PSCS tutorial: Mask details no bigger than a hair

[andyapc]

I can't believe I actually tried this tutorial! But, as always, I need help with it. Here's the link to it on the adobe sight:

http://studio.adobe.com/us/tips/tip.jsp?p=2&xml=phs8kbhairmask&id=100674

My questions:

1) When I get to #13, am I supposed to do "create new channel" for this gradient?

2) If I do, is this new channel supposed to be the active one when I go on to #14? Which layer/channel am I supposed to have active to do the remaining steps?

3) At the end, I did do File>Save. However, when I open it up, it just shows me my original colored picture but Channels palette is opened instead of Layers. Is this right? Shouldn't it be the funky looking black/white/grey image? What's a mask supposed to look like?

4) This is going to sound stupid but, if my mask is supposed to look like the way I explained it in #3 above, colored and everything, then how do I use it?

[Emma]

Andy, I hear ya. I have done this tutorial, but I don't have time right now to answer. I'll get back to you tomorrow afternoon, in case no one else replies, you're not hanging.

Anyone have time to help right now? Ambitious tutorial, did you learn a lot?! Great job!

[Meryl]

Andrea I've tried this tut - thanks for the link. Yes lots to learn here but I'm also stuck at 13 - I feel like something is missing :0) He says the gradient channel he created is shown above?? I don't see it? Hope someone cleverer gets back on this, looks useful - Emma you say you've done it? help us please!

[Emma]

for step 13, he has no image "shown above"

Create a new channel and put the gradient on it

Andy, the final image should look like the last screen shot in step 22. You see there are lots of channels, the RGB one at the top is the original

[andyapc]

Thanks Emma. I'm going to have to redo the whole thing then, because my final image looked exactly like my original photo. I think I screwed up at step #13.

Now I've got to find a day where I can set aside enough time to tackle this one again!