[REQUEST/WISH] Clipping group... but how about a button?

[stalky.arsen]

Hi, I’ve been postponing this comment for quite a while, because I am well aware that you don’t want to do like the other programs and it scared me when I read it. I understand where you’re coming from with this. But, I can’t ignore it anymore.

Here’s my problem : The clipping group feature is very bad for reasons that I will list.

1 - Handling the feature takes too much time and manipulation.

Let’s say I have a figure, and I used the wrong color in certain areas of it. Or that I want to add shadows.

In Krita I have to do the following process (my interface is in french):
Right click on the file I want to modify :

Open group > Quick Clipping group

And I have a group ! it take me 2-3 clicks. I could always do Ctrl+Maj+G.

But, I already made a pre-existing mask that needs to be used for my correction, because I need the saturation layer on top of my colour layer (or similar reason. it’s mostly an excuse to show my point) I can’t dismiss it.

So I slide the layer in the group and alpha lock it. 4-5 clicks.

And Also, if I want to just make a clipping group with only my preexistent layers, I would need to select which layers (which adds more manipulations), than either right click and select Group>Clipping Group, or Ctrl+Maj+G. BUT IT ADDS A NEW LAYER THAT I DON’T WANT.

That’s only one example, but there’s more because, what if I don’t want a group layer ?

So I’m only using the alpha lock here.

It doesn’t take the tranparency of the layer under because it’s not clipping, it’s only in alpha lock. Which leads me to my next point :

2- It takes more memory space in my computer ?

I think ? I’m not a pro at memory management, but I’m pretty sure that group layer counts in the file’s weight. Correct me if I am wrong. Plus with the pre-existent layers + new-mask-that-I-don’t-even-want-in-the-first-place doesn’t help…

3- Layer management

As showcased earlier, if I want to make a pre-existent layer into a clipping mask, I would need to slide it in the clipping group and put the alpha lock. And I don’t think there is a shortcut for that.

4- Very not beginner friendly.
Krita is already a hard software to learn for a lot of reasons, but the clipping group is probably one of the biggest reasons. When I started, I usually had to select the zone I wanted to modify, and it was YEARS LATER that I learned there WAS a clipping group option, but I needed to do all of those manipulation in order to do so.
And alright, you can aim at a certain demography, but it would be such a missed opportunity to not let beginners or even new artists that wants to test your software.

So, how about in another software ? Let’s take SAI for example.

I add a new layer and click on the ‘Clipping Group’ button and call it a day, two manips only :

And I don’t need to add a group layer for that. ACTUALLY I CAN USE A GROUP LAYER AS A CLIPPING GROUP FOR THE LAYER UNDERNEATH !

And it’s pretty much the same with other softwares like FireAlpaca, Medibang, Clip Studio, etc. (even Photoshop, but they’re also weird with their clipping group function.)

I know I sound very harsh and sarcastic, and you could ask me why I don’t go pay for another program if I’m already using SAI. The thing is I’m using Krita because of its amazing and improving animation feature, and it’s for free. SAI don’t do that, Medibang also, FireAlpaca has a poor-ish onion skin feature, Clip Studio Paint EX is expensive and now there’s a license apparently, and Adobe Suite is even more expensive with Photoshop being a photo editing program, not an art program. And I need plugins to animate on it apparently.
Krita ? okay, just need FFMPEG to export, but once there, it’s doing a great job at animation.

So really, for your Clipping Group function being very complicated for reasons I can’t comprehend is a real shame.

Is it possible to have a button Clipping Group ? Or can you at least explain why it’s like that ?
(sorry for the harsh tone.)

[SchrodingerCat]

Hello, the feature is being worked on, it’s just that the person who was developing the feature doesn’t have a lot of free time at the moment, as far as I remember, so it’s on pause at the moment.

Krita with clipping (test build)

Many people asked for layer clipping function in krita and I tried to add it. And I did it, kinda. It’s a temporal build, made rather for testing than for actual work but yeah it mostly works. Current version replace alpha inherit with clipping but I plan to make both functions work independently. At the moment development is paused, but maybe if there will be some critical bug I’ll fix it. Can’t say for sure it’ll be added in official krita. Also I disabled undo\redo for layer visibility, ju…

[stalky.arsen]

It is great to know that !
Tho, I still want to know why it’s like that in the first place ?

[Michelist]

It is like this because it is like this. It was a decision made a long time ago. And many users know and like the current implementation, and those who want clipping will get it eventually, so what’s your problem now?
Just because a software is not the way you would like it to be does not mean that all developers have to put their current projects on hold in order to help you get your desired feature in the shortest possible time.
You don’t ask when you switch from Mercedes to BMW why BMW doesn’t organize all the controls the way Mercedes does and expect an immediate adjustment, or whatever cars you prefer.
You can use Krita as it is, be happy. You could even implement the feature yourself, as Krita’s source code is available and makes this easier. The competition doesn’t offer that. Imagine if you switched to Adobe and asked them for Krita features, they would laugh at you and that’s it, here at least you have the chance to get something after the fact.
But Krita doesn’t have hundreds of programmers at its disposal, like Adobe, not even ten, so some things just take longer.

Michelist

[raghukamath]

There are already long and heated discussion about clipping group feature here on the forum. I’ll link it here so that you can read it too. Many of the points you make are already discussed and there are also same feature request too. We can merge yours to the earlier ones.

Some volunteers are working on the solution. It might take a while though.

Regarding why clipping groups are that way? It is how it was made and it is also because how krita’s layer stack works internally.

[stalky.arsen]

I didn’t mean it as an attack toward krita alright. So please, don’t feel offended by my own suggestion. Just because I compared it to other programs I tried before doesn’t mean I don’t think Krita doesn’t have its merits. I’m here making a suggestion and made my own research on it (that was clearly not enough. since I’m seeing people are trying to find a solution already.) and explain why based on what I know. And is it wrong for me to know why certain things are like that ?

[stalky.arsen]

Thanks for explaining it to me

[raghukamath]

Do not worry about asking anything or suggesting anything here, each member may have their own opinion etc. So do not take any comment or debate personally.

As for the previous discussion around this topic here they are

Improvements to PSD compatibility (clipping mask) in Krita

This thread is a continuation of Add ability to save clipping masks in PSD files and make it cross compatible as much as possible, which meandered quite a bit and contained a lot of digressions. In this thread, I would like to ask any participant to stay on the topic. Topic: improving the PSD import/export functionality in Krita, so that it can detect clipping masks and import and export PSD files so that the end result whether opening in Krita or Photoshop (or potentially other programs) the …

Add ability to save clipping masks in PSD files and make it cross compatible as much as possible

I know Krita has its own workaround that gives similar functionality within Krita itself, but lacking actual clipping masks severely impairs compatibility with other apps via PSD, as all clipping mask info fails to translate to and from PSDs. As everyone knows, PSD is the format that bridges all painting apps together, regardless of how we each feel about Photoshop (personally I’m trying to avoid ever using it again). This failure to transfer clipping info however, instantly eliminates Krita as…

We can merge your feature request to this one →

Potential improvements to Inherit Alpha in Krita

This thread is a continuation of Add ability to save clipping masks in PSD files and make it cross compatible as much as possible, which meandered quite a bit and contained a lot of digressions. In this thread, I would like to ask any participant to stay on the topic. I’ve seen that some people discussed possibility of improving the inherit alpha system to allow for inheriting alpha from just one layer, like the clipping mask in other applications, or even an arbitrary selection of layers. I my…

[EyeOdin]

If the action already exists just make your own button…

[stalky.arsen]

Thank you very much !

[Roger_Garcia]

I wish a common layer could be easily turned into a clipping mask, just like in Photoshop (alt + click), without the need to create a group for it. (soltar máscara de recorte = Release Clipping Mask)

[sooz]

Hello @Roger_Garcia and welcome.

I moved your feature request into the existing one. Feel free to add your vote to this (it’s at the top of the thread).