Clipping Mask Loses Stroke

[doodleskull]

My goal is to draw a tongue for my character. I have the mouth and the tongue shapes separate. I drew them with the brush tool. Like so:

So, I select the tongue shape > cut > select mouth shape > Draw Inside > Paste Inside = Illustrator decides to lose the border of the mouth. Like so:

What the bejeezies is going on, Illustrator?

[Barb Binder · Accepted solution]

That is how a clipping mask was designed to work.

How to use and edit clipping masks in Illustrator

Regardless of its previous attributes, a clipping mask changes to an object with no fill or stroke.

So once you have completed the clipping mask, duplicate the mask object and add the stroke.

[danielk59187638]

Maybe I am missing some technical part here, but I want to let you know, Adobe, that from user's point of view, such behavior regarding clipping objects is very strange and inconvenient to work with. It is not practical to duplicate a shape just for the stroke. Because in case I wanted to change the shape of the mask, I will now have to additionally change the shape of the stroked object as well - it just doubles the amount of work, and nobody wants that.

This is a rare case when you could actually learn from CorelDraw (though usually it`s vice-versa). Their PowerClip tool/feature lets you clip objects, but it doesn't change the objects' appearance. And that is how it should be.

[John Mensinger · Accepted solution]

By default, a clipping mask gets no stroke; initially, at least. To get it back, you can use the Direct Select tool (white arrow) to select the mouth-object path and reapply your stroke color/weight.

[Monika Gause]

When using "draw inside" the clipping path shouldn't lose its appearance. And I have just tried: it doesn't lose it.

If it does lose its appearance for you then either:

- you don't use "Draw inside"

- Illustrator has gone weird and you should at least restart the computer. But maybe other measures are necessary.

[prajaktam73202172]

"Draw inside" doesn't work to keep the brush stroke with clipping mask.

[Monika Gause]

Because brush strokes are not allowed on clipping masks at all.