10/6/2015

IllustratorHelp|Paintingwithfillsandstrokes

IllustratorHelp/Paintingwithfillsandstrokes
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IllustratorHelp|Paintingwithfillsandstrokes

Paintingmethods
Aboutfillsandstrokes
Applyafillcolortoanobject
DrawandmergepathswiththeBlobBrushtool
Convertstrokestocompoundpaths
Removethefillorstrokefromanobject
Selectobjectswiththesamefillandstroke
ShowAll
Tothetop

Paintingmethods
Illustratorprovidestwomethodsofpainting:assigningafill,stroke,orbothtoanentireobject,and
convertingtheobjecttoaLivePaintgroupandassigningfillsorstrokestotheseparateedgesandfacesof
pathswithinit.
Paintanobject
Afteryoudrawanobject,youassignafill,stroke,orbothtoit.Youcanthendrawotherobjectsthatyoucan
paintsimilarly,layeringeachnewobjectontopofthepreviousones.Theresultissomethinglikeacollage
madeoutofshapescutfromcoloredpaper,withthelookoftheartworkdependingonwhichobjectsare
ontopinthestackoflayeredobjects.
Foravideoonusingbrushes,seewww.adobe.com/go/vid0044.
PaintaLivePaintgroup
WiththeLivePaintmethod,youpaintmorelikeyouwouldwithatraditionalcoloringtool,withoutregard
tolayersorstackingorder,whichcanmakeforamorenaturalworkflow.AllobjectsinaLivePaintgroup
aretreatedasiftheyarepartofthesameflatsurface.Thismeansyoucandrawseveralpathsandthen
colorseparatelyeachareaenclosedbythesepaths(calledaface).Youcanalsoassigndifferentstroke
colorsandweightstoportionsofapathbetweenintersections(calledanedge).Theresultisthat,muchlike
acoloringbook,youcanfilleachfaceandstrokeeachedgewithadifferentcolor.Asyoumoveand
reshapepathsinaLivePaintgroup,thefacesandedgesautomaticallyadjustinresponse.

Anobjectconsistingofasinglepathpaintedwiththeexistingmethodhasasinglefillandasinglestroke(left).
ThesameobjectconvertedtoaLivePaintgroupcanbepaintedwithadifferentfillforeachfaceandadifferent
strokeforeachedge(right).

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Paintinganobjectthetraditionalwayleavessomeareasthatcannotbefilled(left).PaintingaLivePaintgroup
withgapdetection(center)letsyouavoidgapsandoverprinting(right).
ForavideoonusingLivePaint,seewww.adobe.com/go/vid0042.Foravideoonpaintingtechniqueswith
thePaintbrushtool,seewww.adobe.com/go/vid0038.
Tothetop

Aboutfillsandstrokes
Afillisacolor,pattern,orgradientinsideanobject.Youcanapplyfillstoopenandclosedobjectsandto
facesofLivePaintgroups.
Astrokecanbethevisibleoutlineofanobject,apath,ortheedgeofaLivePaintgroup.Youcancontrolthe
widthandcolorastroke.YoucanalsocreatedashedstrokesusingPathoptions,andpaintstylizedstrokes
usingbrushes.
note:WhenworkingwithLivePaintgroups,youcanapplyabrushtoanedgeonlyifyouaddastroketothe
groupusingtheAppearancepanel.
ThecurrentfillandstrokecolorsaredisplayedintheToolspanel.

FillandStrokecontrols

Seealso
Keysforpaintingobjects
SelectcolorsusingtheColorPicker

FillandStrokecontrols
ControlsforsettingthefillandstrokeareavailableintheToolspanel,theControlpanel,andtheColor
panel.
YoucanuseanyofthefollowingcontrolsintheToolspaneltospecifycolor:
Fillbutton
Double-clicktoselectafillcolorusingtheColorPicker.
Strokebutton
Double-clicktoselectastrokecolorusingtheColorPicker.
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SwapFillAndStrokebutton
Clicktoswapcolorsbetweenthefillandstroke.
DefaultFillAndStrokebutton
Clicktoreturntothedefaultcolorsettings(whitefillandblackstroke).
Colorbutton
Clicktoapplythelast-selectedsolidcolortoanobjectwithagradientfillornostrokeorfill.
Gradientbutton
Clicktochangethecurrentlyselectedfilltothelast-selectedgradient.
Nonebutton
Clicktoremovetheselectedobjectsfillorstroke.
YoucanalsospecifycolorandstrokeforaselectedobjectbyusingthefollowingcontrolsintheControl
panel:
Fillcolor ClicktoopentheSwatchespanelorShift-clicktoopenanalternatecolormodepanel,and
chooseacolor.
Strokecolor ClicktoopentheSwatchespanelorShift-clicktoopenanalternatecolormodepanel,and
chooseacolor.
Strokepanel ClickthewordStroketoopentheStrokepanelandspecifyoptions.
Strokeweight Chooseastrokeweightfromthepopupmenu.
Tothetop

Applyafillcolortoanobject
Youcanapplyonecolor,pattern,orgradienttoanentireobject,oryoucanuseLivePaintgroupsandapply
differentcolorstodifferentfaceswithintheobject.
1. SelecttheobjectusingtheSelectiontool( )ortheDirectSelectiontool( ).
2. ClicktheFillboxintheToolspanelortheColorpanel.Doingsoindicatesthatyouwanttoapplyafill
ratherthanastroke.

Fillboxactive.TheFillboxisabovethestrokebox
3. Selectafillcolorbydoingoneofthefollowing:
ClickacolorintheControlpanel,Colorpanel,Swatchespanel,Gradientpanel,oraswatchlibrary.
Double-clicktheFillboxandselectacolorfromtheColorPicker.
SelecttheEyedroppertoolandAltclick(Windows)orOption-click(MacOS)anobjecttoapply
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SelecttheEyedroppertoolandAltclick(Windows)orOption-click(MacOS)anobjecttoapply
thecurrentattributes,includingthecurrentfillandstroke.
ClicktheNonebutton toremovetheobjectscurrentfill.
YoucanquicklyapplycolortoanunselectedobjectbydraggingacolorfromtheFillbox,Colorpanel,
Gradientpanel,orSwatchespanelontotheobject.DraggingdoesnotworkonLivePaintgroups.

Adoberecommends
FillandStrokeinAdobeIllustrator

Adobe Illustrator Fill and Stroke

byDaveCross

LayersMagazineinstructorDaveCross
showsyouhowtoapplyfillandstrokein
Illustratorandsomehandyshortcutsto
workwithfillandstroke.

Seealso
Keysforpaintingobjects
SelectcolorsusingtheColorPicker
LivePaintgroups
Tothetop

DrawandmergepathswiththeBlobBrushtool
UsetheBlobBrushtooltopaintfilledshapesthatyoucanintersectandmergewithothershapesofthe
samecolor.
TheBlobBrushtoolusesthesamedefaultbrushoptionsascalligraphicbrushes.(SeeCalligraphicbrush
options.)

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PathcreatedwithaCalligraphybrush(left);pathcreatedwiththeBlobBrushtool(right)
ToseeavideoonusingtheBlobBrushtool,seewww.adobe.com/go/lrvid4018_ai.Toseeanexampleof
usingtheBlobBrushtocreateacomplexdrawing,see
www.adobe.com/go/learn_ai_tutorials_blob_brush_en.

Seealso
Paintbrushtooloptions

BlobBrushtoolguidelines
WhenusingtheBlobBrushtool,keepthefollowingguidelinesinmind:
Tomergepaths,theymustbeadjacentinstackingorder.
TheBlobBrushtoolcreatespathswithafillandnostroke.IfyouwantyourBlobBrushpathstomerge
withexistingartwork,makesurethattheartworkhasthesamefillcolorandnostroke.
WhendrawingpathswiththeBlobBrushtool,newpathsmergewiththetopmostmatchingpath
encountered.Ifthenewpathtouchesmorethanonematchingpathwithinthesamegrouporlayer,all
oftheintersectingpathsaremergedtogether.
Toapplypaintattributes(suchaseffectsortransparency)totheBlobBrushtool,selectthebrushand
settheattributesintheAppearancespanelbeforeyoustartdrawing.
YoucanusetheBlobBrushtooltomergepathscreatedbyothertools.Todothismakesurethatthe
existingartworkdoesnothaveastroke;thensetuptheBlobBrushtooltohavethesamefillcolor,and
drawanewpaththatintersectsallofthepathsthatyouwanttomergetogether.

Createmergedpaths
Rememberthatpathswithstrokescannotbemerged.
1. Selectthepathintowhichyouwanttomergeanewpath.
2. IntheAppearancespanel,deselectNewArtHasBasicAppearance.Whenthisoptionisdeselected,the
BlobBrushtoolusestheattributesoftheselectedartwork.
3. SelecttheBlobBrushtool

,andmakesureitusesthesameappearancesastheselectedartwork.

4. Drawpathsthatintersectwiththeartwork.Ifthepathsdontmerge,checktomakesurethattheBlob
Brushtoolsattributesexactlymatchtheexistingpathattributes,andthatneitherusesastroke.

BlobBrushtooloptions
Double-clicktheBlobBrushtoolintheToolspanelandsetanyofthefollowingoptions:
KeepSelected Specifiesthatwhenyoudrawamergedpath,allpathsareselectedandremainselectedas
youcontinuetodraw.Thisoptionisusefulforviewingallpathsthatareincludedinthemergedpath.
MergeonlywithSelection Specifiesthatnewstrokesmergeonlywiththeexistingselectedpath.Ifyou

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MergeonlywithSelection Specifiesthatnewstrokesmergeonlywiththeexistingselectedpath.Ifyou
selectthisoption,thenewstrokeisnotmergedwithanotherintersectingpaththatisnotselected.
Fidelity ControlshowfaryouhavetomoveyourmouseorstylusbeforeIllustratoraddsanewanchor
pointtothepath.Forexample,aFidelityvalueof2.5meansthattoolmovementsoflessthan2.5pixels
arentregistered.Fidelitycanrangefrom0.5to20pixels;thehigherthevalue,thesmootherandless
complexthepath.
Smoothness ControlstheamountofsmoothingthatIllustratorapplieswhenyouusethetool.
Smoothnesscanrangefrom0%to100%;thehigherthepercentage,thesmootherthepath.
Size Determinesthesizeofthebrush.
Angle Determinestheangleofrotationforthebrush.Dragthearrowheadinthepreview,orenteravalue
intheAngletextbox.
Roundness Determinesroundnessofthebrush.Dragablackdotinthepreviewawayfromortowardthe
center,orenteravalueintheRoundnesstextbox.Thehigherthevalue,thegreatertheroundness.
Tothetop

Convertstrokestocompoundpaths
Convertingastroketoacompoundpathletsyoumodifytheoutlineofthestroke.Forexample,youcan
createastrokewithavariedwidthordividethestrokeintopieces.
1. Selecttheobject.
2. ChooseObject>Path>OutlineStroke.
Theresultingcompoundpathisgroupedwiththefilledobject.Tomodifythecompoundpath,first
ungroupitfromthefillorselectitwiththeGroupSelectiontool.
UsetheLayerspaneltoidentifythecontentsofagroup.

Seealso
Aboutcompoundpaths
Grouporungroupobjects
Tothetop

Removethefillorstrokefromanobject
1. Selecttheobject.
2. ClicktheFillboxortheStrokeboxintheToolspanel.Doingsoindicateswhetheryouwanttoremove
theobjectsfilloritsstroke.
3. ClicktheNonebuttonintheToolspanel,theColorpanel,ortheSwatchespanel.
Note: YoucanalsoclicktheNoneiconintheFillmenuortheStrokeColormenuintheControlpanel.

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FillandStrokeboxes
A.FillboxB.StrokeboxC.Nonebutton
Tothetop

Selectobjectswiththesamefillandstroke
Youcanselectobjectsthathavethesameattributes,includingfillcolor,strokecolor,andstrokeweight.
Note: TheSelect>Same>FillColor,StrokeColor,andStrokeWeightcommandsworkwithinaLivePaint
groupwhenyouselectafaceoredgewiththeLivePaintSelectiontool;otherSelect>Samecommandsdonot
work.YoucannotselectsameobjectsbothinsideandoutsideaLivePaintgroupatthesametime.
Toselectobjectswiththesamefillandstroke,selectoneoftheobjects,clicktheSelectSimilarObjects
button intheControlpanelandchoosewhatyouwanttobaseyourselectiononinthemenuthat
appears.
Toselectallobjectswiththesamefillorstrokecolor,selectanobjectwiththatfillorstrokecolor,or
choosethecolorfromtheColorpanelorSwatchespanel.ThenchooseSelect>SameandclickFill
Color,StrokeColor,orFill&Strokeonthesubmenu.
Toselectallobjectswiththesamestrokeweight,selectanobjectwiththatstrokeweightorchoosethe
strokeweightfromtheStrokepanel.ThenchooseSelect>Same>StrokeWeight.
Toapplythesameselectionoptionsusingadifferentobject(forexample,ifyouhavealreadyselected
allredobjectsusingtheSelect>Same>FillColorcommandandnowyouwanttosearchforallgreen
objects),selectanewobjectandthenchooseSelect>Reselect.
Tip:Toconsiderthetintofanobjectwhenselectingbasedoncolor,chooseEdit>Preferences>General
(Windows)orIllustrator>Preferences>General(MacOS),andthenchooseSelectSameTint%.Withthis
optionselected,ifyouselectanobjectfilledwitha50%tintofPANTONEYellowCandchooseSelect>
Same>FillColor,Illustratorselectsonlythoseobjectsfilledwitha50%tintofthatcolor.Withthisoption
deselected,objectswithanytintofPANTONEYellowCareselected.
Tothetop

Createmultiplefillsandstrokes
YouusetheAppearancepaneltocreatemultiplefillsandstrokesforthesameobject.Addingmultiplefills
andstrokestoanobjectisthebasisforcreatingmanyinterestingeffects.Forexample,youcancreatea
second,narrowerstrokeontopofawidestroke,oryoucanapplyaneffecttoonefillbutnottheother.
1. Selectoneormoreobjectsorgroups(ortargetalayerintheLayerspanel).
2. SelectAddNewFillorAddNewStrokefromtheAppearancepanelmenu.Alternatively,selectafillor
strokeintheAppearancepanel,andclicktheDuplicateSelectedItembutton .
3. Setthecolorandotherpropertiesforthenewfillorstroke.
Note: ItmaybenecessarytoadjustthepositionofthenewfillorstrokeintheAppearancepanel.For
example,ifyoucreatetwostrokesofdifferentwidths,makesurethatthenarrowerstrokeisabovethewider
strokeintheAppearancepanel.

Seealso
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Targetingitemsforappearanceattributes
Appearancepaneloverview
Tothetop

Createstrokeswithvariablewidths
AbouttheWidthtool
TheWidthtoolisavailablefromtheToolspanel.Itallowsyoutocreateavariablewidthstrokeandsave
thevariablewidthasaprofilethatcanbeappliedtootherstrokes.
WhenyoumouseoverastrokewiththeWidthtool,ahollowdiamondappearsonthepathwithhandles.
Youcanadjustthestrokewidth,movethewidthpoint,duplicatethewidthpoint,anddeletethewidth
point.
Formultiplestrokes,thewidthtooladjustsonlytheactivestroke.Ifyouwanttoadjustastroke,makesure
thatyouselectitastheactivestrokeintheAppearancepanel.
ForavideoonusingtheWidthtool,seewww.adobe.com/go/lrvid5206_ai_en.

UsingtheWidthtool
TocreateormodifyawidthpointusingtheWidthPointEditdialogbox,double-clickthestrokeusingthe
Widthtoolandeditthevaluesforthewidthpoint.IfyouselecttheAdjustAdjoiningWidthPointsoption,
changestotheselectedwidthpointaffectneighboringwidthpointsaswell.
IfyoupressShiftanddouble-clickthewidthpoint,thenthischeckboxisselectedautomatically.
TheWidthtooldistinguishesbetweencontinuousanddiscontinuouswidthpointswhileadjustingvariable
width.

WidthPointEditdialogboxforcontinuouspoints
Tocreateadiscontinuouswidthpointdothefollowing:
1. Createtwowidthpointsonastrokewithdifferentstrokewidths.

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Twopointswithdifferentstrokewidth
2. Dragonewidthpointontotheotherwidthpointtocreateadiscontinuouswidthpointforthestroke.

Discontinuouswidthpointcreatedbydraggingonewidthpointontotheotherwidthpoint.
Fordiscontinuouspoints,theWidthPointEditdialogboxshowsbothsetsofsidewidths.

WidthPointEditdialogboxfordiscontinuouspoints
TheSingleWidthOnlycheckboxesallowusingeitherincomingoroutgoingwidthleavingasingle
continuouswidthpoint.
Widthtoolcontrols
ThefollowingtableliststhekeyboardmodifierstousewhileworkingwiththeWidthtool:
Widthcontroltasks

Keyboardmodifiers

Createnon-uniformwidths

Alt+drag(Windows)orOpt+drag(MacOS)

Createacopyofthewidth
point

Alt+dragthewidthpoint(Windows)orOpt+dragthe
widthpoint(MacOS)

Copyandmoveallthepoints
alongthepath

Alt+Shift+drag(Windows)orOpt+Shift+drag(Mac
OS)

Changethepositionofmultiple
widthpoints

Shift+drag

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Selectmultiplewidthpoints

Shift+click

Deleteselectedwidthpoints

Delete

Deselectawidthpoint

Esc

Youcandragthehandlesoutwardorinwardtoadjustthestrokewidthatthatlocationonthepath.Width
pointscreatedatacorneroratadirect-selectedanchorpoint,sticktotheanchorpointduringbasicediting
ofthepath.
Tochangethepositionofthewidthpoint,dragthepointalongthepath.
Toselectmultiplewidthpoints,pressShiftandclick.TheWidthPointEditdialogboxisdisplayed,where
youcanspecifyvaluesforSide1andSide2ofmultiplepoints.Anyadjustmenttothewidthpoints,would
impactalltheselectedwidthpoints.
Youcanalsogloballyadjustthestrokeweightforallthewidthpointsbyspecifyingthestrokeweightinthe
Weightdrop-downlistoftheStrokepanel.

Savingwidthprofiles
Afterdefiningthestrokewidth,youcansavethevariablewidthprofilefromtheStrokepanelortheControl
panel.

A.UniformWidthProfileoptionB.SaveWidthProfileiconC.DeleteWidthProfileiconD.ResetWidthProfile
icon
WidthprofilescanbeappliedtoselectedpathsbychoosingthemfromtheWidthProfiledrop-downlistin
theControlpanelorStrokepanel.Whenastrokewithnovariablewidthisselected,thelistdisplaysthe
Uniformoption.YoucanalsoselecttheUniformoptiontoremoveavariablewidthprofilefromanobject.
Torestorethedefaultwidthprofileset,clicktheResetProfilesbuttonatthebottomoftheProfiledrop
downlist.
Note: RestoringthedefaultwidthprofilesetintheStrokeOptionsdialogbox,removesanycustomsaved
profiles.
Ifyouapplyavariablewidthprofiletoastroke,thenitisindicatedwithanasterisk(*)intheAppearance
panel.
ForArtandPatternbrushes,theWidthPoints/ProfileoptionisautomaticallyselectedforsizeinStroke
OptionsdialogboxaftereditingabrushpathwiththeVariableWidthtoolorapplyingaWidthProfile
preset.Toremoveanywidthprofilechanges,selecttheFixedoptionforsizeoroneofthetabletdata
channels,suchasPressure,torestorethetabletdataoptions.
Foravideooncreatingvariablewidthprofiles,seewww.adobe.com/go/lrvid5215_ai_en.
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Seealso:
AboutLivePaint
IllustratorBrushes
Walkthrough-Howtoworkwithbrushes
Video-PatternFill

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