Object as a "see through" mask!
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Problem: A shape to act as a transparency mask through another object → see through function.
Question: Can you do that in Illustrator\Affinity\Corel\Inkscape without using clipping masks intersection of the desired 'see through' shape from a bigger object as a Mask?Guys, I did it! Something I have been struggling to do in Illustrator, Affinity… I did it in VectorStyler 1.3. It works even if you group lines (curves, paths), shapes.
You can think of it as a non‑destructive 'see through' mask workflow.- create a line and a shape (in my case I created a straight line and a gear shape) → {group} them in a layer
- create another layer under the previous {group} layer with an object (I made a blue star) which will be "revealed" by the 'see through' mask object (hint: the mask will be of a type 'drawing' → important!)
- select the {group} layer (with the paths, lines, gear shape in it), find the Transparency panel and in its Mask drop‑down menu select the type of the mask to be a 'Drawing' → (you get into 'isolation mode') now draw your desired shape to act a 'see through' tunnel and fill it with full black colour (other range besides full black means semi-transparent final effect)!
- click outside the drawn (drawing) object to close 'isolation mode'
- you can edit the 'drawing' shape at any time if you right click on the {group} layer (it has a mask icon) and select Edit mask (do not go to blend mode, leave it be or Normal)
Swoosh! You get the 'see through' effect over the {group} and see the star!
You can now select the {group} and the star and group them, so they can be moved together. Maybe possibly convert them to a Symbol… you get the idea. Maybe add some 'text frame', send it behind (under all) you name it!Unfortunately, if you then right click the {group} layer and select Mask type → None, you will loose the shape (drawing) you had as a mask. Maybe a good idea would be to only make it invisible and make another mask layer within the 'isolation mode' you are in (I made a spiral)!
Export it to pdf only for crispy sharp lines, no rasterization of 'see through' transarency!
Because exporting to svg, eps, ps looses the mask and some objects.
Opening such eps\ps in Illustrator leads to rasterization and lost mask shape.Awesome! Day one of using VectorStyler and loving it!
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Inkscape can do it too!!!
Object → Set Inverse Mask (LPE → Live Path Effects)
The downside in Inkscape is that if you need to edit the Mask, you have to Release it, then reselect the objects and the top (edited) one again and set a Mask (inverse) again. VectorStyler's workflow in this is much clever.Inkscape saves that state (Mask) in the .svg, whilst VectorStyler export to .svg with the 'drawing' type of Mask is… null.
Also, Inkscape zooms in and out much smoother and faster when Transparency Grid is on.
VectorStyler somehow renders the Transparency grid after every zoom level, which is a bit redundant and slow, laggy.
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Aha, seems Illustrator 2025 can do it as well.
Use the Transparency panel. Select the group and in Transparency panel click Mask. Then Alt+click the mask icon (white field) in the panel and create black shape there (you can create many shapes, hide, move them, in the Layer mask panel that opens). No need to invert or clip.
Illustrator zooming is so sluggish… it is painful. So far Affinity and Inkscape are best regarding zooming with the mouse scroll wheel.
Now, regarding export to pdf, svg and eps.
Illustrator failed to export to svg. (as VectorStyler exports a null svg)
Illustrator exported to pdf successfully.
Illustrator exported successfully to eps (VectorStyler did but lost the mask) and I could open that eps in Affinity and VS and with some combining shapes and groups the result was usable! Inkscape 1.4 could not open the eps at all.Interesting indeed! Seems pdf format is the winner although the actual mask object could not be selected\moved\edited in a pdf editor!
Illustrator recognized the mask layer form VS as imported pdf (pdf created in VS).
Affinity totally rasterized the mask = fail!
