quick mask / view mask?

[CreatePerhaps]

Hi, is it possible to view my mask as an overlay? I saw in selection there is show mask as overlay, which sounds like it is what I want, but it doesn't appear to be working? iPad version. Using v2.

[Paul Mudditt]

10 hours ago, CreatePerhaps said:

Hi, is it possible to view my mask as an overlay? I saw in selection there is show mask as overlay, which sounds like it is what I want, but it doesn't appear to be working? iPad version. Using v2.

If you want to see your mask, if you go into the Layer Options (...) then select 'solo' you can see your mask more clearly if that helps.

[Stewart Logie]

Solo mode isn’t an overlay is it? It’s solo. An overlay has by definition two or more layers visible.

[Komatös]

Hello and welcome to the forum, @Stewart Logie

That is correct by definition. Even in the solo view, a mask remains a mask. Only if you were to rasterize the mask could it, now pixel layer, be used as an overley. 
 

[NotMyFault]

1 hour ago, Komatös said:

Only if you were to rasterize the mask could it, now pixel layer, be used as an overley. 

Overlay in combination with masks may have multiple interpretations.

In my view it means a mask is shown as color overlay during the process of creating the mask, e.g. as the refine selection tools does.

Affinity has its share in creating confusion, e.g. the quick mask function actually creates a selection - which can be converted into an actual mask by one additional click.

Selections and masks are tightly related.

So if you want to show a mask as red color overlay: this is possible.

But it really depends on the circumstances, e.g. if you have an

• inherent mask of pixel layer (alpha channel)
• inherent mask of adjustment layer
• dedicated mask layer

and what you want to achieve by the “ red overlay mode”.

to be honest, trying to mimic the behavior of other apps like Photoshop will not work well. Always ask yourself what purpose you have, normally you can find better workflows in Affinity apps, using the functions and tools available here.

[Komatös]

2 hours ago, NotMyFault said:

Overlay in combination with masks may have multiple interpretations.

Thanks for the comprehensive explanation, but the basic question here was probably whether a mask is an overlay in the classic sense. And the answer can only be a classic NO.

An overlay is a visible superimposition over other layers without hiding underlying parts of the image.

[loukash]

On 1/6/2023 at 11:20 PM, CreatePerhaps said:

is it possible to view my mask as an overlay?

Yes, with an easy little trick. My old screencast is from v1 on Mac, but works just as well with v2:

 

[loukash]

27 minutes ago, loukash said:

works just as well with v2

… and, of course, it works also on iPad with v2. (I just double checked to be sure. )