Clipping and inverting the values of an opacity mask

When you select artwork that has an opacity mask, the Clip and Invert Mask buttons become enabled in the Transparency palette. The Clip button specifies that the mask doubles as a clipping mask, making the masked objects fully transparent outside the boundaries of the masking artwork. The Invert Mask command reverses the luminosity values of the masking artwork, which reverses the opacity of the masked artwork (for example, areas that are 90% transparent become 10% transparent after inverting). Select both options to create a clipping opacity mask that uses inverted luminosity values.


Clip and Invert Mask options A. Neither Clip or Invert Mask selected B. Clip selected C. Invert Mask selected D. Both options selected

To create a clipping mask from the opacity mask:

1. Select the masked artwork.
2. Select the Clip option. Deselect the Clip option to remove the clipping mask.

To specify all mask are clipping masks by default:

Choose New Opacity Masks Are Clipping from the Transparency palette menu.

To invert the opacity of a mask or to restore an inverted mask to its original state:

1. Select the masked artwork.
2. Select the Invert Mask option. Deselect the Invert Mask option to return the mask to the original state.

To invert all masks by default:

Choose New Opacity Masks Are Inverted from the Transparency palette menu.