How do I reverse stroke/fill objects?

[J***@adobeforums.com]

I'm not sure if this is the "correct" description of the action, but you see it done fairly regularly. Here's an example of what I'm trying to do -- in a MUCH more efficient way -- in Illustrator:

With a medium-size black rectangle (element 1) and a larger white ring (element 2)... placing the ring in front of the rectangle, I would like to have the ring elements that overlay the rectangle to appear white, but appear black when there's no obstruction. (A rough idea of the effect is at <Loading Image...)>

Just doing this rough idea took me longer than I'm sure is the "norm" for an owner of Illustrator... feel free to pass on ANY helpful suggestions on how to do this technique -- especially in the most efficient way!

Kind regards,
Jeff

[x***@adobeforums.com]

Try pathfinder?

Wasn't quite sure what the question is. So I'm just guessing. The link to helpme.gif is not working.

[Teri Pettit]

The link works fine if you remove the parenthesis at the end.

If you want the overlap areas to be see-through instead of white, so that if you took your whole thing and put it in front of, say, a big red square, the overlap areas would show red, then I would just select all three paths, give them a solid black fill and no stroke, and then make a compound path. The whole process takes only about 10 seconds. (Make your current style be solid black fill, no stroke, draw two concentric circles, switch to the rectangle tool by hitting M, draw the rectangle, Cmd-A, Cmd-8.)

The Pathfinder palette would also work, it just isn't necessary for this shape.

If you want the overlap areas to really be white, regardless of the background color, then using Live Paint is probably a better way to go.

There are no strokes involved in this process, just fills.

[JAY MAC]

Scratch that use Pathfinder Exclude overlapping shape areas. If you hold option itll expand it all in 1 step.