Illustrator image overlay (or something)

[3v1L_k0w]

Ok, so i'm not even sure what the correct terminology is, and i'm probably gonna look stupid for asking, but here goes:
I have some vector stuff in illustrator that i want to lay over a black and white image. However, I don't really want the image to act as a fill for the vector stuff, rather, I'd like to have the black act as positive fill space, and the white act as negative fill space. I'm not really sure if there's a way to do this, and if there's not, if someone has another idea to kinda do the same thing, that's good too. I'm trying to get a grunge look on some type, but the type isn't actually text- it's just a trace of a scan.
Anything helps.
Thanks!

[Professor Fagan]

Ok, so i'm not even sure what the correct terminology is, and i'm probably gonna look stupid for asking, but here goes:
I have some vector stuff in illustrator that i want to lay over a black and white image. However, I don't really want the image to act as a fill for the vector stuff, rather, I'd like to have the black act as positive fill space, and the white act as negative fill space. I'm not really sure if there's a way to do this, and if there's not, if someone has another idea to kinda do the same thing, that's good too. I'm trying to get a grunge look on some type, but the type isn't actually text- it's just a trace of a scan.
Anything helps.
Thanks!

If I understand what you want, you can use a CLIPPING MASK. Here's the directions. Hope they help.

[3v1L_k0w]

I didn't really word that well >_< After talking with Misty, I think the best way to word my request is to ask if anyone knows a good way to pull off a grunge effect in illustrator without using bitmaps- i'd like to keep everything vector. Thanks!