Clipping mask on an image

I have used an pen outline to sharpen the edges of a product photo. Now I want to move the photo but the mask stays in place and i can not access it from the transparency window.
I am using CS3.
Help.

Unless you made an opacity mask instead of a clipping mask...
Which is what it sounds like you've done. For most cases, a clipping mask is a better idea, unless you need some variation in the opacity. As long as that's not the case, I would release the opacity mask and re-apply it as a clipping mask.
If you need it as an opacity mask and it's not moving with the object you've applied it to, make sure that the mask is linked to the object. you can tell it is when there is a little "chain" button between them in the transparency panel. Oh and theres a bug with opacity masks used the align tool. The masks won't move. I think they fixed that in CS3, but maybe it wasn't until cs4...

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Reverse clipping mask with imported image

I have a rectangle over a larger imported image, and I would like to get rid of the area that the ractangle covers. Clipping mask does the opposite, getting rid of the area outside, and pathfinder only works for paths, not imported images. I am a bit stumped on this, and was wondering if anyone has any thoughts on this.
Thanks!

Yeah you may get best results with an opacity mask. Take the box you want to knock out of your image color it black, select the image and the black box and in the Transparency panel click make mask. Then deselect the Clip check box. You should be seeing the center of the image knocking out where the box was and you should have Clip and Invert Mask both deselected.

Is there a fix for the slow processing yet? Clipping mask slows down Illustrator CS4 to the point it can't be used

I've seen a few older posts regarding CS4's bug with applying a clipping mask to any image that is somewhat complex, but have yet to find an answer.
The problem is, any time a clipping mask is applied to a semi-complex shape, Illustrator CS4 slows almost to a halt. We're talking 10 minutes of the beach ball to apply the mask and then another few minutes to do anything else with the document. This is unacceptable. My system is loaded (Dual 1.8 GHz G5, 1.25 GB of memory). The exact same files process fine in CS3. Many of our other designers are running iMacs and cannot work on the files at all using CS4. There has to be an answer to this problem.
Prefs have been deleted, Document Raster Effects has been lowered. Any other suggestions?
Your help is greatly appreciated.

My system is loaded (Dual 1.8 GHz G5, 1.25 GB of memory).
Uhm.. that's "loaded"? That's like the slowest G5 made with almost the minimum amount of RAM.
But.. I agree with you. Clipping masks seems to drastically slow CS4 down. Even if an object isn't really complex, but included many objects. I'm running a much faster system than you are and I have to wait around 3 to 10 seconds after any operation for some files. It's annoying. So far, I've not found any solution other than to expand and clip the masks.

Trouble with mass amount of text and clipping mask - please help!

I have a curvy vector image that I want text to appear in, then create a clipping mask. When I try this I get a message saying that the text object is extremely complex and might not print. The file is impossible to move around and sometimes crashes my machine.
Here is a screen cap of what I'm doing:
http://www.aaronpenton.net/mask.html
I blocked all the text so there's just a ton of it.
This is for a large graphic (22') that will be placed on glass.
Is there a better way to do this? Or a way of making the file more manageable ?
Any help is much appreciated.

>I have a curvy vector image that I want text to appear in, then create a clipping mask.
Inaccurate description. You are using the text as a clipping mask for the image. That's a lot of text, which means a very complex compound path with tens of thousands of points. No wonder this is slowing things down.
Try using the text as an opacity mask instead, then flatten transparency. Keep a copy of the text and a copy of the wave on hidden layers so you can go back and edit the text or modify the path.

CS4 Clipping Mask vignette effect

Not being able to use AI CS4 enough as I ran into a problem. I had to recreate a logo and add a clipping mask in AI. I know how to do this in Photoshop but I must keep the file in vector format. I finally found a good tutorial on this and was able to create the mask in AI which is now a circle but I need to give the circle a vignette effect. I'm going to try messing with the filters to acheive this but would like to know the correct way to do.
Anyone?
RD

In the gradient panel, you see a radial gradient that would also work, set it to multiply for best results.
if you have created a clipping mask around your image, you should be looking at some variation of this:
Put your vignette in that same group either by isolation mode or by selecting it and dragging it's little dot (shown blue in my screenshot) into that group. You want it above the image.

Clipping mask question 2.

Hello, so about a week ago I was having some trouble with my clipping mask I had posted a question Here about it. Over the week I believe i see what the problem maybe but i do not know how to fix it (once again) This is what I mean:
As you can see in the image above, there are little pixels around the image after i finished coloring and erasing my mess. (i used a wacom tablet to do this by the way.)
In this image I created a clipping mask over the image above and i began "shading." But the color went over once again. I Believe it has something to do with those little pixels.
May someone please help me by telling me why those little pixels are There and how i can get rid of them. Also If you have an idea at why the mask is not working also let me know as well

I suspect you are flat out going about things in the wrong way. I can't see reason you'd need or want to clip layers to achieve what you are doing. The spill is probably anti-aliasing from the brush or erasor. Niether tend to achieve 100% coverage with one pass.
Rather an use the erasor, much better to make a selection and add a layer mask. This will produce a hard edged editable layer.
Try drawing your lines on a roughing out layer, and then colouring on an underlying layer using different layers for each colour. When done, Ctrl (Cmd) click the colour fill layer which will load its outline as a selection. You can then go Edit > Stroke with black on a new layer higher up the stack.

Clipping Mask with complex designs

I have a somewhat complex design/vector object that I can get to clipping mask over an image. When is does it masks in the wrong places and outside of the design that was made into a compound. Why can't I get the design to mask correctly?

Please show a screen shot of what you are trying to do.
Sometimes a compound path can be used to good effect as a clipping mask, but we would need to see a shot of your work to be able to advise you properly.

Cropping Images with Clipping Masks | Learn Illustrator CS6 | Adobe TV

In this video you will learn a quick and easy method for cropping images in Adobe Illustrator CS6 and CS5. Using clipping masks allows you to retain the area of the image you cropped out as well as modify the clipping path later on.
http://adobe.ly/V8tW7S

Is there a way to make a clipping mask for a many-layered image without collapsing all the layers? I'd love to keep my image as is (it's quite complex), I just want to crop the entire thing.
thanks!

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.

Help with cutting a whole in an image/clipping mask

Hello.
I am needing to cut out circles in an image so that the background shows through. Sort of like an inverse clipping mask..but I don't know if those exist.. And once I cut holes in the image I am needing to put a clipping mask on the whole thing so that only part of the image is still showing with parts of the cut-outs.
Or i guess if I could figure out how to create an odd shape clipping mask that would work as well.
The image below is something like what I'm trying to accomplish just different image and different sizes and locations of the cut-outs along the edge.

I am not certain about the previous postings but here is how to do it.
1 place your circle on top of the image select the image and make sure the image is filed with white no stroke.
2 Go to the transparency panel and from the flyout select opacity mask make
3. make sure invert is select and clip is deselected as in the screen shot.
Works with linked or embedded images.

Clip masked image moves after save- little help please?

Hi, All. I've been working at a printing company for the last 3 years and have seen the issue I'm about to describe only a handful of times. I'd like to understand it more and know if there is a fix that can be utilized before saving the file for production.
So, here's my dilemma.... I've saved Illustrator EPS files that have multiple images that are placed and embedded into the document. All of the images are "cropped" using clipping masks. They have been every common type of image extension (jpg, tif, eps). The issue that I'm seeing is that one or two of the images "jump" from their original placement but we've only caught it during the rip or even after it has been printed (which makes for wasted material). The jump isn't by centimeters either. They always end up off the artboard entirely so the clipping mask shape is the only thing left in place.
So, what's the deal? I've seen this happen in CS3 and CS4. Does anyone have a solution or an inkling of any possible reasoning behind this? I'd appreciate any and all feedback!
Thanks!

The majority of the files we receive are from outside sources. We have in-house preflighting as a courtesy to our clients before we print since our displays range from the very small to the very large. I haven't seen it happen with PSD files but we're too big to convert all the images we receive to PSD files. Who knows if that would even be a fix.
I'm re-enacting the issue for you so you have a visual.
This image is during preflight/before the file has been saved:
This is where the image ends up after saving, closing and reopening:

AI CS6 vectors turn into embedded image when using clipping mask

AI CS6 vectors turn into embedded image when using clipping mask, how to solve it?

With the Clipping Mask selected go here

How do I copy clipping masks including relative positions for multiple images?

I have a number of microscope images of the same subject that were taken under three different conditions. I'd like to use clipping masks to crop the images in the same way (the same size but also the same positions relative to the corners/sides of the images. In case that was incoherent, I made an image to try to explain what I'm trying to achieve (the same portion of each image for each set):

condor,
You may, with one image in the set masked:
1) Direct Select the Clipping Path and Ctrl/Cmd+C+F+X+F, then move it by the distance between the centres of the images; you may do that for the whole set by repetition;
2) Select the/each image and path and Object>Clipping Mask>Make.
Alternatively, in 1), you may select the Clipping Path (Mask) in the Layers palette, within the Group.
The Ctrl/Cmd+C+F+X+F is to get the path out of the Group.

URGH! Make clipping mask/path out of a placed image?!

I'm having major issues. I'm a n00b at Illustrator, though.
I need to make a placed photo into a clipping path, and I can't figure out how to do it correctly.
It's homework for a college course in Digital Illustration. I need to recreate a photo using only shapes in Illustrator, and to do so, we're supposed to make the photo into a clipping path so that when we draw the shapes on it, the shapes won't leave the bounding box of the photo and onto the white space of the document.
I know to make the clipping mask, you just go to object > clipping mask > make... but every time I do it, and I draw on the image, the shapes still leave the image, so I must not be doing it correctly.
ANY help would be great. I'm about ready to rip my hair out.
Thank you!

Hola Carlos,
Thank you so much for you help!!
your first suggestion worked wonderfully!!
however, i have one more question ... for Carlos or anyone else
i am suppose to delete the original circle but not matter what i do ... select it and hit the delete key, select the layer it's on and hit the trash can icon or even cutting it ... the Edit menu says the actions have taken place but when i hover over the area afterward the path is or seems to still be present.
i have tried and tried to look for an answer in the manual, FAQ's and have even Googled for an answer but i cannot find any info at all about how to delete a path ~ most of all under this particular circumstance. arg!
i've looked at the rest of the tut and i think if i can get past this point i'll be great.
i am wondering if it even matters rather i delete this original path.
any help and/or suggestions would be greatly appreciated.
thanks again for your time
ps. i was just thinking ... can this original path/circle even really be deleted? isn't it necessary to keep the shape of the object and/or a part of the mask that gives the object its appearance?

Seamless repeating pattern - using embedded images with clipping masks

Hi forum,
We struggle a bit creating a seemless repeating pattern that includes embedded images with clipping masks applied.
Our pattern is a 550x550mm black square with various embedded inserted on top. All of these images have Clipping Masks applied to hide unwanted areas.
These images are placed so they create a seamless repeating pattern and this includes areas that overlap the square.
Once we create a swatch from this pattern the repeatable area becomes too big as it includes the unwanted areas hidden by the clipping masks.
Because the repeatable area is now too big it's actually not repeatable.
We tried various things in order to solve this issue. Pathfinder/crop to delete the unwanted areas in the images etc.
None of them worked good enough.
We though of just livetracing the images, but due to the complexity this is not an option.
Do we really have to do our "cutting" in Photoshop or do you know any fancy tricks for issues like this?
Appreaciate your insight
Kenneth

Kenneth,
You may try the destructive deed, with the Clipping Mask selected:
1) In the Transparency palette/panel dropdown list select anything but Normal (Multiply is fine),
2) Object>Flatten Transparency, just keep the defaults including 100% Vector,
3) Shudder.
This should reduce the size to the Bounding Box of the Clipping Path.

Clipping mask on an image

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