Adobe Illustrator Full course

Adobe Illustrator Full course

• By Krishna Shrestha
• 2024-08-20 10:56:46

Adobe Illustrator with Creating Miltiple Pages, Black Arrowhead (Selection tool) White Arrowhead (Direct selection tool)Magic Wand tool:Direct Select Lasso tool Pen tool:

Getting started:

Adobe illustrator it is a freehand drawing software govern by ADOBE corporation, through his software package we can create logos, free hand drawing, banner making, text edition, web template design, book cover design and many more others design.

 

How do I open Adobe illustrator?

 

Steps:

1. Select start button
2. Click at run and on the box type “Illustrator” and hit ok

After a while the adobe illustrator window will displays

 

Working with art area

Steps:

1. Click at file menu
2. Select New then a box displays
3. Change the following settings
4. Name = your art name, art board set up size = select required size here e.g. 800* 600, unit = inch or any, width = 4 or your requirement, height = 3 or your requirement, orientation = portrait or land scape, color setup = any as you need e.g. CMYK and finally
5. Click ok to get art area.

Types of Printing Procedurals

1. Normal Print (Local Printer)
2. Offset Print (press print)

Normal Print

For Normal Printer the prefered resolution that we use is mostly 100% but you can also increase it according to your requirement.

 

 

Offset (Press Print)

For Offset Printer the prefered resolution that we use is mostly 300% but you can also increase it according to your requirement. We use this resolution because if we use other resolution then the image you have created might be blurry one.

Creating Miltiple Pages

1. Open Illustrator
2. Go to File menu or choose new, and define reuirqed height and width eg. Width=3” height=2”, unit=inches and click Ok
3. After that click at File menu > Choose document set up and tick on (√) Till full page and enter the following units,

for 10 pages => width=3X10=30

Height=2X10; i.e. 20 and click Ok

1. Now you have 10 pages of 2X3 inches visiting card layout
2. Create a complete design on Page 1 and select press Ctrl+G (Group) and holding on Alt key and Selection Tool allow you to create a duplicate copy of some contest

Black Arrowhead (Selection tool)

The black arrowhead tool is known as selection tool and this tool allow you to move your object from one location to another

Steps:

1. Draw a rectangular object
2. Select Selection tool, click on object and move it to required location and check the effect

This tool allows you to increase or decrease the selected object but it is not good way to use.

White Arrowhead (Direct selection tool)

The white arrowhead tool is known as direct selection tool and this tool allow you to change and object shape dragging from its anchor point.

Anchor point: it is a small tiny box, which occurs at the corner or middle portion of the object.

Steps:

1. Draw a rectangular object
2. Choose direct selection tool and click exactly on the path (line) then a white tiny box occurs, which is known as anchor point
3. Click exactly on the anchor point and drag to require position to change its shape

Magic Wand tool:

This tool allows you to active the current deselect object

Steps:

1. Firstly add some object
2. Then deselect it and then choose magic wand tool and click exactly on the object to make it active

Direct Select Lasso tool

This tool allows you to active the deselect anchor point so that you can change an object shape

Steps:

1. Add some object on art area
2. Then choose direct select lasso tool and click and drag across the object and check the effect

Pen tool:

 This tool allows you to draw a straight line and, curve line

Straight line:

Steps:

1. Choose Pen tool
2. Hold on Shift key and click once on the art area
3. Then click to another point holding on shift key and check the effect

Curve line:

Steps:

1. Choose Pen tool
2. And Click and Drag the pen tool, now you can see 3 anchor points
3. Just select the anchor point (not the middle one) then click and drag up/down to make a curve line

The central part of the anchor point is heart of the line that’s why you are not allowed to click over there if you try to click and drag from there then there will be no line visible.

Add Anchor Point:

(The pen tool with + sign), this tool allows you to add anchor point on the selected object

Steps:

1. Draw any object
2. Choose add anchor point and click exactly on the path of object, to add more anchor (but do not click over the previous anchor point)
3. Then you can see a new anchor point is added over there.
4. This is to change and object shape by adding require anchor points

Subtract Anchor Point

(The pen tool with – sign), this tool allow you to remove the anchor point which is previously visible.

Steps:

1. Draw any object
2. Then choose Subtract Anchor Point
3. And click exactly over the previous anchor point and check the effect

Convert Anchor Point tool:

 This tool directly allows you to change an object shape as your requirements

Steps:

1. Draw a rectangular object
2. Choose convert anchor point tool and click and drag from the anchor point and check the effect

Type tool

Normal type tool: default type tool

Steps:

1. Choose “T” tool and click once on art area and type your text
2. Or if you need to type your text with in a certain boundaries then first click and drag to define a fixed area and type your text after that

Area Type tool:

 Allow you to type the text with in a given area

Steps:

1. Create a rectangular object
2. Choose area type tool and click once on the path of the object and type your text

Path Type tool:

Allow you to type the text with in a given path.

Steps:

1. Create a path using pen tool and draw a curve path
2. Then choose Path type tool and click once on path and type your text and check the effect

Vertical type tool:

Allow you to type vertical text in the art area

Steps:

1. Choose vertical type tool and
2. Then type your text

Vertical Area Type tool:

This tool is very similar with area type tool but it types vertically

Steps:

1. Create a rectangular object
2. Choose vertical area type tool and click exactly on the path of the object and type your text

And check the effect

Vertical path type tool:

Allow you to type vertical path text within a given path

Steps:

1. Create a path, using pen tool likely curve
2. Then choose vertical path type tool and click exactly on the path and type your text and check the effect

Type Effect:

Reverse path type effect.

Steps:

1. Choose Circle tool and draw a circle on art area
2. Then choose Path type tool and type “Student Project Nepal”
3. When finished choose Selection tool now you can see a thin mouse cursor sign before the text start area
4. Just double click on the cursor inside of the circle object
5. Now you will have the following effect

Creating outline color text

Steps;

1. Choose type tool and select font size = 72 and font style = impact
2. Now type “STUDENT”
3. Then on the color box choose fill color= None and Stroke color= any color

Now you will have outline color text

Creating Color full text

Steps:

1. Type GRAPHIC
2. Then select direct selection tool and right click on text and choose “create outlines”
3. Then on the tool box inside the scissor tool choose knife tool and divide the text as you nee
4. Now with the help of direct selection tool click once on the art area and then click on the divided portion and from the color box choose fill color = any do the same processes for rest of the others.

Perspective text:

Steps:

1. Type INFORMATION
2. Then create it outlines
3. And from the tool box choose free transform tool and select and drag from the corner do not release the mouse cursor and during the dragging process hold on shift key and ctrl key when the view point is changed first released the mouse and then keys.

Pattern Text

Steps:

1. Firstly type your text, e.g. Student Project Nepal
2. Now, go to window menu choose swatches, whether it is activated or not you can identify by selection that tool
3. After that select direct selection tool and click and drag the text to swatches box which allow you to make a new design patterns
4. Now create a rectangular object
5. And choose fill color and choose your own text pattern and check the effect

Lighting mode:

Steps:

1. Select that whole pattern box
2. Now go to window menu choose transparency and on the transparency box decrease the opacity to 50% and check the effect.

Creating the object pattern

Steps:

1. Firstly create 2 different object with reverse position with different color
2. Then choose alt key and selection

Color box:

The color box contains 2 different color effects

1. Stroke color = line color
2. Fill color= object fill color

There is none color just below the color picker field if you don’t need color then you can choose that one

Creating Logos

Steps:

Adobe illustrator allow you to change the text shape and size as your requirement that means it is text editing software and easy to create logos

1. Firstly Type “STUDENT”
2. Then convert it to an object right clicking on create outlines
3. Then with the help of Direct selection tool you can changes its shape according to your requirement by clicking on anchor point

Steps:

1. Create a circle object holding on shift key
2. Then Press ctrl C and Ctrl F (copy and paste exactly over the previous object)
3. After that choose pen tool and draw a line across the object
4. Then go to object menu choose path and click divide object below
5. Now you will have 2 divided objects
6. Choose selection tool and select below object and choose fill color = any other
7. Then press Ctrl C and Ctrl F and change its fill color
8. Now select above object and choose fill color = any and press Ctrl C and Ctrl F
9. Now choose path type tool and click over the above divided object and type “Student Project Nepal” and select it
10. Now press Ctrl and T for text box
11. On the text box choose the last option and set it to – 25 to bring the text inside the object and change the color to White
12. Now Choose Path Type tool and click over the below object and type “Computer Institute” and
13. Choose selection tool and click over the cursor shown outside the text boundaries to bring the text below portion
14. Now Select that text and on the text properties box enter the numeric value to 15 and check the effect to bring the text inside the box
15. After that Just type “ Estb. 2001” and manage the text between the divided portion of an object. With white color

 There are several reasons to create a duplicate copy of the circle object because if you didn’t create a duplicate copy of the object then you will not allow viewing the fill color of the object

The reasons of entering – numeric value on the text properties box is to bring your text inside the box

So on you can create your logos as the requirements

Clipping Mask:

Steps:

1. Open Illustrator
2. Then go to file menu choose place and place any image
3. Then on the tool box choose rounded rectangular object and draw over the image
4. After that select both image and click at object menu choose clipping mask and click at make and check the effect
5. And finally select the image and press Ctrl and G group

Line Segment tool:

Allow you to add line on art area

Steps:

1. Choose line segment tool and hold on shift key and drag on art area to draw a line
2. Or Choose line segment tool and click once on art area and define require angle and length and click ok

Arc Tool:

Allow you to add arc object on art area

Steps:

1. Choose arc tool and click once on art area and on the box enter require value e.g.
2. Length X axis = 2 in, length Y axis = 1 in, Type = opened, based along = X axis or Y axis and Slope = 90 and click ok
3. Or
4. Choose arc tool and hold on alt key and arrow up or down and check the effect

Spiral tool:

Allow you to add spiral object on art area

Steps:

1. Choose spiral tool and click once on art area and
2. Define required value e.g. Radius =4 in, Decay = 80, segments = 900 and style = any and click ok
3. Or
4. Choose spiral tool and hold on alt key and arrow up and down and drag on art area when finished release the mouse and check the effect

Rectangular Grid tool:

Allow you to add numbers of rows and columns table on art area

Steps:

1. Choose rectangular grid tool
2. Then click once on art area and on the box fill require value and click ok and check the effect
3. Or
4. Choose Rectangular grid tool and click and drag while holding on alt and arrow up and down key and when finished release the mouse

Polar Grid tool:

Allow you to add circular rows and column on the art area

Steps:

1. Choose polar grid tool
2. Click once on art area and on the property box enter require numbers and click ok
3. Or
4. Choose polar grid tool, click and drag while holding on alt and arrow up or down key and when finished release the mouse and check the effect

Flare tool:

Allow you to add flare (lighting effect) effect on art area

Steps:

1. Choose flare tool
2. Click once on art area and fill the require value on given field
3. Or
4. Click and drag once then from the middle part of the flare object drag it to the required portion and check the effect

Brush tool:

Allow you to draw a free hand art.

Steps:

1. Choose brush tool and click and drag as you need on art area
2. If you wish to continue the design from the previous art then click on the anchor point and continue your design.

Pencil tool:

Allow you to draw a free hand art using the pencil tool on art area

Steps:

1. Choose pencil tool and click and drag as you need on art area
2. If you wish to continue the design from the previous art then click on the anchor point and continue your design.

Smooth tool:

Allow you to change your selected objects shape by clicking and dragging from the anchor point

Steps:

1. Draw a rectangular object
2. Choose smooth tool and double click on the tools and change the require settings and then click and drag from the anchor point to change its shape and check the effect

Erase tool:

Allow you to erase your free hand by clicking and dragging from the anchor point

Steps:

1. Draw a rectangular object
2. Choose erase tool and click and drag from the anchor point from both side of the object and check the effect.

Rectangle tool:

This tool allows us to create a rectangular object on art area.

There are two ways to create a rectangular

Method 1

Steps

1. Select rectangular tool and click once on art area
2. Then a box displays
3. Enter required height and width
4. And then click ok

Method 2

Steps:

1. Select rectangular tool
2. Hold on shift key then draw a rectangular object on art area
3. Do not release the shift key until the drawing process is completed

Rounded Rectangular

This tool allows us to create a rounded corner object on art area

Method1

Steps:

1. Select rounded rectangular tool and click once on art area
2. Then a box displays
3. Enter required height and width and for the round corner enter required radius
4. And then click ok

Method 2

Steps:

1. Select rounded rectangular tool
2. Hold on shift key until the drawing process is completed

Circle tool

Allows us to draw a circular or oval object on art area.

Method 1

Steps:

1. Select circle tool and click once on art area
2. Then a box displays
3. Enter required Height and width
4. And then click ok

Method 2

Steps:

1. Select circle tool
2. Hold on shift key then draw a circle object on art area

Do not release the shift key until the drawing process is completed, or if you need oval object then do not hold shift key

Polygon tool:

This tool allows us to draw a polygon object on art area

Method 1

Steps:

1. Select polygon tool and click once on art area
2. Then a box displays choose radius = numeric value and enter required sides
3. And when finished click ok and check the effect

Method 2

Steps:

1. Select polygon tool
2. Hold on Alt and arrow up or down while dragging the mouse key
3. When finished release your mouse and check the effect

Star tool

This tool allows us to draw a star object on current art area.

Method 1

Steps:

1. Select star tool
2. Then draw a star on art area
3. During the dragging process hold on alt and arrow up or down
4. Do not release the mouse until all the requirements are fulfilled

Method 2

Steps:

1. Select star tool
2. Click once on art area
3. On the box entered radius 1 = 100 and radius 2 = 50 and points =32
4. And click ok and check the effect

Rotate tool:

Through this tool you can rotate any object as your requirement

Steps:

1. Draw a line using brush tool
2. Select rotate tool and hold on alt key and click on art area
3. Then a box displays enter 25 degree on the angle box and click copy
4. Now press Ctrl and D for several times and check the rotate effect

Reflect tool:

Allows us to reflect the selected image

Steps:

1. Go to file menu choose place
2. Then open any image from require location
3. Now select reflect tool and hold on alt key and click once on art area and on the box just click copy and check the changes

Twist tool:

Twist or change the object shape

Steps:

1. Draw an object e.g. rectangular
2. Choose twist tool and click and drag to rotate the object to the anti clockwise and check the effect.

Scale tool:

Allows us to change current object scale

Steps:

1. Draw an object e.g. rectangular
2. Then choose scale tool and hold on alt key and click exactly at the central part of the image
3. Now, choose uniform = 90 and click copy
4. After that press Ctrl and D for several times and check the effect

You can select the position of scale anywhere on the art area as your requirement

Shear tool:

Shear the object as our requirements

Steps:

1. Create a rectangular object
2. Then, choose shear tool and hold on Alt key and click
3. On the box enter require share angle e.g. 25 and click ok

Then check the effect

Reshape tool:

Insert or ads an anchor point for reshaping an object

Steps:

1. Draw a rectangular object
2. Then, choose reshape tool and click exactly on path
3. Now with the help of direct selection tool you can change its shape

Wrap Tool

Through this tool you can change the object shape as a wrap effect.

Steps:

1. Create a rectangular object
2. Then select wrap tool area (the object must be selected)
3. Click and drag from the reuqired point to change it’s shape

Twirl Tool

Twirl the object, as you like

Steps:

1. Select your object
2. Select Twirl Tool and click on the path to twirl it as you need
3. When finished release mouse

Purker Tool

Combines the different points in a same point

Steps:

1. Draw some objects at least two
2. Select the objects and select purker tool and click at once on the similar point of both objects and checkt the changes

Bloat Tool

Change the object shape in a circle or oval shape

Steps:

1. Create a small rectangular object
2. Select Bloat Tool and if you need to make it oval then hold on Alt key and click up/down, when finished click on the mid of the rectangular object and check the changes

Scallop Tool

This tool allows us to add the multiple points on selected objects

Steps:

1. Create a rectangular object
2. Select Scallop Tool and click on the path and check the changes

Note: you can change Scallop Tool size by holding on Alt key and clicking up and down

Wrinkle Tool

Through this tool we can add the wrinkle effect on the selected object or an image

Steps:

1. Create an object
2. Select Wrinkle Tool and click on the requried portion and check the effect

Note: Hold on Alt Key and drag up and down to increase or decrease it’s size, for the image you must select the open from file menu not a place option

Symbol Spray Tool

Through this tool you can add the symbol as a spray effect to the required position

Steps:

1. Select Window menu choose Symbol
2. Then from the Symbol Pattern choose the required symbol and drag it to the art area
3. Then select Symbol Spray Tool and click on required portion to add and check the effect

Symbol Seizor Tool

Increases the symbol size

Steps:

1. Insert a Symbol
2. The select Symbol Seizor Tool
3. And click exactly on the selected symbol and check the changes

Symbol Strainer Tool

Inserts color or the symbol of the fill color or effect

Steps:

1. Insert a Symbol
2. Change a fill color and click at Symbol Strainer Tool and click on symbol and check the effect

Symbol Screener Tool

Make the image as a screen effect

Steps:

1. Insert a symbol
2. Then click at Symbol Screener Tool and click once on the symbol and check the effect

Symbol Staler Tool

Applies the symbol style

Steps:

1. Insert a Symbol
2. Choose Style=Any
3. Then click at Symbol Staler Tool and click on the symbol and check the effect

Stacked Column Diagram

Through this tool you can add the column diagram for your data

Steps:

1. Select Stacked Column Diagram Tool then define the area for diagram on art area
2. Then a box displays on the data entry field do the following settings.

Sn.	1.00	2.00
Boys	25	45
Girls	20	30
Total	45	75

1. Then select the Apply button (√ sign) and choose ti’s panel and check the effect
2. Do the same process for rest of the other chart type as your requirement

Gradient Mess Tool

Inserts a gradient field for the selected object

Steps:

1. Create a rectangular object
2. Select Gradient Mess Tool
3. Then click on the rectangular where you need to add mesh
4. Then select Direct Selection Tool and click exactly on the mid of the object (not on the line)
5. Click Fill Color and fill it with required color from the clor picker box

Gradient Tool

Allows you to add gradient color on the selected object

Steps:

1. Create a rectangular object
2. Select Gradient Tool and from the box choose requried Gradient box color and if you need to increase it’s color field then click once on the path and choose required color and check the effect

So on if you need to remove the color then select the gradient object and from the gradient box click and drag the color pointer and drop down (to remove) and check the effect

Eyedropper Tool

Through this tool you can fin out the color of the slected object

Steps:

1. Select File menu, open any image
2. Then sleect Eye Dropper Tool and click on the image and your color will occur at the fill color box

Creating Rows and Columns

Steps

1. Select Rectangular Tool and draw a rectangular object on the art area
2. Don’t deselect it
3. Select Type menu, click at Rows and Columns
4. Then a box displays, enter required number of rows and columns
5. Click Ok

How to define our own Style?

Style:

1. Firstly draw your objects, then click at Filter menu, Choose Pucker and Bloat
2. ON the box increase it to +50 and click Ok
3. Fill it with requried color effect
4. Choose Filter menu, Stylize
5. Choose Drop Shadow and click at Ok
6. Drag the object on Style Field
7. Deslect it, create an object choose your style and chec the effect

How to create a Line Style?

Method 1

Steps:

1. Draw a Line
2. Stroke=10
3. Round Cap
4. Dashed line=10-0-10-0-10

Method 2

Steps:

1. Draw a Line
2. Stroke=18
3. Butt Cap
4. Dashed line=3,4

Method 3

Steps:

1. Draw a Line
2. Stroke=15
3. Butt Cap
4. Dashed line 2,4,13

Method 4

Steps:

1. Draw a Line
2. Color Stroke=10
3. Projecting Cap
4. Dashed line=1,14
5. White Stroke=5
6. Projecting Cap
7. Dashed line=1,14

Method 5

Steps:

1. Draw a Line
2. Color Stroke=15
3. Round Cap
4. Dashed line=6,15 and press Ctrl+C, Ctrl+F
5. White Stroke=5
6. Btt Cap
7. Dashed line=1,3,10

Paint Bucket Tool

Through this tool we can fill any color of the current object by clicking once on the reuiqred object

Steps:

1. Create a Rectangular Object
2. Fill it with Red Color
3. Create another rectangular object and fill it with blue
4. Then slect the Paint Bucket Tool and slect the red object and click once on the blue object or the central part and check the changes

Measure Tool

Allows us to measure height and width of the current object

Steps:

1. Draw a Rectangular Object
2. Choose Measure Tool and click at the strating point of the top left to the top right to find out the length of the object it will show on the info button at the top of the windows
3. Then click and drag from top left to down and check the width of the given object

Note: This will be very effective to measure the required height and width of the given object

Blend Tool

Blending two objects as a pillar with reuiqred color

Steps:

1. Create two rectangular objects
2. Then manage the position of the current object up and down a bit far away from each other
3. Then select Blend Tool and exactly click at the central point of the selected object to blend it

Auto Trace Tool

Allows you to create a stature of the selected image

Steps:

1. Open an image
2. Then select Trace Tool and choose the required fill color
3. Then rub on the image until all the part are not completed
4. The finally deselect the original image and check the effect

 

Trace Tool

Steps:

1. Place Bitmap Image
2. Then double click on Trace Tool
3. Then a bar displays choose the following options

Type 2 Auto Tracing

Size reading 2pt        Tracking 20/1000cm

Baseline shift 1pt

√ Type Area Select

Auto Trace Tolerance 2pt

Tracing Cap 0 pt

            If the trace box is not activated after the double click then choose Edit menu > Preferences and then select type and auto trading, then, Set the options by changing the numeric value and click at Ok.

1. Choose required fill color before you Trace
2. Then click on path line of Bitmap to trace it

Slice Tool

Through this tool we can preserve the hyperlink option on the selected object and also it divides the object according to the selection.

Steps:

1. Create any Object
2. Select Slice Tool and click and drag on the object
3. Then choose Object menu, choose Slice and click on Slice Option
4. Then on the option box enter the Url=Link page
5. Example: C:\Documents and settings\spn\destktop\your folder name\your page name
6. Choose Target=any example: Main (Open a link page in the new Window), _selft (Open the link page in the same window)
7. Choose Slice Type=image and click at Ok
8. After this, save your object as a web page through File menu
9. Then open the saved file then a hand object shown click once and check the effect

Scissor Tool

Release the object fills color and set only the outline color

Steps:

1. Create a rectangular object
2. Fill it with any color
3. Choose Scissor Toola nd click exactly on the anchor option or point
4. Do the same process for the other anchor point and check the changes

Knife Tool

Divides the object as your requirement

Steps:

1. Draw a Rectangular Object
2. Choose Knife Tool and click and rag from one corner to another end of corner
3. Then choose Direct Selection Tool and click on the divide position and change it’s color or outline and check the changes

Hand Tool

Allows us to view the object in any position of art area by simply dragging to reqruied position

Steps:

1. Draw any Object
2. Choose Hand Tool and drag the object to reuqired position
3. It does nto allow you to drag the object, it drags the whole art area

Page Tool

Inserts a logical page

Steps:

1. Select Page Tool and click on art area and check the logical page, it allows you to fix the document size when you need to print

Zoom Tool

Increase or decrease the current art size or works as a magnifier but the original layout is always 100%

Steps:

1. Choose Zoom Tool and click on Art Area and check the changes
2. Hold on Alt Key and click to decrease the Zoom size

Filter Menu

Some of the option from filter menu doesn’t allow you to apply the effect on draw object. When these menus are D-Active then the menu options are for the bitmap images or images. So apply the effect on inserted images.

Anod some of the options are not active while image is already in art area then that effects are only for the draw object

Effect Menu

Applies effect for object, images and text. So before applying this effect you must select the requried inserted object and choose any effect as your requirement.

Transparency

Applies spacing effect

Steps:

1. Insert any images
2. Choose transparency via Window menu
3. And decrease the capacity to 50% and check the Transparent effect

Pathfinder tool:

Through this tool we can edit with selected object for multipurpose, such as crop, combine, divide etc.

To active the pathfinder tool

Select window menu. Choose pathfinder

Add to shape area:

Steps:

1. Create at least 2 object like below

 Before

1. Now select selection tool and select both object and on the pathfinder tool
2. Click add shape area and the result will be

 

 After

Subtract with sub area:

Steps:

1. Create at least 2 objects like below

 Before

1. Now select selection tool and select both objects
2. Then choose subtract with sub area and the result will be

Intersect shape area:

Steps:

1. Create at least 2 objects like below

Then select selection tool and select both objects

1. After that choose intersect shape area and check the effect

Exclude overlapping shape area:

Steps:

1. Draw 2 objects
2. Then select both objects and choose Exclude and check the effect

Divide:

Steps:

1. Draw at least 2 objects
2. Select both and choose divide
3. Choose direct selection tool and click once on outside the object
4. Now, separate each other from joint

And check the effect

Trim:

Steps:

1. Draw 2 objects
2. Select both objects and choose Trim
3. And check the result

Merge:

Steps:

1. Draw at least 2 objects
2. Select both object and Merge
3. Now, with the help of direct selection tool, separate each other and check the result

Crop:

Steps:

1. Draw 2 different objects
2. Now select both object and crop it
3. Then check the result

Minus Front:

Steps;

1. Draw 2 objects\
2. Select both and choose Minus Front and check the effect

Outline:

Steps:

1. Create 2 objects
2. Select both objects and choose outline and check the effect

** Note: for pathfinder tool you must add at least 2 objects but you can increase the number of object as your requirement