A clipping mask is an object that masks object whose shape masks other artworks so that only areas that lie within the clipping mask are visible.
In effect, you are clipping an artwork or wall paper to conform to the shape of the mask. In this case, the mask is text.
Example. Say you are working for a computer magazine and want to create a title that says Homemade Macs, with the image of a motherboard showing through the words.
Follow these steps
1. Open a new document in Photoshop.
2. Make the dimensions of your frame 1400 pixels wide
by 800 pixels high.
3. In the menu bar, click View>Rulers. You'll see rulers at the top and on the left of your Background frame. Notice the top is 20 measures wide. Grab the ruler on the left side and drag it to 10, the halfway point. You'll see a blue bar running top to bottom in the frame.
4. Click on the Horizontal Text tool. Click on the light blue bar to put your cursor in the middle of the frame.
Make the color for the text blue. In the options bar, choose the following options:
Myriad Pro font
regular
200 point type
5. Click on the light blue bar and type, in all caps "Homemade Mac" Hit return after homemade to make the text two lines. You'll see the text centered in your background frame. When you are done, check the check-mark in the options bar. In your layers panel, you'll now see the blank BACKGROUND frame and a layer that says HOMEMADE MAC.
6. Hold the command key and drag the text to the top of your frame. This is the same as using the move tool.
7. Click File>Save and name your file "Homemade Mac"
Now, adding the clipping mask:
In your browser, in google images, type in 'motherboard icons." You'll see images of a computer motherboard, the circuits that make up the computer.
8. Pick the image in the middle of the third column. a 1366 x 768 image that is green and blue. Click that image to make it bigger, put your cursor over it, hold down command and click. When you get a dropdown box select, save document.
In Photoshop, click FILE>NEW and click ok. Paste the motherboard image in and save it as a jpeg, into your documents folder.
9. Go the arrange documents button on the Application bar, right below your menu far. It's the second button from the right. Click on the "2 Up" option from the drop-down,
You'll see both panels side-by-side.
10. Make sure the motherboard panel is highlighted, and you see the motherboard in the layers panel on the right.
KEY: 11. Hold shift down, click on the motherboard thumbnail and drag it into the left frame. Release it and it will cover the text and much of the frame.
12. Close the motherboard panel. Don't save changes to it.
13. Highlight the motherboard layer (It will be called Panel 1 or Panel 2) and in the menu bar, choose EDIT>TRANSFORM>SCALE.
You'll see a frame around the motherboard image. Grab corners and reshape it until it covers the Homemade Mac type.
14. Press RETURN on your keyboard to apply the transformation.
15. Rename the layer "motherboard." Then, create a clipping mask doing the following:
LAYER>CREATE CLIPPING MASK.
You'll see the motherboard behind and through the text.
16. Select the "homemade mac" layer to activate it, then click the "add a layer style" button in the layer panel : fx.
Choose "Inner shadow" from the menu.
Use the following settings:
Opacity - 48%
Distance - 18
Size - 16
Click OK when you are done.
17. Choose FILE>SAVE, and make this project a jpeg.
Email the jpeg to me.
In effect, you are clipping an artwork or wall paper to conform to the shape of the mask. In this case, the mask is text.
Example. Say you are working for a computer magazine and want to create a title that says Homemade Macs, with the image of a motherboard showing through the words.
Follow these steps
1. Open a new document in Photoshop.
2. Make the dimensions of your frame 1400 pixels wide
by 800 pixels high.
3. In the menu bar, click View>Rulers. You'll see rulers at the top and on the left of your Background frame. Notice the top is 20 measures wide. Grab the ruler on the left side and drag it to 10, the halfway point. You'll see a blue bar running top to bottom in the frame.
4. Click on the Horizontal Text tool. Click on the light blue bar to put your cursor in the middle of the frame.
Make the color for the text blue. In the options bar, choose the following options:
Myriad Pro font
regular
200 point type
5. Click on the light blue bar and type, in all caps "Homemade Mac" Hit return after homemade to make the text two lines. You'll see the text centered in your background frame. When you are done, check the check-mark in the options bar. In your layers panel, you'll now see the blank BACKGROUND frame and a layer that says HOMEMADE MAC.
6. Hold the command key and drag the text to the top of your frame. This is the same as using the move tool.
7. Click File>Save and name your file "Homemade Mac"
Now, adding the clipping mask:
In your browser, in google images, type in 'motherboard icons." You'll see images of a computer motherboard, the circuits that make up the computer.
8. Pick the image in the middle of the third column. a 1366 x 768 image that is green and blue. Click that image to make it bigger, put your cursor over it, hold down command and click. When you get a dropdown box select, save document.
In Photoshop, click FILE>NEW and click ok. Paste the motherboard image in and save it as a jpeg, into your documents folder.
9. Go the arrange documents button on the Application bar, right below your menu far. It's the second button from the right. Click on the "2 Up" option from the drop-down,
You'll see both panels side-by-side.
10. Make sure the motherboard panel is highlighted, and you see the motherboard in the layers panel on the right.
KEY: 11. Hold shift down, click on the motherboard thumbnail and drag it into the left frame. Release it and it will cover the text and much of the frame.
12. Close the motherboard panel. Don't save changes to it.
13. Highlight the motherboard layer (It will be called Panel 1 or Panel 2) and in the menu bar, choose EDIT>TRANSFORM>SCALE.
You'll see a frame around the motherboard image. Grab corners and reshape it until it covers the Homemade Mac type.
14. Press RETURN on your keyboard to apply the transformation.
15. Rename the layer "motherboard." Then, create a clipping mask doing the following:
LAYER>CREATE CLIPPING MASK.
You'll see the motherboard behind and through the text.
16. Select the "homemade mac" layer to activate it, then click the "add a layer style" button in the layer panel : fx.
Choose "Inner shadow" from the menu.
Use the following settings:
Opacity - 48%
Distance - 18
Size - 16
Click OK when you are done.
17. Choose FILE>SAVE, and make this project a jpeg.
Email the jpeg to me.