Have you tried deleting your Illustrator preference files? To do this: For Macintosh Users: With Illustrator closed launch a Finder Window in column view and click on your home folder. With the Option Key pressed choose Library from the Finder Go Menu. Within the Library folder find the following two files and delete them: “Adobe Illustrator <Version #> Settings” (earlier versions of Illustrator might just say “Adobe Illustrator”) and “com.adobe.Illustrator.plist”. When Illustrator is next launched it will create new preference files and the program will be restored to its defaults. After you’ve reset up the program (make sure that no document window is open) to your liking, it is a really good idea to create copies of your personalized “mint” preference files (make sure that you quit the program before copying them—that finalizes your customization) and use them in the future to replace any corrupt versions you may need to delete. For Windows Users: Hold down Ctrl + Alt + Shift when launching Illustrator and respond affirmatively when asked if you want to reset. ... View more

Based on my scientist wife's explanation about what you might mean in regards to a DNA drawing I came up with the process below: I recreated your image as live art. Then I used the Pathfinder Divide function to make the overlap into a separate shape. Then I created a gradient with the two colors that you used (sampling them with the eyedropper). Then I applied the gradient to the overlap area and using the gradient tool I finessed the gradient as shown. If this is what you're looking for great. If not please provide a sketch as to what you need. ... View more

It sounds like somehow your copy of InDesign got corrupted. The usual recommended way to "fix" the program is to delete the application preferences. I can't say that doing so will help save an already corrupted file but it may prevent it from happening to you again. To reset preferences: For Macintosh Users: With InDesign closed launch a Finder Window in column view and click on your home folder. With the Option Key pressed choose Library from the Finder Go Menu. Within the Library folder find the following two files and delete them: “Adobe InDesign” and “com.adobe.InDesign.plist”. When InDesign is next launched it will create new preference files and the program will be restored to its defaults. After you’ve reset up the program (make sure that no document window is open) to your liking, it is a really good idea to create copies of your personalized “mint” preference files (make sure that you quit the program before copying them—that finalizes your customization) and use them in the future to replace any corrupt versions you may need to delete. For Windows Users: Hold down Ctrl + Alt + Shift when launching InDesign and respond affirmatively when asked if you want to reset. Once InDesign has been cleaned up try opening your corrupt file both in its original form and the IDML version. If you are able to open the file and work on it I would not save anything until you're sure that the program is now allowing you to move forward on the file without further corruption. If it is the same as before I would force quit InDesign so as not to corrupt the new preference files. ... View more

You can create a compound path by drawing a box that duplicates the dimensions of your background image and placing your cutout above it in position and pressing Command/Control-8. then place that compound path above your image, in position, and select the compound path and the image and make a Clipping Mask using Command/Control-7. ... View more