[AP] How do I make a pixel layer out of mask?

[Alex_M]

I've got a B&W layer mask that I want to create a new pixel layer from. How can I do this? I tried duplicating the mask and then right click -> Rasterize... but that does nothing. It still stays as a mask layer.

[Butler To Cats]

Make sure no areas are selected. Deselect if required.

 

Duplicate the mask if you also want to retain it as a mask.

 

Right-click on the thumbnail icon and Release Mask should do it.

Alternatively, just drag the mask thumbnail out to a "normal layer" location, and it will become a normal layer.

[Alex_M]

Thanks for the suggestions but they didn't work. Release Mask just unnests the mask from the layer it's applied on. It still remains a mask afterwards. Same thing if I drag the mask outside the layer it's applied on.

[anon1]

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[Alex_M]

Hmm... Needlessly overcomplicated but it does the trick for the time being. No other one/two click solution? In Photoshop I just go inside the mask layer -> CTRL+A -> CTRL+C -> exit the mask layer -> CTRL+V. Takes me exactly 2 seconds.

[anon1]

you can still do it as a one click macro (just tried it) using the first technique 

 

macros are buggy concerning different document sizes at times and unfinished regarding layer selection and movement though 

but that is expected to improve (soon?) I guess

like some more things :ph34r: 

 

cheers

[R C-R]

I think the issue is that a layer that has been rasterized to a "(Mask)" layer is no longer actually black & white (or shades of grey). It is just alpha (transparency) values that are represented as a grayscale image in "Edit Mask" mode & in the thumbnail Layer panel.

 

So releasing a mask created with the "Rasterize to mask" command does not convert it back to a grayscale image -- it is still just alpha values.