How to Use the Shape Modes in Adobe Illustrator

Posted on 21st June 2023

There are a total of eight shape modes in Adobe Illustrator. They are:

-Shape
-Color
-Lines
-Opaque
-Blend
-Transparency
-Gradient
-Pattern

To use the shape modes, first select the object or objects you want to change. Then go to the “Object” menu and choose “Blend > Shape Mode.” A dialogue box will appear with the eight shape modes listed.

Shape Mode: This is the default mode. It lets you change the shape of an object while keeping the color intact.

Color Mode: This mode lets you change the color of an object while keeping the shape intact.

Lines Mode: This mode turns your object into a series of connected straight lines.

Opaque Mode: This mode makes your object opaque, so that it covers up anything behind it.

Blend Mode: This mode blends your object with the objects around it.

Transparency Mode: This mode makes your object transparent, so that you can see through it.

Gradient Mode: This mode applies a gradient to your object.

Pattern Mode: This mode applies a pattern to your object.

To use the Shape Modes in Adobe Illustrator, first select the desired object. Then click on the “Shape Modes” drop-down menu in the top toolbar and select the desired mode.

There are four different Shape Modes: Unite, Intersect, Exclude, and Difference.

Unite:

Unite will take all of the selected objects and merge them into one shape. This is helpful if you have multiple objects that you want to combine into one shape.

Intersect:

Intersect will take the selected objects and create a new shape that is the intersecting area of all the selected objects. This is helpful if you want to create a new shape that is the overlap of multiple objects.

Exclude:

Exclude will take the selected objects and create a new shape that is everything except for the intersecting area of the selected objects. This is helpful if you want to create a new shape that is everything except for the overlap of multiple objects.

Difference:

Difference will take the selected objects and subtract the top object from the bottom object. This is helpful if you want to create a new shape that is the difference of two objects.

After you have selected the desired Shape Mode, you can then adjust the settings for that mode. For example, you can change the opacity, blending mode, and color of the resulting shape.

Once you have adjusted the settings to your liking, click “OK” to apply the changes.

Adobe Illustrator has a variety of Shape Modes that can be used to create different effects.

The first Shape Mode is the Add Mode. This mode is used to add two or more shapes together. To use the Add Mode, select the shapes that you want to add together and then click on the “Add Mode” button in the toolbar.

The second Shape Mode is the Subtract Mode. This mode is used to subtract one shape from another. To use the Subtract Mode, select the shape that you want to subtract and then click on the “Subtract Mode” button in the toolbar.

The third Shape Mode is the Intersect Mode. This mode is used to create a new shape that is the intersection of two other shapes. To use the Intersect Mode, select the two shapes that you want to intersect and then click on the “Intersect Mode” button in the toolbar.

The fourth Shape Mode is the Exclude Mode. This mode is used to create a new shape that is the exclusion of two other shapes. To use the Exclude Mode, select the two shapes that you want to exclude and then click on the “Exclude Mode” button in the toolbar.

The fifth Shape Mode is the Divide Mode. This mode is used to divide one shape into two or more other shapes. To use the Divide Mode, select the shape that you want to divide and then click on the “Divide Mode” button in the toolbar.

The sixth and final Shape Mode is the Merge Mode. This mode is used to merge two or more shapes together. To use the Merge Mode, select the shapes that you want to merge and then click on the “Merge Mode” button in the toolbar.

Unite

The first mode is Unite. This mode takes all of the selected shapes and combines them into one shape. The shapes can be overlapping or non-overlapping, and the result will be one solid shape. If the shapes have any fills or strokes applied, they will be preserved in the new shape.

Crop

The next mode is Crop. This mode acts like a cookie cutter, and crops out the area of the top shape that overlaps the bottom shape. The bottom shape serves as a mask, and anything that falls outside of it will be clipped. This is a great way to create complex shapes from simple shapes.

Intersect

The third mode is Intersect. This mode creates a new shape that is the intersection of the two selected shapes. In other words, it keeps only the overlapping areas of the two shapes. This is a great way to create complex shapes from simple shapes.

Exclude

The fourth mode is Exclude. This mode is the opposite of Intersect. It creates a new shape that is everything except the intersection of the two selected shapes. In other words, it keeps only the non-overlapping areas of the two shapes.

Minus Back

The fifth mode is Minus Back. This mode subtracts the top shape from the bottom shape. Anything that falls outside of the top shape will be clipped. This is a great way to create complex shapes from simple shapes.

Divide

The sixth and final mode is Divide. This mode divides the top shape into the bottom shape. The result will be a number of new shapes, each with its own fill and stroke. This is a great way to create complex shapes from simple shapes.

That’s it! These are the six shape modes in Adobe Illustrator. Experiment with them and see what you can create. Have fun!