GIMP confusion

TSM

For various reasons I picked up GIMP, I know photoshop quite well so I thought GIMP wouldn't be too much different.

Basically I've found that I am right, but a few things make NO sense to me. If anyone could help me understand a few things that would be awesome:

First off, how do you edit alpha maps? Just clicking on it doesn't seem to do anything but 'select' it. I can do nothing too it.

Kinda sorta the same thing with layer masks - how do they work in GIMP and how do I edit them? (Generally I would take the layer the mask is on, copy it, and put it in the layer mask to start for a base, but I can't copy anything in).

Sometimes - I'll select a layer, but it edits the one below it, or something like that - weird behavior.

I'm using GIMP 2.5.3

Thanks!

jrs100000

First off, you shouldnt be using the development shapshot release for production work. This is doubly true if you dont already know how to use program since you have no way of knowing if you are doing something wrong or if a feature is broken/not fully implimented. Switch to the 2.4 series...I think 2.4.7 is the newest one.

To add a layer mask, right click on a layer and select add layer mask. To edit the mask, left click on the mask in the layer dialog and color it in black and white just like any other image.

TSM

Thanks jrs,

Can I copy an image into the mask? Or is that not possible yet?

jrs100000

Youll have the option to use an image or selection as your mask when its first added, or you can copy/paste whatever you want in afterward.