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I wonder if we can do everything with the pathfinders without using the shape builder.
The simple answer is no.
With Shape Builder, you can more easily apply Unite and Minus Front to exactly what you want. Considering these are probably the most used commands in Pathfinder, this is an amazing timesaver.
But Pathfinder allows you other possibilities, such as Divide, Exclude, and more. If you're not a big fan of Pathfinder, try Live Paint. https://helpx.adobe.com/illustrator/using/live-paint-groups.html
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You probably can, but will be more tedious.
e.g. deleting parts of paths.
There are perfect reasons when to use pathfinder functions. There are perfect reasons when to use the shapebuilder. Why would you want to limit yourself?
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Mhhh, I see, but sometimes the tool shapebuilder make a strange vector
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Hhhhmmmm. That is not particularly descriptive in a way that someone could help you. So perhaps you want to show examples.
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The simple answer is no.
With Shape Builder, you can more easily apply Unite and Minus Front to exactly what you want. Considering these are probably the most used commands in Pathfinder, this is an amazing timesaver.
But Pathfinder allows you other possibilities, such as Divide, Exclude, and more. If you're not a big fan of Pathfinder, try Live Paint. https://helpx.adobe.com/illustrator/using/live-paint-groups.html
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So I've got a class where the instructor wants us to use pathfinder to merge a background with a shape for a fill of an image.
There's a lot of prep to make the image ready and then merge the background with the shape and then isolate the background and delete it. It's not always successful for me.
What is the difference between using background/merge to fill an object vs Live Paint?
I don't understand the need for Pathfinder > merge versus fill an object.
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Maybe this answers it: https://www.vektorgarten.de/pathfinder-and-other-construction.html
But it would really help to see screenshots of your issue.
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So the link you posted doesn't describe why I would use Pathfinder and when I would use Shapebuilder.
Also why would I use color in Pathfinder versus Live Fill?
I have an image that I have drawn from a scan. I need to fill that image. My instructor said to merge the lines together and use Pathfinder to fill the color. What is the difference between Pathfinder and Shapebuilder in this?
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In this specific case using pathfinder doesn't make any sense. Quite the contrary. With several colors this would be a messed workflow. There are dozens and dozens of tutorials that teach it that way, but none of them makes a lot of sense.
There is no general recommendation like "for this project use that function. You have to analyze your project, your workflow, your requirements and then decide.
In your project personally I would use Live paint.
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So the Grape Ape on the right side - I would connect the lines and then use Live Paint to fill them?
The "White Zombie" boxes are unsuccessful attempts to write text - create a box and then then paste the box with text so it fills in the space. I want them to be office buidings, but lettered boxes instead.
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You wouldn't even need to connect anything.
This depends on what your teacher expects you to deliver.
Please tell us the exact specifications of what is expected from you.
And also: when people tell you about functions, please read about those in the documentation. Please try them out and watch what they do.
This is how Live Paint works.
https://helpx.adobe.com/illustrator/using/live-paint-groups.html
If you want to hide that from your teacher: First expand all the strokes (if you haven't already).
Then use Live paint to colorize the artwork (please, please, please read the documentation of how it works)
Then expand the live paint.
Then select all and apply the pathfinder "Merge" from the panel. This will hide your usage of Live paint.