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.

Similar Messages

Best way to make a clipping mask with indesign drawn vector shapes?

What is the best way to create a clipping mask with vector art that is drawn inside of indesign?
I have a group of vector shapes to paste into a rounded corner box. This art is grouped.
What i tried:
-create the rounded corner box i want the art inside
-cut art
-edit > paste-into
This worked, but i could not figure out how to move the artwork once it was pasted into the shape. With the direct select tool i could move the individual objects, but not the group of objects. Any ideas?
Is this the best way to acomplish what i'm trying to do?
Thanks!

Yopu don't mention the version of ID, which makes a difference here.
Paste Into is correct. In CS5 you can then use the content grabber donut to move the group inside the frame. In all versions you should be able to select the frame, tehn use Object > Select > Content to get the group, or use the button for that onthe Control Panel. Before CS5 you'll need to use the arrow keys or grab the center spot withthe mouse to move the group.

Control the clipping mask with mousemove

I would like to allow the user to control the clipping mask with mouse or finger, is there a tutorial that will help me?

How true, MTSTUNER.
KMcAl, if you post a screenshot please make sure that the Layers Panel is visible.

How to make clipping mask with text and vector pattern?

Hey there guys, any help would be greatly appreciated. Im making a logo for a client and am having a nightmare of a time trying to properly use the clipping masks in illustrator CS5. I copied and pasted the logo I made behind itself with a different color just for a drop shadow-like effect. And now I'm trying to apply this diagonal line pattern I created over top the "shadow" I made to give it some texture.
Here's an example of what I'm going for, only imagine the line pattern on the text instead of banner

Eric,
As I (mis)understand it, you can either keep the Type live (or outline it) and:
1) Create one copy of the pattern for each Type object (this will give you the opportunity of having different(ly coloured) patterns;
2) For each Type object, select the type object and one of the patterns and Object>Clipping Path>Make;
or you can:
1) Select both Type objects and Type>Create Outlines, then Object>Compound Path>Make;
2) Select the compound object and the pattern and Object>Clipping Path>Make.

Clipping mask with white brush won't work

Hi, im using photoshop cs6 on a mac and when I do a clipping mask and click and try to use a white brush to show more of the mask it doesn't work, however when I use the black brush it does work

Clipping masks are a little different from, say, vector masks. They simply take into account the content in the base layer they're clipped to, whether they're black, white or any other color.
To reveal with white, you'd have to insert a vector mask on the base layer and work from there.
ON EDIT: This assumes you have more content in the base layer to work with, so scratch that. You're probably better off just using a vector mask and concealing/revealing that way.

How to Create a Clipping Mask with LIVE TEXT?

Please, please, pease...there's has to be a way to do this.
I'm currently working on a project in which I have a background that has a large text layer above it. What I want to do is create a sort of "dynamic" clipping mask that essentially subtracts the shape of the text from the background yet remains editable as text in case I need to change the word or font.
However every way I've tried so far as been met with the backgrouns instead being constrained inside of the shape of the text...which is NOT what I want.
How can I do this while still having the text able to be edited?

An Opacity mask will work, but it will also move artwork from various layers to one layer.
You can get the same effect with a Layer Clipping mask and keep objects on their layers.
In this example only one layer is clipped, but you can drag as may as you want below the clipping layer.

How to create Clipping Masks with Shapes and Text?

Hi there! I am new to Illustrator and am currently attempting to learn it. I am creating a logo that has text and has a shape that goes through the text to make the text appear as if it has claw marks in it.
I have two layers. The layer with the shape "claw" marks, and a layer with the text. The shape layer is currently above and the text layer is currently below. If I select both layers and click on Make Clipping Mask it has the text displayed within the little claw marks, how do I reverse that? Because when I try to change the order of the layers it doesn't clip anything?
Thank you so much!
Aaron

Hi Monika,
Sorry for taking so long to reply... This is what I am trying to accomplish. I tried following your directions above, but that only made the text invisible and I tried moving the claw layers above and below the text... and it only appeared as if the claws per se were filling up with the text color.
Here is what I am trying to accomplish:

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.

Clipping Mask with photo question

Hi everyone! I'm having issues trying to create a clipping mask over a photo. I have consulted 2 books and several other sites to no avail. Here's the breakdown:
I have a compound path shape layered on top of a rasterized photo.
I select both, choose Object, Clipping Mask, Make and both objects become clear.
(I've tried variations and the closest I came was when, after the Clip Mask, Make commands, I made the shape white. The image shows through but now there's a white fill surrounding the shape. It's still not what I want.)
I'm close and appreciate any help you can provide.

Thanks. I made the object a compound path before I started but no dice.
This image is the closest I've gotten to what I want but obviously it's wrong. (this was after several failed attempts, I simply made the mask shape white.)

Clipping mask with appearances?

Hi all, I was trying to create a clipping mask from an object that is made from two shapes, and one has appearances (thanks to Rufus Deuchler's evangelism), but I had to resort to expand appearance, then use the object as a clipping mask.
Is there really no way to keep the dynamic appearances and use a layer as a clipping mask?

You can also try using the transparency palette flyout >> Make opacity mask
Works similar to opacity masks as in Photoshop, and you can either use black for tranparent or white for tranparent dpending on if you click invert.

Making a clipping mask with a complex, custom shape

Hi,
I have a graphic of a footprint, and I am trying to use it to mask of a photograph below. When I do the usual steps, it is not working and causing everything to go transparent...my photo, completely vanishing. I'm wondering if it is something to do with the complexity of the footprint vector - it has floating elements that are distanced away (for example, the toes are not attached to the foot portion). Could this be what's throwing it off?
How can I get this footprint vector graphic to function as a cohesive mask?
Thank you!

Thanks for responding so quickly...I have just tried that, and here is the response I'm getting:
Can't make a compound path. All objects in a compound path must be paths, and they cannot be brushed or be part of an object.
Not sure what I need to do to modify / tweak the graphic in order to make it work properly?
Thanks!

Illustrator clipping mask creating white fill?!!!

Hi all,
So basically i have designed the top of a paper plane and have completed the top design which i now want to clip into the template using the clipping mask tool. I have used it exactly how it is supposed to'
1. firstly getting my shape that i want to use to clip exactly how i want it
2. then getting my image which i want to place under my first shape to use the clipping mask with
3. align it in place and bring my "shape" to the front and image to the back
then using the selection tool i select all objects then click
objects> clipping mask> make
and for some reason it clips it but the image that i wastring to clip just becomes a white fill...
i have no idea how to fix this and its driving me crazy,, i cant find a soloution no matter how long i try to fix it or research it..
i have included some screenshots below

Hi thanks so much for that! yes i did as you asked and it seems to work if i complete a rectangle clipping mask! but as soon as i copy it over and try it with my original shape, it doesnt work.... i think there is something wrong with what i have created as i showed in my last screen shot, even when i try to create a fill for my shape that i have made and am trying to use for the clipping mask it doesnt fill,, even though t says it is "filled" pink however when i completed the rectangle it had a fill of white so i knew it was ontop and that it would work,,, which isnt really happening with my shape, as it doesnt have a fill even when it says it does

[CS4] Clipping Mask issue (bug?) - Beachball when I try to select masked group

I have a somewhat complex compound path (1400 points) that I've duplicated several times and clipped. I want to make a second copy of this clipped set of objects. When I try to select the group that contains the clipping mask (with the selection tool or in the layers palette) illustrator chugs for over a minute. Once it's done chugging and I have my group selected I hit copy and paste. It chugs for another minute and then does nothing but deselect my group.
I saved the file down into CS3 format and opened it in CS3. I have no trouble with copy, paste, select, scale, or anything when I'm in CS3 - no slowdown at all. I saved the file in CS3 and opened the CS3 format file in CS4 and I still have the beachball/chug problem.
I'd like to note that the trouble begins only when I apply the clipping mask. I can select all those objects and copy/paste/rotate/scale/whatever until I apply a mask and then I can't do anything to them. The clipping mask itself is rather simple - only 26 points.
I'm on a G5 with 8gigs of RAM and over 30gigs of available space in my scratch disc. Any advice or any other users who've had this problem?

No that is not true and you know CS 3 does not come close to CS4 in performance and if I were you I would download the trial, although I have feeling you do not have the resources to to actually run the program and that has you quite miffed,
Perhaps the next release will finally release you, so long!
Tracy I found that there s a setting that is on by default in CS 4 that would make things go a bit slow and always has if selected by the user.
Clearly a mistake I would think but for some reason the default settings for the raster effects is 300 ppi as opposed to 72 ppi which really many times will eat up the memory no matter how much you have, and Illustrator can only use a limited amount of RAM something like 2GB, so that the amount of RAM is not the issue and the scratch could be as wide open as possible but it still will choke.
It may not have the resource to as in your case make a review. So I would try setting the document raster image effects setting to 72 ppi and then when outputting it change it to 300ppi or tell the printer to do so.
Hans I am sure you will now be relieved to find out that CS4 is behaving as it should with the right setting.
Enjoy the trial it is free. You are going to love CS 4.
I am mistaken Tracy and Hans CS 3 also has the default setting at 300 ppi I should have checked first.
Yes Hans this might be an issue that is a strike against CS4 on large complex projects
I am certain it was good idea to change the clipping path behavior. The question is how big or complex does the file have to be before this happens.
Hans you should still try the trial and see for yourself. Of course if you don't have the resources it might be difficult to load the trial.
I would still try changing the setting to 722 ppi and changing it for output after the work has been completed.
Yes I think you found and important bug.

Making a clipping group with a compound path

So, as of today I'm new to scripting for Illustrator, I'm using the ExtendScript Toolkit. However I'm not new to scripting my own solutions and I do have some experience with JavaScript already.
What I'm trying to do is this: For all selected Items->Duplicate selected item and make a simple clipping group with it
What I end up with visually doesn't change the picture, but gives me a lot of clipped colored areas which I then can edit in the isolated mode, allowing me far faster and better shading. Doing that by hand takes hours on some pictures, it'd take a second with a script.
The script itself already perfectly works for normal PathItems. As obvious in the title, as soon as I have to apply the same to CompundPathItems things stop working. My issue is somewhat similar to this old thread [Problem with compound path clipping], but I couldn't find a solution there because I get different behavior.
When I run the very same script that perfectly works with the normal PathItems with CompoundPathItems I get this: Error 9046: The top item in the group must be a path item to create a mask
Well that's a problem. In the GUI there is absolutely no difference between making a clipping mask with a simple path and a compound path. The reference guide has frankly not helped me with this issue at all, the only thing I learned from that is that the CompoundPathItem object doesn't have a clipping attribute, but those included PathItems do.
Here's what I have so far:
if ( selected[i].typename == "PathItem" ) {
var newGroup = doc.groupItems.add();
copy = selected[i].duplicate(newGroup,ElementPlacement.PLACEATEND);
selected[i].moveToBeginning(newGroup);
newGroup.clipped = true;
As I said, this part perfectly does what it's supposed to do for normal Paths.
For CompoundPaths I use this workaround.
if ( selected[i].typename == "CompoundPathItem" ) {
var newGroup = doc.groupItems.add();
copy = selected[i].duplicate(newGroup,ElementPlacement.PLACEATEND);
selected[i].moveToBeginning(newGroup);
compoundItems = selected[i].pathItems;
compoundIndex = compoundItems.length;
for ( f = 0; f < compoundIndex; f++ ) {compoundItems[f].clipping=true;}
var lineList = new Array(10);
for ( l = 0; l < lineList.length; l++ ) {lineList[l] = new Array( i * 10 + 50, ((i - 5) ^ 2) * 5 +50);}
newPath = app.activeDocument.pathItems.add();
newPath.setEntirePath(lineList);
newPath.moveToBeginning(newGroup);
newGroup.clipped = true;
newPath.remove();
Mind you, this workaround does work in so far that it bypasses that annoying and wrong error, and the Compound Clipping Path also works, with the only problem being that the Compound Clipping Path created like this is still displayed in its original colors in the Layers section, and is still selectable. When I lock the Compound Clipping Path I can work with it but still...
So the question is, what am I missing here? Surely there must be a proper way to do this.

app.executeMenuCommand()? That one eluded me so far, might be just the right thing. I'll definitely take a look, now just to find a ref on that, as unfortunately the official ref documents I have don't mention that command. Any place with a list of possible commands?
Ah, also of course I'm not only doing it for the isolation mode. If you care to hear the background, here is it:
As I said it's for shading the pictures I'm working on. I've iterated and tried through a bunch of techniques. For example gradient meshes on my first few real works. Now those meshes don't do well with complex shapes, which previously I alleviated by using a simple square or rectangle gradient mesh and using the original colored shape as a clipping mask. That did work, but it was a huge lot of work.
After a bunch of attempts at that I went over to using simple gradients as a background for the shape and then I'm doing the shading freehand with the blob brush tool, using a graphic style and filters to make it look right. That's better, but properly making all the clipping masks takes me much longer than anything else.
Now the problem is that the shading is not supposed to go over the lines, which is impossible to do properly without either messing up the order, or using clipping masks, hence the script. Because you know, if you use a blob brush with a strong Gaussian blur close to the lines you'll end up with stuff on both sides. If you don't start close to the line the shading won't look right if the darkest part of the shade needs to be close to the line. And that's where clipping masks do magic.
And finally here's an example how I work with the script and the result:
After I have traced a sketch, adjusted the line widths and everything to look neat I turn the paths to outline strokes and then make them into a live paint group (which would mess up the line widths, unless you turn the paths into outline strokes first).
With that live paint group it takes me just a few minutes to flat color my piece. Then I expand the live paint group, in case of doubt spend some more minutes to make compound paths from all areas I need to shade in one piece, then I select all the areas and use my script to turn them into neat clipping masks. Then I can click any area, enter the isolation mode and go up one level so I'm in the appropriate group, where I can shade freely without the problem of going over the lines.
At the end that allows me to apply a complex and in-depth shading, without wasting any time to get there.
PS: Well, I just found out that Draw Inside is pretty darn close to what I want to do, and oddly enough it produces the same visual discrepancy with compound paths that my script produces. I'll be taking a closer look at that, though my script does a little more than just the clipping mask stuff, so maybe I'll go for a hybrid solution. Whatever makes for a better workflow.

Clipping Mask not working

Okay, so I am EXTREMELY new to this (I started about an hour ago!) I am trying to make a clipping mask with the mask being the outline of France and the image inside the French flag. Here are the steps I've taken so far:
File>New
Open>Silhouette of France (photo)
Image trace as silhouette>Expand.
Drag in to new file.
Open>French flag (photo)
Drag in to new file and put in separate layer to the silhouette.
Place the silhouette on top of the French flag, select all, make clipping mask.
Then everything goes white!! I can still see the outline, paths etc. of the silhouette but I just don't understand what I'm doing wrong! If someone could explain it to me in layman's terms that would be amazing because I really don't know what I'm doing!
I'll include the pictures I am using and the end result I keep getting...

SoBo,
The France parts seem to be a Group rather than a Compound Path. It would be better if you could expand the Layer(s) completely, also expanding the Group.
As I said, an Opacity Mask may be more forgiving, and work with a Group.
I took the France parts to have no stroke and a white fill, if not, you may give it one (or a black fill), then (the Invert Mask suggested in post #2 was based on a black fill, sorry):
1) Select the two parts of France and Object>Group or Object>Compound Mask>Make;
2) Select all and in the Appearance palette flyout click Make Opacity Mask with Clip ticked and Invert Mask unticked (ticked if the fill is black).
From the OP:
Drag in to new file and put in separate layer to the silhouette.
To have it in the same layer, just have one Layer and File>Place the flag image into it, then the France image, and take it from there.

Clipping Mask with complex designs

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