Can't get clipping mask to work for custom shape

Question

I am trying to make a fairly simple image design. Its a versus poster where there will be an image on the left and an opposing one on the right. An angled line goes down the middle to separate them. From what I understand, i need to use a clipping mask to make this work.

Here is the design i want where the black represents one image and the pink for the other. I need to turn those colors into the masks so that when i add a proper image to a new layer, the image will only cover the pink and the other image only covers the black, but they never overlap each other.

What i have done is i right click on the "clip right" and "clip left" layer and i select "create clipping mask". This should (in my understanding) make the image that is positioned below, cover the color shape. This does not happen though.

I thought that maybe i had mixed up the order of the 2 layers, so i switched them up. The problem is that when the image on the left overlaps the one on the right, the clipping part appears and this isnt what i want.

Answer 1

In my opinion you've made it more complicated than necessary, and this is what is ultimately causing your confusion I think. Also your clipping mask is on top when it should be under the image it is clipping. Also the lowest left clipping mask is not required, since the right image will cover the lower left image layer anyway.

To recreate something similar, I only used 4 layers. Here they are: Bottom layer first

1. The left layer
2. A clipping mask
3. The right layer
4. The logo with layer effects

Here's the example:

Answer 2

Pretty simple really: make sure your clipping mask is beneath the content layer you want to mask, and remember that the non-transparent bit of the clipping mask is the area which will show of your clipped content layer, whereas the transparent part of your clipping mask is the area which will be clipped away from your content layer.

Works pretty well really:

Hope that helps mate.