PSE - making a mask from an image?

[landyvlad]

I have a photo/drawing which has a silhouette of a man in it.

How would I go about using that silhouette to make a mask so that I could:
1. Get an image behind it showing through the mask; AND
2. Getting rid of the rest of the foreground image,

I want to end up with a black canvas with just the background showing and only in the 'shape' of the silhouette.

So there will be a man shaped image containing just what's behind in the background, the rest blocked out.



I really hope that makes sense.....

[landyvlad]

Is this what I'm looking for?

http://www.dummies.com/how-to/content/how-to-create-clipping-masks-in-photoshop-elements.html

I think so but just need to know how to extract the silhouette portion from the photo as I described....

[martycon]

I had trouble with the concept of layers, until I ignored words like masks and clipping thingos. I am still no expert. I think that the following is similar to that which you wish to do. I have an image of a bird with a lousy background, and I want to darken and blurr the background. Without creating a layer or such, I select the bird with one or more of the selection tools. Then go to "Layers", New Layer, Layer from Cut. Hit (enter), and the new layer will appear with only the bird silhouette. Now create a new layer from the background, and you can change its colour to black or whatever. Make both layers visible, go back to Layer menu to merge visible, and "Bobs your Uncle", that is if I have remembered and explained it correctly. I am sure we will both learn how to use masks etc later, but for now I do not need to understand them.
cheers marty.