How to set pencil to use the fill option only instead of stroke and fill?

Subpath

I have also pleaded that the pencil and the pen tool
should have should have the option to work with fill
from the beginning.

But since you mentioned the Path Sketch tool.
I know the method you show in the video.

The interesting thing about the Path Sketch tool in VS
is that you can erase parts instead of painting them.

I thought that this might be an alternative way to do something
like this, or could be used as an advanced option.

Example in the Video

Boldline

@Subpath The artist in the video I linked to was using the pencil tool in Illustrator with fill-only to get the results he was achieving. I saw your recent related post to open up the tools to allow for things like fill-only and I agree with you.
I'm wanting to do more with the path sketch tool as well but so far I've not been able to "crack the code" on how to get it to consistently add or remove from an existing shape or fill. I initially thought that if the path began outside the fill and entered the fill space and then left it again, it would act as an eraser and if I started the path inside the fill and extended outward and then back in again - it would act as a fill each time. I've found that works occasionally, but there are plenty of times it does the opposite of what I expected, so I've not made much use of the tool as a result.
it is something that I want to explore more because I know I'd use the path sketch tool a lot if I could harness it and understand it

Boldline

@Subpath I probably need to go back and try this advice again
https://www.vectorstyler.com/forum/topic/725/path-sketch-consistency-in-adding-or-subtracting

Subpath

@Boldline said in How to set pencil to use the fill option only instead of stroke and fill?:

@Subpath I probably need to go back and try this advice again
https://www.vectorstyler.com/forum/topic/725/path-sketch-consistency-in-adding-or-subtracting

thanks for the link, interesting stuff

Boldline

@VectorStyler So going back to the old notes - essentially, if I create a closed loop with the Path Sketch tool it will erase that selection and if I create a loop but do not fully close it, it will create a fill in the selection.
Here's an example where I try this and while some work as expected, other times, it does the opposite to me - maybe I'm still missing something?

b77

@Boldline It's not about the loop being closed or open — it's about where the start and end points are:

if you start somewhere over the existing shape, go outside of it then return inside the shape, this will add to the shape;
if you start outside the shape, go over it then go again to end the path outside, this will carve out a piece from the existing shape.

Boldline

@b77 said in How to set pencil to use the fill option only instead of stroke and fill?:

@Boldline It's not about the loop being closed or open — it's about where the start and end points are:

if you start somewhere over the existing shape, go outside of it then return inside the shape, this will add to the shape;

if you start outside the shape, go over it then go again to end the path outside, this will carve out a piece from the existing shape.

Thanks for resounding @b77. I agree with you that is a great way to do it but from reading what @vectorstyler wrote last August, it sounds like open and closed paths are what matter most... Unless I am reading it wrong.
I seem to have issues with getting consistent path sketch results regardless

VectorStyler ADMINISTRATORS Aug 3, 2021, 2:52 AM @Boldline

@Boldline If the new paint is self intersecting then a closed shape is created that is extracted from the other shape.

The difference is in using open (not self intersecting) or closed (self intersecting at the end) shapes when painting.

when a closed shape is painted, it is excluded.
when an open shape is painted, and it has at least two intersection points with the existing shape, then between the outermost two intersection points, the part of the existing shape is replaced with the part of the new shape. This can mean removal or addition, depending on how the new shape is positioned.
there are some other cases also, but it gets complicated

b77

@Boldline You're right, a closed path will always extract from the existing shape.

But if the path drawn with the Path Sketch tool is not closed, it looks like it follows the two rules I wrote above.

Subpath

@b77 said in How to set pencil to use the fill option only instead of stroke and fill?:

@Boldline It's not about the loop being closed or open — it's about where the start and end points are:

if you start somewhere over the existing shape, go outside of it then return inside the shape, this will add to the shape;

if you start outside the shape, go over it then go again to end the path outside, this will carve out a piece from the existing shape.

While this sounds good, it seems that it dont would always
work this way.

Here my Video Example

b77

@Subpath It looks like there is auto-closing involved, meaning if the end point is close enough to the start point (and both are overlapping the shape), the app will treat the new path as a closed shape and thus subtract it from the existing shape.

But only the developer can confirm that.

Boldline

@b77 said in How to set pencil to use the fill option only instead of stroke and fill?:

@Boldline You're right, a closed path will always extract from the existing shape.

But if the path drawn with the Path Sketch tool is not closed, it looks like it follows the two rules I wrote above.

ok - this an interesting development that I will need to test out further. I've always wanted to utilize this awesome tool but never felt like i actually could predict the action it would take next - maybe we're getting to the bottom of it now

Subpath

@b77

I think i found a way which work as you descripe it above.

It would work the way you wrote as long as you use
open shapes.

see Video here

Boldline

@Subpath said in How to set pencil to use the fill option only instead of stroke and fill?:

I would work the way you wrote as long as you use
open shapes.

yeah that was what I was coming to same conclusion with... and the closed path cutting a hole can be useful if you want a negative space within a shape but do not want to cut all the way in from the outside

b77

@Subpath Yes, I think this is normal, feels "natural" and makes sense — if you want to add to a shape you won't start deep inside the existing shape and won't extend the path too deep inside it again. You will instead start inside the shape, close to its "boundary" and end back close inside the boundary.

Boldline

@b77 said in How to set pencil to use the fill option only instead of stroke and fill?:

@Subpath Yes, I think this is normal, feels "natural" and makes sense — if you want to add to a shape you won't start deep inside that shape and won't extend the path too deep inside it again. You will instead start close to the "boundary" of the shape and end back close inside the boundary.

Yes - and if you wanted an encapsulated negative space cut out of a shape, it would makes sense to close that path