Trying to recreate a clipping mask.

[paulkirby]

Hello!

 

I am trying to recreate the Photoshop feature "Create clipping mask".  When I go to the help section in the program it self it won't load any links...

 

Is there a tutorial anywhere on how to do this?

 

Thanks,

Paul :)

[MEB]

Hello Paul,

Welcome to Affinity Forums :)

Draw the shape you want to use as clipping mask with the Pen tool. Then drag its layer over the thumbnail of the image/object you want to clip until a small blue vertical bar appear (in the Layers Panel).

[paulkirby]

Perfect! Thanks a lot!

[MEB]

You're welcome  :)

[KipV]

MEB this didn't work for me. I dragged the layer of an object I drew with the pen tool over a photo layer where I got the small vertical line but then everything just disappeared when I dropped it on top of the layer.

[KipV]

I got the clipping path to work by giving my object a fill and then applying it to the photo. I am assuming that is a bug? I can't see any good reason the clipping path would need to have a fill.

[MEB]

Hi KipV,

The object must be visible. I mean you can't use just the path "structure" without a stroke or a fill. It must be either filled, stroked or both. If you use a stroke as a mask make sure it's large enough otherwise you may think it's not working.

[KipV]

I see if you have a stroke the image goes inside the stroke itself. With all the other graphics apps I have used it just clips the fill space inside the object area. That's interesting. My first impression is that this way of doing it is good and bad at the same time. In some ways I need to see the object I am drawing around which I can't do if there is a fill in the way. I guess this means that you have to draw the object and then remember to apply a fill before applying the clipping path. Maybe that is ok.

[MEB]

Yes, in other apps you usually use just the path structure as a clipping path. However in Affinity Designer you can choose between the shape or the stroke which provides a few more options to get creative with masks.

[lukepighetti]

Hi, I cannot seem to get this to apply a proper clipping mask.  This makes it really hard to do non-destructive logo. You have to apply combine and subtracts.

 

 

 

Also noticed this:

 

[MEB]

Hi lukepighetti,

Welcome to Affinity Forums :)

What are you trying to achieve? Something like this (.afdesign file attached below)? 

 

MEBsample.afdesign

 

If you change the zoom level the artefact still remains on screen (in your second example)?

Go to the Preferences, Performance section and check Use Precise clipping. It should remove those artefacts.

[Peterkaosa]

I'm just at a similar point, alas I'm working in Photo not Designer: how do I fill my drawn shape with a fill color?

[MEB]

Hi Peterkaosa,

With the Shapes, Pen or Move Tool selected go to the context toolbar right above the work area and click the Fill colour well to select (or change) the fill colour (the shape must be selected too).

[Peterkaosa]

Thanks. You know this moment when you are fool blind? What I found was the possibility to mask the shaped area and then fill it – so I lost the shape itself. Next time I'll use your method…