Using Shapes and Pathfinder

Most of the time, you will use the Pen Tool in Adobe Illustrator to create your illustrations. However, the shape tools (square, ellipse, polygon, etc.) can be extremely helpful when you learn the functionality of both the Shape Modes and Pathfinders (found in the Pathfinder Palette). Within this palette you have many options that will allow you to (Add to, Subtract from, etc...) alter your basic shapes.

Let's practice by following the tutorial below.

The following tutorial was written by Veerle Pieters:

 

Draw the basic shapes

Before you start you might activate Smart Guides (View > Smart Guides). Select the Rounded Rectangle Tool from the Toolbox and draw a shape as shown in the image above. You can modify the corners of the rectangle using the up or down arrow keys while dragging the shape. Make sure the radius of the rounded corners of the rectangle is big enough. Next, select the Rectangle Tool and draw a small vertical rectangle shape below as shown in the right-hand side image. Now select the Polygon Tool and draw a small hexagon below the small rectangle (see image above).

Select the Selection Tool (black arrow) and select the 3 shapes. Click the Horizontal Align Center from the toolbar at the top. Select the Direct Selection Tool (white arrow) and drag a selection over the bottom 2 points of the hexagon.

Resize and align the shapes

Click in one of the points, hold down the Shift key and drag the 2 points downwards as shown in the left-hand side image above. Now select the Selection Tool (black arrow) again and select the small rectangle above the hexagon. Hover your cursor somewhere on the middle of the bottom border until you get the resize cursor icon. Drag the border of the rectangle downwards so it overlaps the hexagon shape.

Finalize the grip, merge and align shapes

Select both the rectangle and the hexagon using the Selection Tool (black arrow). Go to the Pathfinder palette. If you can't find the palette on your screen, go to Window > Pathfinder. Click the Add to shape area option, then click the Expand button. Now select the Rounded Rectangle Tool from the Toolbox again and draw a vertical shape to finalize the grip of the screwdriver. Don't forget to use the up or down arrows to modify the radius. Also, you can use the spacebar to move its position while you draw the shape. Select the Selection Tool (black arrow) to select the shape you've just drawn. Now we're going to duplicate this shape. Hold down the Shift and Option/Alt key while dragging the shape to the right. Select the grip lines and group them: go to Object > Group or hit command/control + g. Now select all 3 rounded rectangles and select the Horizontal Align Center from the toolbar at the top.

Subtract shapes

With the 3 rounded rectangles still selected, go to the Pathfinder palette again and choose Subtract from shape area and click the Expand button in the palette. Hold down the Shift key and select the other shape of the screwdriver. Group both shapes into 1 object: Object > Group or command/control + g.That's it for now for the screwdriver. Now we're going to draw the wrench. Select the Ellipse Tool and draw a circle (hold down the shift key). Select the Rounded Rectangle Tool and draw a rounded rectangle shape on top of the circle as shown in the right-hand side image. Use the up and down arrow keys to modify the corner radius meanwhile you drag the shape. Use spacebar to move the rectangle while dragging.

Select both the rounded rectangle shape and the circle using the Selection Tool (black arrow) and click the Horizontal Align Center from the toolbar at the top. Go to the Pathfinder palette again and choose Subtract from shape area. Click the Expand button in the palette to expand the object. Select the Rounded Rectangle Tool from the Toolbox again and draw a vertical shape for the grip of the wrench. Then select the Ellipse Tool again and draw a small circle (holding down the shift key) at the bottom and on top of the wrench's grip. Now select all shapes of the wrench using the Selection Tool (black arrow) and click the Horizontal Align Center from the toolbar at the top.

Select the small circle and the rounded rectangle, go to the Pathfinder palette again and choose Subtract from shape area and click the Expand button in the palette. Now select all shapes of the wrench and click the Add to shape area option, then click the Expand button.

Rotate and finalize

Select the screwdriver using the Selection Tool (black arrow). Hover with the mouse on one of the corners of the selection until you see your cursor changing into a rotation cursor icon. Hold down the mouse to rotate the object and hold down the Shift key while rotating. Release the mouse and the shift key at 90°, so the screwdriver is horizontally. Click the Horizontal Align Center and then the Vertical Align Center from the toolbar at the top (see right-hand side image above).

Select the Rectangle Tool and draw a rectangle shape on top in the center of both tools as shown in the left-hand side image. Select both the rectangle and the screwdriver (use shift key in between selections, to select both objects). Go to the Pathfinder palette again, choose Subtract from shape area and click the Expand button.

Select all objects using the Selection Tool (black arrow). Hover with the mouse on one of the corners of the selection until you see your cursor changing into a rotation symbol. Hold down the mouse to rotate the object and hold down the Shift key while rotating. Release the mouse and the shift key at 45° as shown in the image above. That's it! Congratulations, you have created your 'tools' icon :)