Select the piece labeled Hair Bun and drag it so it partially protrudes from the top right of the hair.

The face and the hair are now grouped but we don’t need them to stay grouped.

This makes the face into a shape that doesn’t include the part obscured by the hair.

In the Pathfinder panel (Window > Pathfinder), under Pathfinders, click the Trim button.

Shift–click on the face so that both the hair and the face are selected.

Be a good hairdresser and make sure there are no little white spaces showing through.

Move the hairpiece over the face shape and contemplate a new career in digital hairdressing.

Select and delete that slice by-product so you are left with just the shape of the hair.

We don’t need the smaller piece we’ve created.

This will cut the object into two pieces using the slice line as a guide.

With the line still selected, go to Object > Path > Divide Objects Below.

Make sure some of the slice line hangs slightly off the edge of the hair at the bottom.

Refer to the example for correct placement. With the Selection tool, drag the Slice Line over the Large Oval. You’ll use the Pathfinder panel to combine them to create more complex shapes that would have been harder to make if you had to draw the final shapes yourself. Many of these shapes have been created by modifying ellipses using the Direct Selection and Anchor Point tools.

Make sure the Pathfinder panel is open (go to Window > Pathfinder if it’s not open).

Instead of drawing the woman by hand, you will cut, overlap, and merge various shapes to create the finished illustration shown above.įrom the Illustrator Class folder, open the file geisha.ai. The Pathfinder is an excellent way to create shapes and special effects. Merging paths (Pathfinder), Transparency options, Grouping objects Exercise Preview Topics covered in this Illustrator tutorial: During the course, you will get access to the accompanying class files, live instructor demonstrations, and hands-on instruction. Note: These materials are provided to give prospective students a sense of how we structure our class exercises and supplementary materials.

Pathfinder adobe illustrator