Expanding and Merging Strokes

[Boldlinedesign]

I am still having issues getting strokes to expand to fills and then the ability to merge them together - it freezes up the app or it creates strange results. Some of this might be solved by a blob brush alternative - so we can fill sections easier than using repeated strokes - or I could try to do more specific fills with the pen tool

I usually use strokes to get my desired look, then expand it to a fill, divide the overlap and then erase the extras and then merge it all together again - that process is difficult right now in AD

 

[Brian D]

For the "strange results" part, try selecting the curves your going to merge, the changing the fill mode to Alternate (Menu bar > Layer > Fill Mode > Alternate). This solved a lot of issues I had with weird results from merging strokes and shapes together.

Agree with the rest though, I always save right before I merge because it's 50/50 whether it'll lock up the app or not.

[Sean P]

Hi Boldlinedesign

In addition to Brian's suggestion above, if the curves are separate objects could you try first selecting them all and using Layer > Geometry > Merge Curves and then expanding that object. Failing that could you attach a sample file.

Referring to the 'Fill Mode' I would take a look at this article that describes and demonstrates how those two modes work and what they do. This should help five a better understanding to what happens when a stroke crosses over itself with a fill.

https://www.sitepoint.com/understanding-svg-fill-rule-property/