how do I get a mask inside of a mask?

Question

I just want to ask the window frame so that I can adjust the color.

In the image, you see I have been able to mask out the entire window, but that doesn't do what I wanted to do. How would I get like the white box back into the mask?

Also, you used to be able to invert mats by pushing comman+shift+I

they're also used to be an option when you're masking that said inverse none of those things work anymore. If anyone can tell me how to in a mask as well that would be helpful too.

Conrad_C · Accepted Answer

I could've sworn just like two weeks ago. I did a project where all I had to do was create a shape with the pen tool right click and then select fill path and if I filled it with black or white, it would do what I wanted it to do
By @danielb94023111

OK. That's a little different, where the Pen tool is used to draw a path that is then converted to a pixel selection (the animated marquee).

The window frame was created in the picture when I took the picture.
By @danielb94023111

If you just want to color the window frame, then:

1. Start from the path you drew in your screen shot, that has the inner and outer shapes. Make sure that is selected in the Paths panel.

2. Choose Layer > New Fill Layer > Solid Color (or whatever fill you wanted such as Gradient).

3. Set the fill color you want. The path that was selected becomes a vector mask for the new Solid Color Fill layer.

4. Use a path selection tool to select the inner path, then click the Path Operations button, choose Subtract Front Shape, and that will put a hole in the Color Fill layer.

You could also do it the way you did before, which is to convert the path to a pixel selection and then fill that. I find that harder to edit and it would take more steps to do, but if you understand pixel selections/masks better than path/vector masks, maybe doing the extra steps to work with it as a pixel selection/mask might be worth it.

It is important to know that when you work with a vector shape layer or a Solid Color Fill layer, the way you edit the fill is definitely different than if you work with a pixel selection where you would use the Edit > Fill command. Yes, it’s confusing.

Conrad_C · Answer

Inverting masks still exists, for pixel masks. But the screen shot you attached shows a vector path with path handles, where it works differently, see the demo below.

Also, Command+Shift+I is not for inverting masks, it’s the command for inverting pixel selections (Select > Inverse). The command for inverting a pixel layer or its pixel mask is Image > Adjustments > Invert (Command+I).

For the vector path you drew for the window:

1. Make sure the window frame was created as a Shape layer, not a Path. This will let you fill it. Also make sure the inner and outer paths of the window are on the same shape layer.

2. In the Layers panel, make sure the shape layer is selected.

3. Use a path selection tool to select the inner path of the window frame shape layer.

4. In the options bar for the path tool you are using, click the Path Operations icon and choose Subtract Front Shape. That should create a hole.

Sign up

To post, reply, or follow discussions, please sign in with your Adobe ID.

Sign in to Adobe Community

To post, reply, or follow discussions, please sign in with your Adobe ID.

Scanning file for viruses.

This file cannot be downloaded