Live Painting In Illustrator: Mastering Object Specificity

Adobe Illustrator's Live Paint tool has revolutionized the way designers edit and colour their artwork, offering a flexible and efficient method of painting. The Live Paint tool allows users to paint in a more traditional way, without needing to consider layers or stacking orders. This tutorial will explore how to live paint specific parts of an object in Illustrator, including how to create Live Paint groups, apply colours and strokes, and utilize the various tools and effects available to achieve the desired outcome. By the end, you should be able to confidently use the Live Paint tool to create and edit vibrant and intricate illustrations.

Selecting specific parts of an object

To select specific parts of an object in Adobe Illustrator, you can use the Selection tool or the Direct Selection tool. These tools allow you to select individual or multiple objects, even within a group. Here are the steps you can follow:

• Click on the "Selection" tool or press the "V" key on your keyboard to select it.
• With the Selection tool active, click on the object you want to edit. This will select the entire object.
• To select a specific part of the object, you can use the Direct Selection tool. Press "A" on your keyboard or click on the "Direct Selection" tool in the toolbar.
• Now, click on the specific part of the object you want to edit. You can also drag around the area you want to select.
• If you want to add or remove objects from the selection, hold down the "Shift" key while clicking or dragging.
• Once you have the desired parts selected, you can begin editing them.

Additionally, you can use the Lasso tool to select specific parts of an object. The Lasso tool allows you to draw a freeform selection around the areas you want to edit. Here are the steps:

• Select the Lasso tool from the toolbar or press "Q" on your keyboard.
• Draw a selection around the specific parts of the object you want to edit.
• If you want to deselect a portion of your selection, hold down "Alt" (Windows) or "Option" (macOS) and draw a selection around the area you want to deselect.

It's important to note that when working with groups of objects, selecting any part of the group with the Selection tool or the Lasso tool will select the entire group. To select individual objects within a group, use the Direct Selection tool as mentioned above.

Using the Live Paint Bucket Tool

The Live Paint Bucket tool is a feature in Adobe Illustrator that allows users to colour closed-path artwork. It is important to note that the Live Paint Bucket tool only works on Live Paint groups (objects), and Live Paint groups can only be paths, including shapes that are created from paths (pen tool paths, strokes, etc).

• Select all or the specific part of the object you want to colour with the Live Paint Bucket tool. Go to Object > Live Paint > Make. This step is crucial as without it, the Live Paint Bucket tool will not work.
• Select the Live Paint Bucket tool from the toolbar or by pressing the K key on your keyboard.
• Choose a colour from the Swatches panel. You can also save the fill and stroke colours used in Live Paint groups in the Swatches panel.
• Apply the colour to the selected area by clicking on it.

Additionally, when working with Live Paint groups, you can apply a brush to an edge only if you add a stroke to the group using the Appearance panel. The current fill and stroke colours appear in the Tools panel, the Control panel, and the Properties panel.

When you modify a path in a Live Paint group, Illustrator colours the modified or new faces and edges using fills and strokes from the existing group. If the results are not as expected, you can reapply the desired colours using the Live Paint Bucket tool.

Applying fills and strokes

When working with Live Paint groups in Illustrator, you can fill and stroke edges and faces. An edge is the portion of a path between where it intersects with other paths, and a face is the area enclosed by one or more edges.

To apply a fill, select the object using the Selection tool or the Direct Selection tool. Click the Fill box in the Tools panel, the Properties panel, or the Color panel to indicate that you want to apply a fill rather than a stroke. You can then apply a fill colour using the Tools panel or the Properties panel. To select a fill colour, you can click a colour in the Control panel, Color panel, Swatches panel, Gradient panel, or a swatch library. Alternatively, you can double-click the Fill box and select a colour from the Colour Picker.

To apply a stroke, click the word 'Stroke' to open the Stroke panel and specify your options. You can choose a stroke weight from the pop-up menu. You can also apply one colour, pattern, or gradient to an entire object. If you want to apply different colours to different faces within the object, you can use Live Paint groups.

To select all objects with the same stroke weight, select an object with that stroke weight or choose the stroke weight from the Stroke panel. Then, choose 'Select' > 'Same' > 'Stroke Weight'. To apply the same selection options using a different object, select a new object and then choose 'Select' > 'Reselect'.

You can also select objects that have the same attributes, including fill colour, stroke colour, and stroke weight. To do this, use the 'Select' > 'Same' > 'Fill Colour', 'Stroke Colour', and 'Stroke Weight' commands. These commands work within a Live Paint group when you select a face or edge with the Live Paint Selection tool.

Additionally, you can use the Appearance panel to create multiple fills and strokes for the same object. Adding multiple fills and strokes to an object allows you to create many interesting effects. For example, you can create a second, narrower stroke on top of a wide stroke, or you can apply an effect to one fill but not the other.

Editing colours

Adobe Illustrator's Live Paint Tool has revolutionised the way designers edit and colour their artwork. It is perfect for illustrations and complex shapes. The Live Paint tool allows you to edit colours on the fly, making it incredibly flexible and efficient.

To create a Live Paint Group, you must first create a drawing. Then, select the paths or objects. Go to Object > Live Paint > Make. Use the Live Paint Bucket Tool (grouped with the Shape Builder Tool), and then click the selected object. If you cannot get an object to convert to a Live Paint Group, then go to Type > Create Outlines. Then, turn the paths into a Live Paint Group.

The paintable parts of Live Paint groups are called edges and faces. An edge is the portion of a path between where it intersects with other paths. A face is the area enclosed by one or more edges. You can stroke edges and fill faces. For example, a circle with a line drawn across it. As a Live Paint group, the line (edge) dividing the circle creates two faces in the circle.

To select all contiguous faces that are not separated by a painted edge, double-click a face. To select faces or edges with the same fill or stroke, triple-click an item. Or click once, choose Select > Same, and then choose Fill Color, Stroke Color, or Stroke Weight on the submenu. To add items to, or remove items from, the current selection, Shift-click or Shift-drag a marquee around the items.

When you modify a path in a Live Paint group, Illustrator colours the modified or new faces and edges using fills and strokes from the existing group. You can also specify colour and stroke for a selected object by using the controls in the Properties panel and the Control panel. Click to open the Swatches panel or Shift-click to open an alternate colour mode panel, and choose a colour.

If you are happy with your colour choices and want to finalise your artwork, it is a good idea to expand the Live Paint group. Go to the Object menu, choose "Expand," and select "Object" and "Fill" to convert the Live Paint artwork into editable shapes.

Converting artwork into editable shapes

Adobe Illustrator provides a range of tools and methods to convert artwork into editable shapes. Here are some ways to achieve this:

Using the Live Paint Bucket Tool:

The Live Paint Bucket Tool allows you to fill individual areas of your artwork with colour, creating editable shapes. Select your artwork and click on the areas you want to fill. Once you're done, click the "Expand" button on the Control bar, and you can then delete any unwanted paths.

Pathfinder:

The Pathfinder tool enables you to combine shapes or cut one shape from another. You can add fills to specific parts of your artwork and remove unwanted shapes.

Create Outlines:

This method is useful when sending artwork to a printer or another designer, as it prevents font issues. To convert text to outlines or shapes, ensure your text is selected, then right-click and choose "Create Outlines." You can then edit each letter individually by ungrouping the text. Use the Direct Selection Tool to access and modify anchor points.

Converting Text to Shape:

You can also convert text into a vector shape by going to "Object > Expand." This will allow you to edit the anchor points while preserving the font.

Working with Live Shapes:

Live shapes in Illustrator offer dynamic adjustability. To convert a path into a live shape, select it and go to "Object > Shape > Convert to Shape." You can then modify the live shape using the Control panel, Properties panel, or Transform panel. To scale a live shape, drag any of the eight bounding box handles. To rotate, move the cursor away from a corner until you see the Rotate icon, and then drag.

These methods provide various ways to convert artwork into editable shapes in Adobe Illustrator, allowing for customisation and further editing.

Frequently asked questions