Subtract text outline from form without deleting text

[torb68425587]

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.

[Bill Silbert]

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.

[torb68425587]

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?

[Jacob Bugge · Accepted solution]

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).

[torb68425587]

Thank you!

That's a much more elegant solution than what I had thougt up myself

And it's really nice that it's directly reversible, and especially that I'm able to edit the text directly while keeping the clipping mask.

[Jacob Bugge]

You are welcome, torb.

Apart from the editabilty, it also works for outlined Type and other compound/grouped paths.

[Bill Silbert]

Now that I'm more fully awake I'd like to add still another way to keep the text editable. Do exactly as you did before but don't change the text to outlines. Use the minus front pathfinder option with the option key for a Mac or alt key for a PC held down. It will produce the same result as you originally wanted while keeping it as an effect and fully editable. Sorry I left out this part earlier, I really should wait until after coffee to answer sometimes.

[torb68425587]

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?

[Bill Silbert]

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

[torb68425587]

Great, thank you!

[Bill Silbert]

Happy to help.

[Jacob Bugge]

torb,

Actually, you can just click the live Type within the Opacity Mask (just as you would any other live Type object) with the Type Tool and then edit as desired; that will give you a live edit of the whole thing.

You may wish to Paragraph>Align Center when you create the Type in the first place so it(s centre) stays when you edit.