Use vector image to cut shape in another layer/shape

Question

I am currently trying to make some rounded social icons for my website.

I managed to fine a blog online which supplies some vector cutouts of some of the popular site logos I need.

What I want to try and do is use the vector image to cut the shape of that image in a rounded circle so I can have it transparent in the middle of the circle like so:

This is what I have at the moment:

My question is what is the easiest way to to this?

I have tried searching a few terms for it online but I am not sure what the process would be called.

Answer 1

Hold down the Command/Ctrl key on the keyboard and click the layer thumbnail fro the icon. This will create a selection which matched the shape of the icon.

Highlight the layer you want to "cut" from and then click the mask icon at the bottom of the Layer Panel. This will add a layer mask in the shape of the icon and essentially hide the areas associated with the icon's shape.

Turn off visibility, or simply delete, the icon layer.

It is simply a layer mask. I don't know of any more specialized name than that.

Answer 2

You can apply the vector shape directly as a vector mask. No need to rasterize it at this point.