Layer Style and masks question

[SeniorS]

Hello!

I have several times a little problem with subject.

If you take some Layer Style and then set mask on it then its of course mask all image.
I have problem to exlain it, i'll show:

that i have, and want to achieve that:


but get that by swich on mask on that layer:


So did i miss something about layer styles and there is easy way to apply mask to only effects, but not to image itself? Or at least to get something like that:

P.S. I know that it can be done my manipulation with groups or "merging" but is there some more "natural" way?

 

[dv8_fx]

I'm trying to understand your problem Senior S..... I've replicated your 2 layers on my PS...... which layer has the mask? How did you get that selection path?

 

[iDad]

Feathering layer effect is his goal I believe

 

[SeniorS]

Here is PSD file: View attachment blending1.psd

but it's just a total example. Problem (not exactly a ploblem) essence is that Layer Styles, all that cool stuff works "around" mask borders. If i want to keep some area inside that mask untouched normaly just take brush and paint over it with needed opacity. But in Layer Styles, that untouched area ("hole" in mask) start to be a new border and effect start to "work" there.

Like in preview cutted moon, but get additional shadow form bottom (around new figure), not just arround previous figure (circle). If its make any more sence.

 

[SeniorS]

I want something like that...make this one normal way if possible:
1. make a group
2. copy there layer with effects needed layer
3. make those effects.
4. give a mask to that group.
now i have image like last one from first post. if i make same mask to layer itself result will be like one before last.

 

[dv8_fx]

I hope I understood your problem correctly......

There are instances, like yours, that applying a layer mask to a layer style will not work as desired. That is what happened in your case - in image 3... The mask changed the shape in which you applied the inner shadow layer style. The shadow compensated for the shape change. Try deleting the mask and the shadow will return to the original state that you created it.

How do we get the effects of image 2 and 4? There is a need to create a clipping group . And a matter of creating another layer in which to apply the mask to.....

As my screenshots show, image 2 is done this way... the mask on the top layer is created from the selection path of the image with the inner shadow style......

View attachment 3314

Image 4, this manner... as a clipping group.... layer 2 is filled all white and with the original mask you created.

View attachment 3315

... I grouped the respective layers so it's easy to show the 2 effects.... just click the layer eye of the group sets....

View attachment 3316

Hope I understood your problem.....

 

[SeniorS]

Thank You!

Very understandable instructions.
Effect image 4 is exactly like i wanted.
I always forget about cliping mask cause don't really understand way how it works. But looks like it works well. And mask is doing what it have to. Still there is need to copy layer but i think this one is better than group or merging. So thanks again.
But Effect image 1 is cheating (circle was just easiest example i can think off).

P.S. hope someday PS will allow choose on what exactly mask works on - image or effects.

 

[dv8_fx]

Whew... lol ... you're welcome.... for a minute there I thought I didn't get you correctly...

Another way to get image 1 is to select the image on layer 2 (CTRL+click layer icon), CTRL+SHIFT+I (Invert selection), select layer 1 to make it active, and delete part of image outside the inner shadow image.....

By definition, clipping groups allow you to select a layer as a mask for one or more layers above that layer. For example, if you have a shape on one layer, a texture on top, and some text on the topmost layer, you can define all three layers as a clipping group so that the texture and the text appear only through the shape.

Like theSPY here... lol .... your circle with inner shadow layer style , bulb and text are above the head layer (the mask layer).... grouped as a clipping mask...

 

[SeniorS]

Kinds 2am at my place. I'm looking on text, see character even words but not senteces
Hope i'll get it tommorow.