How do you create a clipping mask?

How do you create a clipping mask?

• A. Place a photo, then place a shape on top; select both and choose Pathfinder > Intersect
• B. Use the Eraser tool to clip the photo to the shape
• C. Place a photo, then place a shape on top. Select both objects and go to Object > Clipping Mask > Make. You may also select Clipping Mask from the Properties panel.
• D. Group the objects and apply a gradient mask

Answer: (C)

A clipping mask uses a shape to define the visible area of another object, so anything outside the shape is hidden. The shape must sit on top of the artwork you want to reveal, and applying the mask makes the top shape act as a window through which the underlying content is viewed. To create one, place the photo first, then place the shape on top where you want the visible area. Make sure the shape is the top object, then select both objects and apply a clipping mask. In Illustrator, that is done via the menu path Object > Clipping Mask > Make. You can also use the Clipping Mask option from the Properties panel. Once created, you can move or edit either the mask or the content by entering the clipping mask group, and you can release it later if needed with Object > Clipping Mask > Release. Other approaches don’t achieve the same effect: using the Eraser tool trims parts away but doesn’t create a reusable clip; the Pathfinder’s Intersect creates a new shape rather than masking the whole content; a gradient mask changes transparency, not the visible boundary defined by a clipping path.

A clipping mask uses a shape to define the visible area of another object, so anything outside the shape is hidden. The shape must sit on top of the artwork you want to reveal, and applying the mask makes the top shape act as a window through which the underlying content is viewed.

To create one, place the photo first, then place the shape on top where you want the visible area. Make sure the shape is the top object, then select both objects and apply a clipping mask. In Illustrator, that is done via the menu path Object > Clipping Mask > Make. You can also use the Clipping Mask option from the Properties panel. Once created, you can move or edit either the mask or the content by entering the clipping mask group, and you can release it later if needed with Object > Clipping Mask > Release.

Other approaches don’t achieve the same effect: using the Eraser tool trims parts away but doesn’t create a reusable clip; the Pathfinder’s Intersect creates a new shape rather than masking the whole content; a gradient mask changes transparency, not the visible boundary defined by a clipping path.