- Illustrator User Guide
- Get to know Illustrator
- Introduction to Illustrator
- Workspace
- Workspace basics
- Create documents
- Learn faster with the Illustrator Discover panel
- Accelerate workflows using the Contextual Task Bar
- Toolbar
- Default keyboard shortcuts
- Customize keyboard shortcuts
- Introduction to artboards
- Manage artboards
- Customize the workspace
- Properties panel
- Set preferences
- Touch Workspace
- Microsoft Surface Dial support in Illustrator
- Undo edits and manage design history
- Rotate view
- Rulers, grids, and guides
- Accessibility in Illustrator
- Safe Mode
- View artwork
- Use the Touch Bar with Illustrator
- Files and templates
- Tools in Illustrator
- Tools at a glance
- Select tools
- Navigate tools
- Paint tools
- Text tools
- Draw tools
- Modify tools
- Generative AI (not available in mainland China)
- Quick actions
- Illustrator on the web (beta)
- Illustrator on the web (beta) overview
- Illustrator on the web (beta) FAQ
- Troubleshooting issues FAQ
- Keyboard shortcuts for Illustrator on the web (beta)
- Create and combine shapes on the web
- Add and edit text on the web
- Apply colors and gradients on the web
- Draw and edit paths on the web
- Work with cloud documents on the web
- Invite collaborators to edit on the web
- Illustrator on the iPad
- Introduction to Illustrator on the iPad
- Workspace
- Documents
- Select and arrange objects
- Drawing
- Type
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- Basics
- Troubleshooting
- Add and edit content
- Drawing
- Drawing basics
- Edit paths
- Draw pixel-perfect art
- Draw with the Pen, Curvature, or Pencil tool
- Draw simple lines and shapes
- Draw rectangular and polar grids
- Draw and edit flares
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- Simplify a path
- Symbolism tools and symbol sets
- Adjust path segments
- Design a flower in 5 easy steps
- Create and edit a perspective grid
- Draw and modify objects on a perspective grid
- Use objects as symbols for repeat use
- Draw pixel-aligned paths for web workflows
- Measurement
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- Color
- Painting
- Select and arrange objects
- Select objects
- Layers
- Group and expand objects
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- Align, arrange, and move objects on a path
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- Snap objects to Japanese glyph
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- Blend objects
- Reshape using envelopes
- Reshape objects with effects
- Build new shapes with Shaper and Shape Builder tools
- Work with Live Corners
- Enhanced reshape workflows with touch support
- Edit clipping masks
- Live shapes
- Create shapes using the Shape Builder tool
- Global editing
- Type
- Add text and work with type objects
- Reflow Viewer
- Create bulleted and numbered lists
- Manage text area
- Fonts and typography
- Convert text within images into editable text
- Add basic formatting to text
- Add advanced formatting to text
- Import and export text
- Format paragraphs
- Special characters
- Create type on a path
- Character and paragraph styles
- Tabs
- Find missing fonts (Typekit workflow)
- Arabic and Hebrew type
- Fonts | FAQ and troubleshooting tips
- Creative typography designs
- Scale and rotate type
- Line and character spacing
- Hyphenation and line breaks
- Spelling and language dictionaries
- Format Asian characters
- Composers for Asian scripts
- Create text designs with blend objects
- Create a text poster using Image Trace
- Create special effects
- Web graphics
- Drawing
- Import, export, and save
- Import
- Creative Cloud Libraries in Illustrator
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- Printing
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- Troubleshooting
Learn how a clipping mask can help you mask parts of an object or a group of objects.
A clipping mask is an object whose shape masks other artwork so that only areas that lie within the shape are visible, in effect, clipping the artwork to the shape of the mask. The clipping mask and the objects that are masked are called a clipping set. You can make a clipping set from a selection of two or more objects or from all objects in a group or layer.
Practice and learn how to use a clipping mask with a hands-on tutorial in the Discover panel, without leaving the app.
The following guidelines apply to creating clipping masks:
The objects that you mask are moved into the clipping mask’s group in the Layers panel if they don’t already reside there.
Only vector objects can be clipping masks; however, any artwork can be masked.
If you use a layer or group to create a clipping mask, the first object in the layer or group masks everything that is a subset of the layer or group.
Regardless of its previous attributes, a clipping mask changes to an object with no fill or stroke.
Tip: Use Make Opacity Mask in the Transparency panel to create unique, see-through masks.
Hide parts of objects with a clipping mask
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Create the object you want to use as the mask.
This object is called the clipping path. Only vector objects can be clipping paths.
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Move the clipping path above the objects you want to mask in the stacking order.
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Select the clipping path and the objects you want to mask.
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Choose Object > Clipping Mask > Make.
To create a clipping path from the area where two or more objects overlap, group the objects first.
Create a clipping mask for a group or layer
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Create the object you want to use as the mask.
This object is called the clipping path. Only vector objects can be clipping paths.
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Move the clipping path and the objects you want to mask into a layer or group.
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In the Layers panel, make sure that the masking object is at the top of the group or layer, and then click the name of the layer or group.
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Click the Make/Release Clipping Masks button at the bottom of the Layers panel or select Make Clipping Mask from the Layers panel menu.
Edit a clipping mask
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In the Layers panel, select and target the clipping path. Or, select the clipping set and choose Object > Clipping Mask > Edit Mask.
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Do any of the following:
- Move the clipping path by dragging the object’s center reference point with the Direct Selection tool.
- Reshape the clipping path using the Direct Selection tool.
- Apply a fill and stroke to a clipping path.
To select all clipping paths in a document, deselect all artwork. Then choose Select > Object > Clipping Masks.
Edit paths within a clipping set
To edit portions of a path that fall outside of the clipping mask, you must first select the specific path within in the clipping mask boundary, and then edit the path.
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Do one of the following:
- Target the path in the Layers panel.
- Position the Direct Selection tool over a portion of the path that appears within the mask. When the path’s outline appears, click it.
To select a clipped path by clicking it, you must click the portion of it that appears inside the mask.
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Edit the path.
Add or remove an object from masked artwork
To add or remove an object from a masked artwork, in the Layers panel, drag the object into or out of the group or layer that contains the clipping path.
Release objects from a clipping mask
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Do one of the following:
- Select the group that contains the clipping mask, and choose Object > Clipping Mask > Release.
- In the Layers panel, click the name of the group or layer that contains the clipping mask. Click the Make/Release Clipping Masks button at the bottom of the panel, or select Release Clipping Mask from the panel menu.
Because the clipping mask was assigned a fill and stroke value of None, it is now not visible unless you select it or assign it new paint attributes.