Illustrator clipping mask help

[Jeff]

the black is a mouth, the semi transparent white is teeth. I'm trying to make a clipping mask so that the white shows only in the black (i.e. like a photoshop clipping mask would do), but when I do it, it just combines the two paths basically and shows only the teeth like so



help :(

[Ben]

Select the black layer and press CTRL + A, then press CTRL + SHIFT + I (should be inverse selection) then hit DEL to delete it.

That should work if not i don't have a clue. Don't really use illustrator.

[unit_number_43]

I'm not really sure why you want to use clipping mask instead of just the path... but whatever. When you make one shape the clipping mask for another; that clip mask object "disappears" because it becomes the clipping mask and no longer an object. So you either need to copy the mouth or use the transform window, which i can't explain right now in such a short amount of time.

[[PHXN] New001]

Yup, I agree with what Ben said. Thats how I would do it, It seems like the easiest way.

[Jeff]

I'm not really sure why you want to use clipping mask instead of just the path... but whatever. When you make one shape the clipping mask for another; that clip mask object "disappears" because it becomes the clipping mask and no longer an object. So you either need to copy the mouth or use the transform window, which i can't explain right now in such a short amount of time.

instead of just the path... meaning what? I was thinking of what the clipping mask in photoshop would do, I didn't know how Illustrator's worked.

I understand what you're saying about why the clipping mask does what it's doing. I'd appreciate if you could explain/point me to some links on how to get what I'm trying to get in whatever way makes the most sense. I'm in no rush. Thanks for the help.