Masking with the pen tool?

[Noktie]

I've been trying to mask a claw mark I re-traced with the pen tool. I can't turn it into a symbol because then it would mask the box surrounding it. I have made sure the claw mark is a complete shape, but whenever I go to apply the mask both layers disappear. My goal by the end of this is to have water running behind the claw mark. This is just by making a tween on a image and dragging it down.

[kglad]

draw with your pen>select your pen drawing>modify>shape>convert lines to fills

[Noktie]

Both the pen drawing and the image still disappear.

[Colin Holgate]

I have heard of something similar that was caused by the lines being too thin. If you scale up everything does it then behave?

[Noktie]

Nope, it still all disappears.

[Colin Holgate]

This won't solve what you're asking, but it might let you do what you want to do.

Select the bitmap of the claw and do Modify/Break Apart.

The Lasso tool icon also has Magic Wand. Use the magic wand and/or the lasso tool to select, then delete, the parts of the claw that are not to be part of the mask.

Now use the remnants of the bitmap as the mask layer.

[kglad]

works for me.  make sure your pen drawing is in a mask layer and whatever you want to be masked is in the masked layer.

masked:

unmasked:

[travisbrainerd]

Are you trying to use the pen tool to outline a shape, or is the pen drawing itself the only thing you want in the mask? If it is the outline, you will need to choose a fill color for the inside contents to be part of the mask.

[Noktie]

Its the outline, but I would like to do a fill.

[travisbrainerd]

Alright, is applying a fill working? The mask should be as simple as possible, either combined into one drawing object or everything broken apart.

[Noktie]

Nope, everything still disappears. I will upload some screenshots soon.

[Noktie]

[travisbrainerd]

It doesn't appear that the fill has been set on the masking layer. It should appear opaque.

[Noktie]

It doesn't fill when I select any of the colors, I'm not sure how to fix this either.

[travisbrainerd · Accepted solution]

That's the problem then. You can try using the Paint bucket tool to drop a fill color. I'm guessing there might be an opening in the pen drawing. You will have to zoom in, look for any gaps and close them.

[Noktie]

Thank you! You've been so helpful!

[zdenkov90173198]

See example on published pictures:

picture 1: only background visible.

picture 2: drawn two lines with pen tool and its handles. Then  click the line drawn to select it, right click on it and select 'break apart'. Then click it again to select it, and look in menu for: 'Modify' -> 'Shape' -> 'Convert lines to fills'. It doesn't matter which colour you use to fill the lines.