Yes! I'm so glad we're using the same program. I haven't used the other two so this is much easier for me. :)
This is, I think, a very easy problem to fix. There is a button on your layer palette that will add a layer mask for you. Go back to this picture for a second:
and look at the bottom of the layer palette. Do you see those tiny icons on the right at the bottom? Those are "shortcuts" for common functions. Starting from the left, go over to the third symbol, the one that has a circle inside a square. THAT button will add a plain old layer mask to whatever layer you have highlighted when you click it. It comes up all white, meaning it hasn't masked anything then you can use your brushes on it to hide the bits you don't want.
This lets me add just the parts of the picture that need sharpening. Let me know if this does not answer your question and I'll keep going.
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This is, I think, a very easy problem to fix. There is a button on your layer palette that will add a layer mask for you. Go back to this picture for a second:
http://pics.livejournal.com/hsapiens/pic/001t5x6f
and look at the bottom of the layer palette. Do you see those tiny icons on the right at the bottom? Those are "shortcuts" for common functions. Starting from the left, go over to the third symbol, the one that has a circle inside a square. THAT button will add a plain old layer mask to whatever layer you have highlighted when you click it. It comes up all white, meaning it hasn't masked anything then you can use your brushes on it to hide the bits you don't want.
This lets me add just the parts of the picture that need sharpening. Let me know if this does not answer your question and I'll keep going.