Newbie masking help

[Luxowell]

ok, i've had it.
I'm trying to make a mask. I have a box, but i need a "hole" cut in the middle, so i can see what is happening below the box, but all i keep getting instead is a box where i want the hole, and the rest of the box clear.
anyone have ANY ideas????
Thanks!

[Maldepatria]

you have draw a full circle,
if u draw a box with a hole, and then mask it u going to see around the hole

Originally posted by Luxowell
ok, i've had it.
I'm trying to make a mask. I have a box, but i need a "hole" cut in the middle, so i can see what is happening below the box, but all i keep getting instead is a box where i want the hole, and the rest of the box clear.
anyone have ANY ideas????
Thanks!

[Luxowell]

sorry, i'm a bit slow today... what?

[okworldwide]

hey.
masking, at first seems all but intuitive.
the way to think of it is
a mask REVEALS what's under it.
it seems like you are trying to get it to HIDE what's under it.

so you have your box.
now, ditch the circle shape you've been using as your faulty mask. instead, create a mask using the shape of exactly the part of your box you'd expect to see if the hole was there.
kind of wordy there, sorry.

so your mask should not be a circle, but a box with a hole in it. kind of makes a mask seem usless now doesn't it?

[Luxowell]

ok... i see now...
i just wish MX had a function like PS that lets you select an area and then tell it to select inverse, so you are getting everything but what you selected.
Thanks for the help fellas.