Moho Forum

I notice some blank spots after moving points what is causing this? And how can I fix it?
Thanks you.

That's what happens when you bend a shape over the top of itself. For the shape in the picture, you need to break the overall shape into smaller shapes.

Not sure how to do that. Could you explain? Thanks for the answer.

Sure. To use the shape in your picture as an example. Let's say that it's a hand and a foot in the picture.

1) Select the shape with the Select Shape Tool (Q)
2) Delete the shape
3) Add a new line between the two points near the 1 O'clock position. We'll use that to separate the 'hand' portion from the 'foot' portion.
4) Use the Create Shape Tool (U) to create a shape. Select the 5 points that form the 'foot' part of the shape. Click the "Create Shape" button at the top of the window.
5) Use the Create Shape Tool again to make a new shape out of the 'hand' part you have drawn. Select the points that make up the 'hand', and be sure to Include the 2 points from the 'foot shape at the 1 O'clock position. Click the Create Shape button again.
6) You should have 2 separate shapes that can be stacked on top of one another.

Here's an example of what he's describing:



By splitting the one big shape into two smaller shapes, you can lay one shape over the other. (Use the arrow keys to change the stacking order.)

For animation purposes, this still behaves like a single shape because the points are shared.

> Use the arrow keys to change the stacking order.

I created a shape and splitted it as you explained into two shapes:



But if I press the arrow up or down key the stacking order isn't changed.
The yellow shape is always on top.

I tried it with no selected points, then selecting the points of one shape
and then with selecting the points of both shapes and pressing
up/down arrow key, but nothing happened.

So what have I done wrong?

You're using the Points Selection tool. To select shapes, you need to use the Shape Selection tool. Basically, points don't have a stacking order, but shapes do, so you need the latter tool.

After you've selected your shape with the Shape Selection tool, you can move the selected shape up and down with the arrow key, or force a selected shape to front or back using Shift-arrow up/down. You can also select multiple shapes using Shift with the Shape Selection tool. Just hold down Shift and drag through the shapes you wish to select. (I kinda scribble over when I want to select every shape in the layer.)

How to tell when you've selected a shape: By default, a checkerboard pattern will appear over a shape when you've selected it, unless you've disabled Checker Selection, in which case you get a red box which looks different from the 'Transform' widget seen in your image. (Personally, I prefer the red box because it doesn't interfere with the color/pattern visibility the way 'checker' does.)

@Greenlaw Got it. Thank you.