Overlapping vector shapes

[Kiiryu]

Hello, I'm new here so don't be surprised if I ask stupid questions.

I'm trying to make a simple vector character, but I can't figure out how to make certain parts overlap. I want all the parts to be filled with white and outlined in black like this...


But as you can see, that does not happen when parts of the body overlap.

[synthsin75]

Nice example of the problem.

What you need to do is divide the shape where you want it to possibly overlap. For that arm it would be from the armpit to the shoulder.

You'll want to fill these shapes separately. (I.e. body, arms, legs, etc.) You can then either use the hide edge tool to hide the lines you don't want to show, or you can create the shapes without an outline and add a single outline around the whole thing.

Shapes only do this when they 'fold' in on themself. So separate shapes solve the problem.

[slowtiger]

Your illustration made me laugh so much! Thanx!

synthsin already explained it. You need several shapes which just appear as one. Much work in AS is spent in adjusting outline ends so it looks like one continuous line.

[Kiiryu]

Thanks a lot for replying so fast! That solved the problem. ^_^

I've already run into some more problems, but I guess thats all part of starting out. I'm gonna mess around with it a bit and get more framilier with the program.

[funksmaname]

Hey!
I've worked out a way to have the line show/hide automatically using layer ordering... give it a try!

this is the basic shape - with a line to seperate the arm and body:


Below is the first fill shape - like you did originally (except the line seperating the arm and body is there, this could have been added after doing this fill, it makes no difference at this stage


now move the arm over to create the empty space and fill in the triangle here - its important to untick the 'enable outline' box so you just get a white fill


Finally, select just the line, and fill it (making just an outline)... select the line with Q, and send it to the back of the stack, giving you the stack order below (where 1 is bottom, 3 is top)


As you swing the arm over the body, the back line shows and hides!
I'm not sure how effective this is on a more complicated design, i've yet to experiment with it...

BTW - you may wonder why i have the extra point half way on the seperation line... two reasons
1) you can curve it out so when you bend the arm over it has some shape
2) its the only way i could create the full shape to fill after adding that line, i needed to de-select the middle point to create a large shape rather than the body OR the arm...(?)

heres a rubbish example

[synthsin75]

Nice tip, Funksmaname!

[Kiiryu]

Just so I get this straight, what are you using to move the arm? It only goes invisible for me when I move the arm with a bone. (region mode

Edit: Woah, bonus, I just noticed the bone constraints menu O:

[funksmaname]

i was just using point motion... if you used a bone, you'd have to scale it rather than rotate it.

[chucky]

Nice logic, funk

[heyvern]

BRILLIANT!

I love that trick!

-vern