Select Shape - Draw inside

[CESTLAVIE]

Hi,

Sorry if this is already answered somewhere but I'm new to this and may have missed the answer i'm looking for but i would like to select a shape and then draw inside it with the brush tool in such a way it doesn't draw outside the lines of the shape i select.

I have this shape and manually highlighted the lines i would like to select from it:

When using the select tool i manage to select the bottom and left lines:

However when holding shift and clicking the top or right line it selects more than what i want as you can see by the blue arrow below:

Can you help me understand how i select a the parts of the shape i want to draw inside please.

Thank You

[jane-e]

To use the Draw Inside mode, you need to have a shape. It's a little hard to tell, but it appears that you have paths that are not connected and therefore have no inside.

[CESTLAVIE]

What is the best way to make a closed path?

In the example above, the line i'm pointing to with the blue arrow is just another wing so as i create the next wing i just draw 2 lines, i never create a full shape.

I.E.

How should i draw this to create a closed shape every time without drawing over the existing lines each time.

Or what is the best way to fix my current paths so they are closed?

Thank you.

[jane-e]

CESTLAVIE  wrote

How should i draw this to create a closed shape every time without drawing over the existing lines each time.

Or what is the best way to fix my current paths so they are closed?

There are many ways to draw closed shapes!

What tool are you using now to draw the open paths?

Try Ray's method for closing this shape. Does that work?

[Jeff Witchel, ACI]

Try selecting all objects and make them into a Live Paint Object. (Object > Live Paint > Make)

Then use the Bucket tool (k) to fill each shape.

Hope this helps!

[Jeff Witchel, ACI]

Check out this video about using Live Paint. http://www.jeffwitchel.net/2012/12/the-magic-of-interlocking-rings/

I talk about Live Paint about 6:00 into the video.

[michelew83603738]

The method of creating a live paint group will work if you want to fill the entire area with the paint bucket tool as suggested by @jeffwitchel but if you are trying to use a paint brush for a different result -separate strokes for example, this will not work. You will most likely have to add anchor points to your line segments, cut them so that you can then join them to make a complete shape.

[Jeff Witchel, ACI]

Sorry michelew83603738. I missed your mention of the Paint Brush.

[Jeff Witchel, ACI]

OK, here's kind of an awkward workaround with Live Paint.

Make your Brush Strokes into a Pattern and fill the shapes with the Bucket tool (k). Afterwards you can resize your Pattern with the Scale tool (uncheck all options except Pattern in the Scale dialog. You can also move the Pattern using the Move dialog. Double-click on the Selection tool to access move.

See attached screenshot.

Here's a video about Patterns: http://www.jeffwitchel.net/2012/07/create-simply-amazing-patterns/

[Ray Yorkshire]

Select that area general area

Switch to the Shape Builder tool and make a shape of it,

then select it and carry on with the draw inside mode