How to Cut Out Any Image in Adobe Illustrator: 4 Easy Methods

As a graphic designer, you‘ve likely encountered the need to cut an image out of its background countless times. Whether you‘re creating a product collage, a digital illustration, or a marketing composition, isolating the subject from the original image is a crucial skill to master.

While Adobe Photoshop is often the go-to tool for image editing tasks, Illustrator actually offers more flexibility and precision for cutting out images, especially when you need to use the graphic at different sizes or on various background colors.

According to a survey by Creative Bloq, 72% of designers report needing to cut out images on a weekly basis. Efficient mastery of cutout techniques can save hours of tedious work, freeing you up to focus on the creative aspects of your projects.

In this expert guide, we‘ll walk you through four foolproof methods to cut out images in Adobe Illustrator:

1. Pen Tool + Clipping Mask (Best for Custom Cutouts)
2. Shape Tools + Pathfinder (Best for Geometric Cutouts)
3. Crop Tool (Best for Rectangular Crops)
4. Knife Tool (Best for Cutting Vector Shapes)

We‘ll also cover advanced tips, workflows for Illustrator on the iPad, and real-world use case examples. By the end, you‘ll be equipped with the knowledge to tackle any cutout challenge efficiently and expertly. Let‘s dive in!

Method 1: Pen Tool + Clipping Mask (Best for Detailed Cutouts)

The Pen Tool and Clipping Mask combo is the most versatile and powerful way to cut out images in Illustrator, especially for organically-shaped subjects with fine details. Here‘s a step-by-step breakdown:

Step 1: Place your image
Bring your image into Illustrator by going to File > Place. Click and drag to set the size and position.

Pro tip: Before placing, adjust the image‘s contrast and sharpen the edges in Photoshop. This will make the edge details easier to trace.

Step 2: Lock the image layer
In the Layers panel (Window > Layers), click the empty square to the left of the image layer to lock it. This prevents accidentally selecting or moving it while you draw your path.

Step 3: Draw your clipping path with the Pen Tool
Create a new layer above the image. Select the Pen Tool (P) and begin tracing around the edge of your subject. For best results, set your Fill color to a bright, contrasting hue like lime green. This helps you clearly see where you‘ve traced.

Click to add anchor points at corners and curves. Click and drag to create smooth bézier curves. Hold down Alt/Option and click on a point to adjust its handles independently.

Continue drawing until you connect the path‘s end to its beginning, forming a closed shape. Use the Direct Selection Tool (A) to fine-tune any wonky curves or misplaced points.

Step 4: Make the clipping mask
With the path still selected, go to Object > Clipping Mask > Make (or press Cmd/Ctrl+7). Alternatively, right-click and choose "Make Clipping Mask".

Voilà! The top path is now masking the image on the layer below, leaving you a cleanly cut out subject.

But how does a clipping mask actually work? In essence, it‘s a way to use one object (the mask shape) to hide portions of another object (the artwork being clipped). Only the parts of the masked artwork that fall within the clipping object will be visible.

The beauty of clipping masks is they‘re non-destructive. You can always adjust the mask path or swap out the clipped image later. Simply Alt/Option+click the mask thumbnail in the Layers panel to edit the path.

Clipping masks are useful for more than just cutting out images too. You can create interesting type effects by setting colorful images or patterns in text shapes. Or use masks to blend images and create surreal double exposure effects.

Method 2: Shape Tools + Pathfinder (Best for Geometric Cutouts)

If your subject can be broken down into basic shapes like circles, rectangles, and polygons, using the Shape Tools with Pathfinder operations can be a speedy alternative to the Pen Tool.

Step 1: Place your image
Bring your image into Illustrator and lock its layer, as described in the previous method.

Step 2: Draw shapes over the subject
Create a new layer. Use the various Shape Tools (M) to draw shapes that correspond to parts of your subject. For example, use the Ellipse Tool to trace curved bits and the Polygon Tool for angled sections. Hold down Shift while dragging to constrain proportions.

Color the shapes with a single, bright Fill color so you can see the overall composition.

Step 3: Combine the shapes with Pathfinder
Once you‘ve "built" the subject from individual shapes, it‘s time to unite them. Select all the shapes. Go to Window > Pathfinder to open the Pathfinder panel. Click the "Unite" button to merge the separate shapes into one compound shape.

Step 4: Make the clipping mask
With the united shape selected, go to Object > Clipping Mask > Make to clip the underlying image to the silhouette.

The Shape Tool method works best for subjects with simplified, geometric shapes like icons, logos, and stylized illustrations. It‘s not ideal for photographic images with organic, complex edges.

Method 3: Crop Tool (Best for Rectangular Crops)

Need to quickly cut out a rectangular section of an image? The Crop Tool is the simplest solution:

Step 1: Select the image with the Selection Tool (V)

Step 2: Go to Object > Crop Image. Or locate the Crop Image button in the Control Bar or Properties panel.

Step 3: Drag the crop handles to define the area you want to keep. Press Enter/Return to commit the crop.

The Crop Tool is useful for cutting out specific portions of an image, but note that it doesn‘t remove the background. It‘s basically a quick way to trim away the outer parts of an image, similar to the Crop Tool in Photoshop.

Method 4: Knife Tool (Best for Cutting Vector Shapes)

The Knife Tool allows you to slice and dice vector objects, which can come in handy for cutting up traced images:

Step 1: Convert the raster image to vector
Select the image and go to Object > Image Trace > Make to trace it into a vector graphic. Experiment with the tracing presets or manually adjust the settings for the cleanest results.

Step 2: Use the Knife Tool to slice off unwanted areas
Select the Knife Tool from the toolbar. Then simply click and drag across the parts you want to cut away from the main subject.

Each slice creates a new shape, which you can then select with the Direct Selection Tool (A) and delete or move away.

The Knife Tool only works on vector shapes, not raster images. So it‘s most useful for cutting out parts of flat illustrations, icons, and traced graphics.

Preparing Images for Cutting Out in Illustrator

For best results when cutting out an image, it‘s important to start with a high-quality asset. Here are some tips for prepping your images before bringing them into Illustrator:

• Use high resolution images (at least 300 dpi for print)
• Adjust levels to increase contrast
• Sharpen edges for easier tracing
• Remove noise and grain
• Consider removing intricate details like hair wisps beforehand

If the original image is lacking in contrast or sharpness, you can quickly enhance it with a Levels adjustment in Photoshop:

Aim for clearly defined edges between the subject and background. The more distinct the edges, the easier it will be to create a clean cutout.

Cutting Out Images on Illustrator for iPad

All the previously mentioned cutout techniques can also be performed on the go with Illustrator on the iPad. The touch-based interface and Apple Pencil support make it even easier to draw precise clipping paths and cut out images.

To quickly access the Pen and Shape tools on the iPad, simply touch and hold their icons in the toolbar to reveal the nested tools. You can also customize the toolbar by dragging your most used tools into it.

When drawing with the Pen Tool, use the Apple Pencil for more precise control. Tilt the pencil to create finer strokes and press harder for thicker lines. Double tap the Pencil to switch between the current and previous tools.

Real World Use Case: Cutting Out a Product Image for an Ecommerce Store

Imagine you‘re designing a product graphic for an online shoe store. You need to cut out the shoe from its studio background and place it on a transparent background for use across the web and marketing materials.

Here‘s how you could approach this with Illustrator‘s clipping mask method:

1. Place the shoe image on the artboard and lock its layer.

2. Use the Pen Tool to meticulously outline the shoe, zooming in to capture fine details like the stitching and laces. For curved areas, click and drag out direction handles. For sharp corners, hold down Alt/Option and click to convert smooth points to corner points.

3. Close the path once you‘ve made your way around the entire shoe.

4. Select the path and the image layer below it. Right-click and choose "Make Clipping Mask". The background of the image will disappear, leaving you with a shoe on a transparent background.

5. Export the clipped graphic as a transparent PNG at various sizes for use across the ecommerce store.

By using a clipping mask instead of rasterized image editing, the cut out shoe graphic will maintain crisp edges at any size and can easily be placed over different colored backgrounds.

Recap & Conclusion

We‘ve covered four powerful techniques for cutting images out of their backgrounds in Adobe Illustrator:

1. Pen Tool + Clipping Mask for organic shapes and detailed edges
2. Shape Tools + Pathfinder for geometric, icon-style graphics
3. Crop Tool for quick rectangular crops
4. Knife Tool for slicing and dicing vector graphics

To set yourself up for success, remember to start with high quality, high contrast images. And don‘t forget all of these methods can be used right on your iPad with Illustrator‘s mobile app.

With an arsenal of non-destructive cutout methods under your belt, you‘ll be able to handle any challenge that comes your way, from stylized illustrations to photorealistic product shots.

Mastering cutouts in Illustrator not only saves you time and frustration, but also unlocks new creative possibilities. So dive in and start experimenting with all the ways you can isolate and remix imagery. Your newfound efficiency will free you up to spend more time on the most satisfying part of your work: the creative magic.