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. The clipping mask and the objects that are masked are
called a clipping set. You can make a clipping set
from a selection of two or more objects or from all objects in a
group or layer.
Object-level clipping sets are combined as a group in the Layers
panel. If you create layer-level clipping sets, the object on top
of the layer clips all of the objects below it. All operations that
you perform on an object-level clipping set, such as transformations
and alignment, are based on the clipping mask’s boundary, not the
unmasked boundary. Once you have created an object-level clipping
mask, you can only select the clipped content by using the Layers
panel, the Direct Selection tool, or by isolating the clipping set.
For a video on using Pathfinder effects and clipping masks and
how to import clipping masks into Flash, see www.adobe.com/go/vid0057.
Before masking (left) compared to after masking (right)
The following guidelines apply to creating clipping masks:
The objects that you mask are moved into the clipping
mask’s group in the Layers panel if they don’t already reside there.
Only vector objects can be clipping masks; however, any artwork
can be masked.
If you use a layer or group to create a clipping mask, the
first object in the layer or group masks everything that is a subset
of the layer or group.
Regardless of its previous attributes, a clipping mask changes
to an object with no fill or stroke.
Tip: To create
a semitransparent mask, use the Transparency panel to create an opacity
mask.
Drawing Enhancements Illustrator CS5
A quick tutorial on clipping masks
Create
the object you want to use as the mask.
This object is called the clipping path. Only
vector objects can be clipping paths.
Move the clipping path above the objects you want to
mask in the stacking order.
Select the clipping path and the objects you want to
mask.
Choose Object > Clipping Mask >
Make.
To create a clipping path from the area
where two or more objects overlap, group the objects first.
Create
the object you want to use as the mask.
This object is called the clipping path. Only
vector objects can be clipping paths.
Move the clipping path and the objects you want to mask
into a layer or group.
In the Layers panel, make sure that the masking object
is at the top of the group or layer, and then click the name of
the layer or group.
Click the Make/Release Clipping Masks button at the bottom
of the Layers panel or select Make Clipping Mask from the Layers
panel menu.
In
the Layers panel, select and target the clipping path. Or, select
the clipping set and choose Object > Clipping Mask > Edit
Mask.
- Move the clipping path by dragging the
object’s center reference point with the Direct Selection tool.
- Reshape the clipping path using the Direct Selection
tool.
- Apply a fill and stroke to a clipping path.
To select all clipping paths in a document, deselect
all artwork. Then choose Select > Object >
Clipping Masks.
To edit portions of a path that fall outside
of the clipping mask, you must first select the specific path within
in the clipping mask boundary, and then edit the path.
- Target the path in the Layers panel.
- Position the Direct Selection tool over a portion
of the path that appears within the mask. When the path’s outline
appears, click it.
Note:
To select a clipped path by clicking
it, you must click the portion of it that appears inside the mask.
-
In
the Layers panel, drag the object into or out of the group or layer
that contains the clipping path.
- Select the group that contains the clipping
mask, and choose Object > Clipping Mask >
Release.
- In the Layers panel, click the name of the group
or layer that contains the clipping mask. Click the Make/Release
Clipping Masks button at the bottom of the panel, or select Release
Clipping Mask from the panel menu.
Because the clipping mask was assigned a fill and
stroke value of None, it is now not visible unless you select it
or assign it new paint attributes.
Keywords:
Illustrator, clip, cropping, how to crop an image, crop a photo
