Expert: Kevin Stohlmeyer - 6/24/2011

Question
Hi Kevin,

I'm trying to create a clipping mask in illustrator and am having some trouble doing it. What I am trying to do is cut out of heart in the middle of the state of Wisconsin. We are screen printing this design and am having the heart not print so the tshirt color shows through. I hope I explained this well enough for you. Please help!

Thanks!

Answer
Hey Bailey,

Greetings from Milwaukee! lol.

What you are trying to create is not a clipping mask, but a Compound Path.

However, the easiest thing to do is just make the heart a white fill with no stroke. White will allow the shirt color to show through and will work when creating separations/film for screen printing.

However, if you need the path work to match here is what you can do:

Option 1: Place the heart vector image on top of the Wisconsin vector shape. Then select both go to Pathfinder>Minus Front.

Option 2: Place the heart vector image on top of the Wisconsin vector shape. Select both and go to Object>Compound Path>Make.


Thanks

Kevin