Access to Masks created using selection tools independently of attached layer

What features would you like to see in Pixelmator Pro?
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2020-01-05 20:26:52

Is there any way to access a map that I create using selection tools on a layer? I've tried exporting the PSD and looking into the extracted folder, but it seems they are mainly text or binary descriptor files. If not, is there a better way to go about making my masks, so they have the same outcome but are exportable independently?

Image

Image
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2020-01-05 21:34:06

Hi there.
Pixelmator Pro allows you to move from layer masks to selections and from selections to bitmaps. So, to make your mask a bitmap:
1. Make the mask a selection. Click on the image of the mask* in the layers panel and use Edit > Load Selection (or just Cmd-click on the image of the mask).
2. Create a new layer and fill it with whatever colour your like (Cmd-delete to fill will current foreground colour).
You should now have a layer that has the opacity of the mask as the opacity of the layer.

If you want to go back again (you need a layer without a current mask to do this).
1. Make the layer a selection. Click on the image of the layer in the layers panel and use Edit > Load Selection (or just Cmd-click on the image of the layer).
2. Click on the layer you want to mask and use Format > Mask > Add Mask (or right-click on the layer and Add Mask). A mask will be created in the shape of the selection.

Alternatively, if you want to use one layer to mask another, consider using clipping masks.
1. Arrange two layers so that the bottom one contains opacity information (as opacity, not as greyscale or anything else) and the top layer contains an image.
2. Select the top layer and use Format > Mask > Create Clipping Mask (or right-click on the top of the two layers in the layers panel and select Create Clipping mask).
The two layers will now be a clipping mask pair with the bottom image providing opacity information and the top one colour information.

Hope this helps.

- Stef.
*note: if your image is complete opaque and all transparency is provided by the mask, it doesn't matter if you load your selection from the image or the mask.
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2020-01-05 23:22:13

Hey Stef,

Thanks a lot for the explanation, I'm going to give this a shot and update the thread.