In Adobe Illustrator, "releasing a path" most commonly refers to releasing a compound path. This command allows you to break apart a single object composed of multiple paths into its original, individual path components.
Understanding Compound Paths
A compound path is essentially a single object created from two or more paths. Often, this is used to create holes within shapes (like the center of the letter 'O' or 'A') or to group multiple paths together so they behave as one unit when transformations (scaling, rotating, moving) are applied or when applying fills and strokes.
Why Release a Compound Path?
As mentioned in the reference, the Release Compound Path command "separates compound paths into individual paths". This is useful when you need to:
- Edit individual shapes within the compound path independently.
- Apply different fills or strokes to each original shape.
- Ungroup shapes that were combined into a single object using the compound path function.
Steps to Release a Compound Path
Releasing a compound path in Illustrator is a straightforward process:
- Select the compound path object you want to release.
- Go to the Object menu at the top of the screen.
- Navigate to Compound Path.
- Choose Release.
This action will break the compound path into its constituent individual paths. Each original path will become a separate, selectable object.
Quick Reference Table
| Action | Menu Path | Result |
|---|---|---|
| Release Compound Path | Object > Compound Path > Release | Separates compound paths into individual paths |
By following these steps, you can easily release a compound path and gain independent control over the individual shapes it contained.
