Can I outline only part of an image in Adobe Illustrator?

[jashenryjr]

Hello,

 I'm using Adobe Illustrator and I'm trying to create a character and my aesthetic includes outlines for most body parts. The problem is the arms look awful fully outlined because of the torso overlap. Are there any options to only outline part of the image?

[John T Smith]

Please post the name of the Adobe program you use so a Moderator may move this message to that forum

[jashenryjr]

Hello,

 I'm using Adobe Illustrator and I'm trying to create a character and my aesthetic includes outlines for most body parts. The problem is the arms look awful fully outlined because of the torso overlap. Are there any options to only outline part of the image?

[Bobby Henderson]

Remove the outline effects from your primary objects, leaving them with only the fill. Copy and paste those objects, preferably onto a new layer, into the same position (Ctrl/Cmd+C then Ctrl/Cmd+F), removing the fills and applying line strokes to the desired thickness. Even use the Width tool to vary the stroke thickness for a more natural, calligraphic look along the paths if you like. Then delete path segments where you don't want an outline present.

[Jacob Bugge]

James,

How about Live Paint Group?

https://helpx.adobe.com/illustrator/using/live-paint-groups.html

[Anna Lander]

could you please show the image (at least, the part yiu want to change). There are many ways, and your screen cold help to choose the best one.

[jashenryjr]

Naturally, the arms are supposed to be in front of the torso, however, if I do that the outlines are visible. I'm open to any ideas. I've tried doubling up and putting a black layer under the arm in black but I'm hoping to avoid that route.

[Anna Lander]

Are you actually need to keep the sleeves as separate objects? What about combining them (Unite) with the torso? Then you could stroke the new united shape.

[jashenryjr]

Would that present an issue when I import it into character animator?

[Monika Gause]

It would really help if you could mention this kind of stuff in the first post.

Yes, of course: everything that changes the stacking or and/or hierarchy of your layers and objects might be an issue with Character Animator.

[Jacob Bugge]

James,

Have you tried, or considered, the Live Paint Group suggestion?

[jashenryjr]

I'm about to, I'm not as good with paint. Most of this is self taught so I'm not as experienced as most users

[jashenryjr]

I'm about to, I'm not as good with paint. Most of this is self-taught so I'm not as experienced as most users

[Monika Gause]

Depending on  which objects you include in the Live paint group it will affect your object hierarchy. It will group things that you might not want to group (depending on what you want to do with your puppet in Character Animator). Maybe you want to exchange the arms? You will have to ask in the Character Animator forum as well and present them your puppet and ask how to build it and if you need to keep arms separate.

Maybe before making this kind of details you first want to try it out as is in order to get more experience in both apps? You cannot do this without experience. And so you will need to live with some flaws and iron them out along the way. The learning process takes time and nobody can spare you that time and also there is no way to cut short.

[jashenryjr · Accepted solution]

Thanks for the input and help to everyone who posted. I appreciate the honest feedback and it helped me learn a lot about the process. In the end, I was able to complete the task by using the stroke feature along with the dashed line feature.