today we're going to look at four ways in which you can use compound paths in
your work flow when working in Adobe Illustrator after today's video you
should have a perfectly clear understanding of compound paths and why
they're so useful something else useful to you as a graphic designer is
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check out skill share and link down below what is actually is a compound
path now compound path consists of two or more vector paths that intersect
somewhere along the lines no matter how many components make up a compound path
that you act as one individual units if you try to select separate paths that
make up the compound path with the selection tool then the whole compound
path will be selected however you can select and move components within the
path using the group selection tool all the direct selection tool so essentially
it is a non-destructive way to add an effect or an operation to a group of
shapes in Adobe Illustrator so when do we actually need to use a compound path
in our workflow for the first example we have three different circles here each
of which have the same gradients now I want to add the gradient spread across
the entire selection of shapes so I might actually come and unite them in
the Pathfinder window
this doesn't result in a desired effect and even if we did achieve it the three
circles are now one United vector object and that is a destructive workflow so
instead we can make a compound path and hey presto the gradient is spread across
the entire selection that's not the only neat aspect of the compound path the
compound path also allows us to take the direct selection tool and carefully pick
the center of the circle to manipulate it you will notice that the gradient
stays relative to the orientation of the circles which is a neat function of the
compound path in illustrator we can then of course adjust the gradient in the
gradient window but also you have the ability to add other design elements
into the compound path an illustrator is going to keep the gradient relative
throughout now how awesome is that
the second useful function of the compound path is heavily based around
non-destructive workflow when working in Photoshop or illustrator it's helpful to
perform functions and operations to where we can make edits and changes at a
later date so if I want to cut out these two circles into the square I can use
the minus front option in the Pathfinder window however
once this has been done it is not easy to edit the cut out sections or even
revert back to the original so instead let's create a compound path because I
can then use a direct selection tool to manipulate and to move the cut out
circles
this in itself is very handy but I can also revert back and release the
compound path like so so I have two more situations in today's video where the
compound function is useful for your graphic design workflow the third point
in today's tutorial is a kind of extension and upgrade in the previous
points again working in the Pathfinder window we can use the minus front option
to cut out shapes into other shapes which you already know however if you
want to make a quick compound path we can use the minus front option but
what's doing here hold down the alt or the option key now the cut out is a
compound path open for manipulation and edits whenever we need to make them the
last function of a compound path in today's illustrator tutorial is based
around text now often in Illustrator we need to convert the text to a compound
path to add certain effects but also to make sure it's non-destructive workflow
as we can edit the text and the wording later one of those effects is using a
clipping mask on the text itself utilizing the shapes behind so like
before turn the text into a compound path like so and then place it over the
shapes and go ahead and apply a clipping mask
once the clipping mask has been applied like all of the other compound
applications we can then move the text as well as edit the wording itself while
the effect remains the same throughout
now I hope you better understand the compound path function in Adobe
Illustrator today's video somewhat of a reuploads I just expanded on it a little
bit more i remember if you want to join the Skillshare community of over 7
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everybody and until next time design your future
today peace