coloring inside a line?

[Alice31248974maav]

hello, im trying to teach myself to use AI but ive already messed up lol.

i made a curved line using the pen and id like to color everything beneath the line in red and leave the space above white.

couldn't find a normal bucket tool, googled around, people say to use "live painting bucket". i transformed my line into a live object (or whatever, i dont remember the exact term, the instructions i found were in my native language) but it just colors the "curves" of the line and leaves the rest of the space blank.

when i try to use LPB a little forbidden sign appears sometimes as well (had to take a photo with my phone since the capture tool wouldnt capture the cursor, sorry).

i tried to solve this by making colorful squares and arranging them in different layers but obviously that wont work either since theyre... well, square, so they dont color perfectly to the bounds of the curved line so i end up covering up the line either with the red below or with the white above.

there has to be a solution to this right? i mean this is something i could do in ms paint in elementary school.

i know this is probably a really stupid question, sorry

[Alice31248974maav]

here's what it looks like when i manage to color with LPB

[defaultsgjp1vsm108j · Accepted solution]

You need to close your path, and help Illustratot know how far you want the fill to go.

Hit P for pen tool

Hover over 1 and click when your cursor changes to the appropriate mode of the tool (looks like forward slash)

do the same for the remaining 3 points

fill the closed shape

[Alice31248974maav]

thank you very much! 🙂

[Alice31248974maav]

hi sorry i have another question, if i do this how can i color the other part (the one that's left white) if i want?

[Monika Gause]

That would have been easy if you followed Jacob's advice.

[Alice31248974maav]

Hi monika, i did try jacob's method and it worked perfectly (in fact I selected his answer as one of the correct ones) however that method doesnt allow me to change the curve and position of the object later, so ive been working on my project using this user's method instead.

In the end i colored the other space by adding a rectangle at the back, i was just wondering if there was a way of also making that "negative" space into an object that i can color and change independently.

[Monika Gause]

If you want to be able to change curcve and position later, there is a third method. Using Live paint.

In order to select the colors, press the arrow keys. In order to enter isolation mode: double click the live paint group:

https://youtu.be/0Gw601ivv-I 

[Jacob Bugge]

Alice,

In that case there is also a fourth way (not to mention the others):

1) Create a rectangle corresponding to the total area to be coloured and give it one of the desired fill colours,

2) Copy the rectangle 1) in front of itself (Ctrl/Cmd+C+F),

3) Create the curved path extending at least to the sides of the  rectangles 1) and 2) (or past them), then continue to create a closed path large enough to cover the whole set of rectangles,

4) Select the closed path 3) and the relevant rectangle 1) or 2) and Ctrl/Cmd+7 to turn the set into a Clipping Mask/set.

This will give you the desired appearance, and you can always adjust the shape and position of the curved part of the path 3).

Edit: Step 3) is edited for clarity, see post below

[Alice31248974maav]

Hi Jake, im sorry i dont totally understand what you mean in point 3.

what do you mean by "extending PAST the rectangles"? Like on top of them? And i have to cover the rectangles completely with the path shape? Does that mean i have to move the shape later to show the colors? Why am i making two rectangles instead of just one?

im sorry im just having trouble visualizing what i have to do exactly

[Jacob Bugge]

Alice,

I apologize for woolliness.

Step 3) has been edited, so now it says:

3) Create the curved path extending at least to the sides of the rectangles 1) and 2) (or past them), then continue to create a closed path large enough to cover the whole set of rectangles,

It is sufficient if the curved path only reaches the sides of the rectangles.

Then you can continue from the end of the curved part by adding Anchor Points down below or up above the rectangles and close the path at the start of the curved path.

If the closed path is tall (and wide) enough to fully cover the rectangles, you can move it up and down for best position of the curved part which will determine where the visible colour changes between the upper and lower parts.

By selecting the closed path and one of the rectangles and pressing Ctrl/Cmd+7 you will create a Clipping Mask/set which will only show the colour of enclosed part of the rectangle and make the rest of it invisible so the colour of the other rectangle shows there.

So you will have the colour of a full rectangle at the back, partially covered by the colour of the clipped rectangle on top.

[Jacob Bugge · Accepted solution]

Alice,

You can:

1) create a rectangle corresponding to the total area to be coloured, then hold Ctrl/Cmd and press X and then B (Ctrl/Cmd+X+B) to bring it to the back beneath your curved path;

2) Select the curved path, then in the Object dropdown click Path and then Divide Objects below, (Object>Path>Divide Objects Below);

3) Select each of the new paths and give them the desired Fill Colors.

You can fill the whole Artboard with the colours by ClickDragging with the Rectangle Tool from one corner to the opposite one with Smart Guides to tell you when you are within snapping distance.

[Alice31248974maav]

thank you so much! ^_^

[Jacob Bugge]

For my part you are welcome, Alice.