Skip to main content
T
torb68425587
Known Participant
October 5, 2017
Answered

Subtract text outline from form without deleting text

  • October 5, 2017
  • 1 reply
  • 3102 views

I have a coloured rectangle and a text block. The text block is in front of the rectangle.

Behind them both is a raster paper texture, because I want the page to look like it was printed on paper.

To create this effect, I have selected 'multiply' as the blending mode of both objects.

I want the text to be white, but obviously that renders it invisible when in front of the coloured rectangle.

Therefore I need to subtract the form of the text from the rectangle.

To do this I selected the text, and chose 'create outline'. Then I selected the outlined text AND the rectangle form, and in the pathfinder window I chose 'minus front'.

This subtracted the text form from the rectangle, but it also deleted the text block.

Is there a way to subtract the text form from the rectangle while still preserving the text block?

I'd like to do this, as I might need to change the text later, and this will be much easier if I still have the actual text block.

This topic has been closed for replies.
Correct answer Jacob Bugge

torb,

No need to outline, you can use live Type in connexion with an Opacity Mask, with everything preserved and fully reversible.

An Opacity Mask can do as a Clipping Mask, and the opposite, and anything in between, and then some. And unlike a Clipping Mask it is all about appearance, and less demanding with regard to structure/composition, hence often easier to work with when both kinds might be used.

In this case you may select both the live Type and the rectangle, and in the Transparency palette flyout click Make Opacity Mask with both Clip and Invert mask unticked for black Type/text (switch to Invert Mask ticked for white).

1 reply

Bill Silbert
Community Expert
Bill SilbertCommunity Expert
Community Expert
October 5, 2017

Since you changed the text to outline you would not be able to edit it later. What you could do then is prior to outlining the text make a copy of it using paste in place and put that copy on a new layer and hide it. Then continue on as you did before. If you need to edit the unoutlined text will still be there.

T
torb68425587Author
Known Participant
October 5, 2017

Thank you!

That works, and it's actually kind of obvious when I think about it
But just for fun, isn't there any way to select two shapes and then subtract the front shape from the back shape without at the same time deleting the front one?

Bill Silbert
Community Expert
Bill SilbertCommunity Expert
Community Expert
October 5, 2017

Thank you!

Yes, that works too

Although I can't quite figure out how to reverse it (if I'd need to do that at a later point)?

With the solution proposed by Jacob Bugge it seemed to make the text and the rectangle into a group, and I could then select one of the objects, right click and choose 'ungroup', and then it would reverse the clipping mask.

With the solution you propose it still seems to group the objects together, but I'm not able to ungroup them?


You would select it and use the Release Compound Shape option in the Pathfinder Panel pull-down menu.

Terms & ConditionsAccessibility statement
Using the community Terms of use Privacy Cookie preferences Do not sell or share my personal information ad choicesAdChoices