Mask Like a Pro in Photoshop... with KNOCKOUT LAYERS!

In this video, we'll check out a layer setting in Photoshop that just might disrupt your whole layer mask approach! Using knockout layers, we can bring the full power of regular layers (Smart Objects, Text Layers, Layer Effects) into the world of masks.
Free textures used in this tutorial:
texturelabs.org/tutorials/adv...
Fonts used in this tutorial:
www.dafont.com/arb-66-neon-ju...
fonts.adobe.com/fonts/oblong
Check out the Texturelabs Channel for more content:
/ texturelabs
Connect:
Insta @texturelabs
texturelabs.org/

[@Seviexe]

As a self-taught professional Photoshop user, I very rarely saw educational material online that would teach you both new technique with a good explaination AND practical application thereof. After 10 years of going back and forth through uninspired tutorials just in case someone offhandedly brings something interesting to the table, your channel is an absolute breath of fresh air; highly technical, innovative, concise and to the point. I love the work you do, your channel is easily the best thing for a more experienced user.

[@abraztcov]

fact

[@bachtell]

Was going to write something very similiar to this. Most content is not this good.

[@EddyTritten]

Get out of my head

[@jcrdns07]

Couldn’t have said it better this guy has taught me so many things!!!

[@JevoKitano]

Add me to that comment

[@HenryKamp]

The amount this one channel, this one PERSON, has pushed and changed and inspired my workflow.... its crazy. That last bit when you scaled it up-- freaking amazing. Such a powerful way to iterate without creating monstrous files and bogging down your computer, but still preserving the ability to make the full scale thing for print! I love it.

[@Texturelabs]

Wow that's very very cool to hear, thank you. It's super rewarding to bounce this stuff off of other designers... a client can get stoked about something that looks cool, but sometimes the thing you really want to share is how it's done

[@StillnessMoving]

100%, I've learned as much from Brady as I have from all my other photoshop mentors combined.

[@Jonnymiller1977]

Couldn't agree more. Every tutorial is elegantly simple and endlessly useful

[@t0Ool]

THIS.

[@lucasmoreno5330]

All good with the world every time I hear "hey everyone, Brady from Texturelabs here".

[@BenMarriott]

This is brilliant!

[@filippobrandini9233]

You know for sure Texturelabs is doing a great job if Mr Marriot considers it brilliant!

[@Jupaerian]

if only AE had this options u.u

[@gugy68]

Yep. Never heard of this technique. Great tip!

[@sebastiendemartel31]

I'm excited like a kid in front of his Christmas tree at every tutorial!

[@Texturelabs]

Hahaha that's amazing

[@RagsTattoo]

In all these years watching Photoshop tutorials on KZbin, I have never seen a channel teach so much new stuff and different techniques at the same time. Your work is impressive, I always have my mind blown!

[@digital4ddict]

I’ve used photoshop for 20 years. This is new to me. Thanks!

[@FlowersInHisHair]

I can think of so many uses for live text as a mask - this is a revelation

[@Texturelabs]

That's great! Sometimes it's hard for me to think of examples of where things will be useful, I just know they happen all the time!

[@Rocadamis]

There is literally NO ONE in the Photoshop community who is this avant-garde as Brady. No one!

[@Nabzo]

Been using photoshop for 5 years now and I’ve never heard of a knockout layer before this has actually exploded my mind

[@isaidicanshout]

I've been using Photoshop since version 3 and I never knew this was an option, yet was something I always wished I could do. Smart object masks will change my workflow forever.

[@edworldinmyhands1061]

No it used to be called "knockout" layer, I used to use it on text to add an image fill in photoshop 8 or 9. And I'm pretty sure I didn't do it with it called knockout in Corel Draw 8 at that time. You know, it had that cool pic in the title graphic of Hedy Lamarr for that version of Corel 🖥

[@MDelorean]

I'm a Patreon for a year now and I can't emphasize enough how much I've used your tutorials and how well they are edited. Straight to the point, no beginner explanations, love it!

[@Texturelabs]

Very cool, and a huge thank you for the Patreon support!

[@ccuny1]

And he comes up with yet another unique way of doing things in Photoshop I never even heard of. And every time it isn't just clever, it also looks gorgeous. Not sure if you're the Einstein or the Mozart of Photoshop. You're both. You're the Einart of Photoshop. Scary.

[@thosearepinklemons]

I've been using photoshop for over 20 years, and continuously learn new stuff from the videos you put out. Thank you!

[@milkcrate5148]

Brady's out here doing God's work. Thanks for the tutorial, this is gonna change the hell out of my workflow.

[@Texturelabs]

Nice!! Ya I actually know an artists who takes any textures she downloads and immediately converts them to transparent versions - drop em into a comp and they're like instant-masks

[@aneki914]

I can not stress how I am so far ahead of my design peers because of this channel, YOU ARE MY FAVORITE

[@Texturelabs]

Amazing, thanks ANEKI!

[@lqstovichka9699]

This video felt like a Magician showing how he hides his cards o_o ... I can't believe how many things I learned within 10 minutes. Great job!!

[@FilmFactry]

I've used PS since the original Beta and never saw these techniques. I need to rewatch this. Thanks!

[@doctordiffusion]

Thank you for a productive lunch break! I will never look at mask layers the same way again.

[@Texturelabs]

Haha no prob!

[@johntnguyen1976]

I can't believe how much I'm learning from your channel...and I've been using Photoshop for 15 years! Just...amazing.

[@josephlukeulom3716]

5 months ago I did not understand what this video was... But now it all feels right... Thank you Brady

[@shabobchik]

WOW - finally I understand this - I've been trying to get it to work for literally YEARS!!! Brilliant video

[@Reizack]

You are the king, nobody has better tricks than you!

[@AvanaVana]

I’ve been using photoshop since the early 90s and I’m not really one for tutorials. I thought I knew everything, but then I stumbled on to your videos. Truly a wizard! I wish I had the time to experiment and find things like this myself, but staying busy is its own blessing, I guess!

[@radiansinus8126]

Man you are the Odin of all Photoshop Tutorial KZbinrs

[@ranakatan]

Best tutorials ever. I'm not even talikng about the content itself which is mindblowing, I'm talking about how you explain not only *how* you do stuff but exactly *why*. I've learnt a lot from this channel, Thank you so much Brady, you're a demigod.

[@Texturelabs]

Very cool, thanks Ran! I don't post quite as often as a lot of channels - partly cause I'm thinking over and over about the best way to approach a topic... Glad the end result is useful for you!

[@juangomezw]

OMG! Each of your tutorials feels like learning photoshop again!! after 10+ years in design, feels great discovering new techniques as this one!!, I'm a selftaught designer and by that I mean I'm always trying to search for better ways to create and to improve my work by being like a curious kid with a new electronic pushing buttons, turning knobs and wondering what ifs on the multiple combinations of variables that photoshop gives, and I've never knew this setting. Thanks a lot for your videos, each one is a masterclass!!

[@sevinanikolova7032]

That's the best channel for photoshop I've seen so far.

[@zykan651]

I have been using PS for over a decade. Your videos get me excited to learn again and see the 90% of the tool I am not using. Thank you for your content.

[@OCH22]

This is one of the few channels i'm subscribed with the notification bell turned on! Everytime a texturelabs thumbnail appears on my phone its one of the best feelings ever ... like a brief surprise on your day.

[@MarvinTobisch]

I can't believe such an intuitive feature is hidden so unintuitively. When I started with Photoshop, I often wanted to cut out a shape from a one layer out of another layer, ideally while preserving that shape as a vector object so I can continue to reshape it if necessary. Naturally, I was directed to using masks, but they seemed so restrictive. Why can I only add one layer mask and one vector mask? Why can't i use a vector mask on a vector layer? I kind of hated it. But lo and behold, knockout layers - exactly the thing I was looking for with all the flexbility I was hoping for. You can add 35 knockout layers to a single target layer if you wanted to, easily toggle any of them while their content can be literally anything. My god, the QoL improvement. Thanks a lot!

[@iamdebmiller]

This video opened my eyes to many more interesting possibilities. Once I master the steps involved I can see this being useful again and again and again.

[@edworldinmyhands1061]

I kid you not I used to use this technique back when I was a kid in the early 2000s and completely forgot about it. I mean adobe used to have it as literally "knock-out" layer. I used to use it on text with an image fill. The new versions I guess kind of made me forget this way and how it's properties worked this way as independent and not rasterized. DAMN!! Thank you soooo much, I'm glad I subscribed to you years ago ‼👍

[@chriscrux4556]

Immaculate presentation, and flawless techniques. This is why I always come back to this channel.

[@JJMasterDigital]

Thank you Brady for this revolutionary method Summary from this video benefit of using knockout as layer mask: 1. Multiple knockout layer as layer clip for multiple mask on single layer without need to grouping 2. Knockout text layer as mask for easy to change text and for non-destructive mask 3. Knockout smart object as mask for non-destructive mask Settings for knockout layer: Layer Style Option -> Advanced Blending -> Knockout: Shallow and Fill Opacity less than 100% (no need if you already make knockout layer semi transparent) Settings for target layer: Layer Style Option -> Advanced Blending -> Blend Clipped Layers as Group = OFF

[@Texturelabs]

Yeeeeahh! You got it. It's one of those things that's a little uncomfortable to incorporate into your workflow, but pretty soon becomes second nature

[@JJMasterDigital]

@@Texturelabs if Photoshop can invert between opaque and transparent as easy as Ctrl + I, i think it can replace layer mask, by the way this technique add to my collection of masking tool inside layer panel beside layer mask, quick mask, channel editing, clipping mask and blend if

[@JWMCMLXXX]

Dude. What! I've been using Photoshop professionally since 2000 and I always learn something useful in these videos.

[@darioassis9158]

THIS VIDEO RIGHT HERE JUST BLEW MY FREAKING MIND!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[@kapitansecas]

My favorite thing about this channel is that every time I get some unexpected ways to develop creativity. Despite the fact that I have been using Photoshop for many years now, I can always find something new here. Thank you!

[@erdmx.]

My heart rate rises with every video. I've been on youtube for many years now. But there is nothing like this. The tutorials are great. Very high-end and so practical. But overall what you do on your own is a very inspiring man! You have changed my life step by step over the years with other wonderful people like you. Thanks for this! I looked for your portfolio but couldn't find it anywhere. Seeing your previous work probably helps many people to imagine where this thing could go. On the other hand, how cool it is not to be found🤘

[@nachosniegenserio]

I can't describe how amazingly useful your tutorials are. It doesn't make sense, you can't be that amazing we don't deserve you

[@JakeInMotion]

Finally, a mostly non-destructive masking method for PS. Amazing, as always, Brady!

[@tommoore2497]

Awesome tutorial!! Once again, you amaze us with your in depth knowledge of Photoshop! Thank you Sensei, always learning!

[@tommoore2497]

I just put it to use as well!!

[@Texturelabs]

My pleasure, thank you Tom!!

[@nosysknows]

Lately, for knocking out the white on a texture I want to use or mask with, I'll paste the image into the layer mask of a solid color. It's a little cleaner than using blending mode and it makes it easy to change the color plus there's no fringing. Thanks for the quicktip. I'm in those layer controls every day but hadn't even really noticed the knockout dropdown.

[@Smokinz]

I know, you've taught . It ans so much to so many people, you are helping us pursue our dreams! Love from Sweden

[@evanbetter]

wow, again a new door into a completely new galaxy of ps - endless possibilities! thanks for sharing, very well explained, too!

[@michaelmccrory2220]

Everyday is a school day. Thank you Brady. 👍

[@jacolantern441]

Thanks bro finally someone who isn't posting malware or fake stuff, you deserve my subscribe!

[@nightinthevuz]

Yess another texturelabs video!

[@elicitone]

Wow... i knew a bit about Knockout layers.... but am definitely going to use them way more now... never had them expained like that

[@Texturelabs]

Very cool, thanks Jeff!

[@elissitdesign]

You have literally took the most mundane and overlooked features in PS and made it interesting and technical game changer. When I was getting started in my design career I remember this photocopy/distressed print style was super popular, c2006. My creative director at the time used this plugin to get this look but the results were seemingly millions of masks and a complete nightmare to work from.

[@satadrudhar]

Every single tutorial you post is an eye opener. Specially for beginners like me.

[@cryochamberlabel]

Wow, blending options keeps surprising me! Excellent tutorial!

[@SAM_SAM_Dissonance]

didn't expect one of the dark ambient labels I follow to appear here haha

[@cryochamberlabel]

@@SAM_SAM_Dissonance Oh snap, Cryo Fam! :)

[@4.0.4]

You're a genius. I always learn new tricks in each of your videos.

[@Sergio-rq2mm]

I am consistently amazed by the things you teach me, having already been using photoshop for more than a decade. I don't even need to know the topic any more, Texturelabs has a new video? I am going to watch it. My hat is off to you sir.

[@djvertical]

I’ve been using PS for 20yrs and this has just blown my mind. Absolutely amazing! 👌🏻👌🏻👌🏻

[@SayedSafwan]

I can watch them for hours!

[@TarekAlShawwa]

You are the gold standard when it comes to online tutorials 🙌

[@SkyShazad]

Damn You learn something New Everyday

[@kirstyriceart844]

You continue to blow my mind!

[@Texturelabs]

Haha awesome, thank you Kirsty!

[@murphy7436]

TNice tutorials was a fantastic beginner's guide, straight to the point, very clear. As a long-ti teacher I can tell you are quite apt at teacNice tutorialng!

[@NumbFuzz]

This was top tier my man thank you. 20 years of photoshop and I’ve never learned this until now. 😅

[@marcdwonn9772]

Even as a Photoshop veteran, i'm always learning something new and valuable on this channel. Thank you for your incredible content!

[@David0gden]

You just gave me a silver bullet for my Photoshop class, thank you. subscribed

[@filippobrandini9233]

I am a professional photo retoucher and I have been working in commercial photography post production for 10+ years and i never... NEVER heard of this technique. I have to say my work is very much raster based so I never really had a feeling there is nothing groups and layer masks can't do... but this Knockout layer technique opens up for an amazing range of possibilities... thank you so much for sharing this... I discovered your channel yesterday, you are an amazing teacher and your knowledge really inspires me. RESPECT!

[@MadamSavvy]

This just opened the door to so many creative ideas, thank you!!!!!!!!!!!!

[@tessellatiaartilery8197]

Jaw-droppingly effective and controllable. Thank you for posting this outstanding tutorial. Not only are the conceptual tools you show us life changing for workflow and creativity : the videos are crafted superbly, create maximum clarity as to what we need to be doing/focusing on in the Photoshop workspace.

[@flicksonj]

i didnt even knew what knockout was and the existence of such a features. thanks

[@musicteacherengel]

WOW! Thank you! I can't wait to hear more about the high pass blending element that you referred to at 8:30 in the video.

[@fineartattic]

Just brilliant, yet again.

[@danilo352]

I’ve been using knockout masks for a while (mostly for live text mask), but this video has taken it to another level. Also love the high pass nugget at the end. Thank you!

[@StillOnTrack]

Fascinating!

[@PotentialPictures99]

Love learning new stuff! Thank you!

[@SayedSafwan]

Absolutely Amazing! All the videos are a banger!

[@shysydney]

soooooo helpful, thank you TextureLabs!!!

[@danielterrazas]

Its been a while since I have an OMG moment with a Photoshop tutorial. This technique opened up so many possibilities for me. Thank you so much.

[@maximusdoomed]

Holy Batmobile, Superman!!!! My jaw dropped so many time; I bruised my chin. Great VID, MIND BLOWING INFO!!!!

[@LeoFOntRaudal]

I am so amazed about your commitment and professionalism of all the tutorials you present on your channel. Impecable, and despite of how fast your tutorials might be on video, they are very easy to understand, but still you take time to write all the instructions on your webpage just in case people need to go slower...and all for free!!!. Thanks soooooo much for your great work Brady

[@scatterbug]

That was incredible. Thank you!

[@nelsonlabrada]

Top notch! As usual. Excellent! Thanks!

[@rileyswett5155]

This is amazing, thank you so much for everything you publish!

[@cristinavidalart8460]

This is mindblowing! Thank you! ♥

[@SeamusMatthews]

This is fantastic! Great video, and thanks!

[@chrishowitt9654]

Wow, exactly what I've been looking for. Thank you, looks like I'm about to spend a whole day in Photoshop.

[@fredytexis1]

Seriously your channel has really helped me grow VASTLY in such a short amount of time because of how well you explain them. Sure it may take me several tries step by step, but ultimately end up executing the design and adding my own flare to them. Has really helped with my designs with clients for my business. I very much appreciate you!

[@leofreaking]

This is amazing!

[@user-un3wr9ri4l]

Very good idea and tutorial! Thank you

[@okumueddy2315]

You fried my brain... You mean all of this is possible.... I'm knocked out. Your content is amazing.

[@blwh]

Awh man, if i had known this before .... It would have saved me so much time. What an awesome tutorial! Your channel inspire me to learn and do more photoshop, desing and image editing. Please keep up with the good content as always!

[@Texturelabs]

Very cool, appreciate the kind words!

[@tubelator]

Is Adobe watching? :) Best info ever!

[@drisdesign5617]

just amazing ! thank you

[@EyeseesPictures]

Just Incredible. Thanks.

[@hd4ksongs980]

Ima download it thanks for sharing!!

[@vajaga4624]

I am amazed! Thank you soo much!

[@miguimau]

More than 20 years using Photoshop and I´m always learning a lot with tutorials like this. Awesome. Thank you!

[@Tazymandius]

This is pretty cool! Opens up a whole new world of possibilities for me.

[@piotrmaciaszek968]

Woha !!!! Man this is wild ! I have never heard about it. I hope I wont forget to use that tehnique. I love the design you created btw. ;) thanks .

[@Texturelabs]

Awesome, thanks Piotr!

[@SilentSilvia]

Masterful presentation and great tutorial.

[@djpgreek]

Fantastic video. Very cool

[@raybjr]

Great technique, thank you!

[@riyazahmed4706]

Thanks for this great tutorial