--- title: "Masking Essentials" url: "https://help.maxon.net/zbp/en-us/Content/html/5_sculpting-and-painting_masking-essentials.html" section_path: "Sculpting | Modeling | Painting > Masking Essentials" description: "This section covers essential Masking brush features and basic applications in ZBrush for iPad." --- # Masking Essentials This section covers essential Masking brush features and basic applications in ZBrush for iPad. ![Image: 2024-5-sculpting-painting-masking-brush-essentials-header.png](https://help.maxon.net/zbp/en-us/Content/Resources/Images/2024-5-sculpting-painting-masking-brush-essentials-header.png)\ Canvas > Brush Library > Masking collection > **Note:** Mask brushes require using the Ctrl/Cmd modifier and utilize the Alt/Option modifier to change masking behavior. Learn the basics for using the [Modifier Wheel](https://help.maxon.net/zbp/en-us/Content/html/3_interface-and-gestures_canvas-interface-modifier-wheel.html.md) in this guide's provided section. > **Note:** Masking brushes work with Symmetry. --- ## Choosing Masking Brushes There are two ways to choose a mask brush. 1. In the left canvas toolbar, tap the Brushes library and open the Mask collection to choose a brush. [Video: 2024-5-sculpting-painting-masking-brush-essentials-choose-mask-library.mp4](https://help.maxon.net/zbp/en-us/Content/Resources/Videos/2024-5-sculpting-painting-masking-brush-essentials-choose-mask-library.mp4) > **Note:** After selecting the brush, hold the Ctrl/Cmd modifier to activate and use the mask brush. 2. Hold Ctrl/Cmd and tap the **Brushes** icon in the left canvas toolbar. Choose a desired mask brush. [Video: 2024-5-sculpting-painting-masking-brush-essentials-choose-ctrl-cmd-pressed.mp4](https://help.maxon.net/zbp/en-us/Content/Resources/Videos/2024-5-sculpting-painting-masking-brush-essentials-choose-ctrl-cmd-pressed.mp4) --- ## MaskPen The MaskPen brush works like a paint brush to apply masks to the model. > **Note:** MaskPen is the default masking brush. ### Basics: [Video: 2024-5-sculpting-painting-masking-brush-essentials-mask-pen-basics.mp4](https://help.maxon.net/zbp/en-us/Content/Resources/Videos/2024-5-sculpting-painting-masking-brush-essentials-mask-pen-basics.mp4) 1. Press Ctrl/Cmd to draw an additive mask shape on the model. 2. Press Ctrl/Cmd + Alt/Option to draw a subtractive mask. 3. Press Ctrl/Cmd and tap on available empty canvas space to inverse the mask. > **Note:** Tapping on the model's surface applies a Blur action to the mask. Tapping on the canvas inverses the mask. 4. Press Ctrl/Cmd and drag on available empty canvas space to clear the mask. > **Note:** The default behavior for the MaskPen brush offers two application methods: > > - Ctrl/Cmd while dragging on the empty canvas draws the Rect selection. > - Ctrl/Cmd while drawing on the surface applies the FreeHand stroke. ### MaskPen with Alpha: [Video: 2024-5-sculpting-painting-masking-brush-essentials-mask-pen-with-alpha.mp4](https://help.maxon.net/zbp/en-us/Content/Resources/Videos/2024-5-sculpting-painting-masking-brush-essentials-mask-pen-with-alpha.mp4) 1. Hold Ctrl/Cmd and tap on the **Alphas** icon in the left canvas toolbar to choose an alpha. 2. Hold Ctrl/Cmd and draw a mask on the surface with the assigned alpha shape. --- ## Mask Circle/CurvePen/Lasso/PerfectCircle/Rect/Square These mask brush types each use a different stroke to define how a mask is drawn. ### Basics: [Video: 2024-5-sculpting-painting-masking-brush-essentials-mask-lasso-selection-basics.mp4](https://help.maxon.net/zbp/en-us/Content/Resources/Videos/2024-5-sculpting-painting-masking-brush-essentials-mask-lasso-selection-basics.mp4) 1. Press Ctrl/Cmd and draw a mask shape over the surface. 2. Release pencil or finger pressure from the screen to apply the mask. 3. Repeat steps 1 and 2 and release Ctrl/Cmd modifiers while keeping pressure on the screen to hold a mask selection in position. 4. Hold Spacebar and drag to move the mask. 5. Hold Alt/Option to convert the mask to a subtractive mask. 5. Release the pencil or touch pressure from the screen to apply the subtractive mask. 6. Hold Ctrl/Cmd and tap in the available empty canvas to inverse the mask. > **Important:** Ctrl/Cmd and tapping on a masked surface applies a Blur action. 7. Press Ctrl/Cmd and drag in the available empty canvas to clear the mask. ### MaskSquare with Alpha The Square stroke lets you draw an alpha at the center of the stroke shape for precise application to a centralized location on the surface. [Video: 2024-5-sculpting-painting-masking-brush-essentials-mask-square-alpha.mp4](https://help.maxon.net/zbp/en-us/Content/Resources/Videos/2024-5-sculpting-painting-masking-brush-essentials-mask-square-alpha.mp4) 1. Select the Mask Square brush, then hold Ctrl/Cmd to activate the brush. 2. Tap **Alphas** in the left canvas toolbar to choose an alpha. 3. Hold Ctrl/Cmd and drag the square shape from a central position over the surface. 4. Release pressure to apply. --- ## Mask Curve The MaskCurve brush uses the Curve stroke to create precise masks along curved and straight lines. > **Note:** Curve strokes are available when you press Ctrl/Cmd or Ctrl/Cmd + Shift modifiers. ### Basics: [Video: 2024-5-sculpting-painting-masking-brush-essentials-mask-curve-basics.mp4](https://help.maxon.net/zbp/en-us/Content/Resources/Videos/2024-5-sculpting-painting-masking-brush-essentials-mask-curve-basics.mp4) 1. Hold Ctrl/Cmd and drag across the screen to begin drawing a curve line. 2. Release Ctrl/Cmd while keeping pressure on the screen to hold the curve line position. 3. Hold Spacebar and drag to pan the curve position on the screen. > **Note:** Keep pencil or touch pressure on the screen to keep the curve line active. 4. Tap Alt/Option to create a soft curve point at the end of the curve, then drag farther to extend the curve line. > **Note:** Curve points are locked in space. 5. Double-tap Alt/Option to create a hard curve point to straighten the curve. Drag farther to extend the curve line. > **Note:** After creating a hard curve point, the curve line remains straight until you create a soft curve point. 6. Release pencil or touch pressure from the screen to apply an additive mask. 7. Draw a new mask curve line and hold Alt/Option to convert the drawn curve line into a subtractive mask. 8. While holding Alt/Option, release pencil or touch pressure from the screen to apply the subtractive curve mask. 9. Hold Ctrl/Cmd and tap in the available empty canvas space to inverse the mask. > **Note:** Where a subtool is unmasked, Ctrl/Cmd + tapping on the canvas applies the **MaskAll** feature, which masks the entire surface. > > **MaskAll** is a button offered in Tool palette > Masking options. 10. Hold Ctrl/Cmd and drag in available empty canvas space to clear a mask. --- ## Blur Masks When you apply a mask to a model's surface, follow the steps below to apply a Blur mask action. > **Note:** The Blur function is in the Tool palette > Masking options. ### Quick Steps: [Video: 2024-5-sculpting-painting-masking-brush-essentials-mask-blur.mp4](https://help.maxon.net/zbp/en-us/Content/Resources/Videos/2024-5-sculpting-painting-masking-brush-essentials-mask-blur.mp4) 1. Hold Ctrl/Cmd and tap the mask or the model's surface to apply a single Blur action to the mask's edges. > **Note:** Where a subtool is unmasked, Ctrl/Cmd + tapping on the canvas applies **MaskAll**, which masks the entire surface. > > **MaskAll** is offered in Tool palette > Masking options. > **Tip:** A mask Blur action softens mask edges and recedes from the mask borders toward the mask selection's center. 2. Hold Ctrl/Cmd and tap on the canvas to inverse the mask, then repeat step 1 to blur the mask in the inverse direction. 3. Repeat the Blur effect as needed. > **Tip:** Masks are applied to vertices. The mask blur's strength depends on the subtool's active point count. > > Blur applied to a lower-resolution mesh produces a stronger blur effect and softens more due to fewer vertices holding the mask shape in place. > > Blur applied to a higher-resolution mesh softens less due to more vertices holding the mask shape in place. ## Sharpen Masks With a mask applied to a model, follow the steps below to apply a Sharpen mask action. > **Note:** Sharpen is a function offered in the Tool palette > Masking options. [Video: 2024-5-sculpting-painting-masking-brush-essentials-mask-sharpen.mp4](https://help.maxon.net/zbp/en-us/Content/Resources/Videos/2024-5-sculpting-painting-masking-brush-essentials-mask-sharpen.mp4) 1. Hold Ctrl/Cmd + Alt/Option and tap a mask to apply the Sharpen mask action. 2. Repeat the action until maximum sharpening is achieved. --- ## Masking Options Masking options to create and edit masks. ![Image: 2024-5-sculpting-painting-masking-brush-tool-masking.png](https://help.maxon.net/zbp/en-us/Content/Resources/Images/2024-5-sculpting-painting-masking-brush-tool-masking.png) Palettes > Tool Palette > Masking ### Edit Applied Mask Options Options provide the ability to edit a mask already applied to the selected subtool. > **Note:** When a model is unmasked, these options have no effect. > **Note:** Masking features are commonly used for sculpting and painting. You can add masking buttons to the customizable Quick Menu accessible with the Spacebar modifier. Learn more in this guide's [UI Customization](https://help.maxon.net/zbp/en-us/Content/html/8_ui-customization.html.md) section. --- ## Reset Masking Brushes Reset masking brushes from the left canvas toolbar in the Brushes options menu. > **Note:** **Reset All Brushes** applies to sculptural, selection, and masking brushes. ![Image: 2024-5-sculpting-painting-masking-brush-essentials-reset-settings.png](https://help.maxon.net/zbp/en-us/Content/Resources/Images/2024-5-sculpting-painting-masking-brush-essentials-reset-settings.png)