How to fill space between path and offset path?

[danield845033]

I've cropped an image using the clipping mask tool and created an offset path around it. I want the offset  to serve as a crop buffer for printing and cutting. I want the space between the original path and offset to show the cropped background image. A colleague sent me some files where he did this and I'm not sure how to replicate it. I've included two images for context. The first shows what I've done, the second shows what I want to do.

[Ton Frederiks]

Give i a thicker stroke with a stroke color?

[rcraighead]

Three ways:

1. Fill the offsetpath object and send to back.

2. Stroke the original clipping mask path and set "Align Stroke" to "Outside".

3. What Ton said: Increase stroke width and send original Clipping Stroke to back.

[danield845033]

I've tried all three of these options and I can't seem to figure out how to do it. I can change the color of the offset line and I can fill in the picture, but I can't seem to fill in the white space between the original clipping mask and the offset path. Illustrator is new to me, so it's quite a bit of a learning curve.

[Mike Sofa]

It looks like you don't have the "cropped background image." The image appears to be already "knocked out": the background around the subject has been replaced with white. Filling the background with a different color would best be done in Photoshop.

Also your cutting path would be smoother if you use some curves. Hope this helps.

[danield845033]

The background image is still there if I turn off clipping mask in layers. Below are a few more images. The first shows what I have done. The second two show what I'm trying to do (image that my colleague already completed). I'm not really sure what his process was. Perhaps someone here can tell based on the layers in his file.

[Mike Sofa · Accepted solution]

The background is still there, so that's great.

Place into Illustrator a version of the image where the background is showing. Use the offset path as the clipping path for the image. (Select both image and path, with the path on top, then Object: Clipping Path: Make, or Command-7)

Good luck!

[danield845033]

That worked! Thank you for your help.