Clipping Masks Rev 10/7/2015

Basics: It’s like you have a photograph. You then take out a piece of white paper and carve your name using a knife. Then, you place the paper over the image/photo. The photo shows through where you cut out your name. You created a “mask”with holes. Or, think about a Halloween mask. Covers most of you face, let’s eyes, nose show through.

So, a clipping mask is an object whose shape masks other artwork so that only areas that lie within the shape are visible—in effect, clipping the artwork to the shape of the mask.

In the first example we use a mask to “clip” our name

If necessary, downloadpalmtree.tifnow and save inside jma260/InClass/Illustrator/Images

  • Start a new Illustrator document
  • We will add a graphic (palmtreephoto) to the page: This will end up in the background layer

Here we go

  • ChooseFile>Place NOTFile>Open…
  • Find the Palm Tree image
  • Uncheck Link box

Linking means the palm tree would NOT actually be on the page; instead there would be a “pointer”a shortcut, that specifed how to find the image.

When you view your document, If you see an “x” it means the image is linked, not embedded

  • Click to place the image
  • Deselect everything (Select>Deselect) Or click away with Selection tool
  • Select the Type tool
  • Open the Character panel (Can click Character in control area)

  • Add your name, Fillwhite, Old English, 48 points
  • I typed my name on top of the image
  • I used white type so I could see it (Chose a white fill)
  • Move the text so it’s all visible
  • Select both the image and the text using the Selection tool orShift-clickor drag over both
  • Choose Object>Clipping Mask>Make

My Result:

  • You could add a drop shadow, or any other effect you want:Effect>Stylize>Drop Shadow

I checkedPreviewbox and chose these values

  • Save as clippingmask.aiinsideInClass>Illustrator
  • As we have done previously, we want to save for Web, but the actual image is 81/2 x 11 “ and it’s transparent, which means our name is 8 ½” x 11”
  • Better to crop (Shift-Ctrl-D to see transparency)
  • Use the Artboardtool and crop, then save for Web.
  • And crop the result

  • File>Save for web (inclass/illustrator/Clipping Mask.gif) make white be transparent

Example 2

  • Start a new document and place the tree again
  • Draw a large ellipse/circle, white fill, no stroke
  • Select both objects
  • Object>Clipping Mask>Make:

Questions?

MaskingPage 1