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How to expand and combine mirror drawing for editing components separately

Forum|Forum|24 days ago
February 1, 2026
6 replies
199 views

Hello, I have a design I created using the transform mirror tool. I created the guideline using the pen tool and reflection across that axis by drawing with the blob brush tool. Now that the design is finished, I don't know how to get everything that was drawn to combine into one vector so that I can fill individual sections and recolor it. If I delete the vertical reflect line, it causes both sides to come to the center. Even after selecting everything on the mirror layer and expanding, it doesn't remove the mirror function. please help!

Correct answer Ton Frederiks

Thanks @Trisha5E13 I see a couple of things that can be expanded.

There is an Transform Effect on the Layer that can be expanded.

There are Transform Effects for Objects that can be expanded.

After Expanding the Appearances, you can use Live Paint to colorize the different elements.

Ton Frederiks

Community Expert

@Trisha5E13 I could not replicate how to expand the layer appearance on your file, but I now know how.

I think your file was damaged and this is not a normal way of doing it.

Select All. Ungroup All. Move it a little. Expand Appearance.

See the attached movie.

Expand appearance.mp4

T

Trisha5E13Author

Known Participant

This is amazing thank you!! I appreciate you showing me so I know what to do next time just in case. Thanks so much!

Ton Frederiks

Community Expert

Good to hear that helped.

Ton Frederiks

Community Expert

Hi @Trisha5E13 your second file looks damaged (I see it has been recovered from a crash).

It will not let me expand the appearance, but somehow (I cannot repeat it) I managed to expand it.

See attached.

complex pattern expanded.ai

T

Trisha5E13Author

Known Participant

Hi Ton I can't separate the parts of the layer unfortunately. I ungrouped to try and delete that horizontal line and it causes half the image to delete.

Ton Frederiks

Correct answer

Community Expert

Thanks @Trisha5E13 I see a couple of things that can be expanded.

There is an Transform Effect on the Layer that can be expanded.

There are Transform Effects for Objects that can be expanded.

After Expanding the Appearances, you can use Live Paint to colorize the different elements.

T

Trisha5E13Author

Known Participant

Thank you so much!! That did it! I didn't know I was supposed to do expand appearance. I was using expand. I appreciate it!

Ton Frederiks

Community Expert

Good to hear that helped.

DougKatz17096006

Inspiring

Maybe you’re using the Object>Repeat>Mirror

Monika Gause

Community Expert

You were using which tool? A transform effect?

You need to expand the Appearance.

T

Trisha5E13Author

Known Participant

yes Im using the transform effect

T

Trisha5E13Author

Known Participant

As I shared, after expanding everything, it doesn't remove the mirror function and when I try to remove the guideline for the reflection it causes the reflection to move to the center even when expanded

Ton Frederiks

Community Expert

Can you share a simple example of your problem as an .ai file?

Use the link icon to upload it to a message.

T

Trisha5E13Author

Known Participant

Yes sure. I have it attached. Im not sure how to use the link icon. I uploaded as an attachment

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