There are two major types of masks. A foreground mask and a background. Masks start with the very bottom layer in a bone or group layer and are resolved in the top layer of the group or bone layer.
The foreground mask, used for eye balls and hair highlights etc.
The background mask, remember to fill the mask with a color. Used to block out unwanted parts of a picture, like an man standing in a truck. You can mask the man out or you could mask out the truck
No, change the file you downloaded. Look at the pictures and change the settings. Masking is an important part of using AS. Most of the time when start out you wont use it. But when you start to, you have to know how it works. There are other ways to mask but if you get theses two ways you shouldn't have any problem with complicated masks.
Once you have change the file, keep it as a reference.
I agree that the process needs to be worked through but I have found that working through the examples given with the 'Official Guide' book that there are some things i just plain miss and on inspecting the finished file there is that 'Duh - so obvious, how did I not see *that*?'
Either way, I appreciate your help.
I first downloaded the file (right-click > Save As) and did in fact get a file named "masking.anme" but, it was just the link data. It took a think to realise that it was just a link to the Rapidshare interface. Mediafire is another repository I have come across here. I will watch more closely next time :)
Now I have the *real* file I will go through it closely.
Unless its a short piece of scripting code, most don't post files here. The small 30k file in word pad is 27 pages long. Once you change this file then read heyvern explanation of masking. If you have problems and just don't get it, then post you question here. I will try to answer the best I can.
They not so complicated. Its just if you haven't use them before, they are a little strange, just like the drawing tools. You don't see much until you make a shape and press the space bar.
I think I have said this before and I will repeat myself to those who are new to AS. This program is not photoshop or gimp. Knowing them will not help much in getting the most out of AS. It takes time to learn how to use the program. And for those who are new, before asking questions, please go do the tutorials that came with the program.
I agree with you IF we add "in AS" (IOW, why are masks "IN AS so complicated?"
I've used masks in all kinds of programs for many decades now and they are very straightforward -- but AS has implemented them in such a convoluted manner I can't get my head around it. Hey -- I just realized this should be a wish list item (off to do that).
Here's a link to my masking tutorials. Might be helpful.
Mike,
I guess my lack of experience with masking in any other app helped me pick up AS masking. Less to unlearn. The only concept of masking I had when I started using AS was real, on-canvas masking.
I still haven't figured out the layer blend modes though. I looked up explanations for their use in Photoshop, but nothing clicked. If anyone has any really simple references or examples, I'd love to get my brain around them.
synthsin75 wrote:
I guess my lack of experience with masking in any other app helped me pick up AS masking. Less to unlearn.
Yep, that would explain it, because you understand masking in AS MUCH better than I do <bg>.
I started to write up a feature request and I got bogged down in trying to figure out what was so different about masks in AS than in, say, Photoshop (where I use them all the time). Part of it is visual -- PS allows you to see the masked image and you can turn on and off any layer mask as you work with the image, which is helpful indeed. They also iconize (sp?) the mask in the layer -- actually, this IS a feature I've asked for but I doubt will ever see in AS (I love the tiny icons in all the Adobe products that thumbnail the layers and think this feature alone would solve a lot of conceptual problems people have with AS).
But there's also something else that I just can't put my finger on -- and it's no use asking for "make masking easier" because Vern will just have a fit <BG>.
The main diffrence I see in AS Pro compared to masking in Photoshop, combustion etc. is that you usually need to put the masking parts in a masking group for the mask to work properlly, in doing that you take those parts out of what I'd call the natural flow of sorting layers, could be why it is so, well, unintuitive in AS Pro.
This is the way I see it.
GC
Last edited by GCharb on Thu Jun 25, 2009 9:46 pm, edited 1 time in total.
I looked up explanations for their use in Photoshop, but nothing clicked. If anyone has any really simple references or examples, I'd love to get my brain around them. 
