: Newbie illustrator question : how to create a cut in a shape? Below is 2 letters where one goes across the other (the O) and can see the small white space between the two. How can i do

@Chiappetta793

You'll be wanting to use Offset Path here.


Type out your characters;
Choose Type > Create Outlines to convert them into a group of actual objects;
Ungroup the group, or double-click it with the Move tool (V) to edit it in isolation mode;
Select the 'O';
Choose Oject > Path > Offset Path...;
This option will create a second instance of the path, which is larger or smaller than the original; the value you enter is how much bigger (or small, if you choose a negative value) the new shape will be. For now, choose a positive value;
Click OK;
Select both the new shape and the 'L'. Be warned that by default, when you come out of Offset Path, both the offset shape and its original are selected;
In the Pathfinder palette, choose Minus front (the second icon on the first row) or Minus back (the very last icon on the lower row), depending on how your shapes are stacked. If you fail with one option, just Undo and try the other.


This will clip the 'L' shape with the enlarged 'O' shape.

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@Lengel450

Easiest way would be to type out the letters, then "create outlines." Drag them into the places you want them to be after ungrouping and select the O and copy it. After that select both, to go pathfinder and der and choose "minus front" that will cut out wherever the O was overlapping the L [make sure the O was in front]. Then just "Crtl+Shift+V" to place your copied O back into the exact place and shift it as necessary to make the gap bigger or smaller as you want.

It seems to get the job done quicker :0

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@Pierce403

One way of doing it is to do the following.


Type out the text in a color that you aren't using, like black.
Use the selection tool(V), and with the text selected, right click and choose Create Outlines.
Right click again and choose Ungroup.
Move each character into place, then select all the characters and give them a stroke in a another color you are not using, like red, and set the size to the size of the gap that you want. At this point, you should have the image bellow.





Still with the text selected, go to Object → Path → Outline Stroke to convert the stroke, then right click and choose Ungroup to separate the strokes from the text.
Use the Live Paint Bucket tool(K) and fill in all the parts of the text(the black parts in the image above) in the color you want the text to be. At this point, you should have this:





Use the selection tool(V) again an make everything is selected, then go to Object → Expand and make sure at least Object(if not all) is checked.
Right click and choose Ungroup until the option is gone, then you can get rid of the stroke by either deleting it or moving the fill to anther part of the canvas.






I don't think this is the most optimal way because I'm still learning illustrator myself, but it seems to get the job done.

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