Clipping Mask in Adobe Illustrator
Clipping masks can be a helpful way to add some variety to your art designs in Adobe Illustrator. These easy to follow steps will show you the basic actions required to create a clipping mask quickly and easily.
STEP 1 - Launch Adobe Illustrator and create a new document (⌘-N on a Mac).
STEP 2 – Create a simple shape. For this example, a rectangle will suffice. Fill the rectangle with the color of your choice. In this example, it will be black.
STEP 3 -To give the rectangle an interesting texture and look, select it and use the “Scribble” tool found in the “Effects” section of the Illustrator menu bar.
STEP 4 – In the settings window that appears, tweak the Scribble effect parameter to your liking. Check the “Preview” box to see your adjustments as they are made. I find the “Moire” effect to be very interesting effect to use as a starting point.
STEP 5 – Once you’ve adjusted the scribble effect to your satisfaction, click on the “Type” tool in the Illustrator toolbar and create some text. In this example, the word “MASK” was entered using a large, bold font and the word was sized to cover a major portion of the scribbled rectangle. The text should be on top of the rectangle, not below. If it isn’t, select it and use the “Bring to Front” feature found in the “Arrange” section of the “Object” menu to make certain.
clipping mask example
STEP 6 – With the rectangle and the text both selected, go to the “Object” menu bar option and choose “Make” in the “Clipping Mask” option. Enjoy your first mask!
Tips & Warnings
- Make sure the clipping object is the top-most object.
- Have fun and experiment! Try masking a photograph or pattern.
