Apply a mask to existing pixels Topic is solved

[it_ross]

I'm trying to hide part of a character's body, without actually just erasing part of that character. I would like to know if I can use a new mask to hide pixels on a layer where there are already pixels drawn.

I understand the basics of how to use a mask: I can draw on one layer (layer 1), activate the mask for that layer, create a new layer above it (layer 2), and my lower-layer mask will apply to the above layer, either allowing me to only draw within the pixels of the first layer, or only draw outside of those pixels.

The problem is that the mask will only apply to pixels that I draw AFTER I activated the mask. I understand that there simply may not be a way to hide an existing character using a mask, but then what would be the method? (I'm trying to hide the character's feet in the background) I've tried messing around with blending modes, but that hasn't helped (the erase mode comes close, but it erases all of the layers below it, not just one).

Any help would be appreciated!

[slowtiger]

If you don't want to erase parts of a body which shall not be visible, just copy the BG parts that cover it on a layer on top of that.

[D.T. Nethery]

I'm trying to hide part of a character's body, without actually just erasing part of that character. I would like to know if I can use a new mask to hide pixels on a layer where there are already pixels drawn. (I'm trying to hide the character's feet in the background) I've tried messing around with blending modes, but that hasn't helped (the erase mode comes close, but it erases all of the layers below it, not just one).

The easiest way to do what you describe is as Slowtiger says in his post above.

Think of it in terms of using an overlay to "mask" out a part of the character (such as the character's feet) rather than the type of masking that is used in Photoshop , which doesn't exist in TVPaint. (maybe it should ... there has certainly been discussion about it over the years. See here: https://www.tvpaint.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=21&t=6866 In that discussion there was an example of how by combining certain layer blend modes you can achieve a kind of masking effect. See this post by Lukas: https://www.tvpaint.com/forum/viewtopic ... 866#p63025 . In another topic on masking it is said that a Photoshop style clipping mask feature was on the developer's "To-Do List" . See: https://www.tvpaint.com/forum/viewtopic ... 40&p=86045 . However, that was back in 2015 , so if anyone wants a Photoshop style clipping mask to go back on the developer's current To-Do List I think posting a new feature request in the Feature & Improvement Requests sub-forum would be appropriate at this time. I'm fairly sure it won't happen in the current engine (TVPaint 11) , but I hope to see it in TVPaint 12. So many people come to TVPaint from the Adobe world and they miss having common functions like layer masks that they have in Photoshop.



So, anyway, for the present when using TVPaint don't think of it in terms of a mask like you would use in Photoshop:




Instead , in TVPaint make the part of the background which will obscure part of the character (i.e. lower legs/feet) as a separate OL layer which is placed above the character layer. If the section on the Background that will function as an Overlay was already painted on the background you can use the selection tool to select that part and copy it to a new layer, which is placed over top of the character layer, thus making a "mask". This is an easy way to do what you describe in your post - "hide part of a character's body, without actually erasing part of that character."





Overlay:



Character layer:




combined with the Background:



--------


It could be a more subtle Overlay. Let's say the character is standing in the yard like this:





But you wanted his shoes to be partially covered by grass.

Make a grass overlay:




Which goes over the character layer:





So the final composite image looks like this , with the feet "masked" by the grass overlay:





In most cases small bits of the Background image can be selected and cut out to an overlay which allows the character to pass behind or be partially obscured by the overlay.







.

[Peter Wassink]

David, i can't see your images,
in my browser your post looks like this:

[D.T. Nethery]

David, i can't see your images,
in my browser your post looks like this:

Schermafbeelding 2022-05-09 183824.png

Thanks for letting me know , Peter. I could see the images earlier when I posted them , but now I can see they are not showing up. Weird. I'll edit the post and repost the images from a different image sharing site.

----
UPDATE: ok, I re-posted the images above. Do they show up now ?

[Svengali]

David,
I saw the images when you first posted, but later they were missing (as Peter reported). Now they are present again just as they originally appeared. Something must have happened at the original sharing service?

sven