Clipping Masks

Clipping Masks in Illustrator

You can create the shape of you vectorised clipping mask using a variety of tools:

Shape Tool: Press and hold the icon for different shapes in the tool bar. You can then either dray the shape to create it, or click once to open a dialog box allowing you to chose the size and number of sides if you are creating a polygon (shape with multiple sides- triangles, pentagons, hexagons etc.)

Pen Tool (P): Click points and join to make a path. 

Type Tool (T): Click to insert the text or dray a text box to fit text into. You can set the font and size etc. In the controls bar at the top[ of the window. 

Once you have created created your shape, you need to place an image into fit it into it:

Click File>Place and choose your image from dialog box.

Using the Selection tool (v) select your image, then click Object>arrange >send to back or use the layers palette to arrange your shape and image. 

You shapes need to be in front of your image to properly apply the clipping mask. 

To apply the clipping mask: 

Select both the image and shape, then click Object> Clipping Mask > Make

If you want to create a clipping mask from multiple shapes, you first need to group them all as on Compound Path. To do this select all of the shapes and then click Object > Compound Path > Make. You can then place an image and apple the clipping make in the same way as you would with a single shape. 

My clipping mask creation