Cutting an Image into Multiple Pieces using a Pattern

Report · Dec 24, 2019

Hi everyone,

I am trying to cut a photo into multipe pieces (kind of like a puzzle, but not jigsaw or grid). I have created the pattern of the puzzle using various shapes and have placed it on top of the image (covering the entire image). I am trying to figure out how I can cut the image below exactly on the lines of the pattern above.

In other words, if I was doing this using physical paper, I have drawn a bunch of lines on a photo, and using a pair of scissors I want to cut the image across those lines and be able to move the pieces of the photo independently.

Would love if someone can teach me how to do this.

Thank you 🙂

Report · Dec 24, 2019

Hi there,

Thanks for reaching out. Please share a screenshot or a small video of the process so that we can understand it better.
Also, take a look at the help article https://helpx.adobe.com/illustrator/using/cutting-dividing-objects.html for more information about cutting, trimming and dividing objects.

Hope it helps.

Regards,

Ashutosh

Report · Dec 24, 2019

Hi Ashutosh,

Here's an example of the pattern that I am trying to slice an image into. The white lines are where I'd slice the image. This would result in the image being split into a bunch of individual pieces that I can then rearrange.

Report · Dec 24, 2019

If you are actually trying to cut up a jpg in Illustrator, you can't really do this. You can create a look by placing the puzzle pieces over it. But to actually cut the photo up, you would need to do so in Photoshop. Or else bring it in several times and create clipping masks for each puzzle piece. If the image is large, the file would get large as well.