Creating a Clipping Path using the Trace Tool

This tip describes how to create a clipping path for a bitmap that has a solid color background using the excellent Trace tool.

Version: 7 and above

Ever place a bitmap image with a white or solid color background but want it to be transparent around the edges? Well I'll show you how to make a clipping path around the image so you can put the bitmap over anything.

Normally, you can do this kind of thing in programs like PhotoShop then export the image as an EPS file. FreeHand has a funny way of displaying these imported EPS files from PhotoShop and they don't look very good if you decide to rotate the image later.

For this example, I've placed a TIF file over my art and as you can see, it has a white background that is solid. I want the Yellow to show through around the edges of the puppy so I need to make a clipping path that I'll paste the TIF file into later. I'll be using the Trace tool to create this clipping path very quickly.

Double-click on the Trace tool, and you'll see its options above. Here, make sure you change the Path conversion method to Outer edge. Also set the Trace conformity to the Tightest setting. All the other settings can really be anything since your only making an outline of the image.

Now drag the bitmap image away from the other art. This ensures that you'll only be tracing the bitmap image. While the bitmap is still selected, choose the Trace tool and click-drag around the image. After you release the mouse, you'll see an outline created around the image. Cut the bitmap image, then Paste-inside the new clipping path. Then remove any lines from the clipping path.

Now you can put the final piece back on your art and have a nice looking clipping path.

Version Addendum Magic Wand/Trace Tool With the new Magic Wand tool in FreeHand 9 and above, you just have to click on the image to get a selection (marching ants). With this selection you can then convert it to an path, and repeat the Cut / Paste Inside routine described above.

You can further enhance the clipping path by zooming in and tweaking the points to better fit the image, and even simplify the path by removing any unneeded points.