How do I cut out a shape from a large vector pattern group?

[bordercross]

I have a vector pattern of dots that is a Group. Over top of that I have a Question Mark shape. I would like cut the Question Mark shape to be cut out of the dot pattern in the background. Can someone help me with this?

Ultimately I would like the white Question Mark shape to be removed from the dot pattern so that the background t-shirt shows through.

Thanks you for any insight.

[h_d]

Drag the Question Mark shape to the right-hand edge of the Dot Pattern Group in the Layer List and drop it when you see the vertical highlight. This will mask the dots and reveal the shirt. (My dots are a bit bigger than yours, but even so...)

[bordercross]

Thanks for the response, but I am actually wanting the reverse effect. To keep the dot pattern on the outside and have the Question Mark be clear of dots and show only the blue color. Is there a way to do that?

I can fake it by making the Question mark the color of the shirt. But I would actually like to have the Question Mark completely cut out (transparent).

 

[carl123]

Like this?

 

 

 

[bordercross]

YES!

How can I do that?

[carl123]

Well I cheated but looking at your layers panel...

I think you need to duplicate the T-Shirt layer then clip/mask the duplicated layer with the question mark layer so the question mark is filled with the T-Shirt pattern then move this layer to the top of the layer stack

...or something like that.

[bordercross]

Yeah, that would kind of do it, but I am really just trying to figure out how to cut out the Question Mark shape from the dot pattern, irrespective of the background. 

[carl123]

3 minutes ago, bordercross said:

irrespective of the background. 

Probably best to mention that at the beginning

Someone else will be along to help you later, got to go and walk this dog before he redecorates my carpet

[h_d]

38 minutes ago, bordercross said:

 I am actually wanting the reverse effect.

Ah sorry, my mistake.

Duplicate the t-shirt layer, drag the duplicate above the dots group and then drag the question mark into the top shirt as a mask:

[bordercross]

h_d, thank you for the reply. That definitely simulates what I am trying to achieve. But I was hoping to make the Question Mark not just appear transparent, but actually be a cutout so that no matter what background appears behind it, it would show through. Is there a way to do that?

Sorry if that was not clear at the beginning.

[h_d]

OK, will have another think & get back!

[Alfred]

Instead of creating a group of dots, create a Compound layer by holding down Option/Alt while you click on the ‘Add’ button in the Geometry section of the toolbar. Then simply subtract the question mark layer from the dots layer.

The attached *.afdesign file contains the layers as they appear before the final subtraction, and the screenshots show the ‘before’ and ‘after’ states.

 

T-dotty-question.afdesign

[Old Bruce]

29 minutes ago, bordercross said:

h_d, thank you for the reply. That definitely simulates what I am trying to achieve. But I was hoping to make the Question Mark not just appear transparent, but actually be a cutout so that no matter what background appears behind it, it would show through. Is there a way to do that?

Sorry if that was not clear at the beginning.

Group the question mark (text) and the Dots, go into the group and set the question mark layer to Erase for a blend mode. This will erase the dots below but as this is a group the erasing will stop before the background colour or whatever is below and outside the group.

[Murfee]

Keep your layers as they are, select the question mark & the dot pattern group, now change the blend mode of the question mark to erase. (I have used an image but it works with curves)

 

[telemax]

[Murfee]

Snap Bruce 😀

 

[bordercross]

Thanks for all the help. This is awesome! And makes it so simple. The Erase Blend mode works like a charm! 

[lacerto]

(...)

[JimmyJack]

You could also just subtract the "?" from a rectangle the size of your document (or at least as big as your dot pattern group) and use that as a clipping object. Remains all vector (if your dots are vector 😉).