Clipping and inverting an opacity mask


    When you target artwork that has an opacity mask, the Clip and Invert Mask buttons are enabled in the Transparency palette. The Clip option gives the mask a black background which crops the masked objects to the boundaries of the masking objects. Invert Mask reverses the luminosity values of the masking objects, which reverses the opacity of the masked objects. For example, areas that are 90% transparent become 10% transparent after the mask is inverted. Select both options to create a clipping opacity mask that uses inverted luminosity values.

    Illustration of Options applied to an opacity mask made of a gradient-filled square masking a wave-shaped transparent blue object with these callouts: A. Neither Clip nor Invert Mask selected B. Clip selected C. Invert Mask selected D. Both Clip and Invert Mask selected
    Options applied to an opacity mask made of a gradient-filled square masking a wave-shaped transparent blue object A. Neither Clip nor Invert Mask selected B. Clip selected C. Invert Mask selected D. Both Clip and Invert Mask selected

To control the clipping behavior of an opacity mask:

  1. Target the masking objects in the Layers palette.
  2. Select the Clip option in the Transparency palette. Deselect the Clip option to turn off the clipping behavior.

To select clipping for new opacity masks by default:

    Choose New Opacity Masks Are Clipping from the Transparency palette menu.

To invert the opacity of a mask or to restore an inverted mask to its original state:

  1. Target the masking objects in the Layers palette.
  2. Select the Invert Mask option in the Transparency palette. Deselect the Invert Mask option to return the mask to the original state.

To invert all masks by default:

    Choose New Opacity Masks Are Inverted from the Transparency palette menu.