How to Crop a Vector in Illustrator
Cropping vector artwork in Adobe Illustrator is different than cropping pixel artwork in Photoshop. This is because when you crop pixels, Photoshop simply deletes the pixels outside the crop area. Illustrator cannot crop vectors the same way because it has to read the filled and unfilled path information, rather than just where the pixels are located. Illustrator does provide two ways to simulate cropping your vector artwork.
Other People Are Reading
Instructions
-
Clipping Mask
-
1
Draw a closed path around the area that you want to crop. Place the new shape on top of the vectors to crop.
-
2
Select the vector artwork and the new path.
-
-
3
Click on the "Object" menu. Roll your cursor over "Clipping Mask" and select "Make." All of the artwork outside of the top shape will disappear. The vector artwork information still exists, but is hidden. To undo, select "Release" from the Clipping Mask" sub-menu.
Pathfinder
-
4
Draw a closed path around the area that you want to crop. Check that the new shape is on top of the vectors that you want to crop.
-
5
Select the vector artwork and the new path.
-
6
Click on the "Window" menu and select "Pathfinder" to open the Pathfinder panel.
-
7
Select the "Crop" icon, which looks like a square with a solid circle on top in the lower left corner. All of the artwork outside of the top shape will be removed from the illustration.All selected vectors will be grouped and all strokes will be removed.
-
1
References
- Photo Credit Burke/Triolo Productions/Brand X Pictures/Getty Images
