With Clipping Mask and Opacity Mask, you can quickly mask away any unwanted areas you wish to hide. Let’s take a look how it works…
Clipping Mask
In this illustration I have 3 layers. The background, sunburst effect and the sun. I will need to mask the sunburst to a square.
First, I will select both the sunburst and background and group it together. Select both with Selection Tool and press Ctrl/Command+G to group it.
Draw a rectangle to decide the area you want to show. Make sure it is at the topmost layer.
Select both the background and the path. Right click and select Make Clipping Mask (Object>Clipping Mask>Make).
Next send the background to the back by pressing Ctrl+Shift+[ / Command+Shift+[.
Editing Clipping Mask
To make any changes to the clipping mask go under the group and select Clipping Path. You can rescale your clipping path in here. To remove the clipping path, go Object>Clipping Mask>Release.
Opacity Mask
Opacity lets your create transparency to your layer. The Intensity of black will determine the opacity of the layer.
Black will be transparent and white will be opaque.
Instead of drawing a square in our previous example, I’m now going to draw a circle instead and fill it with gradient.
Now select both shapes and select Make Opacity Mask by clicking the Options icon at the corner of the Transparency Palette.
So now, I have an opacity mask that has the edges fading out. Opacity Mask is a very good way of blending edges to the background and it will prove useful in your illustrations.
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Great stuff!! I always enjoy reading your tutorials.
Quick question, does istock accept vects with clipping mask or opacity mask?
Clipping mask – accepted, Opacith mask – not accepted
Fantastic stuff.
I am trying to follow through all the tutorials but there still seem to be several missing and The table of Contents page has gone missing and produces a 404 error.
Hi Peter Breis, try it again.. It should be fine. I guess it is some server hiccups.
Rasta blood claat man, dis one a bit harder
..nice tutorial…
keep on posting! 🙂
please tell me deference between the pantone and spot color
wow what a nice clipping path service specialist. I like it. keep it up.thanks
Really cool tutorial for opacity mask worable
Superb Site!!!! Great!
Awesome tutorial! Keep posting more quality tuts like this!
Its really a nice post, i believe a vital information is provided by you. I am fully satisfied with the Article. Clipping path is the most useful product for images.
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