Combine designs and images into unique marketing in Adobe Illustrator.

See how The Branding People bring designs and art together to create cohesive social posts, presentations, posters, and more.

  1. Shape the artwork.

    Fill a shape with an image using a clipping mask. Choose File > Place and select an image to add to the artboard. Choose Object > Arrange > Send Backward to move the image behind the shape. Shift-click the photo and the shape with the Selection tool and choose Window > Properties and click Make Clipping Mask. Then use the Direct Selection tool to drag the image to reposition it within the shape.

    Pro tip: Use your own photo or check out Adobe Stock to explore different images.

    A custom shape appears over an image. The Properties panel shows Make Clipping Mask selected. Then the image below shows through the shape.

  2. Fix the overlap.

    If the graphic extends beyond the artboard, copy the background rectangle with Control+C (Windows) or Command+C (macOS) and choose Edit > Paste in Place so it covers the artboard and its contents.

    Click part of the graphic that extends beyond the artboard and shift-click to select the rectangle. Then create a new clipping mask to contain the shape to the artboard.

    The image-filled shape goes past the artboard and is covered by a rectangle. Edit > Paste in Place, then Make Clipping Mask clips the excess.

  3. Stretch your shapes.

    Drag with the Direct Selection tool to make a selection around one side of the graphic. Then drag the side to the edge of the artboard to expand it while keeping the proportions of the rest of the graphic intact. Repeat as necessary. Use the Direct Selection tool to reposition the image inside the clipping mask as needed.
    A block-styled M is filled with a colorful painting and the right sides are circle indicating they are selected by the Direct Select tool.

  4. Prepare the pattern.

    Check out create and edit graphics to learn how to make a grid pattern. To make it a clipping mask, select the pattern and choose Object > Expand to convert the grid into a group of individual shapes. These shapes are clipped to a transparent rectangle (indicated by a blue border).

    Next, choose Object > Clipping Mask > Release to release the shapes from the transparent clipping group. Click away from the pattern to deselect it. Then click the outline of the transparent rectangle with the Direct Selection tool and press the Delete key.

    A pattern of blue wavy shapes extends the top and bottom of a white artboard. Object > Expand and Object > Clipping Mask > Release are shown.

  5. Create a custom frame.

    Click one of the blue shapes with the Selection tool to select the whole pattern. Then choose Object > Compound Path > Make to create a single shape object from the multiple, complex shapes so it can be used as a clipping mask.

    Place the patterned shape above the image. Then shift-click the pattern and the image with the Selection tool and choose Window > Properties and click Make Clipping Mask so the image fills the shapes in the pattern. If you get a warning about the image being complex, just click OK.

    The blue shapes on the left are converted to a compound path. On the right, they are made into a clipping mask and the painting shows through.

Adobe, Inc.

Get help faster and easier

New user?