How do I make a vintage effect using a mask with compound paths.

[taniap4893429]

Hi everyone.

I'm an experienced Photoshop and Indesign user still learning about Illustrator. I do still struggle and will often watch YouTube "how-to" tutorials.  I am trying to create a design for a vintage tee. I have almost achieved this however my lack of experience in masks and path knock-outs has me falling just short. I can't seem to get the mask to fully cut out the underlying objects. There seems to be a slight opacity showing through. See attached screenshots. Circled in green is what shows me that the areas will print in white rather than be transparent. 

I am wanting the white dots, scratched areas to be transparent and not print, therefore having the tee fabric showing through after printed/pressed.

Apologies if I'm not writing the correct terminology to explain things.

Thanks in advance to all that have a helpful response, Tania

[Ton Frederiks]

When you have the mask selected, make sure that the black mask elements are fully black: R:0 G:0 B:0 or 100% greyscale

[taniap4893429]

Hi Ton, this is what I have which I believe is the same as you have suggested. Thanks Tania

[Ton Frederiks]

Hi Tania, and this is in an RGB document?

[taniap4893429]

Hi Ton, yes document is in RGB. Thanks Tania

[Ton Frederiks · Accepted solution]

Did you use brushes to create the mask objects? Sometimes brushes have build in transparency or made of blacks that are actually CMYK blacks and lighter than RGB blacks even though a 100% black is used for the brush stroke. 

[taniap4893429]

Ah that could be it. I downloaded them from Envato. I'll try to get into the brush settings and see what they are set at.

[taniap4893429]

Ton you were on the money! I expanded the brush strokes and they were not full black. This has fixed it. So my final question is, the white areas do not have paths around them now. Will these print white or will this be knocked out so the heat transfer will be transparent, therefore letting the fabric colour show through? 

Thanks so much for your help. You're a champ! Tania

[Ton Frederiks]

Good to hear that helped, Tania.

You can check the transparency with View > Show Transparency Grid.

[taniap4893429]

Now I am extremely happy 🙂
I believe I have the artwork I'm wanting.

I have learned a lot from you Ton. Thank you so much. 

[Ton Frederiks]

Thanks, Tania.