ske_creative Posted July 22, 2015 Share Posted July 22, 2015 Hi, I am new to Affinity Photo and Designer and graphic software in general, so I have a very basic question. How can I use a shape in AP to mask out an area of another shape. For example, I have a big rectangle and I want to design a keyhole into it, so that the area of the keyhole is transparent and I can look through the rectangle onto the background. I tried to achieve this but every time I use a mask on the rectangle I only cut out everything outside the mask, but I want to cut out the mask or shape itself out of the rectangle. Thanks. Mike1979 and LucidBrot 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
evtonic3 Posted July 22, 2015 Share Posted July 22, 2015 SOmething like this? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ske_creative Posted July 22, 2015 Author Share Posted July 22, 2015 Yes, exactly like this. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
evtonic3 Posted July 22, 2015 Share Posted July 22, 2015 Started with a transparent background document, not sure if this matters because the background in this case, is the mountain image. Then make the shapes with the standard tools, had to make the keyhole shape from a circle and and square shape. Then of course the big rectangle. Place keyhole shape on top of rectangle, then select both, right click the selections and go to geometry, Subtract. Then just lower the opacity of the layer, thats what I did, to your liking. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ske_creative Posted July 22, 2015 Author Share Posted July 22, 2015 Thanks for your help, this works quite well, but unfortunately this cuts out the keyhole and combines everything to a new curve. I mean I can make changes with the curve tool, but it would be nice to have the keyhole on its own layer. LucidBrot 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
evtonic3 Posted July 22, 2015 Share Posted July 22, 2015 Then I guess you could invert the mask of the keyhole shape on the rectangle, and let the image show through. Still don't know how you can do this with all objects on different layers. Sorry I tried. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Staff MEB Posted July 22, 2015 Staff Share Posted July 22, 2015 Hi ske_creative, Welcome to Affinity Forums :) Do the following: - right-click on the Persona toolbar on top and select Customize Toolbar... scroll down to the bottom and drag the Operations section to the toolbar (you will need this to follow the next steps). - draw you rectangle and keyhole shape (on top of the rectangle) then select both press ⌥ (option/alt) and click on the Subtract boolean operation button you just added to the toolbar - this will create a compound shape (check the Layers panel to expand it and access the original shapes individually) - then drag this Compound layer over an image layer's thumbnail to use it as a mask. Note: currently there's no way to create a compound shape using just the menus. That's why i suggested to customize the toolbar in the first step. I think this is what you're trying to achieve. Let me know if you still have trouble. aforetaste, jzvz, scatterbrain73 and 1 other 4 Quote A Guide to Learning Affinity Software Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ske_creative Posted July 22, 2015 Author Share Posted July 22, 2015 Great, this works perfectly. Thank you for the great help. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Staff MEB Posted July 22, 2015 Staff Share Posted July 22, 2015 You're welcome. Quote A Guide to Learning Affinity Software Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jarrnie Posted June 2, 2017 Share Posted June 2, 2017 Along the lines of the original question, is there any way (or plans of a way) to be able to just use a mask in case you wanted to edit the keyhole after the fact? Scenarios where this would be useful is a solid logo that has a text cutout in the middle and you decide to change the text/font, you'll have to go through all those steps every time. LucidBrot 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alfred Posted June 3, 2017 Share Posted June 3, 2017 Welcome to the Serif Affinity Forums, Jarrnie. :) As MEB indicated, Option/Alt-clicking on the 'Subtract' icon results in a compound shape which gives you access to the individual components, so you would be able to edit the text at any time by expanding the Compound layer in the Layers panel and selecting the text layer there. Quote Alfred Affinity Designer/Photo/Publisher 2 for Windows • Windows 10 Home/Pro Affinity Designer/Photo/Publisher 2 for iPad • iPadOS 17.4.1 (iPad 7th gen) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kurt Posted July 1, 2020 Share Posted July 1, 2020 Ah! Alt clicking on the subtract option is the key, still in v 1.8. Thanks. It would still be nice if this type of subtract feature could be integrated with the Mask function, as sort of a "Negative Mask" option. In this way, all the cutter tools could be made to be on the same layer. LucidBrot 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ripul Posted November 8, 2020 Share Posted November 8, 2020 It does not work for me. I have already spent 2 hours searching internet, I still can not locate this setting. Attached screenshots. Masking works, there is no invert option. Can you please please share images because I seem to be missing something which is obvious to others. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smadell Posted November 8, 2020 Share Posted November 8, 2020 This puzzle actually has a really simple solution. There is no need to combine the two vector shapes in any way whatsoever – each of them remains completely editable. I have given an example below. Put the rectangle (or, really, anything) in a layer over the background. Then, put the second shape (in this case, a star) over the rectangle. Set the Blend Mode of the top layer (the star) to "Erase." This will drill a hole through the entire image, revealing the blank canvas underneath. I know, I know, that's not what you want. So, put the rectangle and the star into a Group. This will force the Erase blend mode to work ONLY on the rectangle. The star and the rectangle remain 100% editable, as does the background. LucidBrot, javierr, aforetaste and 2 others 5 Quote Affinity Photo 2, Affinity Publisher 2, Affinity Designer 2 (latest retail versions) - desktop & iPad Culling - FastRawViewer; Raw Developer - Capture One Pro; Asset Management - Photo Supreme Mac Studio with M2 Max (2023}; 64 GB RAM; macOS 13 (Ventura); Mac Studio Display - iPad Air 4th Gen; iPadOS 17 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pierce Marengo Posted March 23, 2021 Share Posted March 23, 2021 (edited) @smadell Thank you very much, this is exactly the type of lossless solution I was looking for. I used it as a mask and it works perfectly. Edited March 23, 2021 by Pierce Marengo Added a sentence Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smadell Posted March 23, 2021 Share Posted March 23, 2021 Glad you found this, @Pierce Marengo and that it was helpful. Quote Affinity Photo 2, Affinity Publisher 2, Affinity Designer 2 (latest retail versions) - desktop & iPad Culling - FastRawViewer; Raw Developer - Capture One Pro; Asset Management - Photo Supreme Mac Studio with M2 Max (2023}; 64 GB RAM; macOS 13 (Ventura); Mac Studio Display - iPad Air 4th Gen; iPadOS 17 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Avi_S Posted November 29, 2022 Share Posted November 29, 2022 (edited) So even 7 years later there is no invert option like cntrl+i on a layer mask to invert it. Sad. Edited November 29, 2022 by Avi_S Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
loukash Posted November 29, 2022 Share Posted November 29, 2022 1 hour ago, Avi_S said: there is no invert option like cntrl+i on a layer mask to invert it. What's wrong with Layer > Invert? Quote MacBookAir 15": MacOS Ventura > Affinity v1, v2, v2 beta // MacBookPro 15" mid-2012: MacOS El Capitan > Affinity v1 / MacOS Catalina > Affinity v1, v2, v2 beta // iPad 8th: iPadOS 16 > Affinity v2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ron P. Posted November 30, 2022 Share Posted November 30, 2022 3 hours ago, Avi_S said: So even 7 years later there is no invert option like cntrl+i on a layer mask to invert it. Sad. Yes there is, I just tested this to make sure. Select your Mask Layer in the Layer stack Press CTL + I Mask is inverted. The default thumbnail is white, should be black after inverting. Quote Affinity Photo 2.4..; Affinity Designer 2.4..; Affinity Publisher 2.4..; Affinity2 Beta versions. Affinity Photo,Designer 1.10.6.1605 Win10 Home Version:21H2, Build: 19044.1766: Intel(R) Core(TM) i7-5820K CPU @ 3.30GHz, 3301 Mhz, 6 Core(s), 12 Logical Processor(s);32GB Ram, Nvidia GTX 3070, 3-Internal HDD (1 Crucial MX5000 1TB, 1-Crucial MX5000 500GB, 1-WD 1 TB), 4 External HDD Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Avi_S Posted November 30, 2022 Share Posted November 30, 2022 21 hours ago, loukash said: What's wrong with Layer > Invert? It only works in Affinity Photo, not in Affinity designer 1 nor in version 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ron P. Posted November 30, 2022 Share Posted November 30, 2022 In Designer there is a way to have an inverted, Black Mask. You need to go to the Pixel Persona, then grab the fill tool, and with the Mask layer selected in the Layers Panel, fill it with black. Quote Affinity Photo 2.4..; Affinity Designer 2.4..; Affinity Publisher 2.4..; Affinity2 Beta versions. Affinity Photo,Designer 1.10.6.1605 Win10 Home Version:21H2, Build: 19044.1766: Intel(R) Core(TM) i7-5820K CPU @ 3.30GHz, 3301 Mhz, 6 Core(s), 12 Logical Processor(s);32GB Ram, Nvidia GTX 3070, 3-Internal HDD (1 Crucial MX5000 1TB, 1-Crucial MX5000 500GB, 1-WD 1 TB), 4 External HDD Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
loukash Posted November 30, 2022 Share Posted November 30, 2022 1 hour ago, Avi_S said: It only works in Affinity Photo Your Photo is only one menu command away: File > Edit in Photo. Then go back to Designer the same way. That's the Affinity way. Quote MacBookAir 15": MacOS Ventura > Affinity v1, v2, v2 beta // MacBookPro 15" mid-2012: MacOS El Capitan > Affinity v1 / MacOS Catalina > Affinity v1, v2, v2 beta // iPad 8th: iPadOS 16 > Affinity v2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
walt.farrell Posted November 30, 2022 Share Posted November 30, 2022 8 minutes ago, Ron P. said: In Designer there is a way to have an inverted, Black Mask. You need to go to the Pixel Persona, then grab the fill tool, and with the Mask layer selected in the Layers Panel, fill it with black. Doesn't that just make it Black, rather than Inverting its contents? Quote -- Walt Designer, Photo, and Publisher V1 and V2 at latest retail and beta releases PC: Desktop: Windows 11 Pro, version 23H2, 64GB memory, AMD Ryzen 9 5900 12-Core @ 3.00 GHz, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3090 Laptop: Windows 11 Pro, version 23H2, 32GB memory, Intel Core i7-10750H @ 2.60GHz, Intel UHD Graphics Comet Lake GT2 and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 Laptop GPU. iPad: iPad Pro M1, 12.9": iPadOS 17.4.1, Apple Pencil 2, Magic Keyboard Mac: 2023 M2 MacBook Air 15", 16GB memory, macOS Sonoma 14.4.1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Avi_S Posted November 30, 2022 Share Posted November 30, 2022 10 minutes ago, loukash said: Your Photo is only one menu command away: File > Edit in Photo. Then go back to Designer the same way. That's the Affinity way. Oh, I didn't know that! Thank you. loukash 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Avi_S Posted November 30, 2022 Share Posted November 30, 2022 10 minutes ago, walt.farrell said: Doesn't that just make it Black, rather than Inverting its contents? Yep, I tried it before posting, it didn't help my situation where I had a gradient rectangle and I want to use it as inverted mask to hide whatever that rectangle was on. In my case i wanted to fade a cable end into the background and I wasn't able to find a way to do it. It was frustrating. I then just used a full page mask with a huge gradient that spends all over the page. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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