Mask

Mask is a tourist-level image editor that can take file formats such as PNG, GIF, JPG, GIF, JPEG, BMP, and TEA. This app cannot be compared to a professional editor, but it can prove useful for casual users looking to test their hands in altering pictures.

As with most programs from this particular developer, Mask sports a somewhat vintage UI. If we take into consideration that the app was made to run on systems from Windows 9X onwards, that shouldn't be an issue. Indeed, running Mask on Windows 10 or 11 might make it look outdated, but as long as it does its job, it's just a matter of taste.

The program reserves most of its space for image preview. Once a file is loaded, it will be placed in the center of the interface. With a classic application, the important settings would be located on the toolbar, however, in this case, the lower part of the dashboard holds the goodies.

You can start by settings the image opacity. If you need a more transparent picture, move the slider to the left, thus lowering the value. Next in line is the mask-style section, which applies a dark filter, a light one, or both at the same time.

What is interesting about Mask is its Bias option. This feature fulfills a specific purpose, and that is to help astrophotographers calibrate their frames in order to reduce noise on stacked images.

The last set of options is basic effects, usually found within any image editor, no matter how rudimentary. For example, you can mirror and flip an image, apply a gray overlay, force it in Sepia view, add noise or simply invert the color scheme.

To sum it up, Mask is an image editor that does not itself too seriously. It does not offer lots of features in order to be considered a dependable tool, but it has its uses, especially if you are looking to get into image editing and wish to start simple.