Adobe 65011817 User Guide - Page 135

Create a mask from an existing object, Mask objects by using the Paste As Mask command

Page 135 highlights

USING FIREWORKS CS4 129 Layers, masking, and blending Original objects and a bitmap mask applied using its grayscale appearance You can apply bitmap masks in two ways: • Using an existing object to mask other objects. This technique is like applying a vector mask. • Creating an empty mask. Empty masks start out as either transparent or opaque. A transparent (or white) mask shows the masked object in its entirety, and an opaque (or black) mask hides the masked object completely. You can use the bitmap tools to draw on or modify the mask object, revealing, or hiding the underlying objects. When you create a bitmap mask, the Property inspector displays information about how the mask is applied. If you select a bitmap tool when a bitmap mask is selected, the Property inspector displays the properties of the mask and options for the selected tool. By default, most bitmap masks are applied using their grayscale appearance, but you can also apply them using their alpha channel. Create a mask from an existing object When a vector object is used as a mask, its path outline can be used to clip or crop other objects. When a bitmap object is used as a mask, either the brightness of its pixels or its transparency affects the visibility of other objects. Mask objects by using the Paste As Mask command Using the Paste As Mask command, you can create masks by overlapping an object or group with another object. Paste As Mask creates either a vector mask or a bitmap mask. 1 Select the object you want to use as the mask. Shift-click to select multiple objects. Note: If you use multiple objects as the mask, Fireworks always creates a vector mask, even if both objects are bitmaps. 2 Position the selection so that it overlaps the object or group to be masked. The selection can be either in front of or behind the objects to be masked. 3 Select Edit > Cut to cut the objects you want to use as the mask. 4 Select the object or group you want to mask. Last updated 3/8/2011

  • 1
  • 2
  • 3
  • 4
  • 5
  • 6
  • 7
  • 8
  • 9
  • 10
  • 11
  • 12
  • 13
  • 14
  • 15
  • 16
  • 17
  • 18
  • 19
  • 20
  • 21
  • 22
  • 23
  • 24
  • 25
  • 26
  • 27
  • 28
  • 29
  • 30
  • 31
  • 32
  • 33
  • 34
  • 35
  • 36
  • 37
  • 38
  • 39
  • 40
  • 41
  • 42
  • 43
  • 44
  • 45
  • 46
  • 47
  • 48
  • 49
  • 50
  • 51
  • 52
  • 53
  • 54
  • 55
  • 56
  • 57
  • 58
  • 59
  • 60
  • 61
  • 62
  • 63
  • 64
  • 65
  • 66
  • 67
  • 68
  • 69
  • 70
  • 71
  • 72
  • 73
  • 74
  • 75
  • 76
  • 77
  • 78
  • 79
  • 80
  • 81
  • 82
  • 83
  • 84
  • 85
  • 86
  • 87
  • 88
  • 89
  • 90
  • 91
  • 92
  • 93
  • 94
  • 95
  • 96
  • 97
  • 98
  • 99
  • 100
  • 101
  • 102
  • 103
  • 104
  • 105
  • 106
  • 107
  • 108
  • 109
  • 110
  • 111
  • 112
  • 113
  • 114
  • 115
  • 116
  • 117
  • 118
  • 119
  • 120
  • 121
  • 122
  • 123
  • 124
  • 125
  • 126
  • 127
  • 128
  • 129
  • 130
  • 131
  • 132
  • 133
  • 134
  • 135
  • 136
  • 137
  • 138
  • 139
  • 140
  • 141
  • 142
  • 143
  • 144
  • 145
  • 146
  • 147
  • 148
  • 149
  • 150
  • 151
  • 152
  • 153
  • 154
  • 155
  • 156
  • 157
  • 158
  • 159
  • 160
  • 161
  • 162
  • 163
  • 164
  • 165
  • 166
  • 167
  • 168
  • 169
  • 170
  • 171
  • 172
  • 173
  • 174
  • 175
  • 176
  • 177
  • 178
  • 179
  • 180
  • 181
  • 182
  • 183
  • 184
  • 185
  • 186
  • 187
  • 188
  • 189
  • 190
  • 191
  • 192
  • 193
  • 194
  • 195
  • 196
  • 197
  • 198
  • 199
  • 200
  • 201
  • 202
  • 203
  • 204
  • 205
  • 206
  • 207
  • 208
  • 209
  • 210
  • 211
  • 212
  • 213
  • 214
  • 215
  • 216
  • 217
  • 218
  • 219
  • 220
  • 221
  • 222
  • 223
  • 224
  • 225
  • 226
  • 227
  • 228
  • 229
  • 230
  • 231
  • 232
  • 233
  • 234
  • 235
  • 236
  • 237
  • 238
  • 239
  • 240
  • 241
  • 242
  • 243
  • 244
  • 245
  • 246
  • 247
  • 248
  • 249
  • 250
  • 251
  • 252
  • 253
  • 254
  • 255
  • 256
  • 257
  • 258
  • 259
  • 260
  • 261
  • 262
  • 263
  • 264
  • 265
  • 266
  • 267
  • 268
  • 269
  • 270
  • 271
  • 272
  • 273
  • 274
  • 275
  • 276
  • 277
  • 278
  • 279
  • 280
  • 281
  • 282
  • 283
  • 284
  • 285
  • 286
  • 287
  • 288
  • 289
  • 290
  • 291
  • 292
  • 293
  • 294
  • 295
  • 296
  • 297
  • 298
  • 299
  • 300

129
USING FIREWORKS CS4
Layers, masking, and blending
La
s
t updated 3/8/2011
Original objects and a bitmap mask applied using its grayscale appearance
You can apply bitmap masks in two ways:
Using an existing object to mask other objects. This technique is like applying a vector mask.
Creating an
empty mask
. Empty masks start out as either transparent or opaque. A transparent (or white) mask
shows the masked object in its entirety, and an opaque (or black) mask hides the masked object completely. You
can use the bitmap tools to draw on or modify the mask object, revealing, or hiding the underlying objects.
When you create a bitmap mask, the Property inspector displays information about how the mask is applied. If you
select a bitmap tool when a bitmap mask is selected, the Property inspector displays the properties of the mask and
options for the selected tool.
By default, most bitmap masks are applied using their grayscale appearance, but you can also apply them using their
alpha channel.
Create a mask from an existing object
When a vector object is used as a mask, its path outline can be used to clip or crop other objects. When a bitmap object
is used as a mask, either the brightness of its pixels or its transparency affects the visibility of other objects.
Mask objects by using the Paste As Mask command
Using the Paste As Mask command, you can create masks by overlapping an object or group with another object. Paste
As Mask creates either a vector mask or a bitmap mask.
1
Select the object you want to use as the mask. Shift-click to select multiple objects.
Note:
If you use multiple objects as the mask, Fireworks always creates a vector mask, even if both objects are bitmaps.
2
Position the selection so that it overlaps the object or group to be masked.
The selection can be either in front of or behind the objects to be masked.
3
Select Edit
> Cut to cut the objects you want to use as the mask.
4
Select the object or group you want to mask.