Inspiring

Answered

How to hide track matte layer??

Forum|Forum|3 months ago
October 28, 2025
3 replies
261 views

Hi All!

The surf board shape is my track matte for my text. As you can see, portions of the red surfboard are still visible but I don't want them to be. Is there a way I can hide the portion of the track matte that aren't being covered by the text?

Thank you so much!

macOS

Correct answer mynameiso_8710

I finally figured out why your steps weren't working! My surfboard layer was actually a smart object. Upon rasterizing, I was able to achieve it. Thank you!!

M

mynameiso_8710AuthorCorrect answer

Inspiring

I finally figured out why your steps weren't working! My surfboard layer was actually a smart object. Upon rasterizing, I was able to achieve it. Thank you!!

Trevor.Dennis

Community Expert

If I am understanding yopu correctly:

Set the Fill Opacity of the surfboard layer to 0%

Double click the text layer to open Blend Options, and uncheck Blend Clipped Layers as Group

I actually had to work this out, so I have learned a new trick as well.

M

mynameiso_8710Author

Inspiring

I really appreciate this, Trevor.Dennis..

Unfortunately, when I lower the opacity to 0% on the surfboard, the text goes along with it. And when I open up the blending options menu to deselect "Blend Clipped Layers as Group", I see it is already unchecked..

I'm not sure if it's because my text layer was converted to a shape layer so I could independently adjust the handles of each letter to fit what I wanted into the surfboard shape... Or perhaps because my surfboard was created in Illustrator and imported into Photoshop as a .png...

Trevor.Dennis

Community Expert

Did you lower 'Fill' opacity?

Use my screen shots as a reference. It will work if you do exactly as shown.

Conrad_C

Community Expert

Have you posted in the correct community? The term “track matte” comes from video production, so a question about track mattes is usually expected to be found in the Adobe Premiere or After Effects communities here.

Or, because you posted in Photoshop, are you doing a track-matte-like effect but in Photoshop, like in the Photoshop video Timeline panel? If so, please also include a screen shot of the Layers and Timeline panels so that we can see how they’re set up and offer the right suggestions.

M

mynameiso_8710Author

Inspiring

Thanks for the message, Conrad!

My mistakes on the terminology - I use after effect 99% of the time. I meanto to say clipping mask? Where the layer above is only seen within the bounds of the layer below it?

Conrad_C

Community Expert

OK, I see. Then Trevor.Dennis’s reply in this thread could be a good answer. Except when I try it, it doesn’t work to deselect Blend Clipped Layers as Group for the text layer, it works if I change that setting for the shape layer.

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