Modes Controls

Use the Modes controls to modify how an individual mask object affects the image.

To access the Modes controls:

• In a mask operator, click the Modes button on the Mask Controls panel.
• In Paint, click the Modes button on the Paint Controls panel.

Note: Paint does not have the Color slider, Global Apply Mode settings, and Background button.

The Modes controls are made up of the following elements.

Color

Use this slider to set the alpha color of the mask. This setting can give precedence to mask objects higher in the stack. For more information, see Modifying Mask Color.

Note: The Color slider is not available when masking in Paint.

Opacity

Use the Opacity slider to set the opacity of the mask.

Combine Mode

Use the items in this list to determine how new mask objects behave when added to a layer or on top of existing masks.

Use:	To:
Replace	Replace the result of any previous mask objects with the current mask.
Add	Add the current mask to all previous masks.
Subtract	Subtract the current mask from all previous masks.
Intersect	Create a new mask by taking only the intersecting portion of the current mask and all previous masks.

Feather

Use this slider to feather the edge of the selected mask.

Invert

Enable this option to invert the selected mask.

Anti-Alias

Enable this option to soften the mask edges.

Edge Gradient

Use the options in this list to set the edge gradient of the mask.

Note: The Edge Gradient feature in Paint is found on the Gradient panel.

The edge gradient defines the inner and outer offset and softness of a mask.

Select:	To:
None	Use no edge gradient.
Offset	Set an inner or outer offset from the edge of the mask. Use Opacity to adjust the falloff of the gradient.
In/Out	Set separate values for the inner and outer offsets from the edge of the mask.
Splines	Use vertices to control the inner and outer mask offsets at each control point.

Spline and Edge Color

Click the Spline Color box to change the color of the mask outline. Click the Edge Color box to change the color of the inner and outer mask offset edges. In the Paint operator, these two color controls are found in the Settings controls.

The default colors are the same for the Paint and mask operators. You can change the default colors by setting the colors when no objects are selected. If an object is selected, you change the colors for that object only.

Global Apply Mode

Use the items in the Global Apply Mode list to specify how all masks, combined together using their individual modes, affect an existing alpha channel for the selected layer.

Note: Global Apply Mode is not available when masking in Paint.

Use the Global Apply Mode settings when you are combining masks on a layer to determine how the mask and the alpha channel are combined.

Use:	To:
Replace	Replace the existing alpha channel with the combined masks of the mask operator.
Add	Add the combined masks of the mask operator to the existing alpha channel.
Subtract	Subtract the combined masks of the mask operator from the existing alpha channel.
Intersect	Intersect the existing alpha channel and the combined masks of the mask operator.

Note: In most cases, you only need to set the Global Apply Mode for multiple masks, and leave the mode for each individual mask set to the default "Add." Use the individual mask object modes only for special cases and certain special masking effects.

By default, Invert for the Global Apply Mode is disabled. Set this Invert option according to the type of masking you want. If Invert is disabled, the masks remove the area outside the mask shapes and keep the area inside the mask shapes. This is a "holdout mask." When Invert for the Global Apply Mode is enabled, the mask is a "garbage mask," which means it removes the area inside the mask shapes and keeps the area outside the mask shapes.

Background

Use Background to select an operator to use as a background for the mask operators (Draw Mask, Elliptical Mask, and Rectangular Mask).

Note: Background is not available when masking in Paint.

This feature allows you to see a particular image as a background reference, rather than a solid color, when a mask is applied. The selected background is only visible when working in the mask operator, and is not applied to the composite.

To select an operator as a background for the masked layer:

1. In the Mask Controls panel, click the Background button.
2. In the Select Source dialog, select the operator to use as the background or click Open Footage to import footage into the workspace.
3. Click OK.

The selected background appears inside the mask.

Note: The selected background source is saved with the workspace.