Guides / Pattern Slice
How to slice text into stripes or fill it with a pattern in Illustrator
For stripes across the letters, draw the bands and use the text as a clipping mask, or apply a striped pattern swatch to the fill in the Appearance panel. JuicyType's Pattern Slice cuts grooves through the type, and its extrusion, at any angle and density, as a live effect.
JuicyType Pattern Slice · screen recording goes hereSkip to JuicyType ↓
The manual way, in Illustrator
- Select the text and open Window › Appearance; click the Fill row.
- Choose a pattern from Swatches or Window › Swatch Libraries › Patterns.
- To make your own bands: draw stripes over the text, select stripes and text, and choose Object › Clipping Mask › Make.
- Scale the pattern with Object › Transform › Scale, Transform Patterns only.
A clipping mask made from text converts the text to a mask; it is no longer editable type.
Steps drafted from Illustrator's documentation; to be checked in Illustrator 2025–2026 before launch.
Or, with JuicyType
Pattern Slice with JuicyType
Select the text, open the JuicyType panel, choose Pattern Slice, and drag. It is a live effect, so the text stays editable and every control can be changed later.
- Angle−180 to 180°
- Density1–100%, default 8
- ModeUniform / Graduated
- Ratio5–95%, Uniform mode; default 60
- Rangestart and end, Graduated mode
- ScopeFill and stroke / Fill only / Everything / Extrusion only; default Fill only
JuicyType≡
Pattern Slice✓
Angle
Density
Mode
Keep live text●
Apply
0:45
Common questions
Can the stripes be angled?
Yes, rotate with Transform Patterns ticked. JuicyType has an Angle control.