How to combine paths to create object for fill

Leah,

From your description it seems that there are multiple breaks along the perimeter, in other words a number of open paths.

"What I would like to know is, how to detect where the incongruencies are in the path"

I believe you can spot each of them immediately: The straight borders of the fill (of each open path) ends exactly at the end Anchor Points.

Whichever way you choose to create the shape with one full fill, you will need to join the open paths into one closed path for the whole perimeter.

Depending on the actual paths, this can be done with more or less care/accuracy/ease.

In some cases, such as consistent use of deliberately overlapping open paths forming the desired shape if you just get rid of the overlaps, the Shape Builder or Live Paint as suggested by Monika is efficient, accurate, and easy.

In other cases, where the open paths meet, there may be an inaccuray in the form of a gap = end Anchor Points of adjacent paths being a bit apart so there is a gap, or there may be an accurate fit = coinciding end Anchor Points, or there may be an inaccuray in the form of a some kind of overlap = paths crossing with the end Anchor Points being beyond the crossing.

The easy way in such cases is still to use Tools like the Shape Builder or Live Paint, but this will preserve inaccuracy and lead to less desirable artwork, such as unneeded Anchor Points, and corners in rounded shapes; this may call for further mending, maybe without reaching a (fully) desirable artwork.

A more elaborate way in such cases, which can optimize the result (in one go), is to zoom in on each set of open end Anchor Points and use the Direct Selection Tool to select and move one of them to snap to the other or to select both and use the keys Alt/Option+Ctrl/Cmd+J (Object>Path>Average) while remembering to select Both to move them together to snap, and then (with both selected) use Ctrl/Cmd+J (Object>Path>Join) while remembering to select Smooth (or Corner if you wish to have a corner).

This could also be the beginning of a journey further into the creation of fully desirable artwork.

Obviously, it is simpler and better to create the closed path with the desired shape to begin with; but that can be a next step of the journey.

I think you rather want to take a look into the shapebuilder tool or Live paint.

This is your issue, right?

https://youtu.be/LxH9h2-luXo 

Hello @

Thanks for reaching out. Would you mind trying the suggestions shared in this tutorial (https://adobe.ly/46MYGrq) and letting us know if it helps?