Illustrator - Paths vs Compound Path vs Shapes - Demystified

Тәжірибелік нұсқаулар және стиль

Illustrator - Paths vs Compound Path vs Shapes - Demystified
Beginner Illustrator users are often confused about the difference between paths, compound paths and shapes like lines and rectangles. I'll explain what these are and what, if any, of the differences really matter. You will learn what a shape is and how to change it to a Path and why some paths are compound paths and must stay that way and why some compound paths can be converted to regular paths. This short video should answer most of your questions as to why your Illustrator file looks as it does.
If you have more questions, feel free to ask them in the comments below and I'll try to help out.
#helenbradley #illustratortutorial
VIEW MORE VIDEOS JUST LIKE THIS ON MY KZread CHANNEL
Subscribe ► kzread.info_c...
VISIT PROJECTWOMAN.COM FOR MORE ON PHOTOSHOP, ILLUSTRATOR & LIGHTROOM
Website ► www.projectwoman.com
Blog ► www.projectwoman.com/phototips
SUBSCRIBE TO MY EMAIL MAILING LIST
visitor.constantcontact.com/d....
LET'S CONNECT!
Google+ ► plus.google.com/+helenbradley
Facebook ► / projectwoman
Twitter ► / helenbradley
LinkedIn ► / helenbradley
LEARN BY PURCHASING ONE OF MY COURSES
Udemy ► www.udemy.com/make-patterns-i...
Udemy ► www.udemy.com/illustrator-for...
Udemy ► www.udemy.com/create-whimsica...
Curious ► curious.com/helenbradley/seri...
Curious ► curious.com/helenbradley/seri...
Skillshare ► www.skillshare.com/helenbradley
Learn Lightroom with Helen Bradley ► helenbradley.teachable.com
IF YOU LIKED THIS VIDEO YOU MAY LIKE THESE SIMILAR VIDEOS:
7 "Must Know" Illustrator Type Tips ► • Illustrator - 7 "Must ...
Animate A Shape In Illustrator ► • Animate a Vector Shape...
Create Boxes For Text In Illustrator ► • Label Shapes for Text ...
Illustrator Brush Profile Secrets ► • Illustrator - Brush Pr...
Complex Illustrator Shapes Made Simple With Shape Builder ► • Complex Illustrator Sh...
Create And Use Illustrator Art Brushes ► • Illustrator - Create a...
Create Curly Bracket Frame Shapes In Illustrator ► • Curly Bracket Frame in...
Create A Vector Sunburst In Illustrator ► • Illustrator: Make a Ve...
Draw A Silhouette Chandelier In Illustrator ► • Illustrator - draw a S...
Makes Hollow Circular Strokes In Illustrator ► • Illustrator - Hollow C...
Mirror (Reflective) Drawing In Illustrator ► • Illustrator - Mirror (...
Symbol Sprayer Secrets For Illustrator ► • Symbol Sprayer Secrets...
Gradient Filled Text In Illustrator ► • Gradient Filled Text i...
Illustrator - make a logo from rectangles and text ► • Create a Logo Using Te...
Illustrator - Create a scallop edge brush to use for clothing design and more ► • Illustrator - Create a...
Illustrator - Enlarge or Shrink a Shape Perfectly ► • Illustrator - Enlarge ...
Illustrator - Quickly Cut Lines & Shapes on Anchors and on Paths ► • Illustrator - Quickly...
Illustrator - Make Custom Shapes for Photoshop ► • Illustrator - Make Cus...
Illustrator - Make Holes in Shapes Using the Appearance Panel - Create Custom Knockout Effects ► • Illustrator - Make Hol...

Пікірлер: 109

  • @pat4005
    @pat40056 жыл бұрын

    Thanks Helen! Your presentations always make everything easier to understand.

  • @HelenBradley

    @HelenBradley

    6 жыл бұрын

    You're welcome Pat! I'm glad I could help. Thanks for stopping by my channel.

  • @freddieventura4382
    @freddieventura4382 Жыл бұрын

    Thank you for the video Helen , 90% of Illustrator hassle can be saved by just watching this. Amazing clarity of concepts you bring with it

  • @HelenBradley

    @HelenBradley

    Жыл бұрын

    Thank you so much - this is a very kind comment!

  • @rotem..
    @rotem.. Жыл бұрын

    Your video made the concept of compound paths so much clearer for me! I watched a tutorial explaining it, and the guy just failed to mention this very basic (and important) fact - a compound path is simply a shape with a hole in it. Thank you so much for explaining it the way you did.

  • @HelenBradley

    @HelenBradley

    Жыл бұрын

    Glad it helped! So happy to hear you liked my explanation. I remember being new to Illustrator and panicking when I saw a compound path - wondering what I had done wrong. It took me ages to work out that it was really just a donut rather than a circle! So easy when you know!

  • @evelynwald9132
    @evelynwald91326 жыл бұрын

    Your tip about "groups" in the layers panel was very helpful. I didn't realize that you could delete the group and still be left with an object. As always thanks so much, I do learn a lot from you.

  • @HelenBradley

    @HelenBradley

    6 жыл бұрын

    I am happy to hear that the tutorials have been useful for you! Thank you for checking out my channel.

  • @junkmail420
    @junkmail4202 жыл бұрын

    I just found your videos and omgoodness they are so helpful. I love how straightforward you are with your teaching style. Thank you so much for putting these out.

  • @HelenBradley

    @HelenBradley

    2 жыл бұрын

    Thank you Junk Mail (love the ID!)

  • @junkmail420

    @junkmail420

    2 жыл бұрын

    @@HelenBradley 😁

  • @brandbryce
    @brandbryce3 жыл бұрын

    Flipping fantastic tutorial: thank you so much for diving straight in, no 'bs'

  • @HelenBradley

    @HelenBradley

    3 жыл бұрын

    Flippin' heck, I don't do bs ;)

  • @susanpratt3290
    @susanpratt32905 жыл бұрын

    This is a great video, to help understand the difference between compound paths, shapes, type and creating outlines.

  • @HelenBradley

    @HelenBradley

    5 жыл бұрын

    Cheers Susan! Glad you enjoyed the video.

  • @heodoimu
    @heodoimu4 жыл бұрын

    Thank you so much. I feel so frustrated not understanding many Ai tools do what they do. Now they make more sense.

  • @HelenBradley

    @HelenBradley

    4 жыл бұрын

    I am so glad Miss Ace. I hope you will find Illustrator easier every day.

  • @darksageiv3392
    @darksageiv33924 жыл бұрын

    Very good explanation...other people will only tell how to do it but not why. Understanding the reason why is vital!

  • @HelenBradley

    @HelenBradley

    4 жыл бұрын

    Thank you! I’m glad you enjoyed the explanation.

  • @MevludinShah
    @MevludinShah2 жыл бұрын

    I'm new to Illustrator and this was a brilliant crush course! a big thank you !

  • @HelenBradley

    @HelenBradley

    2 жыл бұрын

    You're very welcome!

  • @nositelle
    @nositelle6 жыл бұрын

    Thanks Helen. Your videos are ever so useful.

  • @HelenBradley

    @HelenBradley

    6 жыл бұрын

    You are welcome! Thank you for checking out my channel!

  • @annavery2912
    @annavery29126 жыл бұрын

    Thanks so much. I did not understand compound path....now I do...Thanks for the videos.

  • @HelenBradley

    @HelenBradley

    6 жыл бұрын

    I am glad the tutorial was able to be helpful! I will be posting more videos in the near future. Thanks for stopping by my channel.

  • @glitzyprints5459
    @glitzyprints5459 Жыл бұрын

    This was so helpful! Great video. Thank you so much!

  • @HelenBradley

    @HelenBradley

    Жыл бұрын

    You are so welcome!

  • @gayathribalasubramanian2795
    @gayathribalasubramanian27954 жыл бұрын

    This was super useful , well explained. Thank you so much.

  • @HelenBradley

    @HelenBradley

    4 жыл бұрын

    I’m so glad you enjoyed this video. Thanks for stopping by.

  • @monicaoterovidal9722
    @monicaoterovidal97223 жыл бұрын

    Exactly what I needed. Thanks!

  • @HelenBradley

    @HelenBradley

    3 жыл бұрын

    You're welcome!

  • @Jennofcali
    @Jennofcali3 жыл бұрын

    I love it, "if you don't like 'compound path' change the name to 'donut"

  • @HelenBradley

    @HelenBradley

    3 жыл бұрын

    :)

  • @tonicheval1
    @tonicheval14 жыл бұрын

    straightforward and easy to grasp, ta

  • @HelenBradley

    @HelenBradley

    4 жыл бұрын

    Wonderful to hear that!

  • @enoarts769
    @enoarts769Ай бұрын

    Thanks very much, the video was helpful

  • @HelenBradley

    @HelenBradley

    Ай бұрын

    Glad it helped

  • @kingdavidjapan
    @kingdavidjapan3 жыл бұрын

    Just what I needed, thanks!

  • @HelenBradley

    @HelenBradley

    3 жыл бұрын

    So happy it helped!

  • @CurtisOfBayShore
    @CurtisOfBayShore6 жыл бұрын

    It is an insightful video, thank you for enhancing our understanding of compound paths. My question; when you create a compound path of a composition after expanding it. How ​do you re-color individual parts of the same form or image?

  • @HelenBradley

    @HelenBradley

    6 жыл бұрын

    In most cases you won't expand a compound path because it won't achieve anything - if it is a filled shape with no stroke, for example. A compound path is treated as a single object so it will have a single fill and/or stroke. If you release it (by choosing Object > Compound Path > Release) then you will get individual shapes that you can select and color. But, be warned, if your shape had a hollow middle (like a donut, for example), then you will have the donut and the hole as individual shapes once you have released the compound path. I hope this helps?

  • @QuidditchGryffindor7
    @QuidditchGryffindor74 жыл бұрын

    "I'm using illustrator say-say..." Haha, I almost thought there was a new release! Very informative video, can't thank you enough

  • @HelenBradley

    @HelenBradley

    4 жыл бұрын

    Ha! You're very welcome!

  • @Nathwindon1234
    @Nathwindon12344 жыл бұрын

    Argh! I hope you win lotto! Thanks for making this so much friendlier! I'm stalking your videos now for more beginner tips!

  • @HelenBradley

    @HelenBradley

    4 жыл бұрын

    I hope I win too! I am so glad you found these videos Nathan, have fun stalking them - but occasionally let me know that you found a good one though - I love to hear that!

  • @EASTSIDEDELI
    @EASTSIDEDELI5 жыл бұрын

    I was looking for a way to attach a shape to a path so I could place my custom font on a path. It's not text though, I drew it and brought it in and expanded the shape. I don't want to repeat shapes on a path either any suggestions?

  • @borisnefyod4868
    @borisnefyod48683 жыл бұрын

    Totally makes sense. Here's how I got it. 1. Everything is technically a path. 2. An open path is a line. 3. A closed path is a one rounded with its stroke without a gap. 4. A compound path is an object with at least one hole (and therefore it is defined with at least two paths). 5. A shape is a specific pre-defined entity of the closed path (rectangle, circle, star etc). P.S. An important 'hack': if you miss a hole in your letter after outlining it, select at least on anchor in the inner path and try 'Object > Path… > Reverse Path Direction' command. To make a hole, the inner path should run the other direction that the outer one.

  • @HelenBradley

    @HelenBradley

    3 жыл бұрын

    Boris that’s an awesome summary. And thank you for the comment about reversing the path. It is really tricky that paths have direction and sometimes that can impact whether or not the hole is a hole. Most grateful for your input.

  • @rashijain8037

    @rashijain8037

    2 жыл бұрын

    Please clear my doubt Image Link:-i.imgur.com/N3VlRbG.jpg Actually i am having a confusion with closed path @ Boris Nefyod To which we call a closed path?

  • @margretthatcher2549
    @margretthatcher25492 жыл бұрын

    Thank you for this video! How do you make a compound path thinner? I am a beginning surface pattern designer. . .still in the learning phases. To make motifs (like flowers or butterflies) I usually hand draw a sketch on paper, bring it into Adobe Illustrator, image trace it with "black and white logo" and "ignore white". Then I am left with a black outline that is a compound path. I want these outlines to look thinner and more delicate. . . but because they are "fills" and not "strokes" I can't change the stroke weight. When I convert the outlines to a stroke, there are two strokes like railroad tracks and they are very messy and wonky. How can I make the outlines on my motifs thinner?

  • @rachelhagan7403
    @rachelhagan7403 Жыл бұрын

    Very helpful thank you

  • @HelenBradley

    @HelenBradley

    Жыл бұрын

    Glad it was helpful!

  • @beverleyhill313
    @beverleyhill3133 жыл бұрын

    When I'm doing repeat patterns I create a colored rectangle with no stroke and then add a rectangle, behind the colored rectangle, without stroke and color . I notice in the layer panel some of my patterns show these as paths and some show them as rectangles. Can you explain why that is happening? Is it something to do with the version of illustrator as you noted in this video? I upgraded to adobe cc online about a year ago so some of my patterns were made previously from the disc version and some from the online version.Do I need to be concerned about it for my pattern productions?

  • @bubblebath2892
    @bubblebath28923 жыл бұрын

    Brilliant vid Helen

  • @HelenBradley

    @HelenBradley

    3 жыл бұрын

    Thank you so much - BTW I love your KZread name :)

  • @maureenneuringer6291
    @maureenneuringer6291 Жыл бұрын

    I have used the blend tool to create a smooth blend. I expanded the group. I now want to cut a hole in the expanded blend and minus the front without losing the blend. Any ideas for me? Thanks so much.

  • @md.shahadathossain8943
    @md.shahadathossain89434 жыл бұрын

    Thats great . Thank you .

  • @HelenBradley

    @HelenBradley

    4 жыл бұрын

    So glad you liked this!

  • @ling6701
    @ling67013 жыл бұрын

    thanks, very useful.

  • @HelenBradley

    @HelenBradley

    3 жыл бұрын

    Glad to hear that!

  • @user-ym2jd8sq1q
    @user-ym2jd8sq1q2 жыл бұрын

    Thank you so much!

  • @HelenBradley

    @HelenBradley

    2 жыл бұрын

    My pleasure!

  • @KarenAJS
    @KarenAJS Жыл бұрын

    Love your humor!

  • @HelenBradley

    @HelenBradley

    Жыл бұрын

    Thank you!

  • @carlospeguero1143
    @carlospeguero11435 жыл бұрын

    thanks for the video... I have a question and don't know how to optimize it to search it on the web. there you have one circle inside another that is a compound path. I want to rezise or scale precisely the inner circle afecting the outer to keep the same proportion... same as when you manually rezise with shift key, they both will change keeping proportion and position between them. but I want to select the inner circle and set 5 mm wide expeting the outer circle change depending on that setting. can it be done? if it is, can only be done with a compund path or with a group of paths to? thanks again.

  • @HelenBradley

    @HelenBradley

    5 жыл бұрын

    You can probably do this by having one shape with 2 strokes or 2 fills (or some combination of these). Use the offset path command to make one fill (or stroke) the fixed distance away from the original shape. Then, provided scale strokes and effects is disabled in the General preferences- you should be able to resize the object maintaining the same distance between the strokes/fills. It will look like 2 shapes even though it is just one. Let me know how you go and if you need more help from me. Great question by the way!

  • @Aarongoldner
    @Aarongoldner3 жыл бұрын

    Hi Helen. Thanks for this video. I'm TRULY struggling with Illustrator's controls and concepts. My current problem is that I want to use the shape tool to make a circle. Then draw lines with the pencil tool. Then merge the endpoints of the lines to the circle itself. No luck though. There seems to be no way to add or create nodes on the circle's path to join the line too. So the lines I'm making inside the circle end up overlapping the outline of the circle, not joining it. Help!

  • @HelenBradley

    @HelenBradley

    3 жыл бұрын

    Check out my video on making a globe - kzread.info/dash/bejne/hHV6j7driam1hNY.html and this one - kzread.info/dash/bejne/pIqpqbZrn9WWpbw.html Hopefully one will be of help?

  • @rajeeshag2897
    @rajeeshag28973 жыл бұрын

    Thankyou verymuch...

  • @HelenBradley

    @HelenBradley

    3 жыл бұрын

    It’s my pleasure!

  • @jmorris1830
    @jmorris18304 жыл бұрын

    Hello Helen, Thank you for sharing your expertise in design using Adobe Illustrator. Anyway, I have this vector image of a fire engine. Is is very detailed with many shapes etc. It reminds you of an blueprint design. Anyway, it is in black and white and I want to add colors to individual areas. it is in a compound path. I can change colors but the entire design is in that particular color. For example, Red in color but the tires are also in red. I would like to use the color black for the wheels and red and white for the color of the outside frame. I have tried to un-group, release the compound path etc. Nothing seems to work. Do you have any suggestions on how I can accomplish this? I greatly appreciate any further assistance you can provide.

  • @HelenBradley

    @HelenBradley

    4 жыл бұрын

    Hi there Jason. This is a great question. I have looked into it for you and there is pretty much no way you can individually recolor an element in a compound path. If a compound path doesn't release to any thing usable then you are basically toast! Some people suggest you rebuild the pieces you want to recolor one by one - which might be doable or it might just be frustrating. If you just want the colored art and you don't care about it being a vector, then you could take it to Photoshop and recolor it there. It won't be easy but you can paint over the bits you want to color there. I hope this helps a bit? If you have more questions, please feel free to ask.

  • @MuhammadKhalid-jv4qr
    @MuhammadKhalid-jv4qr2 жыл бұрын

    Very fruitful video thanks There are situations when you need to work both sides of ankar point handle separately. How to do that? I would appreciate it.

  • @HelenBradley

    @HelenBradley

    2 жыл бұрын

    Click on the anchor and then hold Alt (Option on the Mac) to break the handles and then they will operate independently. Once they start to work separately you can let go Alt (or Option) because they will be permanently separated.

  • @alideep9656
    @alideep96564 ай бұрын

    Thank you

  • @HelenBradley

    @HelenBradley

    3 ай бұрын

    You're welcome

  • @britsigns8021
    @britsigns80215 жыл бұрын

    tks i am trying to get a stroke around the outside of a compound shape i dont have a hole as far as i can see in my shape nor do i need one any help would be G8 tks

  • @HelenBradley

    @HelenBradley

    5 жыл бұрын

    Another viewer just asked the same question. I have a video going up in the next week or so showing how to do this. It's pretty easy once you know how.

  • @WalkarSajid
    @WalkarSajid5 жыл бұрын

    Thank you very much

  • @HelenBradley

    @HelenBradley

    5 жыл бұрын

    You are welcome! Thank you for checking out my channel!

  • @BJovanovic1987
    @BJovanovic19875 жыл бұрын

    I have a whole bunch of paths and compound paths that I, for whatever reasons *cannot* convert to shape, and later on - cannot extrude them as actual 3D objects in After Effects. Why is that? How do I fix these troublesome paths and compound paths? Bear in mind that I'm talking about a particular .AI file that I got off the internet. In the meantime I myself, drew other/different shapes in Photoshop, saved as AI file, and the extrusion was available later in After Effects without any problems.

  • @HelenBradley

    @HelenBradley

    5 жыл бұрын

    Hi there, have you seen this video" kzread.info?o=U&video_id=6XmkV0XQrSY It might help - I certainly hope it does.

  • @muhammadbaqrain6609
    @muhammadbaqrain66093 жыл бұрын

    Thankyou!

  • @HelenBradley

    @HelenBradley

    3 жыл бұрын

    You're welcome!

  • @amisourov2304
    @amisourov23044 жыл бұрын

    how to solve the compound path problem while filling up character "A" with texts?

  • @HelenBradley

    @HelenBradley

    4 жыл бұрын

    Great question Ami. You need to convert the letter into an outline by selecting it and choose Type > Create Outlines. Then take the knife toll and drag a straight line through the A at a key point such as above or below the bar on the right. That will turn the path from a compound shape into a normal shape and you’ll be able to fill it with text. Let me know if you still have problems. I think it would make a good topic for a video.

  • @ro2473
    @ro2473 Жыл бұрын

    I used to work without compound paths for years and now I feel lost with CC. In my field (textile designs) compound paths must be avoided, always! I dont know how to colour with eyedropper anymore 😥 also... where is my command D???? what happened?

  • @HelenBradley

    @HelenBradley

    Жыл бұрын

    I am so sorry you are struggling with Illustrator.

  • @sergey_bin
    @sergey_bin4 жыл бұрын

    Hi. how to combine two shapes of different colors into a compound path so that they have a different color?

  • @HelenBradley

    @HelenBradley

    4 жыл бұрын

    Good question Sergey. Unfortunately you can't have two shapes of different colors in a single compound path. You can have two shapes of different colors in a group but compound paths are treated pretty much as a single path and so they can't have two colors.

  • @sergey_bin

    @sergey_bin

    4 жыл бұрын

    @@HelenBradley Thx)

  • @HelenBradley

    @HelenBradley

    4 жыл бұрын

    Sorry the news wasn't any better Sergey.

  • @muhammadadnansharif5591
    @muhammadadnansharif55913 жыл бұрын

    thanks

  • @HelenBradley

    @HelenBradley

    3 жыл бұрын

    You're welcome!

  • @muhammadadnansharif5591

    @muhammadadnansharif5591

    3 жыл бұрын

    its was great

  • @sheikhmuhammadadnan3
    @sheikhmuhammadadnan36 жыл бұрын

    nice

  • @HelenBradley

    @HelenBradley

    6 жыл бұрын

    Thank you!

  • @joebox9999
    @joebox99995 жыл бұрын

    I've got some better idea of how it works, but unfortunately it did not help me to resolve the problem.

  • @HelenBradley

    @HelenBradley

    5 жыл бұрын

    Hi there. If you can let me know what your problem is, I may be able to be of help to you.

  • @marekkowalski541
    @marekkowalski541 Жыл бұрын

    Let's call it a doughnut. Just about sums it ;)

  • @HelenBradley

    @HelenBradley

    Жыл бұрын

    :)

  • @bartonselby1933
    @bartonselby19335 жыл бұрын

    Speak slower please.

  • @HelenBradley

    @HelenBradley

    5 жыл бұрын

    Thank you for the advice! And thank you for checking out my channel.

  • @rashijain8037
    @rashijain80372 жыл бұрын

    Please clear this doubt Image link:-i.imgur.com/sAqXqUL.jpg

Келесі