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Cut, divide, and trim objects

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Illustrator

Illustrator

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  1. Illustrator User Guide
  2. Get to know Illustrator
    1. Introduction to Illustrator
      1. What's new in Illustrator
      2. Common questions
      3. Illustrator system requirements
      4. Illustrator for Apple silicon
    2. Workspace
      1. Workspace basics
      2. Learn faster with the Illustrator Discover panel
      3. Create documents
      4. Toolbar
      5. Default keyboard shortcuts
      6. Customize keyboard shortcuts
      7. Introduction to artboards
      8. Manage artboards
      9. Customize the workspace
      10. Properties panel
      11. Set preferences
      12. Touch Workspace
      13. Microsoft Surface Dial support in Illustrator
      14. Undo edits and manage design history
      15. Rotate view
      16. Rulers, grids, and guides
      17. Accessibility in Illustrator
      18. Safe Mode
      19. View artwork
      20. Use the Touch Bar with Illustrator
      21. Files and templates
    3. Tools in Illustrator
      1. Tools at a glance
      2. Select tools
        1. Selection
        2. Direct Selection
        3. Group Selection
        4. Magic Wand
        5. Lasso
        6. Artboard
      3. Navigate tools
        1. Hand
        2. Rotate View
        3. Zoom
      4. Paint tools
        1. Gradient
        2. Mesh
        3. Shape Builder
      5. Text tools
        1. Type
        2. Type on a Path
        3. Vertical Type
      6. Draw tools
        1. Pen
        2. Add Anchor Point
        3. Delete Anchor Point
        4. Anchor Point
        5. Curvature
        6. Line Segment
        7. Rectangle
        8. Rounded Rectangle
        9. Ellipse
        10. Polygon
        11. Star
        12. Paintbrush
        13. Blob Brush
        14. Pencil
        15. Shaper
        16. Slice
      7. Modify tools
        1. Rotate
        2. Reflect
        3. Scale
        4. Shear
        5. Width
        6. Free Transform
        7. Eyedropper
        8. Blend
        9. Eraser
        10. Scissors
        11. Dimension
    4. Generative AI (not available in mainland China)
      1. Generate scenes, subjects, and icons using text prompts
      2. Generate vector patterns using text prompts
      3. Generate vector shape fills using text prompts
      4. Recolor your artwork using text prompts
    5. Quick actions
      1. Retro text
      2. Neon glow text
      3. Old school text
      4. Recolor
      5. Convert sketch to vector
  3. Illustrator on the web (beta)
    1. Illustrator on the web (beta) overview
    2. Illustrator on the web (beta) FAQ
    3. Troubleshooting issues FAQ
    4. Keyboard shortcuts for Illustrator on the web (beta)
    5. Create and combine shapes on the web
    6. Add and edit text on the web
    7. Apply colors and gradients on the web
    8. Draw and edit paths on the web
    9. Work with cloud documents on the web
    10. Invite collaborators to edit on the web
  4. Illustrator on the iPad
    1. Introduction to Illustrator on the iPad
      1. Illustrator on the iPad overview
      2. Illustrator on the iPad FAQs
      3. System requirements | Illustrator on the iPad
      4. What you can or cannot do on Illustrator on the iPad
    2. Workspace
      1. Illustrator on the iPad workspace
      2. Touch shortcuts and gestures
      3. Keyboard shortcuts for Illustrator on the iPad
      4. Manage your app settings
    3. Documents
      1. Work with documents in Illustrator on the iPad
      2. Import Photoshop and Fresco documents
    4. Select and arrange objects
      1. Create repeat objects
      2. Blend objects
    5. Drawing
      1. Draw and edit paths
      2. Draw and edit shapes
    6. Type
      1. Work with type and fonts
      2. Create text designs along a path
      3. Add your own fonts
    7. Work with images
      1. Vectorize raster images
    8. Color
      1. Apply colors and gradients
  5. Cloud documents
    1. Basics
      1. Work with Illustrator cloud documents
      2. Share and collaborate on Illustrator cloud documents
      3. Share documents for review
      4. Upgrade cloud storage for Adobe Illustrator
      5. Illustrator cloud documents | Common questions
    2. Troubleshooting
      1. Troubleshoot create or save issues for Illustrator cloud documents
      2. Troubleshoot Illustrator cloud documents issues
  6. Add and edit content
    1. Drawing and dimensioning
      1. Drawing basics
      2. Edit paths
      3. Draw pixel-perfect art
      4. Draw with the Pen, Curvature, or Pencil tool
      5. Draw simple lines and shapes
      6. Draw rectangular and polar grids
      7. Draw and edit flares
      8. Image Trace
      9. Simplify a path
      10. Symbolism tools and symbol sets
      11. Adjust path segments
      12. Design a flower in 5 easy steps
      13. Create and edit a perspective grid
      14. Draw and modify objects on a perspective grid
      15. Use objects as symbols for repeat use
      16. Draw pixel-aligned paths for web workflows
      17. Measure and plot dimensions
    2. 3D objects and materials
      1. About 3D effects in Illustrator
      2. Create 3D graphics
      3. Map artwork over 3D objects
      4. Create 3D Text
      5. Create 3D objects
    3. Color
      1. About color
      2. Select colors
      3. Use and create swatches
      4. Adjust colors
      5. Use the Adobe Color Themes panel
      6. Color groups (harmonies)
      7. Color Themes panel
      8. Recolor your artwork
    4. Painting
      1. About painting
      2. Paint with fills and strokes
      3. Live Paint groups
      4. Gradients
      5. Brushes
      6. Transparency and blending modes
      7. Apply stroke on an object
      8. Create and edit patterns
      9. Meshes
      10. Patterns
    5. Select and arrange objects
      1. Select objects
      2. Layers
      3. Group and expand objects
      4. Move, align, and distribute objects
      5. Snap objects to glyph
      6. Snap objects to Japanese glyph
      7. Stack objects    
      8. Lock, hide, and delete objects
      9. Copy and duplicate objects
      10. Rotate and reflect objects
      11. Intertwine objects
      12. Create realistic art mockups
    6. Reshape objects
      1. Crop images
      2. Transform objects
      3. Combine objects
      4. Cut, divide, and trim objects
      5. Puppet Warp
      6. Scale, shear, and distort objects
      7. Blend objects
      8. Reshape using envelopes
      9. Reshape objects with effects
      10. Build new shapes with Shaper and Shape Builder tools
      11. Work with Live Corners
      12. Enhanced reshape workflows with touch support
      13. Edit clipping masks
      14. Live shapes
      15. Create shapes using the Shape Builder tool
      16. Global editing
    7. Type
      1. Add text and work with type objects
      2. Create bulleted and numbered lists
      3. Manage text area
      4. Fonts and typography
      5. Convert text within images into editable text
      6. Add basic formatting to text
      7. Add advanced formatting to text
      8. Import and export text
      9. Format paragraphs
      10. Special characters
      11. Create type on a path
      12. Character and paragraph styles
      13. Tabs
      14. Find missing fonts (Typekit workflow)
      15. Arabic and Hebrew type
      16. Fonts | FAQ and troubleshooting tips
      17. Create 3D text effect
      18. Creative typography designs
      19. Scale and rotate type
      20. Line and character spacing
      21. Hyphenation and line breaks
      22. Spelling and language dictionaries
      23. Format Asian characters
      24. Composers for Asian scripts
      25. Create text designs with blend objects
      26. Create a text poster using Image Trace
    8. Create special effects
      1. Work with effects
      2. Graphic styles
      3. Appearance attributes
      4. Create sketches and mosaics
      5. Drop shadows, glows, and feathering
      6. Summary of effects
    9. Web graphics
      1. Best practices for creating web graphics
      2. Graphs
      3. SVG
      4. Slices and image maps
  7. Import, export, and save
    1. Import
      1. Place multiple files
      2. Manage linked and embedded files
      3. Links information
      4. Unembed images
      5. Import artwork from Photoshop
      6. Import bitmap images
      7. Import Adobe PDF files
      8. Import EPS, DCS, and AutoCAD files
    2. Creative Cloud Libraries in Illustrator 
      1. Creative Cloud Libraries in Illustrator
    3. Save and export
      1. Save artwork
      2. Export artwork
      3. Create Adobe PDF files
      4. Adobe PDF options
      5. Use Illustrator artwork in Photoshop
      6. Collect assets and export in batches
      7. Package files
      8. Extract CSS | Illustrator CC
      9. Document info panel
  8. Printing
    1. Prepare for printing
      1. Set up documents for printing
      2. Change the page size and orientation
      3. Specify crop marks for trimming or aligning
      4. Get started with large canvas
    2. Printing
      1. Overprint
      2. Print with color management
      3. PostScript printing
      4. Print presets
      5. Printer's marks and bleeds
      6. Print and save transparent artwork
      7. Trapping
      8. Print color separations
      9. Print gradients, meshes, and color blends
      10. White Overprint
  9. Automate tasks
    1. Data merge using the Variables panel
    2. Automation with scripts
    3. Automation with actions
  10. Troubleshooting 
    1. Fixed issues
    2. Known issues
    3. Crash issues
    4. Recover files after crash
    5. File issues
    6. Supported file formats
    7. GPU device driver issues
    8. Wacom device issues
    9. DLL file issues
    10. Memory issues
    11. Preferences file issues
    12. Font issues
    13. Printer issues
    14. Share crash report with Adobe
    15. Improve Illustrator performance

Learn how to cut, divide, and trim objects into geometric and freehand shapes.

You can cut through an object, split an object into a grid, and cut a path at select anchor points using different menu options. You can also use the Scissors tool to split a path, and the Knife tool to cut objects freehand. In addition, you can choose a clipping mask to hide portions of an object, and pathfinder effects to trim overlapping objects.

Practice and learn how to divide an object with a hands-on tutorial in the Discover panel, without leaving the app.

Open tutorial
Tutorial

Commands for cutting and dividing objects

Divide Objects Below

Example: Use the Divide Objects Below command

The Divide Objects Below command acts as a cookie cutter or stencil, using a selected object to cut through other objects, discarding the original selection.

  1. Select the object to use as a cutter, and position it so that it overlaps the objects to cut.

  2. Choose Object > Path > Divide Objects Below.

Split Into Grid

Example: Split Into Grid

The Split Into Grid command lets you divide one or more objects into multiple rectangular objects arranged in rows and columns. You can precisely change the height, width, and gutter size between rows and columns, and quickly create guides for laying out artwork.

  1. Select the object.

     If you select more than one object, the resulting grid of objects uses the appearance attributes of the topmost object.

  2. Choose Object > Path > Split Into Grid.

  3. Enter the number of rows and columns you want.
  4. (Optional) Do any of the following:

    • To set the size of each row and column, enter values for Height and Width.

    • To set the amount of space that separates rows from one another and columns from one another, enter values for Gutter.

    • To change the dimensions of the entire grid of objects, enter values for Total.

    • To add guides along the row and column edges, select Add Guides.

    Options available to divide the object into a grid

  5. Click OK.

Cut Path At Selected Anchor Points

Example: Cut Path At Selected Anchor Points

The Cut Path At Selected Anchor Point () icon cuts a path at the anchor point, and the one anchor point becomes two anchor points with one located directly on top of the other.

  1. (Optional) Select the path to see its current anchor points.

  2. Select the anchor point where you want to split the path using the Direct Selection () tool.

  3. Click the Cut Path At Selected Anchor Points () icon in the Control panel.

    When you split the path at an anchor point, a new anchor point appears on top of the original anchor point, and one anchor point is selected.

  4. Use the Direct Selection () tool to adjust the new anchor point or path segment.

Tools for cutting and dividing objects

Scissors

Example: Scissors tool

The Scissors tool splits a path, graphics frame, or empty text frame at an anchor point or along a segment.

  1. Click and hold the Eraser () tool to see and choose the Scissors () tool.

  2. Click the path where you want to split it. When you split the path, two endpoints are created. One endpoint is selected by default.

     If you don't click a point or a path using the Scissors tool, Illustrator prompts you to use the tool on a segment or an anchor point of a path. Click OK to continue.

  3. Select the anchor point or the path cut in the previous step using the Direct Selection () tool to modify the object.

Knife tool

Example: Knife tool

The Knife tool cuts objects along a freehand path you draw with the tool, dividing objects into their component-filled faces. (A face is an area undivided by a line segment.)

  1. Click and hold the Eraser () tool to see and choose the Knife ()tool.

  2. Do one of the following:

    • To cut in a curved path, drag the pointer over the object.

    • To cut in a straight path, hold down Alt (Windows) or Option (macOS) as you click the artboard with the Knife tool, and then drag.

    The cuts created using the Knife tool appear as strokes on the object.

  3. Choose Select > Deselect.

     Illustrator selects the object by default while cutting.

  4. Drag each part using the Direct Selection () tool.

Trim objects using clipping masks

Example: Trim objects using clipping masks

Clipping masks let you use an object to hide portions of other objects. For details, see Clipping masks.

  1. Create the object you want to use as the mask. This object is called the clipping path. Only vector objects can be clipping paths.

  2. Move the clipping path above the objects you want to mask in the stacking order.

  3. Select the clipping path and the objects you want to mask.

  4. Choose Object > Clipping Mask > Make.

     To create a clipping path from the area where two or more objects overlap, group the objects first.

Trim objects using Pathfinder effects

Pathfinder effects provide various ways to divide and trim overlapping objects.

Trim objects using the Shape Modes available in the Pathfinder panel

A. Add to shape area using the Unite mode B. Subtract from shape area using the Minus Front mode C. Intersect shape area using the Intersect mode D. Exclude overlapping shape areas using the Exclude mode 

  1. Select the objects you want to trim using the Selection () tool.

  2. Choose Window > Pathfinder.

  3. Choose a Shape Mode and Pathfinder effects using the Pathfinder panel. For more information, see Pathfinder effects.

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