Using Illustrator CC with Other Adobe Applications - Adobe Illustrator CC - page 784

Masking images
Clipping paths , or masks , crop an image so that only a portion of the image appears through
the shape of the mask. Only vector objects can be clipping paths; however, any artwork can
be masked. You can also import masks created in Photoshop files. The clipping path and
the masked object are referred to as the clipping set .
Applying a simple mask to an image
In this short section, you'll create a simple clipping mask for the Kayak.jpg image.
1. With the Selection tool ( ), click the Kayak.jpg image to select it (the first image
you placed). Click the Mask button in the Control panel.
Note
You can also apply a clipping mask by choosing Object > Clipping Mask
> Make.
Clicking the Mask button applies a clipping mask to the image in the shape and
size of the image.
Tip
Another way to create a mask is to use the Draw Inside mode. This mode
allows you to draw inside the selected object. The Draw Inside mode can
eliminate the need to perform multiple tasks, such as drawing and altering
stacking order or drawing, selecting, and creating a clipping mask. To
learn more about the drawing modes, see Lesson 3 , “ Using Shapes to
Create Artwork for a Postcard . ”
Note
You may need to drag the left edge of the Layers panel to the left to see
more of the names, like we did for the figure.
2. In the Layers panel, click the Locate Object button ( ) at the bottom of the panel.
Notice the <Clipping Path> and <linked File> sublayers that are contained within
the <Clip Group> sublayer. The <Clipping Path> object is the clipping path that