User guide

70 Working with Objects
Cropping and combining objects
Cropping means masking (hiding) parts of an object, for example to improve
composition or create a special effect. The underlying object remains intact.
Combining starts with more than one object, but creates a special composite
object with one or more "holes" on the inside where the component objects' fills
overlapped one another—useful for creating mask or stencil effects.
Square Crop Irregular Crop
To crop using the object's original outline:
1. Select the object, then select the
Square Crop Tool on the
Attributes toolbar's Crop flyout.
2. Drag one of the object's edge or corner handles inward.
To scale the object within the crop outline, Ctrl-drag either
upwards or downwards.
To crop by modifying the object's outline:
• Select the object and select the Irregular Crop Tool on the
Attributes toolbar's Crop flyout. The Curve context toolbar appears,
which lets you control the displayed nodes and connecting segments
that define the object's crop outline. See Editing lines on p. 188.
• To move a node (control point) where you see the cursor,
drag the node.