The Shape Builder Tool In Adobe Illustrator

Victoria Pavlov

17 Feb, 2023

The Shape Builder Tool in Adobe Illustrator is a powerful tool that allows you to create new shapes by combining, merging, or subtracting existing shapes. It is a versatile tool that can save you a lot of time in your design process, especially if you work with complex shapes and need to modify them quickly.

In this tutorial, I will show you how to use the Shape Builder Tool in Adobe Illustrator to create new shapes and designs.

Step 1: Select the shapes you want to modify

The first step is to select the shapes you want to modify. You can do this by clicking and dragging over the shapes you want to select or by holding down the Shift key and clicking on each shape.

Step 2: Select the Shape Builder Tool

Next, select the Shape Builder Tool from the toolbar on the left-hand side of the screen.

Step 3: Combine shapes

To combine shapes, click and drag over the areas you want to combine. The Shape Builder Tool will automatically create a new shape based on your selection. You can combine as many shapes as you want, and the tool will create a new shape for each combination.

Step 4: Subtract areas from a shape

To subtract areas from a shape, hold down the Option/Alt key and click and drag over the area you want to remove. The Shape Builder Tool will subtract that area from the shape, creating a new shape.

Step 5: Adjust the shape

Once you have created a new shape using the Shape Builder Tool, you can adjust it by using the Direct Selection Tool. Select the shape and use the Direct Selection Tool to click and drag on any of the anchor points or handles to modify the shape.

In conclusion, the Shape Builder Tool in Adobe Illustrator is a powerful tool that can save you a lot of time in your design process. It allows you to create new shapes by combining, merging, or subtracting existing shapes, and it is easy to use. With a little bit of practice, you can create complex shapes and designs quickly and efficiently.

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Three things that you may not have known how to do in Adobe Illustrator.

Victoria Pavlov

7 Feb, 2023

Adobe Illustrator is a powerful vector graphics software that is widely used by graphic designers, illustrators, and artists. It offers a vast array of tools and features that can help you create amazing designs. However, with so many tools and features available, it can be overwhelming to learn everything at once. In this blog post, we will discuss three things that you may not have known how to do in Adobe Illustrator.

1: Use the Width Tool to Modify Paths

The Width Tool in Adobe Illustrator allows you to adjust the width of paths and shapes in your design. This tool can be used to create unique and creative designs that cannot be achieved with the standard stroke width feature. To use the Width Tool, select the path or shape you want to modify and go to the “Width Tool” in the “Tools” panel. You can then adjust the width of the path by clicking and dragging the anchor points on either side.

2: Create Clipping Masks

Clipping masks are a great way to add depth and interest to your designs. They allow you to clip an image or shape so that only a portion of it is visible. To create a clipping mask in Adobe Illustrator, first create the shape or image you want to use as the mask and place it above the object you want to clip. Then, select both objects and go to the “Object” menu, select “Clipping Mask” and then “Create Clipping Mask.”

3: Live Trace

Live Trace is a powerful feature that allows you to convert bitmap images into vector graphics. To use it, simply import your image into Illustrator and select it, then go to Object > Image Trace > Make Trace. You can then adjust the settings to get the desired trace result and expand the trace to convert it into a vector object.

In conclusion, these are just a few of the many features available in Adobe Illustrator that you may not have known how to use. Whether you are a beginner or an experienced user, it’s always a good idea to continue learning and exploring the software to enhance your skills and improve your designs. Happy designing!

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Storytelling in digital imaging

Victoria Pavlov

25 Jan, 2023

Storytelling in digital imaging is more important than a technically correct image. In today’s digital age, visual content is more prevalent than ever. From social media to advertising, images are constantly being used to capture the attention of audiences and convey a message. However, while technical aspects such as lighting, composition, and color are important, they are secondary to the story being told.

A technically correct image may be visually pleasing, but without a compelling story, it’s just a pretty picture. The story is what gives the image meaning and context, and it’s what connects with the audience on a deeper level. Whether it’s a brand campaign or a personal project, the story should always be the driving force behind the visual content.

For example, a landscape photo that is technically perfect but doesn’t tell a story may be appreciated for its beauty, but it doesn’t leave a lasting impression. On the other hand, a photo of a hike through the mountains, with a person’s face in the frame, tells a story of adventure, accomplishment and the beauty of nature. This is more likely to resonate with the audience and drive engagement.

In the age of digital media, storytelling through images is essential. It’s the story that gives meaning to the image, and it’s what separates a good image from a great one. Brands and businesses should focus on creating visual content that tells a compelling story and resonates with their target audience.

In conclusion, while technical aspects are important, storytelling should always be the priority when it comes to digital imaging. It’s the story that gives meaning to the image and connects with the audience on an emotional level. Brands and businesses should focus on creating visual content that tells a compelling story and resonates with their target audience.

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Winter Coloring Pages

Victoria Pavlov

23 Dec, 2022

Just in time for the winter holidays! I am excited to announce the release of my new coloring pages collection. These pages are perfect for getting into the holiday spirit and spreading cheer. Get your coloring supplies ready, and let’s get creative!

Everyone gets one complimentary coloring book page via my Patreon. The rest of the collection will be available only for my Patrons.
I appreciate your support and subscribing to my Patreon. It really helps me.

Happy Holidays from my studio to yours

Victoria Pavlov

15 Dec, 2022

This is the season to be jolly! As we approach the end of the year, it’s a time to reflect on the past year and celebrate the holidays with loved ones. Whether you’re spending time with family, friends, or just taking some time to relax and recharge, the holiday season is a time to be thankful and enjoy the little things in life.

As we gather around the dinner table or exchange gifts with loved ones, let’s remember to be grateful for the things we have and the people in our lives. It’s easy to get caught up in the hustle and bustle of the season, but taking a moment to appreciate the good things can go a long way in bringing joy and happiness.

For those who may be feeling lonely or stressed during the holidays, it’s important to reach out to loved ones or even seek support from organizations that can provide help. No one should have to go through the holiday season alone, and there are always people willing to lend a helping hand.

So let’s make the most of this holiday season! Enjoy time with loved ones, eat delicious food, and cherish the moments that make this time of year special. Here’s to a happy and healthy holiday season!

Neural Filters in Photoshop

Victoria Pavlov

12 Dec, 2022

Many of you asked me about Neural Filters in Photoshop and why I enjoy working with them.
This is my answer:

Adobe Photoshop is a powerful image editing software that is constantly evolving to offer new and improved features. One recent development that has many photographers and designers excited is Neural filters, a new type of filter that uses machine learning algorithms to make highly realistic edits to images.

One of the most impressive aspects of Neural filters is their ability to generate highly realistic images that can be difficult or impossible to achieve with traditional editing tools. For example, the Landscape Mixer filter can change the season in your photo or alter the lighting or color. These edits can be made quickly and easily without the need for extensive knowledge of Photoshop or other image editing software.
Another benefit of Neural filters is their ability to make subtle and natural-looking changes to an image. This means that you can use it to make subtle improvements to your photos, without making them look overly edited or fake. This can be especially useful for photographers who want to create images that look as natural and lifelike as possible.

Overall, the introduction of Neural filters in Adobe Photoshop is a positive development that offers many benefits for photographers and designers. With its ability to make highly realistic edits to images, it is sure to become a valuable tool for anyone looking to improve their image editing skills and create professional-quality visuals.

My favorite new painting features released by Adobe in October 2022

Victoria Pavlov

27 Oct, 2022

Adobe Illustrator:
Intertwine

I know how excited you are about reading this, and I am, also! The new Interwine feature is a huge time saver, making this work more enjoyable and easier. Now we can intertwine objects just with one simple selection.
Select the objects you want to intertwine, Object > Intertwine and make it!

Adobe Illustrator on iPad
Save and rename your document.

With October 2022 update, we can quickly save and rename your document. To save artwork manually, use the Save Now option (from the title bar) or use Cmd + S keyboard shortcut. To rename the document, use the title bar (also using the same option, we can modify the document).

Increase precision with snap-in gradients
Now when we apply radial or liner gradients, the gradient will snap at a 45-degree angle for colors and shades precision.

Adobe Fresco

Move, copy or delete multiple documents and folders.
We all try to be as organized as possible. The Adobe Fresco team released a new feature that will help us to be organized and stay organized with our artwork, documents, and folders. Tap the Select button in Your Files workspace and make the magic happen.

If you LOVE sketching in Adobe Fresco as much as I do, now is the time for a happy dance!
Adobe Fresco team expanded the Sketching brushes library with nine new pencils! These nine pencils will make a massive difference when sketching artwork.

My Favorite New Features - Adobe Updates October 2022

Victoria Pavlov

18 Oct, 2022

Photoshop on Desktop:

Improved Selection

It’s no surprise that I would start with the improved Selections. Like many of you, I was thrilled last year with the improvements to the Object Selection Tool. Since then, selecting any object in Photoshop has become extremely easier and more enjoyable (yes, I said “enjoyable”).

With the October 2022 update, the Object Selection tool can now see and select more complex objects and regions (water, buildings, ground, the sky, and more). Now we can make complex selections faster and without stress.

One-Click Delete and Fill

Yes that’s right, we can remove an object from the image with the new one-click Delete and Fill feature. How? Select the subject with the improved Object Selection Tool, and now press Shift+Delete. The area from a removed object will be automatically filled using content-aware fill. Simple and fast, just like that!

Copy/Paste Live Text from Illustrator

If you are working with Photoshop and Illustrator, as I do, you are probably using two apps working on the same document. With the October update last year, we were able to paste in Photoshop as layers Illustrator layers preserving the positions of objects along with the layer structure. Now, with the October 2022 update, we can copy/paste live and editable text from Illustrator(the type attributes will be preserved).

Photo Restoration Filter – A New Neural Filter
I love Neural Filters. Powered by AI, Neural Filters make edits in seconds. Now the Photoshop team has introduced a new Neural Filter – Photo Restoration Filter. The filter will detect and remove scratches or other minor imperfections in your old photos. As always, with Neural Filters, you have control to adjust the filter’s parameters. I am extremely happy about the new Photo Restoration filter. Recently, I discovered a lot of old photos of my family I never saw before. Every single photograph needs some restoration (from minor to very complex). As you can guess, I will be using a Photo Restoration filter very often.

Substance 3D Materials
Now we can use Substance 3D Materials in Photoshop. The best part is that it’s easy to use. Substance materials work as patterns in Photoshop but with many options for non-destructive customization.

Photoshop on iPad:

One-tap Remove background
Are you excited as I am? One-tap Remove background feature will save tons of time. Select Subject will quickly remove the background from the main subject and automatically create a layer mask. All this just with one tap. The remove background quick action button is in the Selection tools panel. The Remove background quick action button is accessible from the Layer properties panel as well.

One-Tap Content-Aware Fill.
Now we can remove the background using the One-Tap Content Aware Fill feature. A faster selection was made, AI powered by Adobe will fill the selection with pixels based on its surroundings.

Adobe Lightroom and Lightroom Classic:

Advanced Ai-Powered Masking

Since the Lightroom team introduced the new Masking 2.0 last year, I have used it daily, and it’s a game-changer for me. Editing my portrait and product photography in Lightroom is easier and faster.
The Lightroom team introduced more advanced masking in this year’s Max release.
Now we can use Select people masking powered by Adobe Sensei. Adobe Sensei will detect people and generate a high-quality mask for a group of people or any individual in the image. We can specify specific body parts, body skin, face skin, lips, teeth, eyes, hair, and more.

One-Click Select Background
Now we can select the background with one click! With a single click, Lr/LrC will generate a mask for the background.

Healing with Content-Aware Remove
Removing or healing imperfections or distractions in Lightroom has never been easier. AI-powered Content-Aware Remove will fill the distraction based on surrounding content.

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Easter Poster

Victoria Pavlov

15 Apr, 2022

Many of you asked me to show you the easiest way to create an Instagram post for Easter. Today, I will share with you the easiest way of creating a poster using “ready to go” assets.

Using Adobe Creative Cloud Express, you can create an eye-catching post in a few minutes even if you are not a designer, even if the post will be your first post on Instagram.

Today I will be using CC Express on the web, but you can do exact same using your mobile device.
You can start working on your post using any ready-to-go template available for you.

Note: if you like to learn how you can use these templates to create your unique design, please let me know.

Click on “+” icon to start > from the pop up menu click on > “Instagram Post”

I know it was easy, exactly as I promised.

From the left sidebar of the screen, click on “Background” > Enter “Spring” in the search box > choose any background you like. I picked the background which is not too busy because I will add more access to it later.

From the pop-up menu choose the” Pin to Background” option

Now is the time to add Easter assets”. To do so Choose “Shapes” from the left bar > Type “Egg” in a search > Pick any egg you like > Click on it > CC Express will add it to your document

If you want to change the color of the shape > click on a shape to select it > From the “Edit Shape” workspace > click on the color icon and change the color to any you like.

Add the second egg to the document and modify the shape color.

Type “Grass” in the search” box and choose any grass you like > Change the color to the green

To duplicate the grass shape > with the selected grass shape > click on “+” icon. In the image below you can see I duplicated the grass shape twice and repositioned all shapes in a way I think is the best for my composition

To add “Happy Easter” click on the “Text” icon. You have an option to use “ready-to-go” text and customize it or to “Add Your Text”. Today we will add our text.

Click on “+ Add your text”

Change the text to “Happy Easter”

Change the color of the text

Let’s talk about how we can customize the text. We can do it manually, but If you are not the person who likes doing it > use the amazing “Find a new style” feature (at the right bottom side of the screen).

With each click on the icon, CC Express will change to another “ready-to-go style”. Click it until you find the style you like.

We can apply our personal touch to any design in CC Express, even if we used templates or a ready-to-go style.

I want to change the font style.

So I did!

Note: you can also change the color, and size of the text. If you want to go further, don’t forget to customize “Effects”. I am happy with my Instagram post, so I will stop customizing it now.

Click on “Download” to download a new post to your local drive. I chose the “JPG” format.

Congratulation! You have created your first post in CC Express for your first Instagram post.

Note: we can change any single design aspect in CC Express. When we are using templates, the style wheel, shapes, and so on. Keep in mind that sometimes, less is better, especially when we have only 5 minutes before “sharing on social media” time.

3D Art for Easter in Adobe Substance 3D Stager

3D Art for Easter

Victoria Pavlov

14 Apr, 2022

Easter is coming. So for Easter 2022, I decided to share with you how to make something unique in Adobe Substance 3D Stager using the app’s default assets. This post is for beginners. So if you never worked with Adobe Substance 3D Stager, you will feel comfortable creating your first 3D art with me.

Grab a cup of coffee or tea and let’s start!

Open Substance 3D Stager > Click on “Create New”.

In the “Scene” panel > Click on “Environment

Properties Panel > Click on the “Background” color icon > Pick any color you like

From the Starter Assets” panel > Click on the “Models” tab to open Models Library

Click on “Sphere” model > Stager will add it to the 3D canvas

In the “Properties Panel” make the “Transform” workspace enabled by clicking on the “Transform” tab.
Click on the chain icon (next to “Size”) to disable proportional scaling > Set Y value to 27.94 CM or to any other value you like to bake the sphere looks like an egg.

Click on the “Chain” icon next to the “Scale” to enable it > In the “Scale” workspace change the “X” value to 0.3

In the Starter Assets, click on “Materials” to be redirected to the Materials library > Click on “Gloss Paint” to add this material to the egg.

In the “Material” workspace change all values as you see in the image below

Press “W” on the keyboard to activate the move tool > Edit > Copy > Edit > Paste > Click on Blue triangle (“Z”) > move the second egg to the left

In the “Material” Workspace > change the color to any color you like

Switch to the “Rotate” tool by clicking on “E” (keyboard shortcut) > Move the red circle to the right

In the “Action” panel > click on the “Move to Ground” icon to move the egg to the ground

Click on the “Vase” model to add it to the 3D canvas > Scale the Vase size down > Apply any material you like to the Vase (I used Sand Stone Strata 2)

In the Properties Panel switch to “Object” workspace > enable “Collision”

Switch to the “Move” tool and move the vase behind the eggs.

In the scene panel > double click on Sphere > rename it to the “Egg” > Click on Sphere 2 > rename it to the “Egg2”. When you will rename the second egg, this object will be selected. While the subject is selected > click and hold “Command” > while holding it click on Egg layer. Now you have selected both eggs

In the Properties panel > enable “Scale Proportionally” > bring eggs size down > Reposition eggs in the way you like (I positioned them close to the Vase)

After that, I created a copy of the blue egg > Enabled the “Collision” option for this egg > moved the egg behind the vase > Changed the color of the egg

You can repeat the last steps as many times as you like. Below is my example. Don’t forget that you can change the material for the individual egg as well.

The next step is optional. Below is an example of how I did it.

I did add the “Folage_A” object to my scene > Scaled the size down > Enabled the “Collision” option > Moved a new object behind the Vase > Applied “Simple Rib Stich material > Changed the color to the green.

The last step in the composition is to add light to it. You can use any light you like. I used the “Small apartment” light from the “Lights” library (default asset library) > Increased the light “Intensity” to 184%

P.S. I changed the background’s color. I think this color works better for this composition.

In the options bar, click on “Ray tracing” to preview the scene in “Quick Render” mode

If you are happy with what you see > click on Render. In the “Render” workspace > specify render options in a way you like/need > Click Render.

Your custom and unique Easter artwork are ready