Graphics Programs Reference
In-Depth Information
Rapid Reshaping
Using Shape Builder to Construct Objects
Overview:
Create overlapping objects, color them with a Premedia Systems script,
and use the Shape Builder tool to unite some parts and delete others; recolor, use
drawing modes and the Bristle Brush to add a background, shading, and textures; re-
size artboards with another Premedia script.
Artboards for a presentation
To save a project in stages for a presentation: duplicate the current artboard in the Artboards
panel by dragging it to the New Artboard dialog. Double-click on its name to fit the duplicate in
the window (double-click the icon to rename) and continue working.
Sharon Steuer created this piece for a user group demo highlighting how
some newer features in Illustrator—the Shape Builder tool, drawing modes,
and the Bristle Brush—make constructing objects quicker and easier.
1 Constructing the bowl from overlapping objects.
Since the Shape Builder can
both unite objects and delete parts of intersecting objects, using it can be
much simpler and quicker than either drawing precisely with the Pen tool, or
using Pathfinder commands. To follow along with the figures in this lesson,
set the fill and stroke to the default (press the D key), then set the fill to None
(X toggles focus between fill and stroke; the / key sets the style to None);
then, with the Ellipse tool (L), draw a series of ovals that align at the center.
(To help you do this quickly and efficiently, make sure that Smart Guides are
on ( -U/Ctrl-U), use the modifier keys Option/Alt to draw from the center,
and use the spacebar key to adjust the position of the oval as you draw.) It's
easier to control your use of the Shape Builder tool if each object you'll be
working with is a different color. A quick way to do this is to use the Preme-
dia Systems WOW! Colorizer script (install instructions and scripts are on
WOW! ONLINE
). With the script installed, select everything and choose File>
Scripts> WOW! Artwork Colorizer. In the script dialog, enable “No colors” to
let the script select colors and save the used colors as a swatch group (your
colors may differ from the ones shown here). For the next step, you'll be us-
ing the Shape Builder tool (Shift-M) to hover over the selected shapes, look-
ing at the highlighted areas to see how they will connect. If the areas that you
wish to maintain aren't visible (for instance, the purple oval needs to be on
top in order to form the foot of the bowl), then adjust the stacking order by
cutting and using Paste in Front/Back. With Pick Color From Artwork en-
abled (double-click on the Shape Builder tool for options), drag from the red
bowl through the upper half of the purple oval. To delete the side pieces of
the foot and the top of the bowl, hold down Option/Alt while clicking on
them.
Drawing the oval objects and using the Premedia WOW! Artwork Colorizer
script to give each object a different color
