Fireworks MX 2004 Mask Effect

7, Mask effect

A mask, also known as a mask, is an image processing effect that provides the shape of the underlying object for the lower-level objects, and the underlying object provides color for the topmost object. Therefore, we call the topmost object "mask Object", while the underlying object is called "Masked object". Both vector and bitmap objects can become mask objects or masked objects.

A more commonly used mask effect is to introduce an image in the workspace first, and then draw a vector ellipse over the image, as shown in Figure 3-34.

Figure 3-34

Then select two objects (press the CTRL + a key) and use the Modify-mask-group as Mask command on the menu bar, and two objects are grouped together as masked graphics. Drag the Blue Center point of the mask with the mouse to move the underlying masked object (puppy image), as shown in Figure 4-18.

Figure 4-18

As you can see, two objects are grouped together as masks to dilute the overlapping portions of the two objects. The degree of dilution is determined by the shading relationship between the Mask object and the background color. The brighter the color, the smaller the fade, and the clearer the Mask object will be.

In the layers panel, two objects are grouped together into masks, and they become a mask that is grouped in the same object layer. As shown in Figure 4-19.

Figure 4-19

When you click on the Masked object of this object layer with your mouse, there is a blue border around the object. When the masked object is a bitmap, you can edit the masked object with various bitmap tools. When the masked object is a vector graph, it can be edited or modified by various vector tools. Similarly, when the Mask object in the object layer is a bitmap or vector diagram, it can also be modified using a variety of bitmaps or vector tools. As shown in Figure 4-20.

Figure 4-20

For a mask, the mask effect can be temporarily canceled when you use the Modify-mask-Disable Mask command. You can also see in the layers panel that the mask object in the mask graphic is disabled. As shown in Figure 4-21.

Figure 4-21

When you use the Modify-mask-enable mask command, you can revert to the original mask effect.

To remove a mask effect, you can use the Modify-mask-Remove mask command. A dialog box pops up, as shown in Figure 4-22.

Figure 4-22

When you select Apply, a bitmap graphic with a mask shape independent is preserved. But the mask graphics can no longer be edited;

When you select Discard, the Mask object in the mask graphic is deleted, and only the masked object is restored.

When you want to restore the mask graphics, just click the Modify-Ungroup command on the menu bar to detach and restore the Mask object and the Masked object in the mask graphic.