What are the best practices for managing layers and groups when working with dynamic masking and hiding?

1 Layers and groups

Layers and groups are the basic units of organization in 3D Coat. Layers store the sculpting information of your model, such as depth, color, and material. Groups are collections of layers that share a common mask or visibility. You can create, rename, delete, duplicate, merge, and reorder layers and groups in the Layers panel. You can also use the Layer menu or the right-click menu to access more options. To create a new layer, click the + icon at the bottom of the panel. To create a new group, click the folder icon next to it. To add a layer to a group, drag and drop it onto the group name. To remove a layer from a group, drag and drop it outside the group.

2 Dynamic masking

Dynamic masking is a feature that lets you apply a temporary mask to your model based on various criteria, such as angle, curvature, depth, or selection. You can use dynamic masking to isolate parts of your model that you want to sculpt, smooth, inflate, or apply other effects. To use dynamic masking, you need to enable it in the Tool Options panel. You can then adjust the parameters of the mask, such as the mode, the range, the contrast, and the blur. You can also invert, clear, or save the mask. To apply the mask to your model, you need to press the Enter key or click the Apply Mask button in the Tool Options panel. To disable dynamic masking, you need to press the Esc key or click the Disable Mask button.

3 Dynamic hiding

Dynamic hiding is a feature that lets you hide parts of your model based on various criteria, such as angle, curvature, depth, or selection. You can use dynamic hiding to focus on specific areas of your model or to reduce the polygon count for better performance. To use dynamic hiding, you need to enable it in the Tool Options panel. You can then adjust the parameters of the hiding, such as the mode, the range, the contrast, and the blur. You can also invert, show, or save the hiding. To hide parts of your model, you need to press the Enter key or click the Hide button in the Tool Options panel. To show parts of your model, you need to press the Esc key or click the Show button.

4 Layer masks

Layer masks are permanent masks that you can apply to individual layers or groups. They allow you to control the visibility and opacity of your sculpting information. You can create layer masks from dynamic masks, selections, or other layers. To create a layer mask, you need to select the layer or group that you want to mask and click the Add Mask button at the bottom of the Layers panel. You can then edit the mask using any sculpting tool or brush. You can also invert, clear, disable, or delete the mask. To view the mask in grayscale, you can press the Alt key or click the View Mask button.

5 Visibility masks

Visibility masks are temporary masks that you can apply to individual layers or groups. They allow you to hide or show parts of your sculpting information without affecting the layer mask. You can create visibility masks from dynamic hiding, selections, or other layers. To create a visibility mask, you need to select the layer or group that you want to mask and click the Add Visibility Mask button at the bottom of the Layers panel. You can then edit the mask using any sculpting tool or brush. You can also invert, show, disable, or delete the mask. To view the mask in grayscale, you can press the Alt key or click the View Mask button.

6 Common pitfalls and errors

When working with layers and groups, dynamic masking and hiding, and layer and visibility masks, there are some common pitfalls and errors that should be avoided. To prevent and fix them, ensure you have the correct layer or group selected before applying any sculpting tool or effect, apply or disable dynamic masking and hiding before switching to another layer or group, save your dynamic masks and hiding as layer masks or visibility masks if you want to preserve them for later use, disable or delete any layer masks or visibility masks that you no longer need, and check the layer opacity and blending mode settings if you notice any unexpected results or artifacts in your model. These steps can help avoid potential issues while sculpting.

7 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?