Quick Tip: How to Use the Opacity Mask to Make High Gloss Icons and Reflections
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Quick Tip: How to Use the Opacity Mask to Make High Gloss Icons and Reflections

on Jul 27th 2010 with 11 comments
Tutorial Details
  • Program: Illustrator CS4
  • Difficulty: Beginner
  • Length: 2:41 min

The Opacity Mask is a somewhat hidden feature in Adobe Illustrator. Mask work like Photoshop’s alpha channels to obscure parts of your artwork. In this Quick Tip, you’ll learn how to use Opacity Masks to make reflections and highlights on a vector icon.

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Cheryl Graham trained as a traditional artist in drawing and painting. These days she spends more time in front of the computer than the easel. She's been using Adobe Illustrator for over 15 years. Her Illustrator work has been featured in the "The Adobe Illustrator WOW! Book" and "Real World Illustrator."  

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  • François

    Thank you very much Cheryl! What a wonderfull tip!

  • http://serbancosmin.com serban

    great tutorial and real easy to follow. keep them coming.

  • gherrin

    nice vid, thanks!

  • Dwight Hipp

    Vectortuts has a tutorial “Reflections Done Right – Creating a Money Roll Icon”

    http://vector.tutsplus.com/tutorials/illustration/reflections-done-right-creating-a-money-roll-icon/

    I refer to that often when doing an opacity mask and reflection.

  • Lars Eirik Aase

    Why would such a feature be hidden so well. Thanks for the tip, will definitely be using this one.

  • http://www.vaporizerkits.com Zephyr Ion

    I’ve been doing this differently, but your method is much easier. Thanks.

  • David J

    Great tip, found it very useful. It WILL come in very handy! Hope to see more. Thank you.

  • http://www.metrodesk.com.bd Metrodesk Clipping Path service

    Its really nice Technic! I love the way you are doing that.

  • David

    Hi, i kindly request you add the steps not just the video..thanks

  • Ian

    Did not know that period shortcut. You just made my life so much simpler. +10 Internets for you.

  • john

    using opacity masks for highlights only seems to work with white backgrounds. otherwise it just follows the color of the bg, i.e the “white highlight” part becomes black if bg is black. any idea what’s wrong?