Vector masks in paint edit mode
If a paint object has a vector mask, Canvas temporarily represents the
vector mask as a channel mask if you edit the paint object.
In paint edit mode, a temporary channel mask that represents the
objects vector mask appears in the Channel Mask slot in the Chan-
nels palette. The temporary mask lets you see the effect of the vector
mask as you edit the paint object.
If you click in the Channel Mask slot to try to select the temporary
channel mask for editing, Canvas asks if you want to convert the vec-
tor mask to a channel mask. Click Cancel to return to editing the
paint object without destroying the vector mask. Click Yes if you
want Canvas to convert the vector mask to a channel mask that can
be edited with painting tools.
Using transfer modes
All objects vector objects, text objects, paint objects, and group
objects have a transfer mode. Transfer modes are like invisible fil-
ters that affect the appearance of colors. When objects overlap, the
transfer mode of the front object can change the appearance of the
back object.
Transfer modes work with transparency effects, including opacity
and transparency masks. However, transfer modes can make objects
appear to be transparent without reduced opacity or transparency
masks. For example, Multiply mode lets underlying colors show
through an object.
To apply transfer modes, you select objects and choose modes from
the Transfer Mode menu in the Transparency palette. For vector
objects, you can apply transfer modes to fill inks alone or to fill inks
and strokes together.
The default transfer mode is Normal. In Normal mode, the colors of
overlapping objects do not mix unless the front object is partially
transparent.
In addition to interacting with background objects, transfer modes
can interact with the documents white background. When an
objects transfer mode is Screen, for example, anything white
replaces the objects color, so the documents white background can
make the object seem to be invisible.