Why does my mask for text change my color from black to white?

[LillaBjorna]

I am making a handwritten text effect and I am having issues with my mask. The issue comes when I right click on the text layer and chose "create masks for texts". The text then becomes white instead of black that I made it to begin with. It then stays white when I go through the correct steps for animating it. How do I solve this?

[Rick Gerard]

Converting text to masks is usually not a good idea. If you must use that approach all you have to do is press Shift + Carl/Cmnd + y or use the Layr menu to change the solid settings and change the solid color. 

A better hand written effect can be had by creating a single shape layer path wide enough to cover the letters and then add Trim Paths to draw on the path and use that for a track matte. 

There are also a half dozen text animation presets that will creatively reveal your text. 

Using a mask and trying to animate the mask path or a stroke is going to be a lot more difficult and labor intensive than other approaches.

If you are following a tutorial, please post a link to it so we can help you figure out if you are getting good advice and an efficient workflow.

[LillaBjorna]

The solid settings solved it thanks. However now for some reason I cant separate the text layer to the outline layer in visiblilty. When I turn one of the layers on and off the other follows. Do you know why? In the text layers below I do not have that issue which is strange. 

[Rick Gerard]

When you convert a text layer to masks, the text layer turns off. 

I am still not sure what you are planning to do with the Masks. If you add a stroke and animate the stroke, the text will not be revealed like it was drawn on; it will be outlined. Letters like A will have compound masks so that a hole will be made in the A. Setting the mask modes (not shown because you didn't reveal all modified properties by pressing the 'u' key twice) makes a difference in how the layer looks. 

If you want to use a mask or shape layer path to reveal a letter like it was drawn on you will need to position the path in the center of the strokes that make up the letter, then animate it and use the animated path or mask as a track matte for the letter. 

Sorry, I still don't understand your workflow or your design goal. Creating masks or shapes from a text layer is not the usual way to create a hand written effect. 

If you are following a tutorial, post a link to it. Here's a pretty standard workflow:

Personally, I prefer to use a shape layer as a track matte, but the drawing of the path workflow is the same. 

[Estelle98A2]

I'm having the same problem. But the Cmnd+y solution did not work for me. Any other way to change this?

[Melanie Stirner]

Hi Estelle 🙂
You can also go there by menu: Layer / Solid Settings