Mask Carte AND Channel Carte: 2 recomendations

[mikemeister_admin]

In the CM interface the “Mask Carte” button is called “Show Mask”. To me it’s confusing to have two different names/labels.

It also took me a while to figure out that the mask carte is only viewable when no mask has been selected in the mask menu.


Recommendation #1:
Unlink the "Mask Carte" from "Show Mask" and make two separate functionalities.

The meaning of "show mask" is more or less obvious in that it shows me what the currently selected mask looks like. This is great.

But it would be, IMHO, even better to also create a Channel Carte so that the user can quickly have a look at all channels at any point without having to "reset" the active mask. In this channel carte please reatain the ability to move through full screen channel views (Alt+. & Alt+,) as exists when viewing a chosen mask.


Recommendation #2:
In the channel carte make more channels available by adding the CMY channels thereby allowing the user to see 13 channels (skin/r/g/b/L/a/b/Hue/Sat/c/m/y/k).

Mike, you previously told me that “the individual RGB channels are always superior” to the CMY channels when using them for masks. Ok, I respect your knowledge and viewpoint. Perhaps a discussion & demonstration of this in the help manual and/or wiki would be nice to help users (or at least me :) ) understand why the RGB channels make better masks.

But here’s my reasoning for placing the CMY channels in a channel carte. I want easy access to those channels at the very least for visualization and learning purposes. I need to see those channels to help develop my understanding of color theory and usage. If I don't know what in an image is C,M or Y it's harder for me adjust an image 'properly' and/or to be creative.

I can understand that you want to limit the user from using a channel (C, M, or Y) that might give a lesser quality image. On the other hand, what about empowering the user to learn and therefore be more knowledgeable and effective. Put the discussion/caveat of using CMY channels as masks in the wiki and help manual, but at least let the user see the CMY channels in a channel carte.

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Somehow this one did not get a response until now.  You do bring up a number of good points.

First, re the Mask Carte.  The original plan was to have a separate, dockable window that contained the mask carte.  In the meantime, the best time to display the Mask Carte seems to be when nothing has been selected yet - the logic being that since no channel has been chosen, this is the perfect time to display all the choices.  Be that as it may, there is a valid argument for splitting off the functionality, and the solution I propose, at some point down the road, is the separate mask carte.

The channel carte is an interesting thought.  My first response is that the Mask Carte displays all the interesting channel possibilities.  Adding the channel carte would seem, then, to be redundant, since if the channels are not to be used as masks, what is the purpose of displaying them all.

I do think it would be useful to provide the ability to add other channels to the mask carte, as discussed elsewhere, so look for something like this down the road.

[mikemeister_admin]

The channel carte is an interesting thought.  My first response is that the Mask Carte displays all the interesting channel possibilities.  Adding the channel carte would seem, then, to be redundant, since if the channels are not to be used as masks, what is the purpose of displaying them all.

...so that the user can quickly have a look at all channels at any point without having to "reset" and remove the active mask.

I'm thinking 'beyond' pure step by step workflow, Mike. I'm wanting to empower the user to learn, think, and improve in his/her understanding of color theory by building in the opportunity for the user to view and even scroll through all the channels. Personally, I don't have Dan Margulis' ability of channel pre-visualization.

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So concepts, rather than pragmatic procedures.

I respect that, and hope that enough of your ideas make it to the product to address your concerns.

[mikemeister_admin]

I have been really enamored of the mask carte since the first moment I saw it. I also want to be able to see it whenever I want/need to, it is one more tool to get me closer to previsualizing channels, which has long been a goal. The problem is, I also very much like to be able to select a mask from there. Seems that always takes us away from displaying the whole carte; one mask appears in the preview, and you have to somehow return to the carte.
Are the two functions going to have to be separated?

Hi-Ho, off to work...

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Yes, they will be separated.  I agree with you, Howie, and others that viewing the Carte and using a particular mask should be independent functions.

Here are the current plans:

Step 1, next release, there will be a return of the "No Mask" button which will cause the carte to be displayed, without resetting the existing mask and it's curve.  This will make it possible to toggle between No Mask and any other mask, retaining  a single curve, invert, and blur setting.  I'll also add Howie's suggestions of a separate reset for the mask only.

Step 2, each mask channel will have its own curve, which should make comparing the effect of different masks much easier.  There will also be a button to reset all the masks, in addition to the current mask.

Step 3, display the Carte in its own docking pane, as the curves and pins are now.  You'll be able to tab the Carte behind the curves and/or pins, or having a free floating Carte on a second monitor.

[mikemeister_admin]

Nice plan, Mike.
..and a free floating carte, that's gravy.