Clipping

Summary

This lesson explores the Clipping feature, a fundamental tool in Rive for creating masks and trimming elements. You will learn how to use one shape's path to control the visibility of another layer or group, handle text-to-shape conversions for masking, understand the limitations of strokes in clipping, and apply these techniques to practical character animation scenarios.

Step by Step

1. 00:17
   Flattening Text

   To use text as a clipping source, select the text layer and use Flatten to Shape to convert it into a vector shape layer.
2. 00:41
   Adding the Clip Property

   Select the layer you want to be masked (the target), and in the inspector, click the "+" icon next to the Clip property.
3. 00:48
   Picking the Source

   Follow the blue border prompt to select the shape you want to use as the clipping mask. The target will now only be visible within that shape's boundaries.
4. 01:01
   Hiding Mask Visuals

   If you don't want the clipping source itself to be visible, delete its fill or set its opacity to zero. Do not hide the layer in the hierarchy.
5. 02:04
   Strokes and Path Volume

   Clipping occurs within the volume of a path. A simple line stroke has no volume, so it won't act as a proper mask unless it forms a closed area or has additional vertices.
6. 03:32
   Practical Example: Head Turn

   Group all facial elements and clip the entire group to the head shape. This allows the face to disappear naturally when moving past the head's edges.
7. 04:06
   Practical Example: Spotlight

   Create a circle, remove its fill, and clip your character to that circle to create a focused spotlight effect.

Notes About Current Rive

• Hierarchy Visibility: The clipping source must remain "Visible" (eye icon on) in the hierarchy for the effect to work.
• Stroke Exclusion: Clipping calculations ignore stroke weight; only the area enclosed by the path is used.
• Complex Groups: Clipping an entire group is a powerful way to manage multiple animated elements (like a face or UI components) under a single mask.