Affinity Photo iPad black layer mask issues

[Leonela]

Hello—

 

I am trying to invert a mask layer to create a black mask layer via channels. I’ve done this in the past and it has worked without issues however, for some reason the mask is now showing up grey. I’ve added a photo as reference.

Does anyone know a way to fix this? 
 

Thanks ahead of time!

[DM1]

23 minutes ago, Leonela said:

I am trying to invert a mask layer to create a black mask layer via channels. I’ve done this in the past and it has worked without issues

This is currently working correctly for me. You can simply add an 'empty mask' layer to save necessity of inverting in channels.

If you add an empty mask, is it grey too?

[Leonela]

Hi @DM1 —

I tried that as well but the empty layer is also grey. I tried restarting the program, and updating it but still the same.

[Dan C]

Hi Leonela

Could you please provide a copy of your .afphoto file with a 'grey' mask showing? As I too have been unable to replicate this issue here. Many thanks in advance!

[Leonela]

Here is a video showing what I mean...

[Christian S.]

Hi Leonela,

in your video you hide the low frequency layer by adding an empty mask. The high frequency layer, which is as usual nearly all grey, is still visible. This works correct. 
 

When I look closely at your first post I can see that it is also a high frequency layer of a face with glasses. 
 

Perhaps the issue is in understanding what frequency separation does and how to use it?

[Leonela]

Hi Christian S. —

 

Thanks for the recommendations. I added an empty layer as suggested by a user to see if that makes a difference, but what I’m attempting to do is insert a black mask layer. I should note that I’ve inserted a black mask layer in the past without problems, but for some reason it’s not working and that was with the frequency separation. 

 

Here is the video link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jXG1CLBqzng&t=304s

 

Edited March 4, 2020 by Leonela
Insert video link

[Leonela]

Hi Dan C —

 

I’ve attached a sample file it’s not the original but it’s doing the same thing. I’ve also attached another video I sent to Affinity for help. 

 

Thanks everyone for your help!

Sample.afphoto

[Leonela]

I was able to get the effect I was looking for by duplicating the low frequency layer and then adding the black mask to that layer rather than the original low frequency layer. I’m not sure if this will ever work without duplicating it, but for purposes of this particular project it’s fixed!

THANKS EVERYONE!

[DM1]

3 hours ago, Leonela said:

I’m not sure if this will ever work without duplicating it,

This is working correctly for me. I added an empty mask (black) to the HF layer and you can see the effect. It hides the HF layer as expected.

4 hours ago, Leonela said:

what I’m attempting to do is insert a black mask layer. 

In affinity an 'empty' mask layer is effectively a 'black' mask layer. When using masks, black conceals and white reveals, so painting white onto an empty mask layer reveals the underlying image/layer effect. Painting black hides the image/layer effect. 
Applying a mask layer (white) and then inverting in Channels studio (white becomes black) simply mimics the Empty mask layer option. Both effects (inverted channel mask and empty mask) are identical.

Glad you got the outcome you needed. 🙂

[DM1]

4 hours ago, Leonela said:

I was able to get the effect I was looking for by duplicating the low frequency layer and then adding the black mask to that layer rather than the original low frequency layer.

Not sure what effect you were trying to create but it’s worth noting that filters in affinity photo have built in masks. You could for example select the low freq layer and use selection tool to draw around an area, then apply a Gaussian blur (or other effect) and it will be automatically masked to the selected area. In this way you can smooth colour variations without effecting the detail contained in the hi freq layer.

[Leonela]

DM1 —

 

Thank you so much for taking the time to explain I got a lot to learn on Affinity Photo and Designer! I will try the technique you mentioned since I haven’t done it that way. The effect I was trying to do was smooth out parts of the skin — in the video Ezra duplicated the low frequency layer added a Gaussian blur to the top one and the inverted the mask to reveal the unedited low frequency layer. Then painting with white reveal some of the blur. I did find another video by Affinity that does the same thing but with less steps.

[DM1]

10 hours ago, Leonela said:

I will try the technique you mentioned since I haven’t done it that way.

One of the methods I find works well on AP.