Using Masks in Illustrator

Using Masks in Illustrator

Learn about Clipping Masks, Opacity Masks, and Drawing Masks.

When to use

Masks are a great tool anytime you want one part of a shape or an object to be visible inside of a specific area.

Instructions

Basic Clipping Mask

• Open the Auto Traced plant image from the previous lesson.
• Create a New Document set to 1920 x 1080 pixels in RGB Color Mode and with a single artboard.
• Copy the plant image and paste it into your new 1920 x 1080 document and scale it up so that the image fits horizontally.
• Grab the Rectangle Tool (M) and double-click on the canvas to create a shape the same size as your artboard, and place it on top.
• With your Selection Tool (V) click on the plant vector, and then hold the Shift Key and click on the white box on top to select them both at the same time.
• Go to the Object Menu and choose Clipping Mask > Make or use the keyboard shortcut Command/Ctrl + 7 to apply the mask.
• You can now go inside the mask and modify the contents by clicking on the small arrow next to the layer name in the Layers Panel and going down into the group.
• Once you locate the artwork, click on the small circle icon to the right side that says 'Click to target, drag to move appearance'.
• Now you can modify and reposition the artwork while retaining the mask.
• If you want to release the mask, return to the Object Menu and choose Clipping Mask > Release.

Multiple Shapes as a Clipping Mask

• Select the Polygon Tool and click and drag a few polygons filled with solid white. Scatter them on the artboard and place them above the plant vector.
• Use the Magic Wand Tool (Y) to click on any of the polygons and instantly select them all simultaneously.
• Before we can use these shapes as a mask, we need to turn them into a Compound Path. To do this, we need to go to the Object Menu and choose Compound Path > Make or by using the keyboard shortcut Command/Ctrl + 8.
• You can now select the polygon shapes, hold the Shift Key, and then click on the plant vector in the back so you have everything selected at once.
• Press Command/Ctrl + 7 to apply the Clipping Mask.
• You should now only see the plant vector through the polygons we converted to a Compound Path.
• Just like before, you can modify the artwork inside of the mask by going to the Layers Panel, clicking on the small arrow next to the layer, and continuing to go deeper until you find the artwork. From there, click on the small white icon that says 'Click to target, drag to move appearance' and you can modify or resize the art independently of the mask.

Text as a Clipping Mask

• Repeat these steps, but try using text as a mask.
• Do this by placing your text above the artwork, selecting both at the same time, and then going to the Object Menu and choosing Clipping Mask > Make.

Opacity Masks

• Select the Ellipse Tool (L) and click and drag to create a large black circle while holding the Shift Key to constrain the proportions of the shape.
• Switch to the Rectangle Tool (M) and create a short, wide rectangle that covers only the top portion of your black circle, making sure to place it on top.
• Instead of filling the rectangle with a solid color, select the gradient swatch from the bottom of your toolbar to fill the shape with a black and white gradient.
• Open the Gradient Panel by going to the Window Menu and choosing 'Gradient' from the dropdown.
• Change the angle of the gradient to 90°.
• Use your Selection Tool (V) to click and drag around both shapes.
• Open the Transparency Panel by going to the Window Menu and choosing 'Transparency' from the drop down.
• Inside of the Transparency Panel, you can now click on the 'Make Mask' button to create an Opacity Mask.
• Leaving the 'Clip' box checked will make it so that you can only see the part of your circle that falls within the bounds of the rectangle.
• Unchecking the 'Clip' box will allow you to see the entire circle while keeping the gradient inside of the circle shape.
• You can also check off the box that says 'Invert Mask' to invert it.
• If you click on the link icon between the shape and the mask in the Transparency Panel you will be able to move or resize the rectangle without releasing the mask.
• To release the mask, click the 'Release' button in the Transparency Panel.
• Try using an opacity mask with different types of gradients like a Radial Gradient, or by using text as your main shape instead of a black circle.

Drawing Masks

• Return to the illustration we created in the Symmetry Mode lesson.
• Click on the small arrow next to the layer name and continue to dig down until you find the main shape of either the skull or the dragon depending on which drawing you completed.
• Go down until you find the main outline for your shape and click on the small circle icon that says 'Click to target, drag to move appearance' we can target that specific shape.
• Once you've targeted the shape, go to the very bottom of the toolbar and click on the icon that says 'Drawing Modes'.
• When prompted, select the option that says 'Draw Inside' so we can draw inside of the shape we've targeted.
• Click and hold your cursor over the Brush Tool in the toolbar and select the Blob Brush. You can also use the keyboard shortcut Shift + B.
• You can now choose any fill color you'd like and begin brushing and you'll notice that the color is staying inside of the shape and not spilling outside of the lines.

Hints & tips

• Always make sure that the shape you want to use as the mask is on top of your other objects or shapes.
• You can release any Clipping Mask by going to the Object Menu and choosing Clipping Mask > Release.
• Opacity Masks are a great way to add gradients inside of text, shapes, or objects.
• Using the Drawing Modes is a great way to use masks to color your vectors without having to worry about keeping everything in the lines.
• The Blob Brush is helpful if you want to lay down large areas of color quickly.