Layer masks and selections in PhotoCraft

The README describes PhotoCraft's selections as "selections that understand your image." There are precision tools, automatic tools, and a refine workspace, and every selection can become a mask.

Selection tools

Key	Tools
M	Rectangular and Elliptical Marquee (Single Row and Single Column Marquee are also available)
L	Lasso, Polygonal Lasso, Magnetic Lasso
W	Magic Wand, Quick Selection, Object Selection

Select Subject lets the computer do the tracing. The README notes that smart selection runs on your machine, with no cloud and no account.

Selection commands

Command	Shortcut
Select › All	Cmd+A
Select › Deselect	Cmd+D
Select › Reselect	Cmd+Shift+D
Select › Inverse	Cmd+Shift+I
Select › Select and Mask…	Cmd+Alt+R
Select › Edit in Quick Mask Mode	Q

The Select menu also includes Grow, Similar and Modify (Border, Expand, Smooth). The README also lists feather, contract and smooth. In 0.7.0, Feather uses the radius as the Gaussian's sigma, and Border and Smooth now behave as they do in Photoshop.

Refine with Select and Mask

Open Select › Select and Mask… to refine hair-fine edges. The 0.7.0 release made its CPU refinement four times faster. Double-clicking a layer mask can also open Select and Mask; this depends on a preference.

From selection to mask

The README says you can turn any selection into a layer mask, a vector path or a shape. The mask commands in the source include:

• Layer › Layer Mask › From Transparency
• Layer › Layer Mask › Apply and Delete
• Layer › Vector Mask (from the current path, Reveal All, Hide All, Delete)

New in 0.7.0: the Properties panel has density and feather controls for pixel masks, and the colors you paint with are kept separately for the mask and for the pixels.

Masks on adjustment layers

Make a selection before you add an adjustment layer, and the adjustment applies only inside it. The screenshot above uses an elliptical selection as the mask of a Hue/Saturation layer. See adjustment layers.