This is really helpful info! I'm just starting with Illustrator, so all of these little tips really help with basic understanding of the program and all the hidden tricks to using it well.
Am so new to this Illustrator and i av been having hard time going around,The first video i watch did a lot of help,Thanks...I have some questions about how to cut away the part of shapes you dnt need...Please..
I use the pencil tool for creating pantographs for quilting designs. My question is there a place where you can set focus on a node and then place that node at a specific location on the grid / canvas.
thank you great info! I have a question about the shape builder tool. Can you sample colours like the live part tool? or do you have to use the colour palette. I am trying to figure out how to sample like with the eyedropper and continue on colouring with the shape builder tool and so on... sample colour sample colour... I think I am looking for a ghost cause I cannot figure out how to do this.
Hi Spencer, I just thought it really pertinent to mention that the Options Dialogues for each of the tools (given they have Options) can also be activated by simply clicking the "Enter" Key while in the Tool - and I assume, the "Return" Key on the Mac. (Simply clicking "Enter" while using the Paintbrush Tool then for example, will immediately bring up the Paintbrush Tool Options.) That way you don't always have to move your cursor away from the artwork that you're busy with in order to go find the tiny tool icon to double click on in the Tool Panel - which can be especially irritating if you have the full Advanced Toolbar activated with its double column of icons. The only notable exceptions of course to the above rule are the Transformation Tools - that is, the Scale, Rotate, Reflect, Shear and Selection/Arrow (i.e. Move) Tools - for which "Enter" will bring up the [Object Menu > Transform] Dialogue of the corresponding Transformation Command. (i.e. Simply clicking "Enter" while using the Reflect Tool for example, will immediately bring up the dialogue of the Object Menu Reflect Command.) This is indeed the rationale for why "Enter" in the Selection Tools brings up the Move Command Dialogue - The Selection/Arrow Tools are essentially Illustrator's "Move Tools".
I also just thought to add that you didn't cover anything regarding the really useful but terribly worded "In Merge Mode, Clicking Stroke Splits the Path" option (probably the worst-worded command description I've ever come across 😅). But it's really useful, since, with it activated, you can use the Shape Builder Tool to Split, and, when holding "Alt", Remove portions of Open Paths (Paths without any Fill Attributes). Similarly, you also mentioned that you would highlight the "Pick Colour from: Colour Swatches" option, but never got around to it - it's also really powerful since it allows you to decide on-the-fly the Fill Colour/Gradient/Pattern that you want any Newly Merged/Split Path to take on, using the Swatches in your Swatches Panel. With it, and its accompanying "Cursor Swatch Preview" option active, one will have a little Three-Swatch widget present above the Shape Builder Tool cursor, and then, using the "Left" and "Right Arrow" Keys one can quickly toggle through one's Swatches while using the Tool.
@@pixelandbracket Sorry for the information deluge 😅, I just find the Shape Builder Tool such an amazing utility, and its Options similarly take on tremendously useful effects. So I'm just really enthusiastic to share all its wonderful secrets because they quite literally changed so much of my Illustrator workflow when I first discovered them. 😀
Hi.I'm getting circle with a line through it (like a stop symbol)when trying to use this tool...what am I doing wrong? I cannot join selection or colour it? Am very new to Ai so just finding my feet:)
Many tools do have panels, simply activate the tool and press enter. Its same as double click actually. Pressing enter is faster,, you don't have to move to the panel, so you can enter the menu everywhere
my shape builder tool is not working. please help me...i don't know why.. its not working, but when i select the tool it shows me the arrow with a no symbol circle... is that mean i can't use this tool in my pc?
What kind of system do you work on, just curious as i noticed the display is quite big but the resolution isn't that big. Or do you change that when making these videos?
Ya had some comments a few years ago and now I always scale it up. It’s a pain on my end cuz there’s not as much room and my mouse is terribly laggy while screen recording. But I know it’s worth it especially for anyone watching on mobile
@@pixelandbracket not sure what app you use or what you sys specs are. But ever tried OBS, on my MacBook Pro I did a couple test test and it ran quite okay. But I guess recording that big screen is a bit of an issue here
I use OBS on a MacBook Pro. The issue is the connection to the display which is HDMI and then the scaling + screen recording. Unfortunately I don’t have a better extra monitor setup for now during COVID with my work computer. Generally my home setup is an iMac with and extra Thunderbolt Display. I’ll survive 😁
![How to draw using the Shape Builder tool - Adobe Illustrator CC 2018 [5-6/39]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/uLQwiyil2bA/mqdefault.jpg)
Thanks for watching! Try Skillshare Premium for free and watch my classes here: bit.ly/PBSkillshare
Production quality of this video is excellent, especially lighting and set up. Kudos. (Content is great, too.)
Thanks for the excellent explanation.
Nice! Pick color from artwork and holding shift to create marquee selection will definitely improve my workflow.
Happy teacher's Day Sir ❤️
This is great! I already loved the shape builder tool but now I love it even more. Thanks for your help!
This is really helpful info! I'm just starting with Illustrator, so all of these little tips really help with basic understanding of the program and all the hidden tricks to using it well.
Wow!! I never knew about that.
Those little tiny gaps cost me HOURS
Thanks again man :)
Very nice! Thank you for sharing this information. Helped a lot to understand more.
Am so new to this Illustrator and i av been having hard time going around,The first video i watch did a lot of help,Thanks...I have some questions about how to cut away the part of shapes you dnt need...Please..
Jesus Christ that gap problem was driving me insane. Muchas gracias dude!
Thank you so much
Thanks
Thanks!
I use the pencil tool for creating pantographs for quilting designs. My question is there a place where you can set focus on a node and then place that node at a specific location on the grid / canvas.
How do you do the joined text stroke effect. Is that possible to caret the effect inside illustrator.?
thank you great info! I have a question about the shape builder tool. Can you sample colours like the live part tool? or do you have to use the colour palette. I am trying to figure out how to sample like with the eyedropper and continue on colouring with the shape builder tool and so on... sample colour sample colour... I think I am looking for a ghost cause I cannot figure out how to do this.
Need more tips like this
4:14 That was the thing I was looking for
Damn it took me 2 hours
Thanks for making a video on shaper tool bruh!
Very nice work
Hi Spencer, I just thought it really pertinent to mention that the Options Dialogues for each of the tools (given they have Options) can also be activated by simply clicking the "Enter" Key while in the Tool - and I assume, the "Return" Key on the Mac. (Simply clicking "Enter" while using the Paintbrush Tool then for example, will immediately bring up the Paintbrush Tool Options.) That way you don't always have to move your cursor away from the artwork that you're busy with in order to go find the tiny tool icon to double click on in the Tool Panel - which can be especially irritating if you have the full Advanced Toolbar activated with its double column of icons.
The only notable exceptions of course to the above rule are the Transformation Tools - that is, the Scale, Rotate, Reflect, Shear and Selection/Arrow (i.e. Move) Tools - for which "Enter" will bring up the [Object Menu > Transform] Dialogue of the corresponding Transformation Command. (i.e. Simply clicking "Enter" while using the Reflect Tool for example, will immediately bring up the dialogue of the Object Menu Reflect Command.)
This is indeed the rationale for why "Enter" in the Selection Tools brings up the Move Command Dialogue - The Selection/Arrow Tools are essentially Illustrator's "Move Tools".
I also just thought to add that you didn't cover anything regarding the really useful but terribly worded "In Merge Mode, Clicking Stroke Splits the Path" option (probably the worst-worded command description I've ever come across 😅). But it's really useful, since, with it activated, you can use the Shape Builder Tool to Split, and, when holding "Alt", Remove portions of Open Paths (Paths without any Fill Attributes).
Similarly, you also mentioned that you would highlight the "Pick Colour from: Colour Swatches" option, but never got around to it - it's also really powerful since it allows you to decide on-the-fly the Fill Colour/Gradient/Pattern that you want any Newly Merged/Split Path to take on, using the Swatches in your Swatches Panel. With it, and its accompanying "Cursor Swatch Preview" option active, one will have a little Three-Swatch widget present above the Shape Builder Tool cursor, and then, using the "Left" and "Right Arrow" Keys one can quickly toggle through one's Swatches while using the Tool.
Sheesh! There’s always more to learn! 😅
@@pixelandbracket Sorry for the information deluge 😅, I just find the Shape Builder Tool such an amazing utility, and its Options similarly take on tremendously useful effects. So I'm just really enthusiastic to share all its wonderful secrets because they quite literally changed so much of my Illustrator workflow when I first discovered them. 😀
100% agree!!
How about for the previos versions, there is no selection for free form, is there other way?
Hi.I'm getting circle with a line through it (like a stop symbol)when trying to use this tool...what am I doing wrong? I cannot join selection or colour it? Am very new to Ai so just finding my feet:)
Very good sir
Many tools do have panels, simply activate the tool and press enter. Its same as double click actually. Pressing enter is faster,, you don't have to move to the panel, so you can enter the menu everywhere
my shape builder tool is not working. please help me...i don't know why.. its not working, but when i select the tool it shows me the arrow with a no symbol circle... is that mean i can't use this tool in my pc?
What kind of system do you work on, just curious as i noticed the display is quite big but the resolution isn't that big. Or do you change that when making these videos?
It’s a Dell 27” 4K monitor, I change resolution when I record so that the UI is bigger
@@pixelandbracket Thats really great, some people leave it as is and its really hard to tell if your not familiar with Illustrator.
Ya had some comments a few years ago and now I always scale it up. It’s a pain on my end cuz there’s not as much room and my mouse is terribly laggy while screen recording. But I know it’s worth it especially for anyone watching on mobile
@@pixelandbracket not sure what app you use or what you sys specs are. But ever tried OBS, on my MacBook Pro I did a couple test test and it ran quite okay. But I guess recording that big screen is a bit of an issue here
I use OBS on a MacBook Pro. The issue is the connection to the display which is HDMI and then the scaling + screen recording. Unfortunately I don’t have a better extra monitor setup for now during COVID with my work computer. Generally my home setup is an iMac with and extra Thunderbolt Display. I’ll survive 😁
When I use the ShapeBuilder tool, a “progress box” pops up on each click. How do I remove this box?
I can't find that selection part in my illustrator
I'm not getting the selection window, so I can't get it to freeform
When building a shape with the shape builder tool, all grids i create get deleted for each shape i build
I've been trying to fix this but still no solution
Like it
Didn’t Jason Hoppe also has a good video on the shape builder tool.
🤷🏻♂️
I hate mac computers...