Trying to figure out if there's a way to edit part of a pattern once the pattern swatch is applied

[sueb81498602]

Please help. I have a client who has used a pattern swatch for the background of their packaging. They want the area behind their logo to be clear but the pattern to continue everywhere else. Sort of like a text wrap idea. The only way I can figure out to do exactly what they want was to expand the pattern, remove the paths near their logo. But this makes the file huge because of the absurd number of points that creates. This is a print job.

Anyone have a better idea? I'm sure I'm just not thinking this through correctly. Thanks!

[Monika Gause]

It would help to have an idea about the nature of the pattern and the nature of the removal. You could create a frame around the logo which hides the pattern.

[Jacob Bugge]

Sue,

As I (mis)understand it, you can create/place the area as desired on top of the pattern, then give it a solid fully black fill, then select both the filled path and the pattern and Make (Opacity) Mask with both Clip and Invert Mask unticked (Transparency panel).

[sueb81498602]

This gives you an idea of what they want (without posting their full company name). They want me to be able to move some of the squiggles around the logo.

[Jacob Bugge · Accepted solution]

Sue,

To actually change the pattern and move some of the squiggles about will require some serious work.

My (mis)understanding was/is that you just wish remove squiggles closest to the logo, and you can do that with the suggested Opacity Mask.

You can either create it as one continuous path round the logo, maybe starting with a shape that follows the logo and adapting, or simply by drawing with the Pen Tool, or you can create smaller paths each covering one or more squiggles and grouping them.

It may be convenient to create an oversize rectangle round the logo with the pattern, then using a smaller rectangle (or other shape) as a Clipping Path, so you can move the pattern about behind the logo for best fit of the nearest squiggles to keep.

You can combine the two by first creating a simple path round the logo, then moving the pattern round, then cleaning up by adapting the path.

[Ton Frederiks]

If you don't want to expand the pattern, try to find a way to cover the pattern partially with objects. May you can drag a pattern tile out of te swatches panel, modify it and use it to cover the area.