The whole point of the Go module is to simplify
masking, making it more approachable for first-time users and also highly efficient
for the those already familiar with pixel-based masking. At the same time the Go
module retains the critical features of the RapidMask module−mask previews that
generate rapidly, 16-bit masks, channel masks, zone masks, infinity color masks
and saturation/vibrance masks.

NOTE #1: The Go module only works in RGB Color mode (8-bits and 16-bits per
channel).

NOTE #2: The Go module and the RapidMask module should not be used in
combination. While the Go module has a Rapid Mask mode, it's not meant to be
used with the buttons on the RapidMask module.

1. MASK
One of the most important things to know about the Go module is that it's using an
entirely new method to generate masks. The RapidMask module used a Rapid Mask
engine that relied on actual masks being saved to the Channels panel as they were
generated. The Go module uses mask previews instead. Like with the Rapid Mask
engine, you still see the mask preview on-screen as it's being generated and
modified in the Go module, but it's all happening inside the "_TK_Mask_Preview"
group that's created on the Layers panel. There are no actual masks on the
Channels panel like with the Rapid Mask engine. Everything is happening in real-
time on the Layers panel instead.

The top part of the MASK section has six buttons that allow you to choose a source
for the mask. Masks can be generated based on:

1) The luminance values in the image (Luminosity masks and Zone masks),
2) The colors in the image (Infinity Color masks and Adjustment Layer Color
masks),
3) Color saturation (Saturation and Vibrance masks), or
4) User data in the form of user-created and user-saved selections, channel
masks, and layer masks (My Channels masks).

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The six buttons are used to select pixels based on these different parameters, and
then the different pixel-based values get mapped into grayscale masks. Clicking
one of the buttons updates the module's interface with mask options specific to that
type of mask. There's a different interface for each button. Many of these are
similar to the single interface found in the RapidMask module, but there are labels
in the Go module that better describe exactly what type of mask is being made. In
addition, the Go module keeps track of the type of mask being generated by using
the module's accent color to highlight the entire path to the current mask.

NOTE #1: You can change your MASK source at any time. Simply click a different
button and the Go module updates its interface and the on-screen preview to match
the new mask source.

NOTE #2: When the mask interface appears, so will an Image/Mask toggle button
and an X button. The Image/Mask toggle button toggles between seeing the mask
preview and the actual image the mask is based on. The X button cancels the
mask creation process.

NOTE #3: For the fastest response when making masks with the Go module, keep
Photoshop's Properties panel closed.

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Lights, Darks, and Midtones presets

The buttons in this interface are
similar to those found in the
RapidMask module. They are
used to generate the standard
Lights-, Darks-, and Midtones-
series luminosity masks.
However, there are seven
buttons near the top that now
provide the different channels
that can be used to generate
masks:

Lum − This channel option is the

default for this section and
makes traditional luminosity
masks like those described in
the original tutorial. The masks
generated correspond to the
Lights, Darks, and Midtones
masks that use luminance of the
Composite RGB image as the
data source.

Red (R), Green (G), Blue (B), Cyan(C), Magenta (M), and Yellow (Y) buttons −
These are the channel buttons in the Go module. The Red (R), Green (G), and Blue
(B) buttons produce masks corresponding to the Red, Green and, Blue channels
that make up the composite image. The Cyan(C), Magenta (M), and Yellow (Y)
buttons make masks for the corresponding "channels" via an analogous method for
creating the Red, Green, and Blue channels masks. While there is no matching
channel for these colors in RGB Color mode, the Go module can simulate them
based on its method for producing masks.

NOTE 1: The Go module allows you to flip between the seven different channels at
any time when generating and modifying a mask. This ability flip-on-the-fly
provides a quick and efficient way to determine if different channels might yield a
more useful mask.

NOTE 2: In the different interfaces, the buttons leading to the chosen mask will
either be outlined in the module's accent color or have an accent-colored inner
shadow. For example, in the image shown there is a green outline on the Lights,
Darks, and Midtones presets button and around the Lum button. The Lights-1
button also has a green inner shadow. This indicates that a Lights-1 traditional
luminosity mask is currently being displayed on screen. Green is the default accent
color, but this can be changed in the module's settings.

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The Red Overlay, Image/Mask

toggle, and Cancel (X) buttons are
present in all interfaces that
provide different mask source
options.

The Red Overlay button changes

the revealed areas in the mask
preview to colors that range from
bright red to faint pink depending
on the degree to which the pixels
are selected. Pixels that are 100%
selected will show as 100%
saturated red color when the
overlay is active. As the degree of
selection falls, so does the
intensity of the color. Once pixels
turn a texture-less gray color with
the overlay turned on, pixels are
0% selected. The color sometimes
helps to better see weakly
selected pixels that would otherwise be nearly black in the mask preview. If you
like this red overlay, you can leave it turned on. The MASK, MODIFY, and OUTPUT
sections continue to work properly with this option active.

The Image/Mask toggle button toggles between viewing the mask preview and
viewing the actual image on which the mask preview is based. Quickly toggling
back and forth can help determine if the mask being created is properly targeting
the desired parts of the image.

The Cancel (X) button exits the process of generating a mask. The active interface
is hidden and the layers on the Layers panel that were used to create the mask
preview are deleted.

(Infinity) Zone masks

The Zone masks in the Go panel are completely new and are so flexible that they
can rightly be referred to as "Infinity" Zone masks now. The RapidMask module
only had a series of 21 preset zones and even the Pick option would end up
choosing one of these preset masks. With the Go module, Zone masks have been
infinitized, meaning the restriction for using presets has been eliminated. Presets
for the major zones are still available, but there are now sliders and sampling
options so that completely customized Zone masks are now possible.

Because these new Zone masks are so precise, the first step in making one is to
choose a tone from the image around which you wish to build the mask. To do this,
Photoshop's Color Picker opens when you click the button to create Zone masks.
Use it to select a tone from the image as the basis for making a mask. Click the

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Color Picker's OK button to generate an initial Zone mask centered on that tone.
The mask preview displays on screen and the sliders are set to the values that
create that mask. You can refine the mask in a number of ways using the controls
described below.

Zone center−Shows the tone that will be brightest in the mask. This handle can be
moved along the slider to choose a Zone center that roughly matches the gray
value on the slider. In the above image, the slider handle is centered on middle
gray and so would be generating a Zone 5 mask on-screen. NOTE: If you have
your Eye Dropper tool set to "3 by 3 Average" or "5 by 5 Average" the image tone
you selected means the initial Zone center should already be quite accurate at
making your selected tone the lightest tone in the mask and there may be very
little need to adjust the Zone center afterwards.

Brightness−Determines how bright the lightest gray value will be in the mask.
NOTE: Zone masks generally work better when there is no pure white in the mask.

Zone width−Adjust the Zone mask's tonal width. By default the Zone width slider
is set to generate the widest possible Zone mask. As the slider handle is moved to
the left the selected zone becomes narrower while remaining centered at the
position of the Zone center slider handle. Extremely narrow Zone masks, especially
for midtones, can sometimes lack sufficient pixels for smooth blending, so be a little
cautious in adjusting the Zone width in order to assure well-feathered edges.

Pick−The top-level button for Zone masks allows you to change your selected tone
at any time. Simply click it to open the Color Picker to choose a new tone from the
image as a starting point for making a Zone mask

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Zone presets (1 through 9)−Makes preset Zone masks based on specific tones.
Pressing one of the Zone preset buttons positions the Zone center slider handle
under that button and resets the Brightness and Feathering sliders to their default
positions. The Brightness and Feathering sliders can, of course, still be used to
further fine-tune the preset Zone mask.

NOTE: Zone masks can be generated for any tone, however, to create a Zone 0
mask (100% black), consider using a Darks luminosity mask, like Darks-5 or Darks-
6; and to create a Zone 10 mask (100% white), consider using a Lights luminosity
mask like Lights-5 or Lights-6. Lights- and Darks-series masks already emphasize
the pure white and pure black tones at the two ends of the tonal spectrum, and
there are more options, like color channels, in the interface that creates the Lights,
Darks, and Midtones masks.

Infinity Color masks

Infinity Color masks were originally introduced in the RapidMask module in
September 2019. The interface is used to generate masks based on color hue. The
Go module adds a few new features.

• It's no longer necessary to convert the mask preview to a Rapid Mask in

order to deploy it. The OUTPUT section of the Go module allows the mask
preview to be immediately deployed once you're satisfied with it.
• The Go module also offers a series of 12 preset color zones that can provide
a quick method for creating a mask based on a particular color.
• There is an improved brightness slider. It offers more control and it's now
possible to make brighter masks even for low-saturation colors.

To create an Infinity Color mask, click on the multi-colored button in the top row of
the Go module. The Photoshop Color Picker opens. Use its eyedropper to select a
color from the image around which the mask will be built. Clicking OK on the Color
Picker opens the Infinity Color mask interface. You can then use sliders and
buttons in the figure below to further adjust the mask.

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Hue Range−Selects the range of hues around which the Infinity Color mask is built.
Click and grab either side of the box to expand or contract the hue range. To move
the entire box keeping the width of the Hue range constant, CTRL/command+click
on one side of the box and then while holding down the mouse button, slide the
entire box left or right.

Brightness−Adjusts the brightness of the Infinity Color mask. Masks that attempt
to target weak colors (those with low levels of color saturation) will usually benefit
from an increase in brightness.

Feathering−Adjusts the color feathering into surrounding colors. This is feathering

based on color hue, not on brightness and not on the physical proximity to the
selected color. This color feathering allows excellent blending of adjustments
through Infinity Color masks into the rest of the image.

Color presets−Makes preset infinity color masks based on the color of the button
clicked.

Pick− The top-level button that initiates Infinity Color masks also serves as a pick
button. Clicking it opens the Color Picker to select a new color from the image as a
starting point for making an Infinity Color mask.

Note: Sean Bagshaw has an excellent video on Infinity Color masks that shows
some of the many ways they can be used.

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Adjustment Layer Color masks

While Infinity Color masks are probably an easier way
to create a mask based on color, Adjustment Layer
Color masks also have some special utility when it
comes to making a color mask. Specifically, this type
of color mask can include neutral colors, like white and
gray, as source pixels for the mask. Neutrals are
colors with zero saturation. They display as black and
are concealed in an Infinity Color mask. With
Adjustment Layer Color masks, though, neutrals are
present in the mask based on how bright they are in
the image. Gray and white clouds, for example, will be
present in an Adjustment Layer Color mask in
proportion to how bright they are in the image
regardless of the color chosen to be brightest in the
mask. This characteristic can be either positive or
negative. Sometimes, for example, it's helpful to
include the clouds when selecting a blue sky. In this
case, an Adjustment Layer Color mask will work better
than an Infinity Color mask.

Another reason to consider using Adjustment

Layer Color masks is that they offer a high
degree of customization that is easy to control.
Adjustment Layer Color masks use familiar
adjustment layers to create a mask preview.
The primary one is the Black and White
adjustment layer. Moving a slider in the
Properties panel either darkens or lightens the
mask preview for the specific color associated
with that slider. The targeted adjustment tool
in the Properties panel can also be used to
select which color gets adjusted. In addition to
the Black and White adjustment layer, Curves,
Levels, and Brightness/Contrast adjustment
layers are also present and can be used to help
fine-tune the mask preview. Adjustment Layer
Color masks were also present in the
RapidMask module. The video in this blog post
compares and contrasts Adjustment Layer
Color masks and Infinity Color masks using the
RapidMask module.

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Saturation/Vibrance masks
Saturation and Vibrance masks have been discussed in
detail elsewhere in this document (see
SATURATION/VIBRANCE section) and there's more
information and a video in this tutorial. The Go
module's interface for these masks makes it more
obvious as to the type of mask (Saturation or
Vibrance) that is being generated. Global and local
adjustments with these masks open a new world of
precision saturation control that isn't normally part of
the workflow. The Go module interface simplifies the
generation of Saturation/Vibrance masks so that
purposefully addressing saturation becomes a new
creative tool for developing images.

My Channels masks
My Channels masks are a
way to quickly bring existing selections and masks into
the mask-making process. Click the My Channels
button to open a button menu of available options.
Depending on the current state of the image, the
following items will appear on the list:

• The current active

selection (if one exists)
• The current layer
mask of the active layer (if
one exists)
• User-saved alpha
channels on the Channels
panel (if they exist)

Clicking the top-level My

Channels button scans the
current image document for
all these options. Those
found will be displayed as buttons in a new window that
opens on the Go module. Clicking one of the buttons
loads that option as a new mask preview, and from
there, all the buttons in the Go module's MASK,
MODIFY, and OUTPUT sections can be used to refine and
deploy it. My Channels masks are particularly useful for
calculations using the mask calculator in the MODIFY

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section. Highly specific masks can be created by combining pixel-based masks

generated by the Go module with an active selection or with masks previously
saved by the user that target specific elements in the image.

This video by Sean Bagshaw shows several ways to use My Channels masks. It
uses the RapidMask module, but the same concepts apply with the Go module.

Calculated masks
The final MASK interface window only appears after
completing a calculation using the mask calculator in the
MODIFY section. There is no top-level button for the
Calculated interface. It is only activated after clicking
the Equal (=) button to finish a mask calculation. It's
very similar to the Lights, Darks and Midtones presets
interface except it lacks the different channel options
(Lum, R, G, B, C, M, and Y), which aren't applicable since
this interface is for making different masks from a
calculated mask source and NOT directly from the image.
Calculated masks can themselves be used for additional
calculations with the mask calculator. Simply click one of
the calculator buttons (+, -, or x), choose or generate a
second mask, and click the Equal (=) button to create a
new calculated mask, which also updates the source
mask for the Calculated interface.

The mask calculator is explained in greater detail under

the MODIFY section below.

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2. MODIFY
The top part of the Go module is used to select a mask type (Lights, Darks,
Midtones, Zone mask, Infinity Color mask, etc.) and to create an initial mask based
on the buttons and sliders available in that particular interface. However,
modification of this initial mask is sometimes necessary to better target specific
parts of the image. The MODIFY section of the module allows several modification
procedures to be accomplished quickly and accurately. The figure below labels the
different buttons and is followed by a description of each button and how it is used.

Auto Levels button. This button performs an auto-Levels adjustment on the mask
so that the tones in the mask extend from pure black to pure white (0 to 255).
This adjustment is useful for adding contrast to a mask that might only have gray
tones. The increased contrast helps to better visualize what will be selected by the
mask. However, for some masks, like Zone masks, slightly grayed-down masks
tend to work fine. Grayer masks allow adjustments and painting through the mask
to occur more gradually, which expands the fine control possible with these masks.
Having a full range mask (0-255) is not always necessary or even worthwhile. Use
the Auto button judiciously to optimize the mask for the intended application. Like
with many things in the panel, experiment to see what works best.

Levels slider (single-slider modify). This slider works like a regular Levels
adjustment layer slider with the exception that you need to release the slider
handles to initiate the Levels adjustment. While the update to the mask is very
quick, it's not real-time when moving a slider handle with the mouse. To get faster,
near real-time response from this slider, click to the left or right of a slider handle.
The handle then jumps to this new position and instantly updates the mask with the

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Levels adjustment corresponding to the new slider position. When clicking on the
slider bar, the handle closest to the clicked position moves.

Reset button. Resets all modifications so that the mask returns to what it was
before any modification occurred.

Black Brush and White Brush buttons. These two buttons activate the
corresponding brush color (black or white) so that you can paint that color directly
on the on-screen mask preview. Black paint conceals what is selected by the mask
and white paint reveals what is selected by the mask. Brush opacity is
automatically set to 100%. Select brush size and hardness as required to achieve
the desired modification to the mask.

Expand and Contract buttons. These buttons move the Levels slider in small
increments to either reveal pixels to a greater degree in the mask (Expand) or to
conceal pixels more (Contract). You can watch the Levels slider move as you click
these buttons. The Expand and Contract buttons can affect different handles on the
Levels slider. So clicking Contract after clicking Expand won't necessarily undo the
original Contract action. The Reset button undoes all the previous Expand and
Contract actions that have occurred and that are showing on the Levels slider.

Invert button. Inverts the mask. This is useful for making a mask that conceals
parts of the image that were originally selected.

Mask calculator. The mask calculator works pretty much like a regular calculator.
Start by creating a mask preview. Then click an operator. Plus (+) for addition.
Minus (-) for subtraction. Multiply (x) for intersection. Then make another mask
preview. Finally click the Equal (=) button to perform the chosen operation on the
two mask previews. The two mask previews used in a calculation are the one
present immediately before an operator (+, -, x) is pressed, and the one
immediately before the Equal (=) button is pressed. Any mask previews involved in
the calculation can be refined using the MODIFY buttons before including it in a
calculation. Here are some examples of useful calculations:

Subtracted masks. One example is to subtract a more restrictive mask from a less
restrictive mask. Lights-1 minus Lights-3, for example, creates a calculated mask
that removes the much lighter tones of Lights-3 from those selected by Lights-1.
Another example is to subtract a color mask (like an Infinity Color mask targeting
blue) from a Lights-1 luminosity mask. Such a mask makes it possible to remove
pixels based on color from those originally selected based on luminosity
(luminance).

Mask addition. Combines two masks into a new calculated mask. A My Channels
mask targeting one element in the image could be added to another My Channels
mask targeting another element to create a single mask that targets both elements.

Intersected masks. These are useful when combining a selection saved as a mask
on the Channels panel, like that of the land or sky, with a pixel-based mask. First

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create a pixel-based mask (a luminosity mask, for example) using the module's
MASK section, which would target tones throughout the image. Then intersect it
with the saved selection using the My Channels option in the MASK section. In this
way a pixel-based mask can be confined very accurately to selected areas
previously saved for the image.

NOTE #1: Clicking a mask calculation button a second time turns off the mask
calculator. If a calculation button was clicked in error, simply click the same button
again and the mask calculator will no longer be active.

NOTE #2: The mask calculation is performed using the last calculation button
clicked. If the incorrect calculation button is clicked simply click the correct button.
When you click the Equal (=) button, the calculation using the operator highlighted
with the module's accent color is carried out.

3. OUTPUT
The OUTPUT section of the Go module is where the mask preview that is being
generated, viewed, and modified on-screen is actually turned into a mask or
selection and put to use to alter the image. The most common output options are
available in the two rows of buttons in the OUTPUT section. The figure below
identifies each button, and the paragraphs that follow describe the operation of the
buttons and provide additional information regarding their use.

NOTE #1: With the exception of the Save Mask option in the Output menu, the
mask preview is removed from the Layers panel when output occurs. It's not
possible to reuse mask previews because generally the Layers panel will be needed
to further adjust the image once the mask preview is deployed.

NOTE #2: Many OUTPUT buttons work even if there is no mask preview. If an
OUTPUT button is clicked with no mask preview visible, the type of layer identified
by the button will be created with a standard white (Reveal All) layer mask. If a
selection is active that selection will be applied as a layer mask. A warning
message will be displayed when a mask preview is required for the button to work.

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Curves, Levels, Brightness/Contrast, Hue/Saturation, and Photo Filter buttons.

These buttons create the corresponding type of adjustment layer with the mask
preview as the layer mask on the layer. The Properties panel opens to facilitate
making the appropriate adjustment. The layer mask filters the adjustment to the
pixels selected by the mask.

Burn/Dodge buttons. Both these buttons have two sides. A "gray" side on the left
and a "transparent" side on the right. Clicking the "gray" side creates that type of
layer (Burn or Dodge) with the layer filled with 50% gray. The advantage of using
a 50% gray layer for burning and dodging is that it's easier to see where you've
burned and dodged on the image since the black and white paint is more obvious
against the 50% gray background. The transparent sides of these buttons (the
right side) create a Burn or Dodge layer that is completely transparent. The
advantage to using transparent layers for burning and dodging is that the paint
applied to the layer can easily be loaded as a selection by CTRL/command+clicking
on the layer itself. This selection can then be used as a layer mask for additional
adjustment layers that affect the painted pixels. In addition to making the chosen
type of Burn/Dodge layer (50% gray or transparent), these buttons also load the
current mask preview as a selection, activate the Brush tool, and choose the
appropriate paint color (black for burning and white for dodging). After clicking the

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button, adjust brush size, hardness and opacity and start painting on the image.
The active selection of your mask controls which areas of the image receive paint
and which don't.

Selection button. This button loads the mask preview as an active selection. This
is usually done in order to paint on a layer mask (mask painting) or for burning and
dodging on Burn/Dodge layers.

Quick Paint buttons. The Black Brush/White Mask and White Brush/Black Mask
buttons are intended to be used to quickly set up mask painting. These buttons do
several things:

1) A layer mask is generated on the current active layer that matches the
background color of the button. A "Hide All" mask is black and a "Reveal All" mask
is white.
2) The Brush tool is activated.
3) The foreground color is set to match the button's brush color (black or white),
which is the opposite of the mask color.
4) The visibility of the active layer is turned on if it's been turned off.
5) The layer mask is selected as the painting canvas.
6) The current mask preview, if present, is loaded as a selection.
7) The mask preview, if present, is deleted after being turned into a selection.

NOTE #1 If there is an active selection but no mask preview, the selection will
remain active.

NOTE #2 If there is both a mask preview and an active selection, the active
selection is first deselected and the mask preview is loaded as a new selection.

Once the Quick Paint button actions finish, adjust brush size, hardness and opacity
and start painting. The active selection now controls where paint gets deposited on
the layer mask.

Mask To Pixels button. While layer masks and selections are the common uses for
the pixel-based masks generated by the Go module, there are also uses for these
masks as actual pixel layers. This button converts the mask preview to a pixel
layer and places it at the top of the layer stack. This pixel layer offers one
possibility for converting color images into monochrome (black and white) images.
Other applications for these Mask-to-Pixel layers involve changing the layer’s blend
mode or opacity, or adding layer effects.

Apply button. This button provides a couple of different options for applying the
mask preview as a layer mask to an active layer. To choose the layer that gets the
mask, click on it to make it active BEFORE clicking the Apply button. Then when
you click the Apply button, the mask preview gets added as a layer mask to that
chosen layer. If you don't specifically choose an active layer before clicking this
button, the layer that was active before generating the mask preview receives a
new layer mask matching the mask preview.

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NOTE: If there is an active selection but no mask preview, the active selection gets
added as the new layer mask.

Layer Mask LM mode (LM) and Rapid Mask mode (RM) button. This one button
activates the Go module's Layer Mask Mode or Rapid Mask Mode. The option to use
Layer Mask mode or Rapid Mask mode depends on various factors. The panel will
show the option available by displaying the button either as LM or RM. These are
two of the more advanced features of the module and are discussed in their own
sections below.

Output menu button−This button opens a menu of

even more output options and is shown at the
right. The left-hand column is mostly adjustment
layers where the mask preview gets added as a
layer mask. The other items in the menu are
described below.

NOTE: Right-clicking on an item in the Output

menu brings up seven color swatches. Clicking on
a swatch adds that color as a background highlight
to the item’s name.

Sat Painting−This option sets up the necessary

elements to begin saturation painting immediately.
1) Creates a blank pixel layer set to Saturation
blend mode. 2) Sets foreground color to gray
(saturation = 0%) and background color to red
(saturation = 100%). 3) Activates the Brush tool.
4) If there is a mask preview (generally a
Saturation or Vibrance mask for this process), it is
loaded as an active selection.

When the action finishes, adjust brush size, hardness, and opacity; and pick either
gray or red as the foreground color. Gray decreases saturation and red increases
saturation. The selection, if present, limits where the effect is applied. A detailed
description of saturation painting is found elsewhere in this document. There is
also a video demonstration on my website.

Dodge w/Mask−1) Creates a transparent Dodge layer set to Overlay blend mode.
2) Adds the mask preview as a layer mask. 3) Activates the brush tool. 4) Sets
the foreground color to white. After clicking this item adjust the brush size,
hardness, and opacity and paint on the image. The LAYER MASK controls where
the brush strokes are revealed on the Dodge layer.

Burn w/Mask−1) Creates a transparent Burn layer set to Soft Light blend mode. 2)
Adds the mask preview as a layer mask. 3) Activates the brush tool. 4) Sets the
foreground color to black. After clicking this item adjust the brush size, hardness,

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and opacity and paint on the image. The LAYER MASK controls where the brush
strokes are revealed on the Burn layer.

B/D w/Color-Select−This somewhat cryptic menu item is short for: Burn/Dodge

with Colored paint through an active Selection. This action does the following: 1)
Creates a blank pixel layer set to Soft Light blend mode. 2) Opens the Photoshop
Color Picker to allow the user to select a color, which becomes the foreground color.
3) Activates the brush tool. 4) Loads the mask preview, if present, as an active
selection. Then choose brush size, hardness, and opacity and paint on the image.
The SELECTION, controls where colored paint is deposited on the new layer.

B/D w/Color-Mask−This menu item is short for: Burn/Dodge with Colored paint
with a Mask on the painting layer. It does the following: 1) Creates a blank pixel
layer set to Soft Light blend mode. 2) Opens the Photoshop Color Picker to allow
the user to select a color, which becomes the foreground color. 3) Activates the
brush tool. 4) Creates a layer mask from the mask preview. Then choose brush
size, hardness and opacity and paint on the image. The LAYER MASK controls
where colored paint is revealed on the new layer.

Clarity−This menu item creates a Clarity layer with the mask preview, if present, as
a layer mask. This option is sometimes useful if you routinely add clarity to certain
tones in the image, like the midtones. The Clarity layer is a Smart Object. This
allows the radius of the High Pass smart filter to be adjusted (by double-clicking the
"High Pass" name) to fine-tune the result.

Orton Effect−This menu item creates the Orton Effect with the mask preview, if
present, added as a layer to the Orton Effect group to control where the effect is
revealed in the image.

Filter Mask−This menu item creates a filter mask of the mask preview on a Smart
Object layer that has smart filters. If there is no mask preview or no smart filters,
this menu option does nothing.

Save Mask−Saves the mask preview as an alpha channel on the channels panel. A
dialog window opens to allow you to give the mask a new name. NOTE: Unlike the
other output options, saving the mask preview does not delete it. The mask
preview can still be deployed using other OUTPUT options after saving it as a
channel mask.

4. Rapid Mask mode

Rapid Mask mode is an advanced feature of the Go module provided to support two
specialized cases:

• To access additional modification options for the mask being created.

• To deploy the same mask repeatedly, like on different types of adjustment
layers, in quick succession without actually saving the mask on the Channels
panel.

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To enter Rapid Mask mode, first create a mask preview using the Go module's main
interface. When a mask preview is present, the button in the lower right corner of
the OUTPUT section will say "RM" instead of "LM." Clicking the RM button starts the
Rapid Mask engine, which takes the Go module's mask preview and turns it into
two new channels on the channels panel: "_Lum_Lock" and "_Rapid_Mask." These
channels are needed to run the Rapid Mask engine. You won't notice any change
in your on-screen view, but a lot has happened in the background. In Rapid Mask
mode, you are viewing the "_Rapid_Mask" channel on the Channels panel instead of
the mask preview on the Layers panel. The mask preview was deleted when the
Rapid Mask engine took over. While in Rapid Mask mode, you'll primarily be
viewing the "_Rapid_Mask" channel. I'll be referring to this view as "the Rapid
Mask" in the following discussion.

Entering Rapid Mask mode generates a new interface on the Go module. There are
only two main sections: MODIFY and OUTPUT. The image below labels the buttons
in the MODIFY section and they are described in more detail below the image.

Curves, Levels, Brightness/Contrast−These buttons open a window to perform the

designated type of adjustment on the Rapid Mask.

Auto−Executes an auto-Levels command on the Rapid Mask so that the mask's

tonal range extends from pure black to pure white (0 to 255).

ACR−Opens the Rapid Mask in the Camera Raw filter. Clicking "OK" in the Camera
Raw dialog saves the Rapid Mask in the "_Rapid_Mask" channel with the Camera
Raw adjustments applied.

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Black Brush / White Brush−Paint with black or white on the Rapid Mask. The brush
opacity is automatically set to 100%. Adjust the other brush parameters (hardness
and size) and paint directly on the mask to reveal (white paint) or conceal (black
paint) parts of the mask.

Burn−Selects Photoshop's Burn tool. Sets the tool's "Range" to "Shadows" and the
tool's opacity to 50%. This tool is useful for turning dark gray pixels in the Rapid
Mask black without affecting the whites in the mask.

Dodge−Select Photoshop's Dodge tool. Sets the tool's "Range" to "Highlights" and
the tool's opacity to 50%. This tool is useful for turning light gray pixels in the
Rapid Mask white without affecting the blacks in the mask.

Expand / Contract−Uses Photoshop calculations to either expand or contract the

selected areas in the Rapid Mask in small increments. Each of these buttons uses
its own calculation method, so it's not possible to completely reverse what one
button does by clicking the opposite button. To accurately undo what has
happened, use the History panel to go back to a previous state.

Increase Black−Incrementally increase the amount of black in the Rapid Mask by

turning darker grays black.

Increase White−Incrementally increase the amount of white in the Rapid Mask by

turning lighter grays white.

Invert−Inverts the Rapid Mask.

Blur−Opens the Gaussian Blur dialog in order to blur the Rapid Mask as desired.

Mask-the-Rapid-Mask−Allows restricting the selected areas of the Rapid Mask to

the parts of the image defined by another selection. To use this function, first
make a selection using a selection tool, like Lasso or Marquee. Then click this
button to turn the non-selected areas of the Rapid Mask black. The action stops to
allow feathering of the selection. If no feathering is desired, click Cancel in the
Feather Selection dialog window.

Reset−Resets all adjustments and returns the Rapid Mask to the state it was in
when the Go module mask preview was converted to a Rapid Mask.

The buttons in the OUTPUT section in Rapid Mask mode are identical to those in the
OUTPUT section of the Go module's main interface. They deploy the mask stored in
the "_Rapid_Mask" channel instead of deploying the mask preview. The
"_Rapid_Mask" channel is NOT deleted once the mask has been deployed. So the
Rapid Mask can be deployed multiple times as long as the panel is still in Rapid
Mask mode.

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To exit Rapid Mask mode click the X button in the lower right corner of the OUTPUT
section. Doing this deletes the _Lum_Lock" and "_Rapid_Mask" channels on the
Channels panel and returns the panel to the Go module's main interface.

5. Layer Mask mode

Sometimes, after applying a mask to a layer as a layer mask and making
adjustments through the mask, the results in the image aren't quite what was
expected. The on-screen mask preview is always a best guess for what will work,
but sometimes it's not quite perfect once it's deployed. Layer Mask mode provides
one way to continue to refine a layer mask to help it produce better results. To
activate Layer Mask mode, make sure the layer with the layer mask you want to
adjust is active, and then click the LM button in the lower right corner of the Go
module.

NOTE: The LM button is only available when there is NO mask preview.

Clicking the LM button opens the Layer Mask mode interface. The buttons can then
be used to modify the layer mask of the current active layer. Initially the image
appears on the screen, not the layer mask. Clicking one of the adjustment buttons
opens the appropriate Properties panel or interface so the mask can be modified.
The image remains visible so that as changes are made to the mask, the effect on
the image can be viewed directly. To see the mask while adjusting it, click the
Image/Mask toggle button to toggle between viewing the layer mask and viewing
the image.

The figure below identifies the adjustment tools available in LM mode.

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Curves, Levels, Brightness/Contrast−Opens a window to perform the designated

type of adjustment on the layer mask.

Auto−Executes an auto-Levels command on the layer mask so that the mask's

tonal range extends from pure black to pure white (0 to 255).

ACR−Opens the Adobe Camera Raw filter so that the layer mask can be modified
using the controls in this filter.

Black Brush / White Brush−Paint with black or white on the layer mask. The brush
opacity is automatically set to 100%. Adjust the brush parameters (hardness and
opacity) and, while painting on the mask, watch the result on the image.

Burn−Selects Photoshop's Burn tool. Sets the tool's "Range" to "Shadows" and the
tool's opacity to 50%. This tool is useful for turning dark gray pixels in the layer
mask black without affecting the whites in the mask.

Dodge−Selects Photoshop's Dodge tool. Sets the tool's "Range" to "Highlights" and
the tool's opacity to 50%. This tool is useful for turning light gray pixels in the
layer mask white without affecting the blacks in the mask.

Expand / Contract−Uses Photoshop calculations to either expand or contract the

selected areas in the layer mask in small increments. Each of these buttons uses
its own calculation method, so it's not possible to completely reverse what one
button does by clicking the opposite button. To accurately undo what has
happened, use the History panel to go back to a previous state.

Increase Black−Incrementally increase the amount of black in the layer mask by

turning darker grays black.

Increase White−Incrementally increase the amount of white in the layer mask by

turning lighter grays white.

Invert−Inverts the layer mask.

Blur−Opens the Gaussian Blur dialog in order to blur the layer mask as desired.

Mask-the-Layer-Mask−Allows restricting what is revealed by the layer mask to the

parts of the image defined by another selection. To use this features, first make a
selection using a selection tool, like Lasso or Marquee. Then click this button to
turn the non-selected areas of the layer mask black. The action stops to allow
feathering the selection. If no feathering is desired, click Cancel in the Feather
Selection dialog window. (NOTE: One alternative to using this Mask-the-Layer-
Mask feature is to place the layer in a group, and then paint black on the group's
layer mask to conceal the parts of the layer that you don't want affected. This
approach has the advantage of preserving the original layer mask.)

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Reset−Resets all adjustments and returns the layer mask to the state it was in
when entering Layer Mask mode.

When finished adjusting the layer mask, click the X button in the lower right corner
of the module to return to viewing the Go module's primary interface.

NOTE #1: Unlike the RapidMask module, it is NOT possible to exchange the layer
mask in Layer Mask mode with a completely different pixel-based mask generated
using the Go module. For example, switching out a Lights-1 mask with a Midtones-
2 mask can't be done directly in Layer Mask mode. In Layer Mask mode, it's only
possible to adjust the current layer mask using the MODIFY buttons.

NOTE #2: Layer Mask mode is an advanced feature in the Go module. Generally
the initial mask is adequate because the Go module offers effective mask preview
and modification tools. However, in those cases where the deployed mask does not
perform as intended, Layer Mask mode is available to further refine the mask once
it's in place as a layer mask.

6. Settings
The settings for the Go module are accessed by clicking
the "TK" icon on the panel's main interface. From this
window you can set the following options:

Accent Color−Opens the Color Picker to choose a new

accent color for the panel. The default is green (0, 255,
0).

Selection Indicator−A selection indicator turns on at the

top of the module whenever there is an active selection.
Even if the selection edges are hidden, the selection
indicator serves as a reminder that an active selection
exists. There are four choices: Fixed, Pulse, Animated,
and Off. The Fixed option is the default and uses fewer
system resources.

Auto-hide selection edges−When this option is checked,

the selection edges (marching ants) are automatically
hidden when the module outputs a selection. This is
generally desirable since the effectiveness of painting through the selection is
better judged without the edges. Having this option turned on means the module
automatically hides the edges and you can just start painting on your image.

Language−Click a button to translate the module to that language.

© button−Opens a message with a brief description of copyright information,

summary of the end-user license agreement, and contact information for Tony
Kuyper.

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TK button−Opens a window in the computer's default web browser with additional

resources for using the panel.

Reminder for rollover help−Most items on the panel have rollover help programmed
into the buttons. Simply hold down the ALT/option key and roll over a button. The
help message will then appear at either the top or the bottom of the module.
NOTE: You need to actually roll over a button's edge and onto the button with the
ALT/option key depressed in order for rollover help to appear. You cannot roll the
mouse pointer onto a button and then depress the ALT/option key to access the
help message. Rolling over the button's edge while holding down on the ALT/option
key is the trigger that opens the help message window.

SATURATION/VIBRANCE
The TK7 RapidMask module treats saturation and vibrance like any other pixel-level
dataset it can access. Photoshop can read the saturation of any pixel and display it
as a corresponding grayscale value in a mask. This means it can be luminosity-
locked into the "Lum Lock" channel and from there spectrum-ized using the MASK
buttons. The resulting Rapid Masks can be further modified using the MODIFY
buttons. More information on saturation masks can be found in this blog post.

NOTE: The Go module also makes Saturation and Vibrance mask and has
"Saturation Painting" available from the OUTPUT menu button.

While saturation is very different than luminosity, it's also similar in that there are
positive and negative masks associated with both properties. For luminosity,
positive masks are the Lights-series and negative masks are the Darks-series. For
saturation, the positive mask is the Saturation mask. This is a mask where the
more saturated the color, the lighter the grayscale tone in the mask. The negative
of saturation is vibrance. So in the same way that a Darks-1 mask is a negative of
a Lights-1 mask, a Vibrance-1 mask is the negative of a Satuartion-1 mask. In a
Vibrance mask, the less saturated the color is in the image, the lighter its gray
value in the mask, and the more saturated the pixel color, the darker the grayscale
tone in the mask. So luminosity has Lights and Darks masks, and saturation has
Saturation and Vibrance masks (see images below).

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(NOTE: RapidMask does NOT use Photoshop's HSB/HSL filter to create Saturation
and Vibrance masks. The HSB/HSL filter assigns a value of 100% Saturation to
any pixel that has a Brightness value less than 100%. This means that many colors
which aren't at all dark are treated as being 100% saturated in Saturation masks
generated using the HSB/HSL filter. Adobe surely has a reason for doing this, but it
makes it impossible to separate out saturation in many slightly dark colors where
saturation differences can still be important. RapidMask uses a different calculation
that creates symmetrical saturation masks in both light and dark colors. By doing
this, dark colors still have a range of Saturation values regardless of the pixel's
Brightness value. In other words, the calculation does NOT assign a blanket
Saturation value of 100% to pixels with Brightness less than 100% the way the
HSB/HSL filter does, and more useful masks, especially for darker colors, are the
result. More information on saturation masks can be found in this blog post.)

There are two main ways to use the saturation features in

the RapidMask module to adjust image saturation. The
first is through Hue/Saturation adjustment layers. Click
the SAT option (SAT > SAT in the SOURCE section) to
luminosity-lock the image's saturation into the "Lum
Lock" channel. This also creates the initial "Lights-1"
Saturation mask. Once saturation has been luminosity-
locked, any of the MASK or MODIFY buttons can be used
to customize the saturation Rapid Mask the user is
viewing.

Saturation masks can be used to control over-saturated

colors in the image. To do this, find a Rapid Mask using
the Lights-series buttons that shows white or light gray in
the over-saturated colors that need to be desaturated.
Usually one of the Lights-series buttons is adequate to
make an appropriate saturation mask. However,
saturation in most images is generally less than
expected, so saturation masks tend to be quite dark. It
might be necessary to use the slider or A button in the
MODIFY section to create a mask with the needed light gray values. Once a Rapid
Mask targeting the image's over-saturated colors is available, use the Layer output
button to generate a Hue/Saturation adjustment layer with that mask applied as a

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layer mask. Then go to the Properties panel for this Hue/Sat layer and move the
Saturation slider to the left to decrease saturation in either the Master channel or in
one of the color channels in the drop-down menu. The image's over-saturated
colors, now targeted by the layer mask, will have their saturation decreased as a
result, and, because the layer mask is pixel-based, the adjustment will blend
perfectly into the rest of the image.

Vibrance can be addressed in a similar manner. Start by

making a "Lights-1" Vibrance mask using the SAT > VIB
option in the SOURCE section. Most photographic images
have a lot of low-saturation colors, so the initial mask for
vibrance usually has a lot of light gray and white tones and
is not generally useful for accurately targeting perceptually
unsaturated colors. However, it's easy to try different
Lights-series masks to further restrict the Vibrance mask to
progressively less-saturated colors thereby producing a
more functional mask. Lights-3, -4, or -5 are usually more
appropriate. Even Zone masks, like Zone-8 or Zone-9 can
work. Once an adequate mask targeting vibrance is
generated, use the Layer output button to generate a
Hue/Saturation adjustment layer with the Rapid Mask as
the layer mask. Then use the Properties panel to make the
necessary adjustment. For vibrance, the goal is almost
always to boost the saturation of the low-saturated colors,
so drag the Saturation slider to the right to add saturation.
The Vibrance layer mask will insure that the adjustment
targets unsaturated colors and that the adjustment blends
well into the image. It's often surprising how far the Saturation slider can be
pushed to the right when a vibrance mask is filtering the effect.

By using Saturation and Vibrance masks on separate Hue/Saturation adjustment

layers, it's usually possible to bring a better saturation balance to the image and
often to creatively improve it.

NOTE: Using Hue/Saturation layers with saturation and vibrance masks has two
advantages over using Photoshop's Vibrance adjustment, which also has sliders for
Saturation and Vibrance. The first is that Photoshop's Vibrance adjustment layer
does not treat all colors equally. It tries to prevent oversaturation of flesh tones,
which means reds are treated differently than greens. For some images, like
portraits, that's ideal, but for others (fall foliage) it might not be. Not only does a
Hue/Saturation adjustment layer NOT make this distinction for red colors, it actually
lets the user select the color channel they want to adjust. And this is the second
important difference. There are no color channel options with Photoshop's Vibrance
adjustment layer. Saturation and vibrance of different colors, like blue and
magenta, can only be addressed independently using a Hue/Saturation adjustment
layer.

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Saturation Painting
A second method to add or remove color saturation is
with saturation painting. This is very similar to luminosity
painting. However, instead of painting with black and
white through a luminosity selection to affect image
brightness in specific tones, saturation painting paints
with a saturated or unsaturated color through a
Saturation or Vibrance selection to affect saturation in
specific colors.

To start saturation painting, first create the "Saturation

Painting" layer by clicking the Paint button (SAT > Paint in
the SOURCE section of the RapidMask module). This
creates a blank pixel layer set to Saturation blend mode.
It also resets the default foreground and background
colors to gray and red. Gray painted onto the "Saturation
Painting" layer removes color saturation. Red increases
it. Brush opacity is varied to control the effect.

Saturation and Vibrance masks are used to precisely

target where the paint is applied. A Saturation mask only allows the selected paint
color to be brushed onto the saturated colors in the image and the Vibrance mask
only allows application to the under-saturated colors.

Generally, the goal of saturation painting is to better balance saturation in the

image. This is done by removing excess saturation from over-saturated colors
(painting with gray onto the "Saturation Painting" layer) or adding saturation to
under-saturated colors (painting red on the "Saturation Painting" layer).

Once the Saturation Painting layer is in place, the next step is to generate an
appropriate Saturation or Vibrance selection to paint through. Luminosity-lock the
image's saturation or vibrance using the corresponding button in the SAT menu.
Then choose an appropriate mask from the MASK section (usually Lights 1 through
6). The masks created by these MASK buttons can be further modified using the
MODIFY buttons. Finally, load the mask as a selection using the Selection button in
the OUTPUT section. Paint through the selection with the appropriate brush color to
affect the desired saturation change. The +/- selection edges button in the
Combo/Cx modules can be used to turn off the marching-ant selection borders to
better see the effect as paint is applied (the marching ants are hidden, but the
selection is still active). Because saturation painting can have dramatic effects
when brush opacity is high, it's best to start with low opacity (around 10%) and
slowly build up the desired saturation change with multiple brushstrokes.

In practice, saturation painting often works best to reduce over-saturation which is

often a local problem confined to small and specific areas of the image. Saturation
painting through a saturation mask selection allows the gray paint to be brushed on
precisely where it's needed to pull back on the over-saturated colors. To adjust

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vibrance, on the other hand, a Hue/Saturation adjustment layer with a Vibrance

mask often works better. Most images can handle a global increase in saturation in
the under-saturated colors. These global saturation increases through a Vibrance
mask often look completely natural since additional saturation of more saturated
colors is prevented by the Vibrance mask, which appropriately restricts the
saturation change to unsaturated colors.

In summary, proper saturation balance can usually be achieved using a

combination of (a) saturation painting through a Saturation selection to decrease
oversaturation and (b) a Hue/Saturation adjustment through a Vibrance layer mask
to increase saturation of under-saturated colors. This combination often allows
more saturation to be incorporated into the image without the image looking over-
saturated. The key is to use Saturation and Vibrance masks in a way that insures
that both global and local saturation are properly addressed.

NOTE: In case users need to come back to the Saturation Painting layer to touch-
up saturation as the image progresses, they can CTRL/command+click on the Paint
button to reset the brush colors for saturation painting only (without creating a new
Saturation Painting layer)

BATCH MODULE
The Batch module allows you to resize and sharpen
an entire folder of images and then save these
images to a different folder. Similar parameters as
those found in the WEB-SHARPEN section of the
Combo/Cx modules can be selected, plus some
additional ones for choosing the output file format
(more than one can be selected) and whether to add
a prefix of suffix to the output file names. The
Vertical, Horizontal, and Fit buttons initiate the action
to sharpen and resize the selected folder of images.

One thing that has been a problem with Batch

sharpening for Mac owners is the use of prohibited
characters in folder and file names that Photoshop
can't recognize. Mac allows them, but Photoshop
rejects them, and their use stops the batch
sharpening process. The following characters are not
allowed: < > : " | ? * \ / %

The TK7 panel's Batch module now looks for these prohibited characters and alerts
the user if they are found. This might take a few seconds after clicking the Vertical,
Horizontal, and Fit buttons depending on the number of images in the Input folder,
so please give it time to complete. If you receive a message that your file or folder
names contain these prohibited characters, you will need to change the names
before the batch sharpening can proceed.

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WORKFLOW CONSIDERATIONS

There are many ways to develop images in Photoshop. I prefer a "free-form"

approach where the image determines the next step instead of some predetermined
process that uses the same steps each time. This requires the photographer to
engage with the image and ask, "OK, what does this image need most right now?"
and then figure out a way to meet that need. Contrast, color, saturation, and
brightness are the four big items to think about. Getting these four elements
balanced across the entire frame usually results in an image where the viewer
doesn’t even realize there has been manipulation. When everything looks natural,
the viewer can accept that it is.

The TK7 panel is meant to be a tool to help photographers achieve their desired
balance in the image. Contrast, brightness, saturation, and color are easily
targeted using the masks that can be generated by the panel. Making adjustments
through these masks to target specific pixel-level properties is one way to achieve
proper balance. The adjustments are confined to tones defined by the mask but
the masks also blend the adjustment seamlessly into the image. These self-
feathering masks make it possible to achieve the right balance in the image in a
proportional way where pixels that need the adjustment get adjusted most and
those that don't need it get adjusted least.

It takes some practice to get a feel for how these masks work. Masking for
brightness usually makes a lot of sense. This is the fundamental idea behind using
luminosity masks for exposure blending. But color channel masks, saturation
masks, and color masks are new territory for many photographers. The only way
to really understand these alternatives to standard luminosity masks is to try them.
The RapidMask module quickly makes entire spectrums of these alternate masks
that the user can see on-screen and try out. The visual, mask-based nature of the
TK7 panel helps the user know up front if they're on the right track for finding a
mask that meets their image-development goals.

By using perfectly feathered masks and selections of specific tones, imbalances that
could easily draw the eye of the viewer and look unnatural are instead easily
removed with an adjustment layer or a paint brush. Saturation, contrast, color,
and brightness can be addressed individually or in combination; locally or globally.
It's just necessary to decide what needs to be done and find a way to do it.

The question "What does the image need right now?" might have answers like:

"More overall contrast."

"More saturation in the light tones."
"Better mid-tone contrast."
"The sky (blue/cyan) is a little too red."
"The image is too dark."
"That corner is too light."
"The shadows feel heavy and lack detail."
"The light tones lack detail."

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"The colors feel weak."

These are things the viewer will see too . . . and quickly pick up on as looking out of
place. It's the photographer's job to spot these things first and correct them before
presenting the image to the viewer.

When image development is approached in this way, there is actually a four-step

workflow that can be implemented:

1. Evaluate the image.

2. Identify what it needs.
3. Find a way to fix it.
4. Repeat.

While the panel can help correct many problems identified by the photographer, it's
still up to the photographer to decide what's needed, and this comes with practice
and experience. Initially there will be some trial-and-error out of necessity, but,
very soon, deciding on which mask to use becomes more intuitive. In fact, knowing
that there is a good way to target brightness, contrast, saturation, vibrance, and
color often makes it easier to start thinking about these important properties in the
image and how they can be improved.

Beyond helping to bring proper balance to the image, the TK7 panel should also be
seen as a creative tool. It's great to end up with a perfectly developed image, but
is that enough? Digital development opens all kinds of possibilities. What happens
when we push beyond a well-balanced image to one that also speaks of our
creative interaction with the light? What else can our images show if we don't
restrict ourselves to a literal interpretation of what the camera captured? And is
there a way to spark our creativity when an image is looking to find its direction?

The answer to these questions is that we'll never know if we don't at least try. The
TK7 panel makes it easy to try enhancements like glow, Orton effect, clarity,
vignettes, spotlights, color alternatives, and monochrome. Can these lead to a new
path for an image? Can they improve the image further? Maybe. Click a button
and find out. If it doesn't work, delete the layer and try something else. If
something looks like it has potential but is too strong, add a luminosity mask to the
layer and see if that helps. Proportionally revealing many effects through pixel-
based masks frequently looks much better than the full-on effect without a mask.
Layer Mask Mode in the RapidMask module allows different masks to be inserted as
layer masks quickly and easily.

While getting the fundamentals of the image correct is important, creativity is also
a necessary part of photography and frequently involves pushing the light in new
ways. This is a much less obvious pathway than evaluating and correcting
noticeable imbalances in the image. But most photographers will want to explore
this territory eventually and the TK7 panel will hopefully help start this process and
provide new ideas for creative exploration.

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TROUBLESHOOTING

The panel has been tested on Mac and Windows. There are occasionally
unexpected problems when using the panel. A few of the most common problems
and possible solutions are listed on the following pages. If you have other
problems, please contact me and I'll try to help.

1. Error message: "The <module name> extension could not be loaded

because it was not properly signed."
This error means that the contents of the module's installation folder have been
altered. The panel has indeed been properly signed, but the signature chain, which
guarantees unaltered code, is broken. This can happen if the user accidentally or on
purpose opens the installation
folder, but it also appears to
happen spontaneously sometimes
during routine installation or
periodic Photoshop updates by
Adobe. The solution is to use the
download link to get a NEW
download folder and then simply
run the installer and let it replace
the different modules.

2. The modules have been installed but don't show up in Photoshop. There
are a several possibilities to consider here.

a) Make sure to click through the menu command Window > Extensions to
actually open the modules in Photoshop. Installation is not enough to actually
have modules appear in Photoshop. The menu command needs to be used to open
the modules. Once the modules are open, they will stay open and can be docked to
a panel docking bar.

b) Try rebooting the computer.

c) There is a Photoshop preference setting that needs to be checked in

order for extension panels to be loaded. Make sure the checkbox "Load
Extensions Panels" under the "Plug-Ins" preferences is checked (red box, image on
next page).

(Continued on next page.)

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3. The masks generated by the panel are inverted (the "Lights" masks are
negatives and the "Dark" masks are positives).

This is NOT a problem caused by the

panel. If you create a selection
using one of the Photoshop's other
selection tools and then save the
selection as a mask, it will also be
inverted. So this is a Photoshop
problem. There are two possible
solutions.

a) Double-click the Edit in Quick

Mask Mode button (rectangle with a
circle inside) near the bottom of the
Tools panel. From the pop-up
window, make sure the radio button
for "Masked Areas" is selected. If
the "Selected Areas" radio button is
selected, masks will be inverted.

b) If the first solution doesn't work,

it's possible the Photoshop

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"Preferences" file is corrupted and needs to be reset. An online video to help do

this can be found here.
4. The Wacom tablet doesn't work properly when tapping some menu
items. (NOTE: This problem appears to be fixed in CC 2019.) Starting with
Photoshop CC 2018, there have been reports of the Wacom tablet stylus not being
able to click on items in drop-down menus on Windows computers. This is likely an
Adobe bug as previous versions of Photoshop are unaffected. However, it's easy to
fix.

a) Open the "Wacom Tablet Properties" using the Windows button or Control Panel.
b) Go to the "Mapping" tab.
c) Uncheck the "Use Windows Ink" checkbox (see image below).

Then:

a) Open a text editor such as Notepad. Type (or copy) the following two lines:

# Use WinTab
UseSystemStylus 0

b) Save the file as a plain text file named: PSUserConfig.txt

c) Save or copy the file into the following Photoshop settings folder:

C:\Users\<Your User Name>\AppData\Roaming\Adobe\Adobe Photoshop

CC 2018\Adobe Photoshop CC 2018 Settings\

d) Restart Photoshop and check

the pen pressure and overall
performance.

I've reported this issue to Adobe,

but do not know if it will be fixed
and it appears to be fixed in CC
2019.

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5. Go module masks don't look right. The masks generated by the Go module
should be nearly identical to the corresponding masks generated by the RapidMask
module. There are couple of reasons they might not.

a) The RGB and Gray Working Spaces are not properly set to match your
image. Please see the "Setting Up the Color Working Space" PDF in the
"2 - Instructions and Other Documents" folder in your download folder to make sure
you have your RGB and Gray Working Spaces properly configured

b) The June 2020 update to Photoshop 2020 introduced a new bug. In the
Preferences > Performance menu, the "Legacy Compositing" option needs to be
UNCHECKED. If it is checked, you will get masks that don't make sense. So be
sure this option is unchecked before using the Go module to make masks.

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6. A recommendation to properly manage adjustment layers and layer

masks.

As mentioned earlier in this

PDF, it's generally a good
idea to make sure Photoshop
is adding a layer mask
automatically when it creates
a new adjustment layer. To
check for this, first open the
Adjustments panel (Window
> Adjustments).

Then open the fly-out menu

(four bars in upper right
corner) and make sure the
"Add Mask by Default" is
checked. If not, click on it to
toggle the check mark on.

Also make sure that "Clip to

Layer" is NOT checked. If it
is checked, click it to turn off
the check mark.

I hope the panel is useful to you and that it helps you achieve your artistic goals in
Photoshop. Please feel free to contact me if you have any questions, problems, or
suggestions.

TK7 Panel ©2020 Tony Kuyper