5.4.3. Area masks

An area mask quickly creates a rectangular, rounded rectangle, or elliptical mask shape.

Viewer controls

The viewer controls overlaid onto the second image above show the current mask shape, and allows you to edit the shape further in several ways. The solid inner line indicates the outer limits of the solid mask area. The outer dashed line indicates the outer limit of the mask feather. The handles can be used to make adjustments.

• Radial: The radial handle emanating from the center of the mask indicates the rotation of the mask. By default, the line will run vertically, straight up from the center. The handle at the outer end of the radial can be dragged to rotate the mask.
• Side Handles: On the solid inner lines of the mask, each side contains a handle. Drag these handles to move any edge of the mask and resize it.
• Corner Handle: On the solid inner line of the mask, one corner has a handle. Click this handle and drag to adjust the radius of the mask corners. By default the handle will be at the top left, but if the mask is rotated it could appear elsewhere.
• Feather Handle: The dashed outer line features a single corner handle. Drag this handle to change the width of the mask feather. You can also drag the dashed line itself.

Sidebar controls

• Invert: This toggle inverts the mask, so only the area outside of the mask is visible.
• Size: Denotes the width of the opaque center area of the mask, as a percentage of the image width and height.
• Center: Defines the X (horizontal) and Y (vertical) positions of the mask center. X values run from 0 on the left to 100 on the right. Y values run from 0 at the top to 100 at the bottom.
• Rotation: Indicates the rotation of the mask, in degrees.
• Curvature: Adjusts the radius of the mask corners, from a value of 0, which creates square corners, to a value of 100, which creates a smooth elliptical shape.
• Softness: Adjusts the width of the feathered area around the edge of the mask.
• Opacity: Alters the overall opacity of the mask.