Create Fun
Create Fun
Create Fun
5 OUTLINE STROKE
With these objects still selected, go into the Object menu to Path and choose Outline Stroke. This will
expand the shape area out to the stroked area, making it a regular shape.
6 UNITE SHAPES
Open the Pathfinder panel from the Window menu. Click the Unite icon, which is the first icon under
Shape Modes. (In Illustrator CS3, the Unite icon is called the Add to Shape Area icon, and after you click
the icon, you also need to click the Expand button.) This will combine all the expanded shapes into one
single shape. This shape will act as our outer border effect. (Note: If you see any stray points inside the
shape, use the Ellipse tool to draw a shape over the points, select everything, and click the Unite icon
again.)
7 CHANGE FILL & STROKE; THICKEN STROKE
Now we need to change the color of this shape. Open the Swatches panel and set the Fill color to blue and
the Stroke color to red. Open the Stroke panel from the Window menu. Set the Stroke weight relatively
thick, depending on the size of your art—we used 5 pt in this example. Click the center icon next to Align
Stroke to put the stroke on the inside of the shape.