Illustrator in 60 Seconds: How to Use the Pathfinder Tool

Welcome to our Illustrator in 60 Seconds series, in which you can learn an Illustrator skill, feature, or technique in just a minute!

Illustrator in 60 Seconds: The Pathfinder Panel

Having trouble figuring out how to use the different Shape Modes found under the Pathfinder panel? Well, worry no more, since in this short video you’ll learn exactly how to use them!

How to Use the Pathfinder Tool

To display the Pathfinder you will have to go to Window > Pathfinder to make it visible.

The first Shape Mode is Unite, which will combine all the selected objects into a single larger shape.

The second Shape Mode is Minus Front, and it allows you to use any top object to create a cutout from the one underneath.

The third option is Intersect, which will create a new shape by using the overlapping sections of the selected objects.

Last but not least, we have Exclude, which instead of removing any of the non-overlapping sections does the exact opposite and gets rid of the intersecting surfaces of the objects.

Want to see this in action? Check out the video above to see this lesson at work!

A Bit More Detail

Want to learn more about the vast tools and settings in Adobe Illustrator? Check out these tutorials below:

• 
  Roundups
  The A to Z of Adobe Illustrator
  Mary Winkler
• 
  Clipping Mask
  Quick Tip: Advantages of Using the Clipping Mask Over the Pathfinder Panel
  Andrei Stefan
• 
  Tools & Tips
  A Comprehensive Guide to the Pathfinder Panel
  Cheryl Graham
• 
  Clipping Mask
  Quick Tip: Advantages of Using the Clipping Mask Over the Pathfinder Panel
  Andrei Stefan

60 Seconds?!

This is part of a new series of quick video tutorials on Envato Tuts+. We’re aiming to introduce a range of subjects, all in 60 seconds—just enough to whet your appetite. Let us know in the comments what you thought of this video and what else you’d like to see explained in 60 seconds!