Masking (Cropping) Images
You can crop images without actually changing the image files by masking the edges
to get rid of unwanted parts or to change the outline of the image. If you don’t specify
a shape for the mask, by default Pages uses a rectangular mask, but you can use any
shape available in Pages, including a custom shape that you’ve created with the Draw
tool, to mask the edges of your image.
To mask an image:
1
Import the image you want to mask.
2
Depending on the mask shape you want to use, do one of the following:
To mask the image with the default rectangle shape, select it and then click the
Â
Mask button in the toolbar (or choose Format > Mask).
To mask the image with a predrawn shape (for example, a circle or a star), select it
Â
and choose Format > “Mask with Shape” > Shape.
To mask the image with any shape, including a custom shape, create the shape you
Â
want, and then drag it over the image you want to mask. Hold down the Shift key
and click to select both the shape and the image, and then click Mask in the toolbar
(or choose Format > “Mask with Selected Shape”).
A mask appears over the image, and some controls appear.
Drag the image to
position the part you
want to show.
Drag the slider to resize
the image.
Click to show or hide the
area outside the mask.
Drag the selection handles
to resize the mask.
3
To resize the image, drag the slider above the Edit Mask button.
4
Refine the mask by doing any of the following:
To resize the mask, drag the selection handles on the mask shape. To constrain the
Â
mask’s proportions, hold down the Shift key as you drag.
To rotate the mask, hold down the Command key as you drag a corner selection
Â
handle on the mask.
5
Drag the image to position the part you want to show. To move the mask, click the
dotted edge of the mask and drag it.
6
When you’re satisfied with the position and size of your image and the mask, do any of
the following to finish:
Double-click the mask or the image.
Â
Press Return.
Â
Click outside the image.
Â
Click Edit Mask.
Â
7
To resize or rotate the masked image, drag or Command-drag its selection handles.
8
To change the size or position of the mask or the image within it, select the masked
image, and then click Edit Mask.
Repeat the steps above as needed.
9
To unmask the image, click Unmask in the toolbar (or choose Format > Unmask).
If you’ve masked a very large image file and you only need to use the smaller version
in your document, you can have Pages keep only the smaller copy of the image,
thus reducing the overall size of your document. See “Reducing Image File Sizes” on
page 142.