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sportwarrior14
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Applying Clipping/Transparency Mask to all layers?

Feb 27, 2013 2:36 PM

Tags: #transparency #opacity #masks #work_path

Alright, so I'm about to rip my hair out. I'm a Photoshop guy who occasionally vectorizes stuff into Illustrator CS4 by exporting work paths. Usually it works fine, but it's been a few years since I've done this and I cannot for the life of me figure out how to apply an opacity mask to an area of a layer so that it is transparent through all objects of the layer down to the background.

 

Basically, I created an image with text in Photoshop. I exported work paths to illustrator and colored/filled in all the objects. I need to cut out certain parts of the image so that they're transparent through to the background so that when the image is printed up on a shirt, fabric shows through rather than ink. This sounds like a stupid question, and it probably is, but I just can't get it to work.

 

I've gone through all the steps of creating an opacity mask, but every time I make the object transparent, I just get a white fill from an underlying object. It will not cut through to the transparent background. I need to get this object to cut through all layers. I'll admit that a huge part of the problem is my inability to adapt to an "Illustrator" way of thinking, so this is undoubtedly easy but I just can't get my brain wrapped around a solution. Can anyone help?

 

Logo Issue.jpg

419 Views   2 Replies   Latest reply: tman69, Feb 27, 2013 4:48 PM
 
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  • sportwarrior14
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    1. sportwarrior14,
    Feb 27, 2013 4:13 PM   in reply to sportwarrior14
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    Well, in case anyone else is looking for an answer to a similar question, here's the brute force technique I ended up using:

     

    I took note of all objects involved in the "D" above (a total of 4 objects, including the one I wanted to cut). I layered them directly one on top of the other. I then copied the object I wanted cut out (CUT), and pasted it twice in the same spot. I then layered each of these object copies individually over every object below it as pairs. Then, as pairs, I went through and selected the CUT and used the "Minus Front" tool in the Pathfinder box to subtract the CUT from each underlying object. I did it a total of 3 times before I had cut through all layered objects underneath to create the desired transparent effect.

     

    I replicated it for every object I needed to cut in the design.

     

    Now I know there's got to be a simpler way of doin this, but this worked and I was able to submit for final print.

     

    Hope this helps someone in the future!

     
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  • tman69
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    2. tman69,
    Feb 27, 2013 4:48 PM   in reply to sportwarrior14
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    there is a simpler way:

     

    1. Do one of the following:
      • Group together the objects you want to use, and select the group.
      • Move the objects you want to use into a separate layer, and target the layer.
    2. Choose Effect > Pathfinder and choose a Pathfinder effect

     

     

    for source reference, see this link

     

    http://help.adobe.com/en_US/illustrator/cs/using/WS714a382cdf7d304e7e0 7d0100196cbc5f-6462a.html

     
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