Creating Masks

You need PSPX to do this tutorial.  Get it from http://www.corelcom

You may download the images I've used to create the mask in this tutorial.

You can create a mask from any picture, paintings, fonts, brushes, clip art images.
Mask is a grayscale image. The main purpose of using mask is to cover part of an
image.

Open a canvas size 500x500 transparent. I will use a tube and brushes to create an
image for a mask.

Add a new raster layer. Click the paintbrush tool/ and find any images that can be
use to create as a mask. Here are some of the brushes I used for the mask below.

Download

 I arranged them on the canvas. Adjusted the opacities. Then add a raster layer
and flood fill with white.  Merged visible. See image below.

And then, click the selection tool. Selection type=ellipse, selection mode=replace,
feather=65. Add an ellipse selection on the center of the image. Hit the delete key.

Now it's ready to create a mask from the image below.
Click on Layers/ New Mask Layer/ From Image.

The mask image and what show's on the layer palette. Images below.
 

Click on Layers then Load/Save Mask/ save mask to disk. Name your mask. I will
name mine "sweet-serenity".

Now try your mask. Open a photo Resize the image if needed. Duplicate it. Hit
Selection/ Select All and Hit delete key. Deselect.

Flood fill the empty canvas with black. Click on layers/ Load mask from disk. Locate
the mask that you've just created and click LOAD.

Layers/ Invert Mask/Adjustment. If you are satisfied with the result then merge the
mask into group. Cut the image and paste it to the duplicate photo. You can try the
mask on different color by flood filling the canvas with the desired color then load your
mask.

You can bevel the mask or add texture to it. Add a frame to it or a white border.

Sample below.

I added bevel to the mask on this photo

I added Texture/Sculpture on this photo

Have fun and run your imagination wild!