Clipping Paths, Masks

Importing Photoshop files into Illustrator can be frustrating if you're trying to retain Photoshop's transparency. But it's easy once you know...

Chris from Washington using XP Pro, Photoshop 7 and Illustrator 9 writes:

Hello, This is sort of an illustrator question: I need the transparency of a bitmap I'm working on in Photoshop 7 to be transparent in illustrator. When I place a .psd in illustrator, all i get is a white sillouette of my image. very frustrating. Any help would save me hours and hours :) Thank you for your time

We'll just CLIP that white...

TWO ways to do this. No matter which however, you'll need need a "Clipping Path" or a "Clipping Mask"

Hopefully your image has "hard" edges. If it does not have hard edges, you'll need to emulate/ match the background you're placing the image over.
That requires different instructions.

For hard edged subjects:

Make a "Path" for the image, using the tools available for selections, or directly using the pen tool.

"Outline" the object to be 'masked' ... everything outside of the 'path' will be transparent once placed
in the illustrator file.

Use the Pop-out menu in the upper right of the paths palette to pull down to "Clipping Path"

The name of the path in the palette should be outlined indicating it is a clipping path.

Now save the image as a TIFF or EPS.

Now... here's a better one.

Make a clipping path in Illustrator.

Use the pen tools, to carefully outline the object, and then select the path AND the image behind it...
then select:

Object > Clipping Mask > Make

presto!

See our
Paths Seminar (It's for an older version of Photoshop, but the principle is the same.)

Other references which may be helpful:

• * Photoshop Shadows


• * Clipping Tips


• * Masking Tips

See past cases:
http://www.graphic-design.com/Photoshop/Tips/index.html
Or post a new emergency:
http://www.photoshop911.com/emergency.html

Comments

[Mchilly]

We do clipping path and image masking, if you need some help we can do that for you.

[Parveen Kumar]

I am a freelancer.
If you have images for clipping path in photoshop, i am ready to do so.

mail me if you have some images and we'll start soon.

Thank You
Parveen Kumar
eyegalaxy@gmail.com
+91 9811456394

[Tiffany and Kit]

We have a school project and we need some creative ways to use clipping masks??? ANY HELP

[Hugdg]

Quote: "I have an image of a tinsle bag that needs to be clipped. it is ver hard as the tinsle is too thin and there are plenty of them do u knw and easy way to remove the Background?"

You can try magic wand tool, color range selection. and delete background. but in most case, you still need erase some detail spot. The object edge is not smooth. even can't save time. I'm prefer hand made clipping path. With clipping path image, saved as eps, tiff even jpeg, put it in Quark, Indesin, import mode as "inbed clipping path" will be perfect. Actually I give clipping path job to proknockout.com, they do professional job.their price is fare only charge ten dollar per hour. I do more creative work.

[Juavenita]

I have an image of a tinsle bag that needs to be clipped. it is ver hard as the tinsle is too thin and there are plenty of them do u knw and easy way to remove the Background?

[Adrian]

Is there a way to change the color of the clipping path outlines. So when you are outlining the object you can see the lines.