DEMO // turning scanned lines into a transparent layer (Patreon)

Here’s a little demonstration of how I turn scanned linework into a transparent line layer, which is something I did when creating this artwork of Ariel! I wanted to talk you guys through it in a video, because it felt like the most intuitive way to get this information across.

Some additional info:

Here is a super basic resource on masks for those of you who are not familiar with them: https://helpx.adobe.com/photoshop/how-to/layer-mask.html

For Procreate users, here’s a helpful mask resource for you: https://procreate.art/handbook/procreate/layers/layers-mask/

For my little mermaid process video, I first adjusted the scanned lines by painting on the layer with a brush, before turning that layer into a mask. Anything that’s greyscale can be used as a mask, so it essentially doesn’t matter whether you modify the lines first before pasting it into the mask channel.

It is also possible to paste a greyscale image into your mask in Procreate. To do that, create a layer with a mask. Then select your greyscale layer that you want to turn into a mask, and copy it. Then select your mask and make sure the mask is empty before you paste. Then do a 3 finger swipe down, and press ‘paste’ - your greyscale image should be pasted into the mask. You can then invert it by tapping on the mask and selecting ‘invert’ from the little menu that appears.

I hope you find this helpful! I love using masks, once you get the hang of them they can be a really powerful tool to adjust and modify your art without damaging the layer itself. As always, if you have any questions, feel free to ask!