Draw shapes with coinciding corners

[alicegi]

Hi all,

Can somebody help me with the following issue. I'm trying to draw different shapes with coinciding corners. I want to be able to draw a new shape with same corner(s) as another already existing shape. See the examples underneath to get a clearer understanding.

What I'm looking is not a solution that involves drawing both shapes and then using the alignment tools, the x and y coordinates settings or the smart guides.

Any help is much appreciated.

Thanks in advance!

[Monika Gause]

You could take a look at the transform effect.

[alicegi]

Thanks! This will indeed do the trick!

[Ton Frederiks]

Yes, the Transform Effect, combined with the Add New Fill in the Appearance Panel.

[tromboniator]

You haven't said precisely what difficulties you are having in accomplishing these tasks, what tools you are using, nor which version of Illustrator.

Are you opposed to the use of Smart Guides for the creation of a shape, or just for the alignment of an already-drawn one? For example: Using the Rectangle tool, draw a square. Deselect it (using the keyboard shortcut cmd/ctrl + shift + A allows you to keep the Rectangle tool selected) so that you aren't forced to rotate or scale the square. Smart Guides will then tell you when you are over a corner point to draw the second square.

For the triangles, using the Pen tool (and Smart Guides) it's a simple matter to have coinciding points.

Again, more detail would be useful in determining what your problems are and how to help you.

Peter

[alicegi]

Thanks Peter for your reply! Using the 'transform each' settings (ctrl + alt + shift + D) I managed to achieve what I was looking for. I am not opposed to the Smart Guides, however I was wondering if there existed an alternative way to accomplish this.

Thanks for the suggestions nevertheless 🙂

Alice

[Monika Gause]

Transform each is not the transform effect.

Basically you create an new fill in the appearance panel. Then apply Effect > Distort & Transform to the fill and you get this:

effect looks like this:

[alicegi]

Thanks! Even better

[Jacob Bugge]

Alice,

As I (mis)understand you, close to what Peter does and suggests, without the need for moving objects after drawing them, I would definitely suggest the use of Smart Guides in free drawing in ways like the following; Smart Guides tell you when you are within snapping distance, in most cases saying anchor.

For squares/rectangles with one coinciding corner as in your first two images, Just (Shift)ClickDrag diagonally with the Rectangle tool and let go, then just (Shift)ClickDrag diagonally again from the desired corner of the first one.

For triangles with one coinciding corner, you may create the first triangle, then with the Pen Tool ClickHold a bit away from the relevant corner then press the Spacebar and ClickDrag the cursor to the corner and let go, then Click twice more to complete the second triangle.

For For squares/rectangles with two coinciding corners (a bit like the triangle in your third image) where you want a different shape of the second rectangle, you may create the first square/rectangle, then Ctrl/Cmd+C+F to copy it, then switch to the Direct Selection Tool, then deselect and ShiftClickDrag the path segment opposite to the coinciding corners past the first square/rectangle and as far as it takes to get the desired shape of the second one (Smart Guides saying nothing).

For an identical second square/rectangle, after copying just select the copy by one of the opposite corners and ShiftClickDrag it to snap to the relevant corner.

For the triangles with two coinciding corners as the triangles in your third image where you want a different shape of the second triangle, you may create the first triangle, then switch to the Direct Selection Tool, then deselect and ClickDrag the corner opposite to the coinciding corners past the first triangle and wherever it takes to get the desired shape of the second one (Smart Guides saying nothing).

Similar ways for other cases.