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View Full Version : Clipping Masks and Layer Masking, please



Henry Stahle
02-23-2018, 06:17 AM
I am working as a freelancing illustrator and have been doing so for a long time. I love to work using ArtRage. Every illustration I make requires a lot of layers, lot of layer folders and layer masking. I use layer masking and especially Clipping Mask a lot. Without using these layer tools it hard to work, or even impossible for me to get the job done.

Photoshop got them, it is the psd standard these days, Affinity got them, Krita got them, both layer masking and clipping masks. If I set up layer masks and clipping masks in some other program and then import the psd file to ArtRage, all masking is destroyed. Therefore I don’t use ArtRage much for my professional work. Sadly.

Is there any chance that ArtRage will add masking and clipping masks? Please!?

I cant do without them.

BushcraftOnFire
02-27-2018, 11:13 AM
Henry.. If you use a lot of layers "masking" is pretty easy in Artrage. It's not formal masking like in PS.. but it's a decent workaround. Simply "select layer contents" (Crtl+Alt+A) in the layer you want to mask. Go to work on your new layer with the selection active. Instant mask (although temporary)

Henry Stahle
02-27-2018, 04:48 PM
Henry.. If you use a lot of layers "masking" is pretty easy in Artrage. It's not formal masking like in PS.. but it's a decent workaround. Simply "select layer contents" (Crtl+Alt+A) in the layer you want to mask. Go to work on your new layer with the selection active. Instant mask (although temporary)

Thank you for your advise, I know this about making selections, but it is not the same as clipping masks. As I use it in Affinity every day as an illustrator I can compare what is the best workflow. My clipping masks is automatically layered and all clipping masks remains intact even after closing the document. No repeating selection is needed, the clipping mask remains once it is done done.

I am not using ArtRage for more complicated illustration because the workflow is too slow and complicated and can not compare to Affinity, and Photoshop, all because the lack of layer masking or clipping masks.

HannahRage
02-27-2018, 06:20 PM
Henry.. If you use a lot of layers "masking" is pretty easy in Artrage. It's not formal masking like in PS.. but it's a decent workaround. Simply "select layer contents" (Crtl+Alt+A) in the layer you want to mask. Go to work on your new layer with the selection active. Instant mask (although temporary)

Converting a layer to a stencil would be a more permanent solution, though it doesn't solve the 'importing files with masks from elsewhere' issue.

Henry Stahle
02-27-2018, 09:37 PM
Converting a layer to a stencil would be a more permanent solution, though it doesn't solve the 'importing files with masks from elsewhere' issue.

Thank you for your feedback, nice to be noticed by an ArtRage official :)
Yes, not having layer masking or clipping masking, that is an issue with pictures like this (that is in a book about religion, class grades 4-6). I made the background in ArtRage. The wall with the wallpaper pattern, the floor and windows. The rest, the middle part with the priest and the table, wit a lot of details, and also the foreground with the different characters, were all done using clipping masks to make things easy on illustrating details. I hope for the future ArtRage will come up with Layers Masking or even Clipping Masks.

94731

HannahRage
02-28-2018, 11:57 AM
In practical terms, aside from the compatibility issues, what does a stencil not do for you right now? That might help us figure out if we can change something.

Henry Stahle
02-28-2018, 10:11 PM
Stencils are GREAT, I use them a lot, mostly as rulers and guides, not much for masking. These are the advantages of Clipping Masks in the programs I use.

1.The Clipping Mask is invisible, not like the Stencil that covers up and clutters the picture.
2. They Clipping Mask follow the layer object (if it is moved around) inside the image.
3. The layer object with a Clipping Mask can be transformed and distorted, the clipping mask changes and the layers in the clipping remains in the masking.
4. My most use of the Clipping Mask is in my workflow like this: First my line art, next flat fill by (mostly) using the paint bucket each colour on separate layer under the line art, then making a clipping mask for each flat colour, texturing, shading, tinting and so on top of each flat colour. Just like in the picture below.

94742

HannahRage
03-01-2018, 01:05 PM
Thank you, that's very clear. I can't make any promises, but it's gone into our Suggestions.

Someonesane
03-03-2018, 03:26 AM
I'd just like to add my vote up for these types of masking features. Yes, there's almost always a workaround for things and I do love the rulers, stencils and selection options we currently have access too. However, having these types of masks would greatly reduce workflow tasks, by eliminating the needs to hide/show the stencils repeatedly or having to keep separate layers for the sole purpose of having to reselect an area. I'm happy to hear that it's been put on the consideration list.

Delofasht
03-17-2018, 07:41 AM
Clipping Masks and Layer Mask features in ArtRage would completely remove my use of other software packages. I hope this goes very high on the priority list for changes to come.

Bertrude
03-30-2018, 12:58 AM
Another vote of support for clipping/layers masks - they make the process of creating multi-layered images much more streamlined and would mesh well with the workflows of many users of other art/design software. Another way they're really useful is that they're editable on the fly too, something which stencil creation isn't. Want to make an area quickly visible or masked, paint in some white or black on the layer mask - simple. Use shades of grey for variable transparency - great. Being able to lock or unlock them is really useful too - unlock the layer and reposition the masked content only, lock it to reposition the mask and content. I can't overstate how useful these sort of functions are. You just can't do this simply and quickly using stencils. Using other layers for selections works but can lead to the creation of needless amounts of layers. So yeah, pretty please... :)

dannac
09-20-2018, 03:15 AM
Though I'm new to ArtRage ... I'll surely add a vote for mask features.

DarnHyena
03-09-2019, 07:24 AM
I'd like to expand to masking request for a alpha masking layer sort of thing like GIMP has.

Looks something like this. Basically attachs a alpha channel onto the layer, and with the mix from black-white, determines how much is visible.
https://i.imgur.com/SZjq3kW.gif

I might be a bit of a niche, but I like to use Artrage for making textures for 3d models, downside though is sometimes I need a transparent spot for it, and with the lack of a alpha layer I can set up.
I've had to get a bit creative by making the "alpha" part just a greyish blob in the shape I want, and then set a light blend on it, and merge it down onto a empty layer below and then turn the rest under transparent.

Also here's an example of what I've done. All the textures [minus the floor] I made in Artrage.
https://i.imgur.com/efK7Iw1.png

MattRage
03-11-2019, 02:41 PM
Every layer in ArtRage has its own alpha channel, so anywhere on the layer that there is not paint, there's 'alpha 0', a hole. If you set canvas opacity to 0% you should see alpha checkers underneath any area with no paint.

We don't have specifically assignable alpha masks for layers due to this, it's all part of the layer itself, so in the bird example above you'd basically have to delete the paint outside the bird and the bird would effectively be alpha masked. Some of the selection tools and the Color Matte filter may help with this.

Where you're painting a grey blob and setting a blend mode to remove it in merge, just delete the paint and that should do the same job. Note that when you export a Layer (rather than the whole image) to a format such as PNG that supports transparency, the alpha mask is automatically included.

I may have misunderstood the original request but I think that should cover the kind of functionality you're after. Hope that helps!

krueger.freddy
05-03-2019, 09:52 PM
That is only a little workaround. What realy would improve the software would be to have layer Groups that have a masking layer. Pleaseee your customers need you...

sydney1940
08-01-2019, 05:55 AM
I agree..if Artrage had clipping mask, there would be no need to use Photoshop for painting.

Eric Porter
09-13-2019, 02:58 PM
Just adding my two cents: Clipping masks. Please. Pretty please.

Victor
11-11-2020, 10:31 AM
i too think layer mask is a must for a software that is this robust

Eric Porter
02-17-2021, 06:39 PM
bumping this up again

Romaina
06-26-2021, 07:17 AM
I would also love to see this too.

Eric Porter
08-15-2021, 07:08 AM
Soooo.... I guess this got trashed for the new release?