How Make a Vector Splitter in Illustrator

Make a vector splitter in Illustrator by using a tool in the Pathfinder panel to divide one vector with another vector lying under it. You can use Pathfinder tools to create shapes that are difficult to create with Illustrator's other tools, such as Pen and Pencil. To ensure your split happens at the exact location you want, use your keyboard's arrow keys to easily move vectors one pixel at a time. Mouse movements, by contrast, are harder to confine to such a small increment.

Instructions

1. • 1
     Click the "File" menu, then click the "New" command. Click the "OK" button on the dialog box that appears to create a new drawing canvas with default parameters.
   • 2
     Click the "Tools" panel icon shaped like a rectangle to run the tool for drawing rectangles. Click the mouse on the canvas to plot the rectangle's first point, then drag the mouse to grow the rectangle. Release the mouse once the rectangle has the size and shape you want. This rectangle will allow you to split another vector shape.
   • 3
     Draw another rectangle as you did the first, but drag the mouse so that the new rectangle appears to cut completely through the first. Though the two rectangles remain intact, this action will allow the first rectangle to split the new rectangle.
   • 4
     Press "V" to run the "Selection" tool. Alternatively, click the "Tools" panel icon shaped like a black arrow. Click the mouse above and to the left of the canvas region where you drew both rectangles. This action specifies the selection region's top left corner.
   • 5
     Drag the mouse until the mouse cursor is below and to the right of the canvas region containing the rectangles. Release the mouse to complete the selection region. Illustrator will confirm you've selected both rectangles by displaying a bounding box around them.
   • 6
     Click the "Window" menu to display a list of Illustrator's panels. Click the "Pathfinder" item to display the Pathfinder panel. This panel holds tools for combining two or more vector shapes.
   • 7
     Click the rightmost button in the Pathfinder panel to run the Minus Back tool, which subtracts one vector from another. The vector that is behind the other vector performs the subtraction, making it a vector splitter. Note that the second vector is gone and the first vector has been split in two.