Skip to main content
Mcghee80
Participant
February 27, 2026
Answered

Cut a shape out of text

  • February 27, 2026
  • 3 replies
  • 68 views

New to illustrator so apologies as sure this is simple, I want to cut a heart shape out of a block of text.

I've created a square and used the area type tool to type my text to make a square block of text, all I want to do now is cut a heart shape out in the middle leaving it blank, this must be simple but don't know what I'm doing.

Any help greatly appreciated.

    Correct answer Monika Gause

    Draw a black heart and then select both the heart and the text and in the transparency panel click on Mask.

    Uncheck Clip

    3 replies

    Mcghee80
    Mcghee80Author
    Participant
    February 27, 2026

    Thanks for the replies but this wraps text around the heart shape, if the heart is on top I want that shape cut out, so if the outline is going through letters to cut through those letters. The block of text remains the same just a direct harsh cut out heart shape.

    Monika Gause
    Community Expert
    Monika GauseCommunity ExpertCorrect answer
    Community Expert
    February 27, 2026

    Draw a black heart and then select both the heart and the text and in the transparency panel click on Mask.

    Uncheck Clip

    Mcghee80
    Mcghee80Author
    Participant
    February 27, 2026

    Superb!! I knew there was an easy answer, thank you

    Ton Frederiks
    Community Expert
    Community Expert
    February 27, 2026

    Put your heart shape on top of the textblock.

    Select both and choose Object > Text Wrap > Make

    Monika Gause
    Community Expert
    Community Expert
    February 27, 2026

    Selecting them both would apply a text wrap to the text frame as well. 

    Was selecting both necessary in earlier versions?

    Ton Frederiks
    Community Expert
    Community Expert
    February 27, 2026

    No, selecting just the object works as well.

    Monika Gause
    Community Expert
    Community Expert
    February 27, 2026

    Draw the heart shape on the same layer as the text, but on top of it

    Select the heart and go to Object > Text Wrap > Make

    Set the options