Adobe Illustrator for Windows - Basic Question

Author

Basic Question - Please Help

John Smith

2006-02-12, 7:32 pm

Thanks for reading this post. I am very new to vector drawing and I
have been using trial version of Adobe Illustator. I am amazed at it's
power but I also sometimes find myself going in circles trying to do
some basic things. I have gone through the tutorial that comes with the
trail and I have found it to be quite useful. Now to my questions!

1a. When I try to create a closed shape say a rectangle (PURELY as an
example) using four lines and grouping them. I am not able to fill the
resulting 'grouped' shape with a graident or single colour. How do I
make Ilustrator recoginse the shape as one closed path? I have tried
Make Compound Path but with same effect.

1b. I also have problems with overlay with such grouped shapes. They
seem to behave differently when I do a Send Back or Send Forward.

2. Is there any option to make two lines join together ( lets say at
the ends) smoothly? Right now if I have to join two lines (lets say at
right angles) I zoom in considerably and then join them. But even this
is not producing the kind of sharp corners I am after.

Once again thanks for reading this long mail. And any thoughts you have
on the problems I am facing will be very helpful to me.

Rocket

2006-02-12, 7:32 pm

Well, I'm no expert but I can answer 1a (I think).

Up until Illustrator CS2 there was no way to do what you want to do, but for
a rectangle of course you could draw it as a rectangle with a fill color.
But for filling grouped closed paths you couldn't do it. A work around
would be to "trace" the grouped polygon by going point to point with the pen
tool with your fill. But with the arrival of CS2, Illustrator now has the
Live Color capability, so you would select your grouped paths, make it a
live color object and then fill it.

I don't have much experience with joining lines, but I do know there is a
menu item for this--object/path/join or average if the points are not
exactly the same.

Hope this helps.

Rock Roszak

"John Smith" <postmaster@sumanthcp.plus.com> wrote in message
news:1138538949.546841.47200@o13g2000cwo.googlegroups.com...
> Thanks for reading this post. I am very new to vector drawing and I
> have been using trial version of Adobe Illustator. I am amazed at it's
> power but I also sometimes find myself going in circles trying to do
> some basic things. I have gone through the tutorial that comes with the
> trail and I have found it to be quite useful. Now to my questions!
>
> 1a. When I try to create a closed shape say a rectangle (PURELY as an
> example) using four lines and grouping them. I am not able to fill the
> resulting 'grouped' shape with a graident or single colour. How do I
> make Ilustrator recoginse the shape as one closed path? I have tried
> Make Compound Path but with same effect.
>
> 1b. I also have problems with overlay with such grouped shapes. They
> seem to behave differently when I do a Send Back or Send Forward.
>
> 2. Is there any option to make two lines join together ( lets say at
> the ends) smoothly? Right now if I have to join two lines (lets say at
> right angles) I zoom in considerably and then join them. But even this
> is not producing the kind of sharp corners I am after.
>
> Once again thanks for reading this long mail. And any thoughts you have
> on the problems I am facing will be very helpful to me.
>

Trace Elliot

2006-02-12, 7:32 pm

John Smith wrote:
> Thanks for reading this post. I am very new to vector drawing and I
> have been using trial version of Adobe Illustator. I am amazed at it's
> power but I also sometimes find myself going in circles trying to do
> some basic things. I have gone through the tutorial that comes with the
> trail and I have found it to be quite useful. Now to my questions!
>
> 1a. When I try to create a closed shape say a rectangle (PURELY as an
> example) using four lines and grouping them. I am not able to fill the
> resulting 'grouped' shape with a graident or single colour. How do I
> make Ilustrator recoginse the shape as one closed path? I have tried
> Make Compound Path but with same effect.
>
> 1b. I also have problems with overlay with such grouped shapes. They
> seem to behave differently when I do a Send Back or Send Forward.
>
> 2. Is there any option to make two lines join together ( lets say at
> the ends) smoothly? Right now if I have to join two lines (lets say at
> right angles) I zoom in considerably and then join them. But even this
> is not producing the kind of sharp corners I am after.
>
> Once again thanks for reading this long mail. And any thoughts you have
> on the problems I am facing will be very helpful to me.
>

1a. Grouping four separate lines will not give you an filled object,
because the four separate lines are four separate objects, which all
have their own fill (and stroke). You need to draw (or use the
rectangular tool) a path of four anchor points to fill it.

1b. Learn to work with layers instead of using 'send to back or front'

2. Ctrl+J will join two anchor points (you'll get a pop up asking if you
want a corner point or a Smooth point). Ctrl+Alt+J will bring the anchor
points at the same place, vertically, horizontally or both. Ctrl+ Alt+
Shift+J will do the previous two at once.

3. Having 'Snap to point' active helps a lot too (view>Snap to point (or
Ctrl+Alt+")) or even Snap to grid if you really want to be precise

4. But maybe you should start with pressing F1...... :)

HTH
Trace

John Smith

2006-02-12, 7:32 pm

Thanks for your reply.

1. Can we not fill grouped shapes even in CS2? I was planning to buy it
just for this one reason!

2. Thanks for the tips for connecting lines.

3. Will do, but my problem is - I sometimes don't know what to look for
in help as I am still getting used to the terminology.

Trace Elliot

2006-02-12, 7:32 pm

John Smith wrote:
> Thanks for your reply.
>
> 1. Can we not fill grouped shapes even in CS2? I was planning to buy it
> just for this one reason!
>
> 2. Thanks for the tips for connecting lines.
>
> 3. Will do, but my problem is - I sometimes don't know what to look for
> in help as I am still getting used to the terminology.
>

1, yes you (we) can, so you can buy it :) A straight line (path) can
have a fill, you just don't see it.

2. You're welcome

3. Google is the best 'Help' I know. (and this and other news groups)

HTH