Layer mask does not work

[drjskatre]

Hello, I recently purchased Serif Affinity Photo. I noticed that the layer mask is not working properly. Whenever I try to paint with black, no effect is seen. When I invert the mask and try to paint with white, nothing happens. I have NOT ticked " protect alpha" in the context bar, and there seems to be some effect only when mask is revealed by pressing 'alt' and blending mode is changed to 'soft light'. Obviously the image is not seen and mask cannot be accurate.

 Please help.

I am using widows 10 home eddition and latest version of Affinity Photo, 1.7

[HVDB Photography]

Could you attach a screen shot ?

[Wosven]

Make sure you're using the Paint Brush Tool and not the Colour Replacement one, and check opacity, fow and hardness too.

[drjskatre]

14 hours ago, HVDB Photography said:

Could you attach a screen shot ?

Hi, Thanks for help.

Attaching herewith couple of screenshots. In the first image, i am trying to paint with black on the white mask, but there is no effect on the mask. 

In the second image I have inverted the mask and tried to paint with white without any effect. Curiously, when the mask is revealed by clicking on "alt and mask" and painting with white on black has no effect again, but BLACK on black mask has the desired effect, however, since I can't see the original image , it is hardly useful. When the mask is NOT revealed, there is no effect by painting with either white or black. 

Am I doing anything wrong? Please help.

Edited June 10, 2019 by drjskatre
minor correction

[drjskatre]

14 hours ago, Wosven said:

Make sure you're using the Paint Brush Tool and not the Colour Replacement one, and check opacity, fow and hardness too.

Thanks, I checked and everything seems right. Please check the screenshots sent as an answer to the first suggestion.

[carl123]

2 hours ago, drjskatre said:

In the first image, i am trying to paint with black on the white mask, but there is no effect on the mask. 

It looks like you have white selected in the colour panel not black

Also always expand the layer in the layers panel to make sure you have just the mask layer selected and not the layer and the mask layer selected

[drjskatre]

Thank you very much. I will recheck everything. You people are very helpful. 

[stein33]

Hi, I have the same issue. However, if I choose the Colour Replacement Brush Tool to paint onto a Mask Layer all works OK. With the Paint Brush Tool selected, I cannot paint onto a Mask Layer.

[carl123]

@stein33

Can you upload  a screenshot showing the Paint Brush Tool selected and the Colour and  Layers panel in view with the mask layer showing.  This is normally the quickest way to resolve these sort of problems

[stein33]

Here it is.

With the Mask Layer selected.and using the Paint Brush Tool, I cannot paint on the mask layer in black or in white.

With thee Colour Replacement Brush Tool selected, I can paint onto the Mask Layer, but only in white and it does not make a difference if white or black is selceted, it still paints in white.

[carl123]

Firstly, you have the Colour Replacement Tool selected not the Paint Brush Tool

Long press on the Colour Replacement Tool and you will get a pop-up where you can select the Paint Brush Tool

Secondly, not sure what you are trying to do with the mask, but if you are trying to mask parts of the HSL adjustment layer then bear in mind that all adjustment layers have their own masks built-in so you can paint in black/white directly on the adjustment layer without needing to add another mask

[stein33]

Carl, yes i'm aware the Colour Replacement Tool  was selected. This was to demonstrate the issues listed in my post above.

I cannot paint onto the separate Mask Layer or the built-in mask of the HSL Adjustment Layer using the Paint brush Tool.

With the Colour Replacement Brush Tool selected, I can paint onto the separate Mask Layer, but only in white.

[carl123]

As previously requested, we need the screenshot showing the Paint Brush Tool selected so we can see, if we can see, why it is not working

[stein33]

Sorry, hope these attachments are what you need.

For some reason, the screenshot does not show the position of the cursor/paintbrush outline. The attached photo does, but is not that good.

 

[carl123]

You have Protect Alpha selected in the Context Menu for the Paint Brush Tool, switch that off and try again- it should then work

[stein33]

Oops, sorry and many thanks for your patience.

[SolihullRog]

I have the same problem and no clues on this site help me.  Painting the mask black works.  Painting it white doesn't.  AF version 2.5.5.  Pic attached.

[MEB]

Hi @SolihullRog,
Welcome to Affinity Forums
Set the Blend mode in the context bar to Normal. Also disable Wet Edges there. Does it work now?
If not go to the Brushes panel and select a brush from the Basic or Masking section to prevent any undesired settings to affect the brush.

[SolihullRog]

Thankyou, but no change.  Except sometimes both white and black have the same effect - brightening the dark area.  See pic.

[MEB]

In the Layers panel you also have the Blend mode set to Darken in the first screenshot. Set it to Normal.
Also note you are using an independent mask to mask the Darken Sky adjustment. There 's no need to do it. All adjustments/live filters have a built-in mask, so just select the adjustment layer in the Layers panel and paint with the Paint Brush Tool on the image and it will create/use the built-in mask.

[SolihullRog]

I have just posted a video, but am getting lost in these threads.

It is set to darken as a result of following othe ideas on here.

I have reset to normal.

The 'independent mask' is due to following Robert Whalley's book.  I will try without.

Following all instructions works properly with black paint on mask.  But white doesn't.  Tried everything I can find.

[MEB]

@SolihullRog,
Do you mind attaching the file to be inspected? I can provide an upload link if you wish to keep the file private - just let me know.

[SolihullRog]

Sorry! Forgot the upload!

 

[MEB]

You still have Wet Edges ticked in the context toolbar right after the Blend Mode controls/pop-up. 

[SolihullRog]

There's no tick  next to it.