Feature 13 · Clipping Mask

Clipping Mask: colour inside the shape below

Two clear sheets

The lower layer is a stencil, the upper one holds colour. With a clipping mask the upper layer appears only where the stencil below has content; paint outside it is hidden. The layers stay separate, so editing colour does not touch the outline.

Five steps

1. Paint a base shape on a regular lower layer (a shirt, cloud or lettering). Transparent surroundings make the effect obvious.

2. Add a layer above, select the upper one and click Clipping Mask in the layer toolbar. The button needs a layer below.

3. Paint shadows, highlights and texture freely on the upper layer. Colour stays inside the visible base shape, including its soft transparent edge.

4. Edit the upper layer for colour, the lower one for the outline. Stack more clipped layers above for separate colour passes.

5. Click Clipping Mask again to release it. Check the canvas first: paint hidden outside the base becomes visible again.

Clipping Mask or Alpha Lock?

Alpha Lock: same layer; colour can only land on pixels that already exist, so outline and colour stay tied together.

Clipping Mask: another layer; the lower layer defines the boundary, and shadows, texture and colour can each live on their own layer.

Rule of thumb: adding detail to one finished colour → Alpha Lock. Keeping the palette editable later → Clipping Mask.

If nothing appears

Is the upper layer selected and Clipping Mask on?

Does the lower base contain visible content? An empty base hides the upper layer.

Is the order right: colour above, base below? Moving, hiding or editing the base changes the result.