Instructions 1 Open any image in Photoshop. If the image consists of a single locked background layer, double click on the layer name. Change the layer name. The lock will disappear and you can now do anything you want with the layer. 2 Save the image as a Photoshop file (PSD). Other formats, such as JPEG, will flatten the image and cause you to lose any layers you create. Once you save as a PSD file, any changes you make will be preserved each time you save. 3 Create a shape for your mask. You can use the any of the vector shape tools or add type (you can even fill a selection area you created on a new layer). This will be your masking layer. Move the masking layer underneath the image layer. 4 Select the image layer in the layers palette. Choose "Create Clipping Mask" from the layers palette options menu. The layer will appear in the layers palette, marked with an arrow. Every pixel outside the lower masking layer will be hidden on the upper image layer. Tips & Warnings You can mask more than one layer with the same clipping mask. Simply drag any other layer between the clipping mask and the masked layer. Once the clipping mask is applied you can rearrange the order of any layer in the clipping mask group. Don't confuse clipping masks (or clipping layers) with clipping paths. Clipping paths are vector shapes that define image boundaries in page layout programs.
Question QUESTION: I am having a problem in Illustrator CS. The document is letter size and has a clipping mask to make just what I want visible. When I save out to pdf and open in preview, reader, or acrobat, the pdf includes the white space where the mask is outside of document size. Please help me...what am I doing wrong? Thanks ANSWER: Hi Matt- If your page size is set to 8.5" x 11" (letter size) and you have a masked item inside this space that is smaller than actual the page size, the entire page will still show up when you open the document in Acrobat, revealing the white background of the page. If you want the document to crop to the edges of the masked object you'll need to change the page size to fit the dimensions of that object rather than 8.5" x 11". To change the page size select File>Document Setup from the menu at the top of the screen. A new window will appear, allowing you to adjust the size of your page. Then, when you open the file in Acrobat you should see the page crop to the size of your masked object. One note, however- if the mask is a shape other than a rectangle you'll still see the white of the page behind the object since graphics files are always formatted as square or rectanglar pages. Hope that this information helps. Feel free to write back if you need additional assistance. Jennifer ---------- FOLLOW-UP ---------- QUESTION: Thanks, Jennifer. Actually, I wasn't very clear. The mask extends beyond the the 8.5"x11" size but the visible area is the letter size. When I save as a pdf, I am wanting to just have a letter size pdf of the visible part of my image. Instead, I get an image larger than letter size as if the space where the mask exists is also included in the pdf, which I don't want. Is that a little clearer. Sorry. Answer Hi Matt- You could try opening the PDF in Adobe Photoshop, cropping the document to the correct dimensions and saving a copy (keep the original Illustrator PDF in case you need to make edits later). This will allow you to open the file in Acrobat and eliminate the additional white space, although you will not be able to edit content in the Photoshop version of this file. Hope this is more helpful- Jennifer
Thanks for the reply. Little to ‘techy’ for me!