Joining paths makes the resulting unified path look different

[96_NSX]

I am making a map in Illustrator. I have drawn coastline and want to fill it in, so I was connecting the paths into one solid shape. However, when I select the paths and join them with CTRL+J, it makes the resulting unified path look messed up or maybe stylized. This also happens if I convert it all to a live paint group, except then it creates very long, straight strokes, that I can delete, but it still messes up the path.

The path itself is using the regular 5 pt round brush with a weight of 0.75. The profile says uniform, yet it still ends up looking as it does. I have no idea what causes it or how to fix it.

[lambiloon]

Hi, use pen tool in stroke color to complete shape first then apply fill color...regards

[96_NSX]

Unfortunatley it's not that simple. At first it seems like that is a viable solution, but as I fill in gaps with the pen tool, the overall path ends up looking more and more distorted like in my image and if I were to just select all and CTRL+J.

[Barbara Ash]

Is it possible that there is more than one path, and that the paths are close to each other?

I can't tell for sure what's happening unless I can examine the file.

[Jacob Bugge · Accepted solution]

96 NSX,

Maybe far too far out, but it looks like a strange version of the Blob issue solved many years ago by Kurt with Zig Zag Effect (setting the Size to 0 and Ridges per Segment to a sufficiently number (up to 100, you may get away with fewer)).

https://helpx.adobe.com/illustrator/using/reshaping-objects-effects.html

[Kurt Gold]

I think Jacob is right. It looks like the old blob issue.

Instead of using the crude workaround he mentioned, I would just use a simple and plain stroke and not the 5 pt round brush stroke which actually is a calligraphic brush.