To "turn on" the red mask in Photoshop, you need to enter Quick Mask Mode. When you enter Quick Mask Mode, your selected layer will become red, indicating the masked area.
Understanding Quick Mask Mode
Quick Mask mode is a temporary mode in Photoshop that allows you to create or refine selections using painting tools. Instead of seeing marching ants (the animated dotted line around a selection), you see a colored overlay (typically red) on the parts of the image that are masked, or not selected.
The default color for the mask overlay is red, hence the term "red mask". This visual representation makes it easier to see precisely which areas will be included or excluded from your selection.
How to Enter Quick Mask Mode
Entering Quick Mask mode is straightforward:
- Press the
Qkey: This is the keyboard shortcut to toggle Quick Mask mode on and off. - Click the Quick Mask icon: Located in the bottom section of the main toolbar (usually on the left side of your screen). It looks like a rectangle with a circle inside.
- Reference Information: As mentioned, When you enter Quick Mask Mode in Photoshop, your selected layer will become red.
Once you enter Quick Mask mode, your image will show a red overlay on the areas that are currently masked (not selected). You can then use brushes or other painting tools to modify this mask – painting with black adds to the mask (more red), and painting with white subtracts from the mask (less red, making the area selected).
How to Exit Quick Mask Mode
To exit Quick Mask mode and convert the mask back into a standard selection (marching ants), simply do one of the following:
-
Press the
Qkey again: This toggles the mode off. -
Click the Quick Mask icon in the toolbar again.
-
Reference Information: To get rid of this red highlight on your layer, press Q on your keyboard or click the quick mask icon in the toolbar to exit this mode.
Exiting Quick Mask mode will turn the red overlay into an active selection indicated by marching ants.
Quick Summary Table
| Action | How to Perform | Result |
|---|---|---|
| Enter Quick Mask | Press Q or click Quick Mask icon |
Image gets a red overlay (masked areas) |
| Exit Quick Mask | Press Q or click Quick Mask icon |
Red overlay disappears, selection appears |
Using Quick Mask mode is a powerful technique for creating precise and intricate selections in Photoshop.
