Masks in Affinity Design Issue

[Calvert]

I have a group of vectors that I need to mask. I created a shape I want to mask with but can not get it to mask (Remove everything below outside of my curves shape) I mask in Sai Flexisign and Adobe but Im struggling here.

I have to do this so I can create a contour cut around my curves.

 

I tried to drag down and right to make the right side turn blue, but wont happen.

[loukash]

You have to clip the content, not mask (aka crop).
Affinity v1: 

Affinity v2: 

 

[Calvert]

I appreciate the response but......It Does NOT work as when I try to move the mask (curve) down to the group below, it "ONLY" allows me to place it in the group. NO BLUE HIGHLIGHTS. Thats it.

 

I added a link to a screen record....

https://we.tl/t-OwUGh1IpOR

[loukash]

In your video, you are just placing the vector object with a sold fill inside the group on top of the stack. No clipping or masking takes place.

• If you want to clip the group with the "mask", it's exactly the other way around:
  Remove the fill, and move the group inside the "mask" layer.
• If you want to use the "mask" layer as a mask, you must move the group onto the "mask" thumbnail.
  As a side note, if the fill remains solid at 100% opacity, this has visually the same effect as clipping with a blank vector curve. 

5 minutes ago, N.P.M. said:

Linked videos will mostly not being looked at.

Yeah, and this one is even an *.avi container that I had to view with VLC…
*.mp4 format works the best here.

[Calvert]

Ok, I dragged the group up into the mask shape and it worked. Thank you I understood you dragged from above down.

 

I have to do this due to AD not friendly with other software (Illustrator and Flexisign) and likes to pixelize my vectors when I dont want to. (pdf) Then I have nasty pixelated edges to try to create a smooth contour cut with.😒

[loukash]

1 minute ago, Calvert said:

likes to pixelize my vectors when I dont want to. (pdf)

That happens if you have:

• adjustment layers = all pixel based
• layer effects = all pixel based
• pixel masks
• vector masks with gradient fills or layer effects

All these will usually rasterize anything underneath.

[Calvert]

Yes, I tried to use layer effects without luck and keeping as vectors.

Thank you.

[loukash]

20 minutes ago, Calvert said:

I tried to use layer effects without luck

Some of those effects can be also achieved by using vector objects, i.e. simply using a different workflow.
What exactly are you trying to do?

[Calvert]

Typically either creating a drop shadow, or adding 3D type effects. Most of the time its trying to create depth so they dont all look flat. I know I can manually add some 3d by doing a blend then weld and place behind. Inly thing is its not live, so if a customer wants changes, it has to be redone. Im open to ideas since most of what I do is large format and pixelization becomes a real issue.

[thomaso]

51 minutes ago, loukash said:

56 minutes ago, Calvert said:

likes to pixelize my vectors when I dont want to. (pdf)

That happens if you have:

• adjustment layers = all pixel based
• layer effects = all pixel based
• pixel masks
• vector masks with gradient fills or layer effects

All these will usually rasterize anything underneath.

One more aspect to consider: If you export with the option "Rasterize: Nothing" (e.g. with the idea to get vector only) then a pixel mask 'simply' gets ignored on export.

–> PDF: 

… what possibly happened in this PDF where the pixel mask does not occur in the exported PDF:

[loukash]

55 minutes ago, Calvert said:

creating a drop shadow

As every former Freehand user (I've been through v3/5/7/9) likely knows, that can be also done the "old school" way.  

This setting will export as pure vector PDF. The transparency can be also applied as a layer attribute to all objects. Except for PDF/X-1 and X-3, all other presets should keep the vectors intact.

The main bummer here:
It has to be done manually. (Where's the long awaited BLEND tool already when you need it?!)
You can power duplicate though.
Freehand 9 actually had a tool for vector drop shadows. 

My example is in Designer v1, as I don't have access to my v2 at the moment. The new Warp Group may be possibly helpful with stretching the shadow duplicates.
Also Symbols are of good use to partially sync the primary object with its shadowy clones.
And with an object group as source, you may also want to use Compound Add clones as shadow shades.

[loukash]

1 hour ago, Calvert said:

Only thing is its not live

Symbols.
From my vaults, a last year example of what can be done with partially synced symbols: