Creating knockout/cutout text out of image

Question

Hello!

I wanted to see if anyone knew how to create knockout text or the cutout text effect in Illustrator when using an image.

I've attached the image and text I'm trying to cut-out with a black fill. I'm able to use the Minus Front command in Pathfinder when I'm using a shape, but when I try with an image, it never works.

I was able to kind-of acheive the goal when I used a mask in the Transparency panel (I unclicked clip and invert mask), and the text was cut-out. But when I went to add a drop-shadow to make it look better, the drop shadow only went arround the image, not into the cutout, as shown in the other attached image.

I usually have a lot of trouble making Minus Front work; most of the time it's because the layers are arranged wrong. But, in this case, I have converted the text to outlines, created a compound path, made sure the text is at the front and the image is at the back but the Minus Front command still won't work. The drop shadow effect is what really makes it look like a cutout, so I really want to be able to do that.

Any tips? Thank you in advance!

Ton Frederiks · Accepted Answer

If you Group the result with the Opacity mask, the dropshadow will also be applied within the text.If you don't want it outside the image, you can apply a clipping mask.

Bobby Henderson · Answer

Pathfinder commands, such as Minus Front, work only on vector-based objects. For pixel-based photos or other pixel-based graphics elements clipping masks would need to be used.

If the text object is simply going to look solid black or solid white over the photo why not just apply a solid fill color to the text object and allow it to rest over the photo? I don't understand why the text needs to cut into the photo (or clip thru the photo).

For certain kinds of effects involving clipping masks it can be necessary to use more than one copy of the same object. Duplicate objects can be managed across multiple layers or just individually locked/hidden within the object tree of objects in that layer.

Also, I would recommend using another effect besides drop shadow on text floating above a photo like the image you posted. A shadow is supposed to fall on a solid background surface; shadows can't logically exist on a sky background.

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