Affinity Masks & Layer Hierarchy: Finally Make Sense of It All

Confused by layer masks in Affinity? Or how they relate to clipping masks, nested objects, groups, or layer hierarchy? In this video, I break down the biggest masking and layer workflow confusion points in Affinity and show you exactly how masks behave depending on layer order, nesting, clipping relationships, and groups. We’ll cover: Traditional layer masks Clipping masks “Place Inside” nested objects Groups vs container layers Layer stacking order Why masks sometimes affect the “wrong” layers How parent/child layer relationships work The Affinity Assistant setting that changes mask behavior Common mistakes that lead to confusing results By the end of this tutorial, you’ll understand the mental model behind Affinity’s layer hierarchy so you can stay fully in control of your edits and avoid future workflow headaches. If this video helps, be sure to like, subscribe, and let me know in the comments what Affinity topic you’d like me to cover next! #AffinityPhoto #AffinityDesigner #AffinityV3 #AffinityMasks #LayerMasks #ClippingMask #AffinityTutorial ⏱️ Chapters 00:00 Intro & Why Affinity Masks Get Confusing 00:33 What This Video Covers 01:17 Quick Primer: How Masks Actually Work 02:32 Viewing a Mask as Grayscale 03:20 How Grayscale Controls Visibility 04:04 Masks vs Selections Explained 05:25 The First Big Rule: Layer Stacking Order 06:53 Important Affinity Setting That Changes Mask Behavior 08:13 Nested Masks & “Place Inside” 09:47 Nesting Objects Inside Other Objects 11:39 How Groups Change Mask Behavior 13:18 Place Inside vs Clipping Masks 14:13 Real Clipping Mask Example 15:39 Parent/Child Layer Relationships 16:00 Clipping Masks + Nested Objects Together 16:58 Clipping Masks Applied to Groups 17:32 Releasing Clipping Masks Before Ungrouping 17:52 Container Layers vs Groups 18:40 Final Recap & Key Takeaways 👍 Like & Subscribe I’ll be covering all the new Canva +Affinity updates here on this channel so make sure you subscribe and tune in! 🎨 Want to try Canva Pro FREE for 30 days? → partner.canva.com/DyqBoo ⚠DISCLAIMER -- This is an affiliate link...I may earn a small commission if you sign up—at no extra cost to you. Thanks for supporting this channel! 🔗 FREE NEWSLETTER SIGN UP: Grab my free Canva/Affinity resources here, https://learningwithgreg.com/resources, when you sign up for my newsletter which you can use to stay in the loop on the latest Canva & Affinity tips, tricks, and updates. Thanks for stopping by! cheers, Greg