Creating a clipping mask in InDesign is a little different from how you do it in all the other Adobe tools.
I personally always fight when I have to create a clipping mask in Photoshop – I always forget some steps – while clipping masks in InDesign are fairly simple.
You always need to start from a shape (container) and an image (filling).
Also when you have some text that you want to use as a container, first you need to transform the text into a shape, and then create the clipping mask.
Let’s see how to:
- Create a clipping mask in InDesign
- Create a clipping mask with a group of shapes
- Create a clipping mask with text
Important! Make sure the shape and the image are in the same layer.
Creating a clipping mask in InDesign
- Create the shape of your choice.
- If you haven’t placed the image in InDesign yet, you can select the shape you just drew and place the image inside it (File > Place > select the image to place).
- Otherwise, cut the image you already placed. Select the shape you drew. Right-click and select Paste into.
![“Paste into” and result of the clipping mask in InDesign](https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/615dc53ac3f5ddb2f90d1117/6196a9c13008a84f79e9a236_1_paste-into-1024x658.jpeg)
And that is done.
You either place the image directly into shape or you cut it and place it into the shape.
Your clipping mask in InDesign is done.
![Results of clipping mask in InDesign](https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/615dc53ac3f5ddb2f90d1117/6196a9c087b3e8f00887cca8_2_clipping-mask-indesign-1024x658.jpeg)
Creating a clipping mask with a group of shapes
It’s when you have a group of shapes like the one in the image below that creating a clipping mask in InDesign becomes a little tricky.
![Clipping mask in InDesign with a group of shapes](https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/615dc53ac3f5ddb2f90d1117/6196a9c01d8cb6807c81be50_3_clipping-mask-indesign-with-group-1024x658.jpeg)
- Create your shapes. Select all of them and click on Object > Paths > Make Compound Path.
![How to make a compound path in InDesign](https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/615dc53ac3f5ddb2f90d1117/6196a9c0d0224195973f5c94_4_compound-path-indesign-1024x700.jpeg)
- Now, as we’ve seen above, you can either place your image from the menu File > Place or cut the image and Paste into your group of shapes.
Creating a clipping mask with text
This last part of the tutorial will answer a question I’ve been asked many times:
"How do you fill text with an image in InDesign?"
Very simple, you create the text, transform it into a shape, select the text, and then place your image from the menu File > Place or cut the image and Paste into the text.
To transform your text into an image, you should:
- Select the text. And click on Type > Create Outlines.
![Create text outlines](https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/615dc53ac3f5ddb2f90d1117/6196a9c0cc0cc6171a4184a6_5_create-text-outlines-1024x658.jpeg)
- And then as we’ve seen above select the text and either place your image from the menu File > Place (in this case make sure you are actually selecting the text) or cut the image and Paste into your text.
![InDesign clipping mask with text](https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/615dc53ac3f5ddb2f90d1117/6196a9c04c3775f0dec0fd23_6_indesign-clipping-mask-with-text-1024x658.jpeg)
Creating a clipping mask with text in InDesign is exactly that simple!
One last thing, if the image doesn’t fit perfectly into your text, right-click on the text and select Fitting > Fit Frame Proportionally.
Until next time,
Stefano