How to make a clipping mask in InDesign

Curious about making clipping masks in InDesign? Masking is an essential skill to learn in many different design applications, and InDesign, of course, is no different. There are several ways to make skins with InDesign, but one of the most convenient is using custom frame shapes. In this tutorial, we will look at different ways to create clipping mask effects in InDesign.

Are you ready to explore how to make a clipping mask in InDesign? Here are some different InDesign clipping mask techniques you can try!

What will you need
The following assets are used in this tutorial:

Avian feeders in winter

Red Stop Road Sign

Bird migration image

Blackout Free Font

We will use these images to explore the clipping masks in InDesign. I appreciate using them together with me. If not, make sure you have your own images to work with.
Now, let's dive into some of the ways we can create clipping mask effects in InDesign.
1. How to create a clipping mask using the shapes of the frames

Step 1

In InDesign, most of the objects we use are inside frames. Interestingly, these can be considered clipping masks themselves. Since the frame and content inside can be moved separately, InDesign comes with this basic form of built-in image masking service

We can use this to our advantage by creating frame shapes and pasting images that we want to mask on them.

Step 2

By selecting the middle circle on the image, we can move the images from inside the frame. We can also use the Transform Tool to crop the edges of the images if necessary.

Step 3

However, instead of using the default rectangular frame that the image was imported into, let's use a different shape to create a more interesting clipping mask.

Step 4

Click and hold the circle tool on top of your image. This is a good way to measure where you want your mask to be placed. In this case, I'm going to create a clipping mask over a single bird in this image.

Step 5

Go back to your image using the Selection Tool and clicking on it. Now cut the image using Edit> Cut. You can also copy the image if you want! Cutting is a good idea, I think, so we don't have multiple copies of the same image on our stage.

Step 6

Now that you have cut the image, select the circle frame that we have created. Now go to Edit> Paste Inside. Note that the other methods of pasting the image will give the image a new frame instead of placing it in the frame we just created.

Step 7

And there you have a quick way to create a clipping mask with a different shape. Of course, you can use this same method with all the frame shape tools, including the Rectangular Frame Tool and Polygon. B. How to create a clipping mask using custom frame shapes

Step 1

Although the Shape Frame tools are useful, there may be times when more complex clipping masks than those provided are required. Fortunately, we can create complex shapes using the Pen Tool. Let's see how to make a clipping mask in InDesign with custom shapes.

Step 2

Next, we will create a frame to use as the shape of our clipping mask.
Create a single point, and then click another point again. Continue this process to create a shape that works for you.

Step 3

When you are satisfied with your shape, close it by connecting the line to the starting point. If it's not perfect, don't worry too much - we can edit and refine our mask at any time!

Step 4

Next, we want the image to take on our new shape, to act as a clipping mask. With the Selection Tool selected, click on the image to select it. Then cut it ( Edit> Cut ).

Step 5

Now select the clipping mask once more. Paste the image that we cut into the frame, we have to use a special way to paste. To do this, go to Edit> Paste Inside.

Step 6

Now the background has disappeared, revealing only the shape of what we cut. Now you can use the movement tools, like with the rectangular frame where the image started. As you can see, this is a very powerful tool that leaves plenty of room for creativity.

Step 7

Let's refine our new clipping mask a bit!
The shape we just created may have a stroke on the edge due to the use of the Pen Tool. We can remove this from the Properties panel.

Step 8

One of the benefits of creating our own shapes is that we can use the anchor points to edit the mask. Using the Direct Selection Tool, we can move around the anchor points.
To do this, select the Direct Selection tool and then double-click an anchor point. Now you can move it to a better position. This is a great tool for when you need to edit clipping skins later in the project.

c. Use the font as a clipping mask

Step 1

Next, let's take a look at some InDesign text clipping mask techniques.
There are many uses for using the shape tools to create masks. However, tracing over the typeface with the Pen Tool would be very time-consuming. Fortunately, there is a very useful tool for converting fonts into a layer mask.

To get started, create some text by selecting the Text Tool. Place the text and choose the font and font size.

Step 2

Now select the text frame with the Selection Tool. Then go to Text> Create Outlines

Step 3

Now that we have the contours created, we can paste an image into this frame. To do this, cut the image and then select the written outline.

Step 4

Now, you can move around your image as needed.

conclusion

As you can see, there are many ways to create clipping masks in InDesign using the frame tools. InDesign is really useful in this regard as it conveniently places all of our images in default frames. We can take this feature to the next level by creating custom frame shapes; we can be very creative with this. From InDesign's text clipping mask effects to custom shapes, there's a lot we can try here. Hopefully, this has given you some ideas on how to make clipping masks in InDesign scenarios.

you may read also how to create clipping paths in adobe photoshop cs6