A clipping mask is a layer whose shape masks other layers below so that only areas that lie within the shape are visible.

A clipping mask is a layer whose shape masks other layers below so that only areas that lie within the shape are visible.

• A. Layer Mask
• B. Vector Mask
• C. Clipping Mask
• D. Alpha Channel

Answer: (C)

A clipping mask uses the shape and transparency of a layer above to control the visibility of all layers beneath it. Only the parts of the lower layers that fall inside the opaque areas of the masking layer are shown; areas outside the shape stay hidden. This makes clipping masks great for applying textures, patterns, or gradients to a specific silhouette—like text or a logo—without painting on each layer individually. It’s different from a layer mask, which affects only its own layer by painting grayscale transparency. It’s also different from a vector mask, which uses vector shapes for crisp, scalable edges, and from an alpha channel, which stores transparency information as a separate channel for the whole image. In a clipping mask setup, multiple layers beneath the masking layer share the same visible boundary, all constrained by that one shape.

A clipping mask uses the shape and transparency of a layer above to control the visibility of all layers beneath it. Only the parts of the lower layers that fall inside the opaque areas of the masking layer are shown; areas outside the shape stay hidden. This makes clipping masks great for applying textures, patterns, or gradients to a specific silhouette—like text or a logo—without painting on each layer individually. It’s different from a layer mask, which affects only its own layer by painting grayscale transparency. It’s also different from a vector mask, which uses vector shapes for crisp, scalable edges, and from an alpha channel, which stores transparency information as a separate channel for the whole image. In a clipping mask setup, multiple layers beneath the masking layer share the same visible boundary, all constrained by that one shape.