Photograph Cut-Out Shape

A neat graphic touch, handy for print or web design, is the cut-out effect photograph. This is VERY simple to do in Illustrator and garners interest in a picture that might otherwise be overlooked. Add drop shadows to the cut-out etc for extra stand-out effect.


1. Open your photo in Illustrator
2. Create your desired shape over this (same layer)
3. Make sure the shape has no stroke and no fill
4. Select both the shape and the photo
5. Press CMD + 7 and the shape will 'cut-out' of the photo
6. Save and use as required.
7. That's it. Easy.



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Create Neon Lettering Effect in Illustrator

Basically, there are lots of ways to create a neon text effect in Illustrator, using strokes, blurs, glows and the combination of all three. There are many tutorials available to show you how to achieve this, of varying lengths and difficulties.
I have chosen to show you a relatively simple method here, that'll give you a decent neon glow effect to apply to your graphic or sign or whatever.


1. Choose a dark background box, preferably black.
2. In a new layer, type your text line
3. Choosing a script font can give a nice effect ie Brush Script
4. Fill this text with your basic colour and add a 2pt white stroke
5. Select TYPE > CREATE OUTLINES
6. Go to your LAYERS panel and DUPLICATE this layer
7. Reselect the text and select EFFECT > BLUR > GAUSSIAN BLUR
8. Apply a blur of 20pt and completely blur out the text
9. Go to your duplicated layer
10. Select the text again
11. This time select EFFECT > STYLIZE > INNER GLOW with the following choices:
    MODE: SCREEN  COLOUR: WHITE
    OPACITY: 75%
    BLUR: 1.2mm
    EDGE: SELECT

12. You're done


Very simply achieved and playing around with the INNER GLOW choices will give you different results.

You could also apply OUTER GLOW in place of GAUSSIAN BLUR for a lighter touch in the 'glow'.

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