Okay, here is the answer based on the provided reference and general Affinity Designer masking techniques.
In Affinity Designer, "clipping a mask" typically refers to using one layer (like text, a shape, or a pixel layer) as a mask to clip or reveal parts of another layer. The process involves arranging layers in the Layers panel.
Based on the reference provided, a common way to achieve this is by dragging the layer you want to use as the mask directly onto the thumbnail of the layer you wish to clip. The reference specifically mentions: "First I'll drag one over the word mask. Then I'll go to the layers panel. And offer the artistic text layer that says mask to the thumbnail of the pebble layer. In this case the text becomes the mask."
This action creates a non-destructive mask where the layer you dragged (the text in the example) defines the visible area of the layer it was dragged onto (the pebble layer).
Steps to Clip a Layer Using Another Layer as a Mask
Follow these simple steps within the Layers panel:
- Prepare your layers: Ensure you have the layer you want to use as the mask (e.g., a text object, a vector shape, or a pixel layer) and the layer you want to clip/mask (e.g., an image, a fill layer, another shape). The masking layer should generally be positioned above the layer to be clipped in the layer stack initially.
- Locate the layers: Open the Layers panel (
F7). - Drag the mask layer: Click and drag the layer you intend to use as the mask (e.g., your text layer) within the Layers panel.
- Hover over the thumbnail: While dragging, hover the layer directly over the thumbnail image of the layer you want to clip. You should see a visual indicator or a small blue highlight appearing around the thumbnail. This is the crucial step described in the reference, where the text layer was dragged onto the thumbnail of the pebble layer.
- Release the mouse: Let go of the mouse button.
The Result
After performing this action:
- The layer you dragged will be indented and appear as a child layer directly below the thumbnail of the layer it is clipping.
- The layer it was dragged onto will now only be visible through the shape or content of the masking layer. As the reference states, "In this case the text becomes the mask," meaning the pebble layer would only be visible within the shape of the text characters.
This is an efficient way to apply vector or pixel masks in Affinity Designer, effectively "clipping" the content of one layer using the shape or transparency of another.
Understanding the Layers Panel Interaction
It's important to distinguish this from other drag-and-drop actions in the Layers panel:
| Action | Result |
|---|---|
| Drag onto a thumbnail | Creates a Clipping Mask (Masks the layer) |
| Drag onto the layer name | Creates a Group (Adds layer inside a group) |
| Drag just above/below layer | Reorders the layers in the stack |
Using the thumbnail target is the key method for clipping a layer using another layer as the mask, as demonstrated in the referenced material.
