5.5

845Motion User Guide
Mask a layer in Motion
You can add a mask to any image layer in a Motion project. After you add the mask, you
can fine-tune its effect.
Add a mask to a layer
1. In Motion, select a layer in the Layers list or canvas.
2. In the canvas toolbar, click and hold the mask tools pop-up menu, then choose a mask
tool (Rectangle Mask, Circle Mask, Freehand Mask, Bezier Mask, or B-Spline Mask).
Note: If you haven’t selected a layer, the mask tools are not available.
3. Do any of the following, based on the mask tool you chose in step 2:
• Rectangle Mask tool or Circle Mask tool: Drag in the canvas to create a simple
rectangular or elliptical shape mask.
• Freehand Mask tool: Drag in the canvas to draw a complex shape with Bezier control
points. To close the mask shape, join the end of the shape outline to the target circle
at the beginning of the outline. If you don’t reach the beginning of the outline, the
mask shape is closed when you lift the stylus or release the mouse button.
• Bezier Mask tool or B-Spline Mask tool: Click in the canvas to add control points to
create a complex shape with Bezier or B-Spline control points. To close the mask
shape, click the first point you made in the shape outline (or press C, or press
Return, or double-click).
Tip: Turn off snapping to prevent your mask control points from aligning with
unwanted elements. Press the N key to turn snapping on or off.
For more information about how to draw masks, see Draw simple masks in Motion and
Draw complex shapes and masks in Motion.