Clip Mask and MovieClip pivot questions

Two more beginner questions:
1) What's the easiest way to invert a clipping mask for a
MovieClip in ActionScript? I tried using a ColorTransformMatrix to
invert the alpha of the mask MovieClip, but it didn't work (looks
like the clip mask simply does nothing where there are no filled
shapes). I would like to add a graphic everywhere EXCEPT within the
area of an animated MovieClip, and due to various requirements I
cannot simply place it behind that MovieClip.
2) Is there a way to set the pivot of a MovieClip in relation
to the animated drawings/frames? It looks like the "origin" of a
movieclip is the lower left-most corner of all the bounding boxes
of all the frames of animation in my MovieClip. So if I set the _x
and _y of a MovieClip in ActionScript to 150,150 it places the
lowerleft-hand corner there instead of what I would like to be
logical center of the MovieClip (say, center of a wheelbase of a
car, or center of the feet of a person, or center of mass of a
rock). I am fine with dialing in an offset, but just wondering if
there is a cleaner way to do it (esp. if I happen to add more
animation frames or replace drawings and the bounding box changes
size).
Thanks,
Ken

Ah, I figured everything out.
1) Actually, the ColorTransformMatrix does work, but I didn't
realize that alpha was 0-255, not 0-1 (you'd think after being
bitten by MovieClip scales being 100 = 100% instead of 1 = 100%,
I'd have guessed, but...). So a ColorTransformMatrix of
(1 0 0 0 0)
(0 1 0 0 0)
(0 0 1 0 0)
(0 0 0 -1 255)
applied to the mask will successfully invert it. Nice.
2) Apparently I had previously messed up grabbing all the
images and dragging them - I had forgotten to turn onion skinning
to "onion all" so that I could actually see everything (all my
images are all on top of each other so it wasn't obvious I didn't
have everything visible). I had been selecting all the frames and
dragging the images around in relation to the registration point,
but only the last 3 frames were actually moving, and they happened
to be a part of the animation I didn't bother triggering while
testing. Oops.
Thanks much for your help.
Ken

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How to solve illustrator cs6 save as cs5 problem about the stroke(when the stroke with clipping mask and color is gradient, save as cs5 will change to embed ).

how to solve illustrator cs6 save as cs5 problem about the stroke(when the stroke with clipping mask and color is gradient, save as cs5 will change to embed ).

Because it was not possible to apply a gradient to a stroke in CS5. When you open the file in CS5, it is reduced to something that can be rendered in CS5.

Clipping Masks and Opacity Masks leaving slight hairline

I'm running into a problem when using a clipping mask or opacity mask in Illustrator CC 17.1. Either type of mask leaves a slight outline around the masking object, creating a noticeable break in what should be a uniform background. Some details:
I've created a ring in 4 quadrants. Each quadrant contains patterns/objects that need to be isolated from one another. Over top of the artwork of each quadrant, I Paste In Place a copy of the quadrant's shape whose colours for background and stroke are both set to none, the stroke value field is blank, not set to 0. Where the same colour in the adjacent areas of each quadrant meet there is a faint hairline. These are meant to be seamless and I don't know why this is happening. When viewing as Outlines, all vectors are overlapping perfectly to my eye.
I've tried the same thing with simpler shapes as a test and get the same results. In this example of 3 stacked objects, I built the shapes using the (top) Shape Builder tool, (middle) clipping mask and (bottom) opacity mask:
As you can see, the results are inconsistent but there are definitely faint lines in each case. The Shape Builder does not have a line between the black shapes for some reason yet there's one between the cyan colours where the stacked masked objects meet. Meanwhile it's the reverse situation for the 2 following blocks.
I've read posts in this forum and others about this being an anti-aliasing issue, that it won't print with the faint outlines, but not every application of this graphic will be going to print. I've exported EPS files, PDFs and various other formats. I didn't notice any hairlines in a TIFF but the library of files I will be providing to my client will consist of vector and other raster files like PNGs and JPGs that do show the faint outlines. When I place a PDF or EPS into an Illustrator or InDesign layout, the hairlines remain so that documents sent electronically, not printed, have these noticeable lines. They also remain when I place an EPS into Photoshop which is unacceptable for building graphics for the web.
Can anyone tell me if there's a solution for making seamless transitions between masked objects in Illustrator? Or this just an inherent flaw with Illustrator (or perhaps my approach to building these graphics)?

Well it's good to know I'm not approaching building my graphics in the wrong way, haha. I'm working in picas actually, I didn't think the type of units would make any difference.
I'm not quite sure I follow what you're suggesting (perhaps too much BBQ on the brain right now) but some points are on whole values and some aren't. I'm not sure how I could change those to whole values and maintain proper geometric proportions, though.
Some additional info:
1. Just saved PDF and EPS copies. Both show the hairlines in the following: QuickLook, Reader, Preview, when placed into Illustrator / InDesign / Photoshop, and when opened directly in Photoshop (with the exception of the EPS). Only the EPS opened directly with Photoshop was free of the hairlines.
2. When exporting to JPG and PNG, using the Type Optimized setting retains hairlines but they disappear if Art Optimized is chosen. So that's one little trick I just learned.
So there are ways that I can save them without hairlines, that's great. But once I distribute PDFs and EPS files for the client/third parties to place into publications for electronic distribution the hairlines will appear in those documents. I could ask them to place hi-res raster files instead but it doesn't give them the flexibility that vector graphics afford.
Is there a similar option to 'Art Optimized' I'm overlooking when exporting PDFs and EPS files? As a test, under EPS Options > Transparency I tried both the High Resolution and For Complex Art presets and it didn't make any difference.

Two questions - Clipping Mask and Change color in group

Hello,
I have a file I rendered in Maya as a vector. I am not that great with illustrator, so I was trying to speed things up...
Anyway, it appears all the file have a Clipping Mask. If I unrelease it, it shows a plain with a similiar dimensions that is the original color of the object. See image for before and after...
Also, the same object says it is in a group. Because of that, I can't seem to change it's color, and the Ungroup button is greyed out... very confusing.
Jared

I rendered in Maya as a vector. I am not that great with illustrator, so I was trying to speed things up...
First, please forgive a little pet-peeve of mine:
You didn't render it as "a vector." A vector is a direction. You rendered it as vector-based artwork, which means it consists of [many] vector paths. I'm aware of the informal colloquialism, and I'm not just picking nits. The use of "a vector" as if in some corollary sense to "a raster image"--which I find so irritating--is misleading, especailly to newcomers.
When you refer to "a raster image", you are correctly referring to one object. When you refer to vector artwork, you are almost always referring to a collection of multiple vector-based paths, not a single object. And that is directly related to your current problem.
I assume there's a reason you need vector artwork. But you chose to have a 3D modelling program automatically render the model to vector artwork, hoping to shortcut a process while hoping to achieve the advantages inherent in vector artwork because, in your own words, you are "not that great with Illustrator." The example illustrates the self-defeating disadvantage of relying on automatic routines (much like the gross overuse of auto-tracing) to avoid having to know how to draw proper (and properly tidy) vector artwork. The end result is not the same.
Like auto-tracing, your auto-generated vector-based output is needlessly complex. This is particluarly poor practice for something intended to be used as base art for a corporate or product identity mark (logo). In a nutshell, it's sloppy.
That's why you find the results difficult to work with, and why responders to your post stumble in trying to advise you with specific step-by-step answers. The artwork very likely includes an unnecessary plethora of paths and multiple unnecessary constructs such as clipping paths and compound paths.
If this is intended to serve as an ongoing "master" vector version of an identity mark, imagine the similar difficulties that will be encountered by every downstream user. Yes, the artwork may be scaleable. But the results are not optimized for use as signage, or engraving, or screen printing, or spot-color printing, or a multitude of other uses assumed to be accommodated when someone pays for a proper piece of re-usable vector artwork.
So resorting to something like Maya's vector rendering for something like this, in hopes of avoiding what is really a rather modest learning curve, is quite often a false economy yielding sub-standard results from a technial standpoint.
It's a pity in this case, because the design itself is a good one. I don't know what your specific use is, but It probably deserves to be properly built.
To illustrate my point, below is an example from an earlier discussion. The top version was "automatically rendered as vector artwork" from Illustrator's own built-in 3D modeller. Yes, strictly speaking, it is "vector artwork." But its needless complexity practically negates most of the advantges that should be inherent in vector drawing. I would never have tried to pass it off as a finished "vector version" of someone's identity mark.
JET

PSE 5--what is a clipping mask and how does it work?

Can anyone explain what a clipping mask is, how it works, and most importantly if Photoshop Elements 5.0 has this capability?
Also, are there any tutorials out there that I can teach myself on this topic? I am trying to mimic a layout explained in digital scrapbooking magazine and this technique is used.
Thank you!
Heather

Heather,
You can find one explanation at Janee's tutorials: http://www.myjanee.com/tuts/elements/elemask.htm
Since PSE does not support layer masks per se, the clipping group simulates a layer mask and hence Janee's name for it, "elemask" (cute, huh?)
Here are 2 examples:
In this example I wanted to blur the background leaving the flower in focus:
http://www.pixentral.com/show.php?picture=1euavV1sDqzrEqqqierfc5dSEH9yI01
1. Duplicate the Background layer and apply a Gaussian blur to the new layer.
2. Add an adjustment layer below the blur layer (any kind of adjustment layer will do), but do not make any adjustment - just click OK.\
3. Group the blur layer with the adjustment layer. On the adjustment layer paint the subject with black
to mask out the blur, paint with white to restore the blur.
Of course you can use other tools on the adjustment layer besides the paint brush, e.g., make a selection and fill with the black or white. In some cases it might be easier to first fill the adjustment layer with black and then paint with white.
In this example (not actually a mask but still demonstrates a clipping group) I wanted to crop the picture into a leaf shape.
http://www.pixentral.com/show.php?picture=1ys9Z7FspSwF8HHKGLrxjGVhbTodmF0
1. Use the leaf from the Custom Shape tool to draw out the leaf, creating a new layer.
2. Move the leaf layer below the picture layer.
3. Group the two layers.
Note that in order to move a layer below the Background layer you have to rename the Background layer to anything else (layer 0 in my example).

Why are all paths in Clipping Masks and Compound Paths?

When I open up previous versions of Illustrator files (i.e. CS5), why are all of my paths messed up. Every object is embedded in a Clipping Mask, paths are compounded and in most cases type on a path is expanded into multiple non-editable objects. This causes complete redesign. This is terrible.

Because Illustrator accessed the PDF part of the file.
---> this points to corrupt files.
How were those files transferred to your computer? Are they on a server?
How old are they?
Which versions were they created in?
Did you already try to restart (the computer)?
Any plugins installed?

Syncing Audio with Merge Clips option and OMF export question/issue

Hi,
In the past when I've edited video, when it came to syncing audio I always did it manually. This time, using Premiere Pro CC, I used the merge clips option, to speed up the syncing audio process, which was a huge time saver with excellent results.
The question/issue I have..is that when I get my OMF exported for my sound editor, will this screw anything up, since on the project file, it doesn't use the original audio file, but the one that was merged. And in the project list, I don't even need to have the original audio file listed, since it's already been merged into a clip, which I used in the project. I know it's the same file used, but will it mess anything up since a merged clip audio was used instead of just dragging the original track onto the timeline?
- Ken

A good way to know for sure (and therefore feel comfortable that you're doing the right thing) is to do a test OMF export, then open this in Audition. This ill show you exactly what you're exporting.

Help with Clipping Mask and text!

This has really been frustrating me.
Designing this logo at the mo - the circle is a shape and the L is just type on a separate layer on top with the same colour as background. What I want is to make the L cut into the circle so that it's essentially transparent, where I can place it on any coloured background and the L will blend it naturally without constantly changing typeface colour of 'L'.
Any ideas guys? Using CS5. I'd appreciate any help.

Hi,
One way is to put your text and circle into a layer group, then set the Blending Options:Custom to Zero fill and Knockout to Shallow.
The layer that is directly below the layer group will show through the text.

Calling all compound path and clipping mask experts...

I am attempting to get all the white areas in the attached "globe" artwork to knockout to the background color. I have tried making the entire thing a compound path, tried clipping mask and different combinations in pathfinder with no success. The image on the right is what happens when I make it a compound path. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated, thanks!

The simplest way, I think, would be to set the white line work as an opacity mask on top of the tan circle. That is not a clipping mask, but does the same thing and it's much easier.
Otherwise, outline white strokes and "Unite" using pathfinder tool, then delete outside path (the circle), from the compound shape. That will leave the appropriate compound object to make the clipping mask:

Copy object with clipping mask from illustrator to photoshop

I want to copy objects from illustrator to use in photoshop, but the eps file that i am working in has a clipping mask and when i attempt to copy objects in that file from illustrator 6 to photoshop 6, portions (in some cases) all of the object turns black or gray. I'm sure this is a simple noob error (hope my question is clear enough), and it's driving me nuts. I have searched for solutions using terms "clipping mask, black, copy, move, illustrator, photoshop, etc." and can't find any discussions on this topic. Can you please help?
Here are the print screens to show you what i get in ai and ps -
(see blue outlined oval object selected - opaque white gradient)
(when moved to ps, opaque whitish oval turns black)
I'm such a noob! Thanks in advance for your help!

You simply lose the blending modes and transparency settings because this stuff works differently in both programs. You will have to reinstate it manually e.g. if the white highlight is created usuing Add blending mode, you will ghave to use the same in PS...
Mylenium

Working with clipping masks

I am unsure if this is a question regarding Photoshop or Illustrator but can anyone offer guidelines on how this image was created for the text to be behind part of an image but not all? Example image attached.

Gmez, you made a B&W layer on top, clipped to your text. So the B&W only shows up where the text is. I think it actually looks good, but it's not what you were intending to do. There are a couple of ways to do it. An easy way is to just rasterize your text layer, then put a mask on it (not a clipping mask) and paint out what you don't want. But this method is destructive, so if you want to change the type later you're SOL. For this, considering that you want the background desaturated anyway, I would just duplicate the base layer, put it on top, put a layer mask on it, and paint out the background so the text pops through where you want. It involves a little more masking, but if you do it that way then you can just put a desaturation layer below it, and now your foreground will be fully saturated and cover the text, while the background is desaturated.
Edit - scratch that, I guess you can put a layer mask on a text layer without rasterizing it. Learn something new every day. Just do that, paint out (with black) whatever you don't want on the text layer mask.
As to the desaturation. Try using an adjustment layer instead. It's non-destructive (you can reverse or alter it later) and takes less space in your final file (good practice for later when things get more complicated). Click on the bottom layer, then add a Hue/Saturation adjustment layer, and move the saturation down. Now on the mask on that layer, paint the foreground black to bring back the color. There are better ways to get black and white (that give you more control over your contrast and 'colors'), but hue/saturation is a good first step.
Edit: That magazine cover is hysterical.

Shape Builder tool not working on shapes in a clipping mask

Hello again,
Why is the Shape Builder Tool don't work on shapes inside a Clipping Mask? The Pathfinder does work but for the Shape Builder Tool: NADA!
Thank's for answering,
Lindberg

Hi,
Thank you for answering. No it will work correctly. The Pathfinder work inside a clipping path and in any situation but not the Shape Builder Tool. Unless this is normal, I think that the specialist at Adobe should have a look at this annoying behavior and try to release an upgrade with this behavior corrected in a near futur.
Thank’s again for answering,
Robert Marchand
[email protected] <mailto:[email protected]>
Le 8 avr. 2015 à 10:41AM, Larry G. Schneider <[email protected]> a écrit :
Shape Builder tool not working on shapes in a clipping mask
created by Larry G. Schneider <https://forums.adobe.com/people/LarryG.Schneider> in Illustrator - View the full discussion <https://forums.adobe.com/message/7418340#7418340>
If you release the Clipping Mask and try the Shape Builder tool then, does it still balk at making the shape?
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Some help required with Clipping Masks

Hi,
I'm quite new to illustrator - I've made designs before but really just playing at it.
Now, though, I have a design which I had "grunged" up by applying a texture and knocking out the sections of the design with it in Photoshop. However, I want to learn how to do that in illustrator and thought that clipping mask was the answer.
I can get the clipping mask to work except it creates the opposite effect I am after...It masks the portions of the image I want to keep visible leaving those areas I want masked visible.
In effect I need to inverse the mask but I don't know how to do it in illustrator.
Hopefully, I've made it clear what I mean and I appriciate any advice.
Ta
Malc

You can use the Transparency panel to make an opacity bask as well and inverse that.
Or if you wish use the pathfinder panel to minus front. I think the second icon on top from the left.
Read the help files about opacity masks, pathfinder and clipping mask
and it might also work as a compound path Command 8 or Control 8.
Read about compound paths

How do I crop an image with a Clipping Mask using a circle instead of a rectangle?

I watched Adobe TV Illustrator's tutorial about cropping images with a clipping mask. In the video, the presenter uses the rectangle tool with the clipping mask, and makes a reference that the circle or vector shape could be used, but I cannot figure out how to get the circle.
http://tv.adobe.com/watch/learn-illustrator-cs6/cropping-images-with-clipping-masks/
I'm new to Illustrator and need step by step instructions!
Thanks!

Christine,
As Larry said, and as I said in the first post:
For a Clipping Mask, you just create a path, in this case a circle, and place it on top of the image, then select both and Object>Clipping Mask>Make.
You can see the shortcut when you use the dropdown; it is Ctrl+7 for Windows.
At least in the old days, you could also use Alt/Option+O+M+M (easy to remember, Object>Mask>Make).
It is easy to skip/overlook the exact steps.

Clipping mask issue.. simple one but I can't see it.

I want to fill the pattern into the shield.
Tried everything on this, it's so simple that I can not even see it.
Maybe it's the double lines on outline view?
Please help. Multi million dollar idea going to waste.

Kanokane,
I tried to just give a detailed list of things to do, with no explanation.
Fundamentally, you use a single path (which may be a Compound Path) as the Clipping Path of the Clipping Mask, and you select both that and whatever you have beneath it that you wish to clip.
When you apply the Clipping Mask, everything covered by the Clipping Path remains visible, and everything else becomes invisible; and the Clipping Path also becomes invisible, losing its Stroke and/or Fill (Fill in this case).
So when your shield is a rather thin Compound Path formed by the outer and the inner path, only the parts between those become visible, instead of filling the space inside.
1) is meant to keep the visible black outline formed by the Compound Path on top of everything else, and to bring a copy of either the outer or the inner path down beneath it; this is to serve as the Clipping Path; Alt/OptionClicking is to select the whole path, not just an Anchor Point or a segment.
2) is meant to bring the pattern down beneath the Clipping Path.
3) is meant to preserve the visible black outline formed by the Compound Path (by locking it) and to select the Clipping Path and the pattern (when the Compound Path is locked, you can just ClickDrag over everything and avoid selecting it), then apply the Clipping Mask.
4) is meant to have everything as a Group (consisting of the Compound Path and the Clipping Mask).
Whether you use the inner or outer path as the Clipping Path matters little; in the former case only the space inside the black rim is visible, in the latter case, the outermost part of it is hidden be the rim.

Clip Mask and MovieClip pivot questions

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