Clipping Masks are one of my favorite functions of Photoshop, and they are a great way for bloggers to enhance their blog post graphics and collages. Some of the blog post templates in the blog shop use clipping masks.

A clipping mask allows you to use the content of a layer to mask the layers above it. For example, if I want an image to be cropped with a circle. I can create a circle shape at the bottom (base layer). Then, I place the image in a layer above the circle. When I create the clipping mask, all the other content of the clipped layer will be masked out. With clipping masks, you can use multiple layers, but they need to be successive.

HOW TO CREATE A CLIPPING MASK

1. Arrange the layers in the Layers panel, so that the base layer with the mask is below the layers you want to mask.
2. In your Layers panel, right click the layer of your photograph. Select “Create Clipping Mask”.
3. To add additional layers to a clipping mask, repeat step 2, adding one level at a time to the Layers panel.

HOW TO REMOVE A LAYER FROM A CLIPPING MASK

In the Layers panel, select the layer with the clipping mask. Right click and choose “Release Clipping Mask”. This command removes the selected layer and any layers above it from the clipping mask.

Clipping masks are super easy to use, and they allow you to clean up the arrangement of photographs and give unique shapes to your layouts!