How Do You Create a Mask From a Selection in Procreate?

Creating a mask from a selection in Procreate is a straightforward process that allows you to control the visibility of a layer based on a specific area you've defined.

The Core Steps

To create a mask based on an active selection in Procreate:

1. Make your selection: Use any of Procreate's selection tools (Automatic, Freehand, Rectangle, Ellipse) to define the area you want the mask to control.
2. Add a Mask: With the selection active, add a mask to the layer you wish to apply it to. Procreate will automatically use your current selection to define the mask.

Step-by-Step Guide to Masking with Selections

Layer masks are a non-destructive way to hide or reveal parts of a layer. When you create a mask from a selection, Procreate uses the selected area to determine what remains visible.

Here's a breakdown of the process:

1. Define Your Area with a Selection

First, you need to tell Procreate which part of your canvas or layer you want the mask to be based on.

• Tap the Selection tool icon (the 'S' shape).
• Choose your desired selection mode (e.g., Freehand, Automatic).
• Draw or tap to create your selection outline on the canvas. The area outside the selection will appear with a moving dashed line ('marching ants') and/or a semi-transparent overlay, depending on your Selection tool settings.

2. Add the Mask to Your Layer

With your selection still active (do not deselect it), you will add the mask to the layer you want to affect.

• Go to the Layers panel (the two overlapping squares icon).
• Identify the Primary layer you want to mask. This is the layer that will have content hidden or revealed by the mask.
• Tap the Primary layer's thumbnail or name in the Layers panel to open the Layer Options menu.
• From the Layer Options menu, tap Mask.

As stated in the process, Tap your Primary layer to invoke the Layer Options menu, then tap Mask. Your new Mask will appear above and attached to the selected layer, indicated by a smaller black and white thumbnail linked to the layer.

3. Procreate Creates the Mask from the Selection

When you add a mask while a selection is active, Procreate automatically converts the selection into the mask data.

• The area inside your selection will become white on the mask thumbnail, meaning the corresponding content on your layer will be visible.
• The area outside your selection will become black on the mask thumbnail, meaning the corresponding content on your layer will be hidden.

This effectively creates a mask from your selection.

Working with Your New Selection Mask

Once the mask is created, you can see its effect immediately on your canvas. The content of the layer will only be visible within the bounds defined by your original selection.

• Modify the Mask: You can tap the mask thumbnail in the Layers panel to select the mask itself. Then, you can paint directly on the mask using black (to hide more), white (to reveal more), or shades of grey (for semi-transparency).
• Disable/Delete: You can tap the mask thumbnail and select 'Disable Mask' to temporarily see the full layer, or 'Delete Mask' to remove it permanently.

Summary Table: Creating a Mask from Selection

Using selections in conjunction with layer masks is a powerful technique for precise and non-destructive editing in Procreate.