Priya Kapoor
Adobe Illustrator has a wide range of tools that can be used to paint little sections of an image. One way to do this is by using the Live Paint Bucket tool, which allows users to fill in closed shapes with colour. To use this tool, users must first select the entire object, then choose Object, Live Paint, and Make to convert it into a Live Paint Object. After that, they can use the Live Paint Bucket to fill in different sections. Another method is to use the Blob Brush tool, which can be used to merge paths created by other tools. By setting the Blob Brush tool to have the same fill colour as the selected artwork, users can draw paths that intersect with it, merging the paths together. Additionally, Adobe Illustrator offers various built-in brushes that can be used for painting, as well as the ability to create custom brushes.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Tools | Live Paint Bucket, Live Paint Selection Tool, Paintbrush Tool, Blob Brush Tool, Pathfinder Tool, Shape Builder Tool, Eyedropper Tool, Magic Wand Tool, Width Tool, Warp, Twirl, Pucker, Bloat, Scallop, Crystallize, Wrinkle, Liquify Tool, 3D Extrude & Bevel, Gradient Tool, Scale Tool |
| Actions | Select, Fill, Make, Expand, Divide, Ungroup, Change Color, Drag, Copy, Paste, Blend, Smooth Color, Scale, etc. |
| Techniques | Create closed shapes for each section to be filled, convert drawing into a Live Paint Object, use different brush tips, draw freestyle lines, shapes, patterns, textures, etc. |
| Tips | Play around with different categories of brushes, learn the effects of each brush, back up paths before performing a divide, duplicate and hide the layer for safe-keeping, etc. |
| Issues | Unable to colour just specific sections within an object, adding fills to lines, difficulty painting "inside the lines", etc. |
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What You'll Learn
Using the Live Paint Bucket tool
The Live Paint Bucket tool is a convenient way to colour your artwork. It is similar to the paint bucket tool in Photoshop, but there is an important step to take before using it.
Firstly, make sure that your artwork is a Live Paint Object. To do this, select all of your drawing, then choose Object, Live Paint, Make. This will convert your drawing into a Live Paint Object.
Next, select the Live Paint Bucket tool on the toolbar or activate it using the K key on your keyboard. Choose a colour from the Swatches panel. You can also make a colour palette, which allows you to switch between colours as you paint using the arrow keys.
Finally, start painting! Simply click on the objects you want to fill with colour. You will see three colours: the one on the left is the previous colour, the middle one is the colour currently in use, and the one on the right is the next colour.
You may encounter some areas where you can't fill in colour. This is because the path is not closed. To fix this, go to Object, Live Paint, Gap Options to see where the gaps are and close them.
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Applying colour to an unselected object
To apply colour to an unselected object in Adobe Illustrator, you can use the Live Paint Bucket tool. First, ensure that you have all your sections in place. Then, select your entire drawing, go to Object, Live Paint, and then Make to convert it into a Live Paint object. After that, you can use the Live Paint Bucket to fill in colours.
If you want to apply colour to an unselected object without converting it into a Live Paint object, you can do so by dragging a colour from the Fill box, Color panel, Gradient panel, or Swatches panel onto the object. This method, however, does not work on Live Paint groups.
Another way to colour only specific sections of an object is to use the Pathfinder tool. First, duplicate your layer and hide it for safekeeping. Then, select everything, press Ctrl+A, and click the Pathfinder's Divide button. Next, select everything again and ungroup it by pressing Ctrl+A and then Ctrl+Shift+G. Finally, select a shape inside the object and change its colour as desired.
Additionally, you can use the Live Paint Selection tool to select specific sections of a Live Paint Group to paint. Simply click on the Live Paint Selection tool and then click on the section of the Live Paint Group that you want to colour.
Lastly, if you want to add a shadow or highlight to an object, you can create an object or shape that overlaps a colour region and exists outside of it. By telling Illustrator to "draw only in the colour region", it will delete the area outside the colour region, leaving you with a neat shadow or highlight.
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Using the Pathfinder tool
The Pathfinder tool in Adobe Illustrator is a powerful tool that enables you to create, manipulate, and adjust complex shapes. It is ideal for making last-minute adjustments and customising shapes in a simple and clean manner. The tool gives you complete creative flexibility, allowing you to build bespoke shapes tailored to your specific needs.
To open the Pathfinder panel, you can go to Window > Pathfinder or use the Shift-Control-F9 keyboard shortcut. The panel has two sets of commands: Shape Modes and Pathfinders.
The Shape Modes include the Unite command, which combines two objects or shapes into one, with the resulting shape taking on the colour attributes of the shape in front. The Minus Front command allows you to crop the shape in the back using the shape in front, removing the top shape and the overlapping area. The Intersect command creates a new shape from the overlapping areas of two selected shapes.
The Pathfinders sub-options include the Divide option, which creates separate shapes for both overlapping and non-overlapping areas of two shapes. The Trim command crops the back shape using the front shape, but unlike Minus Front, the front shape remains part of the design. The Merge command unites shapes with the same colour attributes and crops those that don't. The Crop command creates a new shape from the overlapping areas of the selected shapes, removing the rest of the back shape. The Outline command turns the selected shapes into outlines, showing all the separate paths that make up the shapes.
Using the Expand button in the Pathfinder panel allows you to create compound shapes that remain editable. You can adjust the size, position, or appearance of the components before pressing the Expand button to finalise the shape.
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Applying paint attributes to the Blob Brush tool
To apply paint attributes to the Blob Brush tool, select the brush and set the attributes in the Appearances panel before you start drawing. Use the Blob Brush tool to merge paths created by other tools. To do this, ensure that the existing artwork does not have a stroke. Then, set up the Blob Brush tool to have the same fill colour, and draw a new path that intersects with all the paths that you want to merge together.
Paths with strokes cannot be merged. Select the path into which you want to merge a new path. In the Appearances panel, deselect 'New Art Has Basic Appearance' so that the Blob Brush tool uses the attributes of the selected artwork. Select the Blob Brush tool and make sure it uses the same appearances as the selected artwork. Draw paths that intersect with the artwork. If the paths do not merge, ensure that the Blob Brush tool's attributes exactly match the existing path attributes, and that neither uses a stroke.
The Blob Brush tool can be used to paint filled shapes that can intersect and merge with other shapes of the same colour. The Blob Brush tool uses the same default brush options as calligraphic brushes. When you use the Blob Brush tool, you can paint with a calligraphic brush and automatically expand the brush stroke into a fill shape that merges with other filled objects of the same colour that intersect or are adjacent in stacking order.
The Blob Brush tool can be accessed from the toolbar or by using the shortcut key Shift + B. It looks similar to the Paintbrush tool but has a blob and a rectangle attached to it. The main difference between the two is that the Blob Brush creates both 'stroke' and 'fill' as you draw, meaning the stroke of a Blob Brush is a shape. You can edit the created shape just like any other shape through the Selection Tool and Direct Selection Tool.
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Using the Brushes panel
The Brushes panel in Adobe Illustrator is a powerful tool that allows you to create and manage custom brushes, giving your artwork a unique style. Here are some detailed instructions on using the Brushes panel:
Accessing the Brushes Panel:
To access the Brushes panel, go to "Window" in the menu bar and select "Brushes" from the dropdown menu. This will open the Brushes panel, where you can view and select different brushes. The Brushes panel displays brushes for the current file, and any brush selected from a library will automatically be added to this panel.
Selecting and Applying Brushes:
The Brushes panel offers a range of default and custom brushes. To apply a brush, simply select your desired brush from the panel. You can also choose a brush from a brush library or create your own custom brush using the "New Brush" option in the panel menu. Once you've selected your brush, choose a drawing tool such as the Paintbrush tool, Pencil tool, or Pen tool to start painting.
Editing Brush Definitions:
You can edit the definition of a brush by hovering over its thumbnail in the Brushes panel. A tooltip will pop up, displaying the brush's name. Double-click on the thumbnail to open the Brush Options dialog, where you can adjust various settings such as brush size, shape, contour, smoothness, and speed. After making your desired changes, click "OK."
Removing Brush Strokes:
To remove a brush stroke from a path, select the path and then choose "Remove Brush Stroke" from the Brushes panel menu or simply click the "Remove Brush Stroke" button. Alternatively, you can select the Basic brush from the Brushes panel, which functions as a reset button, removing the existing brush stroke from the selected path.
Customizing Brushes:
The Brushes panel also allows you to create and save custom brushes. Experiment with different brush categories, such as Calligraphic, Scatter, Art, Pattern, and Bristle brushes, to achieve various artistic effects. You can customize brush settings like brush length, opacity, and stiffness to create unique brush strokes that suit your artwork's style.
When working with Live Paint Groups, the Brushes panel offers additional functionality. You can use the Live Paint Selection tool to select specific sections within a Live Paint Group and apply different brush strokes to those sections. This allows for more detailed and precise painting within your artwork.
By utilizing the Brushes panel in Adobe Illustrator, you can create intricate and personalized artwork with custom brushes, enhancing your creative possibilities.
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Frequently asked questions
To paint small sections in Adobe Illustrator, you can use the Live Paint Bucket tool. First, ensure that all your sections are in place. Then, select your drawing, go to Object, Live Paint, and then Make to convert your drawing into a Live Paint Object. Now, you can use the Live Paint Bucket to fill in colours.
To colour only specific parts of your drawing, you can use the Live Paint Selection tool. First, select everything, then go to Object, Live Paint, and then Make. Now, you can use the Live Paint Selection tool to select the areas you want to colour.
To prevent colour from spilling outside of a line, you can use the Live Paint tool, which allows you to easily select and delete any colour areas that go outside of the line.
