To apply a mask in Affinity Photo, go to your layers panel, select the layer you wish to mask, and click the "Mask Layer" button. This creates a mask associated with that layer, which you can then use to selectively reveal or hide portions of the layer.
Steps to Apply and Use a Mask Layer:
- Locate the Layers Panel: Ensure your Layers panel is visible in the Affinity Photo interface. Typically, it's located on the right-hand side of the screen.
- Select the Target Layer: Click on the layer in the Layers panel that you want to apply the mask to.
- Add a Mask Layer: With the target layer selected, click the "Mask Layer" icon. This icon usually resembles a rectangle with a circle in it and is located at the bottom of the Layers panel.
- Select the Mask: After creating the mask, make sure it is selected. It should appear as a white rectangle attached to the layer you masked in the Layers panel. Click on the mask thumbnail to select it.
- Use the Mask: With the mask selected, you can now use tools like the Brush Tool to paint on the mask.
- Painting with Black: Painting with black on the mask will hide the corresponding areas of the layer the mask is applied to.
- Painting with White: Painting with white on the mask will reveal the corresponding areas of the layer.
- Painting with Grays: Painting with shades of gray will partially reveal or hide the layer, depending on the grayscale value.
By using different brushes, gradients, and selection tools, you can create complex and precise masks to achieve various effects in your image editing workflow.
