so you might think you know the shape builder tool and what it's used for but
I'm gonna show you the settings where they are and how to use them if you want
the chance to enter into a free five-week course based around how to
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video for those that don't know what the shape builder tool is and how to use it
let's quickly take a look the shape builder tool is essentially used for
combining shape together to make new shapes this is great for logo design and
icon design and so forth and you can find the shape builder tool over here
you will notice the keyboard shortcut is Shift + M and if you hold on a click you
can access the other tools in this category now to actually use the shape
bird at all you need to have your selection of objects highlighted and
then once you've done that you can then press the keyboard shortcut to access
the shape bird at all so by default it's in merge mode which means there's a plus
icon around the cursor and this would allow you to unite shapes together if
you hold down the alt or the option key this will take you into subtract mode
which means you will remove and erase parts of the objects so obviously in
merge mode I click and drag to highlight and merge together certain sections of
my group
and of course holding down the alt or the option key we head into subtract
mode when I can raise certain parts of my design and then when ready a
compressed V for the selection tool and then press shift and X to flick the
shape over to a field object so that's the basics but there actually are some
options for the shape board at all and if you come into the window drop-down
menu you won't find anything there or at least I don't think there is anything
there but what you do need to do you need to come over to the shape builder
tool in the tool bar and then double-click the tool itself so this
brings up a few options which I'm going to discuss and go through in the video
coming right up so the first and a somewhat interesting option is that we
have the ability to discard any breaks in the path of a shape and actually
think of it as one United shape even though it's gonna break in it somewhere
so I'm going to cut up this shape by using the scissors tool which is C on
the keyboard and if I remove this part of the shape it's now not a closed path
shape there's a break in it and I'm going to use point as the measurement
because in the settings it dictates the size of the gap according to points now
this is pretty tricky it takes some guesswork sometimes the highest value
you can use is 72 points so having this setting checked and
activated will allow illustrator to treat each shape with a break in it as a
closed path so as you can see here this path is broken but illustrator still
thinks of it as a closed path this is handy for digital illustrations and
things like that and obviously when I deselect this option illustrator doesn't
recognize it as a closed path anymore so next we're going to look at a setting
that will allow you to split stroke paths when you're using the merge mode
with the selection of shapes here I'm going to show you how to do that so
again double-click the shape builder tool and then you now notice this in
merge clicking stroke split path option when we use this mode it essentially
means we can split a stroke of a shape where it meets another shape this is
really handy for working with line art or line designs or stroke designs so as
you can see I've clicked the circle in two areas with the red line indicating
this and then when I come to use the selection tool you will see I've
actually split this shape up into two shapes where they intersect with a
square again this is a really handy and pretty useful setting to know with the
shaper at all
next we're going to look at the kind of selection method and it will address the
color swatches and also the fill path later but for now this next setting is
pretty redundant if you ask me if you choose a straight line selection method
whatever you want to use and selects with your groups of shapes you can only
use a straight line cursor now literally I've never found a use for this option
and I never use it I always use the freeform option which means have
complete freedom where I want to unite and select my shapes the highlight
options here just basically use interface settings for the colors and
whatever else showing you what you're doing when you're using the shape but at
all but let's go back up and let's check out this consider open a filled paths as
closed and this really is like it sounds if you have a shape with a break in it
like we had earlier but the shape has a fill illustrator is going to see that
shape as being closed no matter how large the gap is when it's got a color
fill so I have two squares here and you can see a huge gap in this Blue Square
and with this setting activated you can see illustrator does see as a closed
path which is really really useful
and for the last setting as you see I've just selected this shape it's used my
swatches in the left as a guide to color the artwork but if I actually change the
setting to color using the original artwork you will notice it leaves with a
stroke and a blue fill so as I mentioned at the start of the video template
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there was the rundown on the shape that at all and the hidden settings let me
know if you learned something today and if you knew about these settings also if
you want to keep learning about graphic design expanding your skills and your
awareness as a designer subscribe to my channel for weekly representing content
have a great day and until next time design your future today
peace
you