Illustrator

Close gaps in Live Paint groups

Gaps are small spaces between paths. If paint leaks through and paints faces you did not intend, you probably have a gap in your artwork. You can create a new path that closes the gap, edit existing paths to close the gap, or adjust the gap options in the Live Paint group.

You can avoid gaps in your Live Paint artwork by overdrawing paths (that is, extending them past each other). You can then select and delete the excess edges that result, or apply a stroke of “None” to them.

Highlight gaps in a Live Paint group

 Choose View > Show Live Paint Gaps.

This command highlights any gaps found on the currently selected Live Paint group, based on your gap options settings for that group.

Set Live Paint gap options

 Choose Object > Live Paint > Gap Options and specify any of the following:
Gap Detection
When selected, Illustrator recognizes gaps in Live Paint paths and prevents paint from flowing through them. Note that this may slow Illustrator when working on large, complex Live Paint groups. In this case, you can choose Close Gaps With Paths to help speed Illustrator up again.

Paint Stops At
Sets the size of the gap paint can’t flow through.

Custom
Specifies a custom Paint Stops At gap size.

Gap Preview Color
Sets the color for previewing gaps in Live Paint groups. You can choose a color from the menu, or click the color well next to the Gap Preview Color menu to specify a custom color.

Close Gaps With Paths
When selected, inserts unpainted paths into your Live Paint group to close gaps (rather than simply preventing paint from flowing though the gaps). Note that since these paths are unpainted, it may appear gaps are still there even though they have been closed.

Preview
Displays currently detected gaps in Live Paint groups as colored lines, based on the preview color you chose.

Gap rules for merged Live Paint groups

When you merge Live Paint groups that have different gap settings, Illustrator uses the following rules to handle the gaps:

  • If gap detection is off in all groups in the selection, gaps are closed and gap detection is turned on with Paint Stops At set to Small Gaps.

  • If gap detection is on and the same for all groups in the selection, gaps are closed and the gap setting is preserved.

  • If gap detection is mixed for the selection, gaps are closed and the gap settings of the bottommost Live Paint group are preserved (if gap detection is on for that group). If the bottommost group has gap detection turned off, gap detection is turned on and Paint Stops At is set to Small Gaps.