A clipping path is a closed Bézier shape that indicates which parts of a picture should be displayed and which parts should be treated as transparent. Clipping paths are especially useful when you are attempting to isolate the picture’s subject from its surrounding background in the original picture file.

You can create clipping paths from scratch in QuarkXPress or QuarkCopyDesk, or you can use embedded path or alpha channel information to create clipping paths. Clipping paths created by QuarkXPress or QuarkCopyDesk are based on the high-resolution picture file, and are stored with the layout.

A clipping path lets you control which parts of a picture show and which parts are hidden.

• Creating clipping paths
• Using embedded clipping paths
• Manipulating clipping paths
• Creating special effects with clipping paths