: How to cut through a font in half in Illustrator? How do you cut a vertical line though a font to split in half?

@Murray976

It appears you have a Clipping Mask in the shape of a J on a raster image. You can't cut the raster image, but you can alter the clipping mask.

It's assumed the "J" has already been converted to outlines to create the clipping mask. If not, select the "J" and choose Type > Convert to Outlines first.


Draw a line where you want to split
Select the line and just the clipping shape (J) do NOT select the
raster image
Click the Divide button on the Pathfinder Panel
You will loose the clipping mask, that’s okay
Object > Ungroup
Object > Compound Shape > Make
Select the shape (J) and the raster image
Object > Clipping Mask > Make


You can then use the Direct Selection Tool to move each half of the letter. However, you need to stay within the area of the raster image for the mask to work. Otherwise, the edges of the raster image will be seen inside the pieces of the clipping mask.

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There are additional methods if you want each piece to be independent objects and not bound by the dimensions of the masked raster image.


Rather than making a compound Shape, you just copy the raster image and create 2 clipping masks - one for each half.

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@Ann6370331

Object > Expand

then create a box that'll indicate your cut.
Now select both objects and cut it with the pathfinder.

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