illustrator

The Measure tool calculates the distance between any two points and displays the results in the Info panel.

1. Select the Measure tool . (Press and hold the Eyedropper tool to see it in the Tools panel.)
2. Do one of the following:
   • Click the two points to measure the distance between them.
     
   • Click the first point and drag to the second point. Shift‑drag to constrain the tool to multiples of 45°.
     The Info panel shows the horizontal and vertical distances from the x and y axes, the absolute horizontal and vertical distances, the total distances, and the angle measured.
     

Use the Blob Brush tool to paint filled shapes that you can intersect and merge with other shapes of the same color.
The Blob Brush tool uses the same default brush options as calligraphic brushes. (See Calligraphic brush options.)

Path created with a Calligraphy brush (left); path created with the Blob Brush tool (right)

To see a video on using the Blob Brush tool, see www.adobe.com/go/lrvid4018_ai. To see an example of using the Blob Brush to create a complex drawing, see www.adobe.com/go/learn_ai_tutorials_blob_brush_en.

Blob Brush tool guidelines

When using the Blob Brush tool, keep the following guidelines in mind:

• To merge paths, they must be adjacent in stacking order.
  
• The Blob Brush tool creates paths with a fill and no stroke. If you want your Blob Brush paths to merge with existing artwork, make sure that the artwork has the same fill color and no stroke.
  
• When drawing paths with the Blob Brush tool, new paths merge with the topmost matching path encountered. If the new path touches more than one matching path within the same group or layer, all of the intersecting paths are merged together.
  
• To apply paint attributes (such as effects or transparency) to the Blob Brush tool, select the brush and set the attributes in the Appearances panel before you start drawing.
  
• You can use the Blob Brush tool to merge paths created by other tools. To do this make sure that the existing artwork does not have a stroke; then set up the Blob Brush tool to have the same fill color, and draw a new path that intersects all of the paths that you want to merge together.
  

Create merged paths

Remember that paths with strokes cannot be merged.

1. Select the path into which you want to merge a new path.
   
2. In the Appearances panel, deselect New Art Has Basic Appearance. When this option is deselected, the Blob Brush tool uses the attributes of the selected artwork.
   
3. Select the Blob Brush tool , and make sure it uses the same appearances as the selected artwork.
   
4. Draw paths that intersect with the artwork. If the paths don’t merge, check to make sure that the Blob Brush tool’s attributes exactly match the existing path attributes, and that neither uses a stroke.
   

Blob Brush tool options

Double-click the Blob Brush tool in the Tools panel and set any of the following options:

Keep Selected

Specifies that when you draw a merged path, all paths are selected and remain selected as you continue to draw. This option is useful for viewing all paths that are included in the merged path.

Merge only with Selection

Specifies that new strokes merge only with the existing selected path. If you select this option, the new stroke is not merged with another intersecting path that is not selected.

Fidelity

Controls how far you have to move your mouse or stylus before Illustrator adds a new anchor point to the path. For example, a Fidelity value of 2.5 means that tool movements of less than 2.5 pixels aren’t registered. Fidelity can range from 0.5 to 20 pixels; the higher the value, the smoother and less complex the path.

Smoothness

Controls the amount of smoothing that Illustrator applies when you use the tool. Smoothness can range from 0% to 100%; the higher the percentage, the smoother the path.

Size

Determines the size of the brush.

Angle

Determines the angle of rotation for the brush. Drag the arrowhead in the preview, or enter a value in the Angle text box.

Roundness

Determines roundness of the brush. Drag a black dot in the preview away from or toward the center, or enter a value in the Roundness text box. The higher the value, the greater the roundness.