How to Use The Shape Builder Tool in Adobe Illustrator

Education

Introduction

To begin using the shape builder tool in Adobe Illustrator, locate the tool in the toolbar by looking for the icon that resembles two circles and an arrow. You can also use the shortcut Shift plus M to activate the tool. The shape builder tool offers different modes including Merge Mode, Extraction Mode, and Erase/Delete Mode. In Merge Mode, you can merge shapes together by selecting them and clicking and dragging over all the shapes. Extraction Mode allows you to extract sections of overlapped shapes by clicking on the desired section. Erase/Delete Mode lets you delete shapes by holding the Option or Alt key and clicking on the shape. Additionally, the shape builder tool can also be used to clean up overlapping lines in strokes for line art cleanup.

Keywords

Adobe Illustrator, Shape Builder Tool, Merge Mode, Extraction Mode, Erase/Delete Mode, Strokes, Line Art Cleanup

FAQ

  1. How do you merge shapes using the shape builder tool in Adobe Illustrator?
  2. Can the shape builder tool be used to extract sections of overlapped shapes?
  3. How can you delete shapes using the shape builder tool?
  4. Is it possible to use the shape builder tool with strokes for line art cleanup in Adobe Illustrator?