Make Opacity Mask with a Gradient in Adobe Illustrator CS6

Edited by Freya, VisiHow, Eng

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Steps
Video: Make Opacity Mask with a Gradient in Adobe Illustrator CS6
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You're watching VisiHow. In this tutorial, we're going to show you how to create an opacity mask with a gradient in Adobe Illustrator CS6 in Windows 7.

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Steps

  1. 1
    To begin, open Illustrator on your desktop by clicking it or by clicking the Windows icon in the lower-left corner of your screen
    .
    This will reveal a list of your recently used programs where you may find Illustrator. It has a brown-and-orange icon with the letters "Ai".
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  2. 2
    If you still can't find Illustrator, use your search bar along the bottom and start typing "Adobe Illustrator"
    .
    Create a Gradient Opacity Mask on Adobe Illustrator CS6.mp4-canvas31 725234.jpg
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  3. 3
    Click "Adobe Illustrator CS6"
    .
    It will immediately start loading and will take you directly to your workspace.
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  4. 4
    From the workspace, create a document by clicking "New..."
    .
    You can also open an existing document in the menu as well.
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  5. 5
    Click "OK"
    .
    There are other VisiHow tutorials on how to open and create documents.
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  6. 6
    Place an image by clicking "File"
    .
    There is another VisiHow tutorial on how to place images in a document.
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  7. 7
    Click "Place..."
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  8. 8
    Click a file
    .
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  9. 9
    Click "Place"
    .
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  10. 10
    The size of the image can be reduced to fit on the canvas
    .
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  11. 11
    Add a filled background layer
    .
    If you need help completing these steps in Adobe Illustrator, please view our other Illustrator tutorials.
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  12. 12
    Then, click "Rectangle Tool"
    .
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  13. 13
    Click the fill color box
    .
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  14. 14
    Click a color
    .
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  15. 15
    Click "OK"
    .
    This will add a filling.
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  16. 16
    Click and drag the cursor over the canvas to create a shape
    .
    It will go over the image.
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  17. 17
    Click "Selection Tool"
    .
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  18. 18
    Click the "Layers" icon
    .
    "Layer 1" is in front.
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  19. 19
    Click and drag the rectangle off the image a bit
    .
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  20. 20
    Click the background image
    .
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  21. 21
    Right-click the background image
    .
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  22. 22
    Move the cursor to "Arrange"
    .
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  23. 23
    Click "Bring to Front"
    .
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  24. 24
    Click and drag the rectangle behind the image
    .
    There are other VisiHow tutorials on how to arrange layers.
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  25. 25
    Next, create another shape
    .
    Click "Rectangle Tool".
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  26. 26
    Click and drag the cursor over the image
    .
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  27. 27
    Click "Selection Tool"
    .
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  28. 28
    Click the "Gradient" icon
    .
    Click the "Gradient" tab.
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  29. 29
    Click "Gradient Slider"
    .
    The gradient will be applied. Experiment with the "Gradient" settings.
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  30. 30
    Click the black arrow icon at the top-left side of the vertical toolbar
    .
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  31. 31
    Click the gradient object
    .
    This will highlight the top layer that you want to be the transparency mask. A blue frame and corners will appear around the shape, letting you know it is selected and ready for editing.
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  32. 32
    Press and hold "Shift" and click the background image
    .
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  33. 33
    Click the "Transparency" tab in the expanded "Gradient" menu
    .
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  34. 34
    Within the "Transparency" tab, click the small icon with a plus sign
    .
    It is in the upper-right corner. A new drop-down menu will appear.
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  35. 35
    Click "Make Opacity Mask"
    .
    You can see that where the gradient box was white, you are able to see the image. The mask fades in the black area of the gradient.
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  36. 36
    You can click and drag the gradient layer around
    .
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  37. 37
    Click the mask in the "Transparency" tab
    .
    Now, you can begin to edit the mask.
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  38. 38
    You can adjust the image size, rotation, etc
    .
    Let's rotate it by clicking and dragging the blue frame corner. You will notice that rotating the mask will reveal different sections of the image.
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  39. 39
    You can edit other settings in the horizontal toolbar along the top
    .
    You can apply a blur, adjust the opacity, etc., by clicking the various drop-down menus.
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  40. 40
    You can also click "Effect" and apply various filters
    .
    There other VisiHow videos on that.
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  41. 41
    If you want to edit the whole selection, click the left thumbnail in "Transparency"
    .
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  42. 42
    You can check "Invert Mask"
    .
    It is recommended to experiment with the settings.
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This was a VisiHow tutorial on how to create an opacity mask with a gradient in Adobe Illustrator CS6 in Windows 7. If you have any questions or comments, please leave them in the comments section below. Thank you for watching VisiHow!

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Video: Make Opacity Mask with a Gradient in Adobe Illustrator CS6

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Recent edits by: VisiHow, Freya

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