Quick Tip: Background Fix

Sometimes I have a photo I just love and there’s things (people) in the background I don’t love. I could take oodles of time and remove them. There are so many amazing tools these days to do just that. Or, I can use a quick & easy fix and use a mask.

Masks are some of my very favorite digital scrapbooking products. I love how they help my photo just blend into a page. I love how they can magic away parts of photo I don’t love. Today all I’m going to do is show you some of our masks in action. I want to scrap a photo of Dane from last year, taken in front of the Duomo di Milano.

I absolutely love his expression. I love all the birds. Of course I used our mega collection Free as a Bird to scrap this one! It is just perfect for this layout.

I started with one of Marzena’s, Sekada Designs, masks. Her masks are arty, creative and blend beautifullly on a page.

I couldn’t quite fit Dane’s arms in this mask correctly. I think I need a wider mask. Since Dane should be the center of attention for this layout, I picked a more circular one by our talented Guest Designer Janece Suarez.

Meandering Home mask by Janece Suarez Designs

Dane’s arms are great! I don’t like how much the people in the background are still showing up. I grab one of Jen Maddocks Designs newest masks to see if it’s just a little more blendy.

Bricolage Monthly September 2020 photo mask by Jen Maddocks Designs

Jen’s mask blends perfectly on the page but Dane’s arms don’t quite fit. Instead I try a more rectangular by Manu Scraps.

Manu’s is almost perfect for this photo, this page. I try one more. I am a big fan of Irina’s, PrelestnayP Designs, frame + mask combos. I think I have a winner!

Keep Your Memories mask (vol. 17) by PrelestnayaP Designs

I finish my layout with some of the fun elements in Free as a Bird and add the date (font = Another Typewriter). I’m happy & done!

All the amazing products I used today. Note: All our Masks are on sale this week for 30% Off:

Free as a Bird limited edition only available through Oct. 4, 2020
Keep Your Memories mask (vol. 17)
Autumn Interlude mask
Bricolage Monthly September 2020 photo mask
Sunshiney Day mask
Meandering Home mask

About the Author: Toiny

My name is Toiny (pronounced Twa-knee) and I am the Studio site owner and a Designer at heart. I especially love creating word arts and tools to help others create. I learned photoshop from my Father-in-Law while printing alien t-shirts for the tourists in Roswell, NM. Once I touched photoshop, I never let it go. It's a creative addiction! I currently live with four-out-of-six kids, my husband & two ornery cats in the Black Forest, Germany. Or as they say in German: Der Schwarzwald. I design under the name: Schwarzwald Design at the Studio.

2 Comments

Pam K 16 September 2020 at 1:37 pm - Reply

I love how you showed all the different masks that you tried out. Great photo of Dane & love how the final version looks!
Harriett 16 September 2020 at 2:31 pm - Reply

When I have a mask that I really want to use but not the right size, I bring it in as a smart object and use free transform to adjust the mask size & shape. I also use a soft round or similar style brush as the mask and just add a extra paint stroke directly on the mask.

Quick Tip: Background Fix