: Effectively creating this effect in Illustrator? Been lurking awhile but this is my first post. I've always wondered what this effect is called and I'm almost certain there's an easier way to

@Turnbaugh909

Another way...


Add an odd colored stroke to the primary object
Choose Object > Expand Appearance (if available) and Object > Expand
Select the primary object and all objects to be "trimmed".
Hit the Merge Button on the Pathfinder Panel
Click the odd colored stroke (which is now a shape) and hit delete



the blue rectangle is locked in this animation

This method does rely on the fact that objects which will be trimmed are merely simple, flat shapes. Complex background objects present other issues which may not work with this method.

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@Merenda852

This is most effectively achieved by offsetting the path of the front shape, and subtracting the resulting shape from all the shapes in the back, using the Pathfinder.

As an example, say I'd like to do the outlining with the blue shape as my front shape:




Select the blue shape with the Move tool (V);
Choose Object > Path > Offset Path...;
Key in an amount. The preview option will help you with this.




This will leave you with just the enlarged version of your object selected, so you can continue:


Edit > Copy the currently selected (enlarged) shape. Ctrl/Option+C works too of course;
Edit > Paste in Front (Ctrl / Option+F) as many times as you have objects in the back you need to trim;
Select one of the copies and one of your background object (use Shift+Click to add to a selection), then Subtract in the Pathfinder palette (second option);





Repeat for all objects in the background;
You should be left with one instance of your enlarged shape. You can delete it, but I like to hide it, so I can re-use it later in case some more objects get added to the background.


Result:

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