How to Make a Hole From a Shape in Illustrator
Compound paths and compound shapes allow for a rainbow of creative ways to create and manipulate shapes in Illustrator. Compound paths uses a shape to make a hole in another shape. Several shapes can overlap other shapes to create a lot of holes. The Pathfinder Effects panel offers ten modes that can be used to alter the shape of many objects.
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Instructions
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Compound Paths
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1
Select the Polygon Tool from the Tools panel on the right side of the Illustrator interface. Click on the artboard. In the Polygon Options window, set the radius at 2.7082 inches and the sides at 3 to create a triangle.
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2
Select the Ellipse Tool and click on the artboard. In the Ellipse Options window, set the width and height to 1 inch to create a circle.
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3
Fill the triangle and the circle with a different color for each shape. Move the circle to the inside of the triangle. Select both shapes.
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4
Make a hole in the triangle by selecting "Object," "Compound Path," then "Make."
Pathfinder Panel
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Select the Ellipse Tool from the Tools panel on the right side of the Illustrator interface. Click on the artboard. In the Ellipse Options window, set the width and height of the ellipse at 3 inches to create a circle.
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6
Create a smaller circle with a width and height of 1 inch. Fill each circle with a different color.
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7
Place the 1-inch circle inside the 3-inch circle. Select both shapes using the Selection Tool.
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8
Open the Pathfinder Panel. If it isn't open, go to "Window" and "Pathfinder." A check mark is displayed next to opened panels.
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Choose the Minus Front effect from the Shape Modes section of the panel. The effect removes all selected shapes in front of the shape at the back.
Pathfinder Panel --- Divide
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10
Create a triangle using the Polygonal Tool from the Tools panel. Click on the artboard and set the radius to 2.5 and the sides to 3. Fill the triangle with color.
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11
Select the Rectangle Tool. Click on the artboard and make the width and height 1.7 inches to make a square. Fill the square with a different color than you used for the triangle and place it inside the triangle.
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12
Choose the Ellipse Tool. Click on the artboard and set the width and height at 1.5 inches to create a circle. Fill the circle with a third color and place it over the square.
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13
Select all three shapes. Go to the Pathfinder Panel and select from the Pathfinders section the first icon, which is Divide. Although all of the overlapping paths have been made with separate shapes, you will delete the circle to make the hole.
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Select the circle using the Direct Selection Tool. Then press the "Delete" key on your keyboard. Now, the rectangle and the triangle have a hole.
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Tips & Warnings
The quickest way to use a compound path to make a hole is to select both shapes, right-click on the shapes and select "Make Compound Path."
References
Resources
- Photo Credit Photos.com/PhotoObjects.net/Getty Images
