Mask size issue - Designer 2.4.2 - Windows 11

[Rafael_Morgan]

Hi everyone,

I'm having an issue with masks in Affinity Designer.

I'm masking a simple object, but instead of getting restricted to the artboard, the mask itself is always turning out gigantic.

Check out my screenshots to better understand what I'm talking about.

Is there any way to fix this?

Thank you in advance,

R

 

[walt.farrell]

If you have the pixel selection active when you add the mask, it should be restricted to the selection automatically.

However, working with Artboards can expose issues. Have you tried it using a canvas rather than using an Artboard?

[Rafael_Morgan]

27 minutes ago, walt.farrell said:

If you have the pixel selection active when you add the mask, it should be restricted to the selection automatically.

However, working with Artboards can expose issues. Have you tried it using a canvas rather than using an Artboard?

Technically, it is. The mask itself is working fine.

The problem is with the mask size, which is always turning out many times larger than the artboard, as shown on my screenshot. Is there any way to fix that? 

Artboards are an essential part of my workflow. 

[Old Bruce]

5 minutes ago, Rafael_Morgan said:

The problem is with the mask size, which is always turning out many times larger than the artboard, as shown on my screenshot. Is there any way to fix that? 

Odds are the size is due to the image being that size but visually it is cropped to the artboard. If you move the image (and its mask) out/off of the artboard is it the size of the mask?

[Rafael_Morgan]

5 minutes ago, Old Bruce said:

Odds are the size is due to the image being that size but visually it is cropped to the artboard. If you move the image (and its mask) out/off of the artboard is it the size of the mask?

No. Not at all. The image is just the size of the selection line you can see on my screenshot. All other images and layers are about the size of the artboard. 

The gigantic mask size isn't random, though: For some reason, it's the size of the area of all the artboards I have on this document. 

[walt.farrell]

How did you create the mask?

[Rafael_Morgan]

52 minutes ago, walt.farrell said:

How did you create the mask?

Control+LM on the layer of the shape I want to use as the mask, then clicking on the mask icon. 

[walt.farrell]

6 minutes ago, Rafael_Morgan said:

Control+LM on the layer of the shape I want to use as the mask, then clicking on the mask icon. 

Sorry; I don't understand. Can you do a screen recording? (If so, please include the complete application window.)

[lepr]

14 hours ago, Rafael_Morgan said:

The gigantic mask size isn't random, though: For some reason, it's the size of the area of all the artboards I have on this document. 

That has always been a problem with Affinity's masking.

A workaround that works on macOS, and probably works on Windows by using alt key rather than opt key is as follows.

In AD's Pixel Persona:

1. make the pixel selection (marching ants)
2. opt/alt+click the 'Mask Layer' button at bottom of Layers panel to add an Empty Mask
3. press D to ensure the primary colour well is set to white
4. press opt/alt+backspace to do 'Edit > Fill with Primary Colour'

 

Edit: The following linked post about a related masking problem contains a useful macro for Affinity Photo and Affinity Publisher's Photo Persona.

 

[BBG3]

I faced this problem. I have 215 artbords, and the masks of my photos become so huge. It covers all my artboards, I see only a few lone white lines on my masks, and slows down the performance of Affinity Designer.