are there any tutorials for using masks to create transparencies?? bob? johnie?

if any help, i could use it thanks guys.

There is a short section in the help on masking. I view the mask as a cookie cutter tool. If the nontransparent part of your image is a circle. Create a circle shape above the image and set Is a Mask property in the properties popup. Enter Ctrl M to see the action of the masking. You will see that the circular part of the image remains and the rest is ignored. It is very simple and very powerful.

thanks bob im gonna try that out i didnt realize i had to make a shape then mask it over the jpg haha im a little slow sometimes.

okay bob, so i used the png-8 jpg (the same as the one i sent you) i make 5 separate masks and placed them over each of the squares...now where do i place my photos that i needed to do the transparencies for?under the mask (and on top of the original image) or right on top of the mask itself?

I don't think that will work. I looked at the image. I suggest that you cut the image into 4 or 5 pieces and create a mask for each piece. First, to get the feel of the process. Create use one mask with the image to see the effect.