# Mask help! rephrased
**URL:** https://forum.kirupa.com/t/mask-help-rephrased/5633
**Category:** Uncategorized
**Created:** [September 18, 2002, 7:11am UTC](https://forum.kirupa.com/t/mask-help-rephrased/5633 "2002-09-18T07:11:00Z")
**Posts on this page:** 4
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@linque](https://forum.kirupa.com/u/linque)
#### Post date: [September 18, 2002, 7:11am UTC](https://forum.kirupa.com/t/mask-help-rephrased/5633/1 "2002-09-18T07:11:00Z")
I wanted to mask an object (pic) with one that is not totally solid. I wanted the mask to be concentric circles. I made concentric file in illustrator, saved it as a .gif with transparency and imported it into my fla. I used it as a mask and animated it to move from left to right on top of the picture layer.
In the .fla, when unlocked (but still selected to be a mask layer), it seems to work great. Soon as I lock the layers though, the mask is solid… no transparent areas
can I make a mask that is not completely solid? I thought that was possible… …☹
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### Author:  [@system](https://forum.kirupa.com/u/system)
#### Post date: [September 18, 2002, 8:46am UTC](https://forum.kirupa.com/t/mask-help-rephrased/5633/2 "2002-09-18T08:46:50Z")
Well, a mask is something that simply defines the shape of the are you want to be seen. It is possible however to have a gradient fill type mask. I think this was covered in an earlier thread somewhere. I’ll see if I can find it…
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### Author:  [@system](https://forum.kirupa.com/u/system)
#### Post date: [September 18, 2002, 10:29am UTC](https://forum.kirupa.com/t/mask-help-rephrased/5633/3 "2002-09-18T10:29:50Z")
I never use masks much. I came across this example of doing “cheating” using a movie clip with a hole in it as a mask
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### Author:  [@system](https://forum.kirupa.com/u/system)
#### Post date: [September 18, 2002, 2:00pm UTC](https://forum.kirupa.com/t/mask-help-rephrased/5633/4 "2002-09-18T14:00:46Z")
thank you both!! I’m right now checking out the day12.zip. :))