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I am hopelessly lost on using vector masks.  I have 2 triangles that need to be woven together.  I created a vector shape of one of the 3 overlap areas.  Regardless of color when I drag it over the one triangle everything but that spot disappears.  So I made a rectangle larger than my triangles and subtracted the vector shape of the overlap.  When I drag this over the triangle it works.

 

1. How do I modify that mask?  Say I need to move it or resize it or add the other two overlaps.

 

2. How can I remove the mask?

 

3. How can I temporarily disable the mask?

 

4. It seems backwards that the hole in the mask is what is masked.  Is there a way to reverse this?  Seems like it should be the shape I create that is the mask.

 

The only way I have found to do any of the above is to click on the mask, cut (cmd x) the mask, paste (cmd v) the mask as a separate layer.  Make my modifications.  Then reattach the mask.  Surely there must be a less complex way.  Isn't there?

 

Help.  Every other time I have run into the need for a mask I have chickened out and done it other ways, but this time I want to learn vector masks!

iMac (27-inch, Late 2009) with macOS Sierra

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Yes it's easier than that, I'm sure. Forum member A_B_C created a clipping vs masking video here that should help, there are also similar Affinity-made videos around the subject on Vimeo called Layers panel drop zones, Creating a hole effect using Divide, and Non-destructive Boolean operations.

 

If you're still not sure how to tackle it, post your .afdesign file or some images to show what you're after and we'll all dive in to help further.

Twitter: @Writer_Dale
Affinity apps run on: Ryzen 5 3600, 32GB RAM, GTX1650 Super

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Dale, I have watched those videos again and yes I could probably use divide to cut out the overlap.  But a mask seems to be the correct method here.  I don't see where the rest of the answers are addressed.  Granted I'm feeling a little frustrated at this point so I'm trying to keep an open mind. :rolleyes:

 

I did find that if I grab the mask by the icon I can drag it out of the parent layer.  So that answers my #2 above.  And when I try it now the visible checkmark is working on the mask for #3.  I'd swear it didn't work awhile ago.

 

But #4 above is still making #1 difficult for fine adjustments because I can't see the result until I drag the mask back into the parent.  Plus I'm having to work on a negative of what I want.  Is there a way to use the vector mask to cut out an area?  Or can the vector mask only make an area visible?

 

I have attached part of the drawing.  This is pretty much what I want to end up with.

 

But from what I see as an answer to #1 I can not modify the mask without removing it first.

 

I appreciate the help.

iMac (27-inch, Late 2009) with macOS Sierra

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How about this method?

 

The three weave regions are made using copies of one of the triangles, each has a vector mask applied. The vector masks remain editable.

 

Dale

 

<edit> I masked the more complex of your triangles, I could've masked the plain grey one for even easier layer structures but hopefully the naming I've applied makes it clearer anyway.

Test2.afdesign

Twitter: @Writer_Dale
Affinity apps run on: Ryzen 5 3600, 32GB RAM, GTX1650 Super

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Dale,  I am unable to duplicate that.  I like test3 best.  But am unable to reproduce it.  I duplicated one of the triangles and created 3 rectangles.  How did you get the 3 rectangles joined?  It's not showing up as a compound.  Join curves doesn't work because they don't overlap.  I can't think of another way to join them.  Did you do a Group and then a Promote Group to layer?

iMac (27-inch, Late 2009) with macOS Sierra

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@ Gear maker

To join the 3 rectangles, select them all and press Add in the top toolbar (boolean operation).

 

Vector masks work exactly like you described in your first post. Everything you will draw as a solid shape will make the object you attach the mask to visible. This means if you want to remove some intersections from your top triangle you have to draw them as solid shapes, remove them from another shape covering all the area of the object and only then attach the resulting shape as a mask.

 

Dale as made the opposite: he duplicated the background triangle (let's call it black), moved it to the top and draw three shapes (which he joined trough an add boolean operation) to show only the intersections he wanted. The original black triangle shape on the bottom completes the missing parts (the conections).

 

When in doubt, take a look at the mask thumbnail on the layers panel. It displays as a greyscale mask (white = visible; black = hidden).

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