A mask in Flash is an object that, as its name implies, is used to mask another object. In this tutorial, we are going to have a look at this extremely useful tool.
But before we proceed to the more "interesting" stuff, here's something for those of you unfamiliar with the concept of masks in Flash.
Creating a simple mask
i. Create a new Flash document. All the parameters—like dimensions or fps—do not matter this time.
ii. Draw a circle with the Oval Tool ( O ). To create a circle rather than an oval, you can hold down the Shift key. Also, make sure that the circle is on the first layer.
iii. Next, create another layer, underneath the first one, and draw a square with the Rectangle Tool ( R ). Finally, drag the square with your cursor so that it's overlapping the circle, as shown in the below image.
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iv. Finally, right-click on the first layer and choose Mask in the dropdown menu that will appear.
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v. To see the effect, either play the animation (Ctrl + Enter) or lock both layers by clicking on the small lock symbol.
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Voilà! We are done with creating a simple mask.
There are literally hundreds of ways to use masks. The ones you will find below barely scrape the surface of what can be done with this wonderfully useful tool.
Examples
1.
Click here o read a tutorial on how to create this effect.
2.
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This creature's pupil is visible only within a specified area—in this case, that's the area of the eye.
3.
A very simple yet interesting effect. All I did was create a text-shaped mask that I then used to—surprise!—mask the image of flowers.
Tip: Flash only allows you to create masks from objects that are of Fills ("fill type". When you create a text with your Text Tool ( T ), it is "text type". To convert it to a fill, select it and press Ctrl + B two times to Break it Apart.
So, looks like we have come to the end of this tutorial. I really hope you have enjoyed this trip and managed to learn—at least a bit! :-)
Thanks for reading!
Cheers!
