Adobe Illustrator CS4 - Manual (Page 240)

233 USING ADOBE ILLUSTRATOR CS4
Reshaping objects
Distort Appearance Distorts appearance attributes (such as applied effects or graphic styles) along with an object’s
shape.
Distort Linear Gradients Distorts linear gradients along with an object’s shape.
Distort Pattern Fills Distorts patterns along with an object’s shape.
Note: If you expand the envelope with a Distort option selected, the respective property is expanded separately.
Combining objects
Methods of combining objects
You can combine vector objects to create shapes in a variety of ways in Illustrator. The resulting paths or shapes differ
depending on the method you use to combine the paths.
Pathfinder effects
Pathfinder effects let you combine multiple objects using one of ten interaction modes. Unlike compound shapes, you
can’t edit the interactions between objects when you use a Pathfinder effect.
Compound shapes
Compound shapes let you combine multiple objects and specify how you want each object to interact with the other
objects. Compound shapes are more versatile than compound paths because they provide four kinds of interactions:
add, subtract, intersect, and exclude. In addition, the underlying objects are not changed, so you can select each object
within a compound shape to edit it or change its interaction mode.
Compound paths
Compound paths let you use an object to cut a hole in another object. For example, you can create a doughnut shape
from two nested circles. Once you create a compound path, the paths act as grouped objects. You can select and
manipulate the objects separately using the Direct Selection tool or Group Selection tool; or you can select and edit the
combined path.
Note: You can also add to an object by using the Blob Brush tool. When you use this brush, paths you paint are added to
adjacent paths that use identical fill attributes. (See “
Draw and merge paths with the Blob Brush tool ” on page 157.)
Pathfinder panel overview
You use the Pathfinder panel (Window > Pathfinder) to combine objects into new shapes.
The top row of buttons in the panel, called shape modes, let you control the interaction between components of a
compound shape. You can choose from the following shape modes:
Add To Shape Area Adds the area of the component to the underlying geometry.
Subtract from Shape Area Cuts out the area of the component from the underlying geometry.
Intersect Shape Areas Uses the area of the component to clip the underlying geometry as a mask would.
Exclude Overlapping Shape Areas Uses the area of the component to invert the underlying geometry, turning filled
regions into holes and vice versa.