Old 07-29-2008   #1 (permalink)
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konnichi wa

Afternoon all!

Just to introduce myself and throw out my first plea for help! (please bear with me if i appear a bit dense, i'm a complete novice....) I'm Steve. A 36 yr old Englishman living in Tokyo. Studied graphic design nearly ten years ago but not too savvy with the computing side of things and am trying to get to grips with illustrator and Photoshop CS. Anyway enough abt that- here goes my first question, hope it makes sense!


Just created what looks to be a closed shape/icon of a woman (imagine similar to a sign you might see outside a public toilet!) using a series of compound paths (joined ovals) and arcs .To achieve symmetry i halved my image and then copied and mirrored it and joined the two halves together(although i'm sure this was an overly complicated way of doing it it was the only way i could figure it out but there you go.....)

Anyway, when I try to fill this shape, because I have a number of open paths within the main outer stroke of the shape, I'm unable to fill completely and am left with areas filled only up to where the imaginary paths between end points occur. Again, hoping this makes sense but can anyone help me to solve this so my shape fills completely please?


your help is very much appreciated and i look forward to hearing your thoughts- many thanks!

steve
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Old 07-29-2008   #2 (permalink)
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greetings and welcome

are you in Illustrator when have this problem?... just find the points that are not connected... using the pen tool... click on an end point that needs connected and the click on adjacent point that would close the shape. If they are points on the same path and both end points... it should close and fill. Maybe you could take a screen shot of your image and post it up? It would help to explain it for us maybe.

if you used the pathfinder functions to add and subtract the shapes... it creates extra paths sometimes depending how it its used that can also create issues. Its really best to get familiar with drawing with pen tool... its the key to being productive in Illustator really and can help you avoid funny situations created on paths sometimes like this.
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Old 07-31-2008   #3 (permalink)
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thanks synthetic!

hi synthetic tone

thanks for the speedy reply

yes correct, done in illustrator.....tried what you said using the pen tool (which i have only just started to become aquainted with) but seems some points i've got grouped in a very odd way and so it was having none it.

as you mentioned, i think the pen tool is the way forward in image creation and i ought to become more familiar with its capabilities! All my work i do freehand (on paper) first and am very comfortable when using a conventional pen- i should really try to get the same feeling when using illustrator!

Anyway, took a screenshot of the image, attempted fill in green. If you've any thoughts as to how best I can draw the image, be it from scratch or otherwise that'd be grand. don't mind going back to a blank screen and starting again

thanks again for your help and taking the time to reply

steve
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Last edited by orangeblossom; 07-31-2008 at 01:36 AM.. Reason: name change
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Old 07-31-2008   #4 (permalink)
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oh... I think I see the possible issue Steve. The strokes may not be forming a correctly closed object in the way they were put together with the hanging portions attached to the outlines (if that makes any sense).

there are a couple ways you could approach this... you could select all and delete the fills completely... then go under the object>path and select "outline strokes". This will make best use of what you have without starting over.

Once you do that you could get some pen tool practice by creating a new layer. Place this layer under the original layer in the layers palette (drag and drop). I would lock the top layer with the stroke and make sure bottom layer is selected. Use the pen tool and just create a rough shape that lies under your stroked shape on the top layer. Try to create the curves and points of the shapes but you have a little room to be off so don't worry about being perfect. Just close the shape and fill if not already with the green color. If it helps... you can do this with fill layer on top then when shape is closed... just drop that layer below stroke layer

You could then group both the fill shape and stroke shape to keep both together on same layer for placement if you wanted.

Or... you could the the existing paths but would probably take much more time and cause you more frustration in long run.

Or... you just start a new layer over existing image and draw your shapes again that made image... overlap them with the stroke... then use the "delete anchor point too" and "add anchor point tool" to create segments in the areas you don't need stroked and delete but then you might have to reconnect the intersecting areas again and more time

Paths seems to act funny sometimes when you include extra anchor points and segments that are not on the closing loop of the shape and I often try to avoid these situations.

I think considering the complex nature of the shape with the extra legs.. I would just go with outlining the strokes and creating new fill underneat. Might even use pathfinder to "unite" the whole stroke shape as one after outlining... its good habit to try to keep your shapes and number of points as simple as possible for editing and reproductiion if .ai files are used on the output but hope this gives you some ideas.
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Old 08-05-2008   #5 (permalink)
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some great ideas

dean

again many thanks for taking the time to post! i'll give your suggestions a try and i'll get back to you with the result (got a very busy week this week so mayn't be til next week-sorry).

so glad i posted on the forum in the first place! thanks for your help and will post again in due course.

steve )))
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Old 08-05-2008   #6 (permalink)
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no problem Steve.... let me know how it works out or if you get stuck
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Old 08-08-2008   #7 (permalink)
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hey dean

well, after struggling in my attempts to achieve symmetry i think i just about managed it! your suggestions were real lifesavers tho- many thanks!

tried to do a few graphic styles with the image e.g neon type- some expose parts of the shapes i moved to the back in order to hide them (see second attachment). no great worries but would really like to clean the image up and remove any unwanted strokes if possible.....any thoughts pls?

arigato!

steve
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Old 08-08-2008   #8 (permalink)
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Glad I could be of some help Steve. I looked at the images and the segment you want to remove. The best way to do that is probably use the "direct selection tool" (white arrow) and select the vector point at the very bottom of the shape that is responsible for the irregular line or S-curve that is at the bottom. Once selected... just hit delete and the point should disappear as well as the 2 segments on each side. You might have to go back and reconnect those strokes to the outline of the shape depending on where the other vector points lay.

Another alternate could be to use the "add anchor point tool" (looks like pen tool with a "+" next to it) and place new vector points at each end of the part you want to remove so that the points lay on the stroke of the outline. Then just delete that extra vector point in the middle by selecting it with the "direct selection tool" and should get rid of the segments... you can also select the segments with this tool and delete them that way but it may leave stray vector points behind that are not attached to anything... you can use this tool to select those and just delete too as needed.

Let me know if this makes sense... I might be able to illustrate the idea if needed
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Old 08-18-2008   #9 (permalink)
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as if by magic....

your idea worked like a charm dean. thanks!

i suppose i should put any future posts in a different section now as i'm past the introduction bit.....any thoughts where would be best (as i'm sure this wont be the last you'll hear of me!)

steve
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Old 08-18-2008   #10 (permalink)
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Hi Steve,
If you have any further questions about Illustrator, you can post them in the Illustration, Sketching & Vector Art section of the forum.
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Old 08-18-2008   #11 (permalink)
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glad I could be of some help Steve
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Old 08-23-2008   #12 (permalink)
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Aloha and welcome to Biorust.
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Old 09-08-2008   #13 (permalink)
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hi turvas and tamlin

thanks for the messages. catch you in the 'sketching' section sometime!

Best wishes

steve
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