Illustrator Tip #13: Cropping Images

By Tony Soh

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This is what happens when you try to export your vector art from illustrator.  You realise the image exported out isn’t the same as the artboard or there are ugly white spacing around the image. So why does this happen? When you export an image, illustrator will calculate the bounding box of the whole area taken up by your image including the clipping mask and set that as the image area. This normally leaves a lot of white spacing around the image.

The solution to this problem is simple. Draw a box in the canvas and define it as the crop area by going to Object>Crop Area>Make. This will define the crop area. So when you export our the image will show only the crop area.

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About The Author: Tony Soh

Hi. I'm the founder of Vector Diary. Illustrator is my passion and I have written numerous tutorials on illustrator helping people learn illustrator. My most popular tutorial on learn illustrator has been a hit. It makes learning illustrator so easy and has benefited more than 20,000 people worldwide. Also, I've revealed some of my secret techniques in the premium tutorials. So don't forget to check it out!

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+Add Comment15 Comments

1. 
   Cesar February 7th

   I’ve never thought it was possible, a really timesaver.
   Nice trick! Thanx.

2. 
   Paul February 7th

   Nice thank you! I was searching for this a while back.

3. 
   Khawla February 8th

   Thanks for the tip!

4. 
   jesseme February 12th

   Thanks for the tip.nice trick. enjoy

5. 
   Jane March 1st

   thanks so much! this is going to save tons of time.

6. 
   Babatunde Adeyemi March 27th

   Thanks for sharing. Lots of time I get lost trying to figure out how to eliminate the extraneous white-space.

7. 
   Large Format Printing April 3rd

   This cropping issue happens a lot to us. Good info, will definately forward along to our designers…

8. 
   Awn April 15th

   Put an update how to do this in CS4.

9. 
   Khawla April 18th

   I tried to do this in CS4, but could not find Crop Area under the Object menu.

10. 
    Vectordiary April 19th

    Hi Khawla, Illustrator CS4 is different. Use the new Artboard Tool to define the crap area. When you export the image, remember to check “Use Artboard”.

11. 
    Khawla April 20th

    Thank you!

12. 
    Peter Breis May 4th

    CS4′s Artboard tool is really nice. I use it all the time.

    If you group the artwork and then click on it with the Artboard tool it auto selects the object’s bounding box. Very quick. I then zoom to fit and save.

    The amount of time it saves and the neat view of the artwork on reopening as well as when you place it in a document saves enormous amounts of time.

13. 
    liko June 5th

    i still can’t solve the problem on my pc (Ai cs4)!
    could somebody help me solve this problem? thanks!

14. 
    elshinsoi August 20th

    Thanks a lot

15. 
    Martin Turner June 6th

    I’ve been using Illustrator for 16 years and never knew this — a lifesaver. Thank you very much.