Clipping Mask-Getting rid of access

[Tyler Drendel]

Hey all,

I just designed something that I really like and I want to manipulate it more, the thing that is bothering me, (which I can’t remember how to do) is…

After you have made your clipping mask in Illustrator how do you get rid of the access that is past the clipping mask? Or atleast so it doesn’t show.. It’s annoying me because I end up selecting the object that I made a clipping mask for when I click way below the object.

Thanks guys!

[Lukas Engqvist]

You are not the only one frustrated by that, but unfortunately the fix is an upgrade to CS4. You can alternativeley go into the layers pannel and lock what is clipped by the path. (this means you would not be able to move it either).
Another way is to take the masked object and make it into a symbol, that way you will get simmilar functionality. If you want to edit it you choose to edit symbol.

You can also crop to the mask, but that is a little destructive, since what you cut is then gone.

For advanced users, it is really cool that in the appearance you can select the mask and add a stroke, or a fill with an offset path and place it at the bottom to get an outline of your mask all in one object… it is not true that a mask cannot have a stroke (or as many as you wish to add in your appearance) XD.

[Tyler Drendel]

Thanks Lukas!

I could have sworn I saw a tutorial for Illustrator CS3 where there was an option where you could take it off.. I remember him saying you can take the access off by doing this.. But I just dont remember how he did it..

[Lukas Engqvist]

If you use "crop" from the pathfinder, rather than make a mask it will trim off all outside the top shape. Perhaps that is what you are thinking of.

[TORCH511]

I would preface this comment by saing that as the membership here is global and english is not the primary language of all members, that I can understand the mixup. But as you specify in your profile that you are from IL...

It's excess, not access

:D

BTW, I totally agree with Lukas and the way CS4 handles clipping masks (as I rely on them heavily) is one of my favorite features.

[Tyler Drendel]

Torch- Thanks for the correction, i just noticed that.. oops.

Lukas- I tried your ideas from your first post, and those were great ideas!

If i make it a symbol and then use the symbol and resize it i wont lose quality will I?

PS: I love these programs b/c there is always multiple ways to do something.

Tyler