# Help me out here

**URL:** <https://forum.kirupa.com/t/help-me-out-here/240770>\
**Category:** Uncategorized\
**Created:** [October 5, 2007, 11:02pm UTC](https://forum.kirupa.com/t/help-me-out-here/240770 "2007-10-05T23:02:10Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 1\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![zao](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex011/user_avatar/forum.kirupa.com/zao/32/141_2.png) [@zao](https://forum.kirupa.com/u/zao)\
**Post date:** [October 5, 2007, 11:02pm UTC](https://forum.kirupa.com/t/help-me-out-here/240770/1 "2007-10-05T23:02:10Z")

</div>

I’ve been using photoshop for quite some time now, and today I ran into a problem I’ve never experienced before. Maybe you guys can help me out.

Go into photoshop, create a new layer. On that layer make any shape you want. Apply a drop shadow to the shape through layer styles. After you have applied the drop shadow, add a layer mask, once you have done that, use the gradient tool to mask out some of the shape.

Now… my problem is, when I do this, the layer mask is actually apply a gradient and a mask to my shape. I have no idea why it’s doing this, I’ve used this technique thousands of times and never have had this happen. I reset my photoshop defaults and everything… i’m stumped.

Here is an attachment of my result, hopefully my instructions were easily understandable.

![](http://img338.imageshack.us/img338/2647/lesighdq7.jpg)