How to Make a Compound Path in Illustrator

Compound paths in Illustrator allow you to take multiple objects and compound them into one path, and it also gives you the ability to cut holes into overlapping objects. You can also use a compound path to group objects for creating cut files.

In this tutorial, we will show you how to make and use a compound path, apply a fill rule, and release a compound path back to its original state.

For this tutorial, we are using the girl and moon quote SVG from the Magic Moon Bundle to show you how to use compound paths for cut files. You can pick a different moon SVG from all the ones available on Design Bundles if you’d like.

Step 1 - Creating and Using a Compound Path

There are two ways you can use a compound path. One way is to cut holes into objects, and the other is to add effects like gradients onto separate objects.

To make a compound path with your selected objects, go to Object > Compound Path > Make or use the shortcut keys Ctrl/Cmd+8.

Cutting a Hole Into an Object

Start by making multiple shapes on the artboard. You can also create a triangle and have them overlap. Using the Selection Tool (V), select all shapes and make them a compound path. As you can see, the overlapping regions have been cut out, creating holes.

Create Groups for Cut Files

Another great way to use compound paths is to take separate objects and make a single cut layer with them. The objects don’t have to be overlapping pieces. So you can make a compound path out of objects that would, for instance, use the same cut material/color.

Looking at the example below, you can see that the non-compound path design has all its elements as separate cut layers. In comparison, the same design with compound paths used on the same colored objects has only three cut layers.

Step 2 - Applying a Fill Rule

You can change how a compound path looks by applying a fill rule. There are two fill rules, namely, non-zero winding path and even-odd path. By default, Illustrator uses the non-zero winding path.

To change the fill rule, select the compound path and go to the Attributes panel. You can find the Attributes panel by going to Window > Attributes. If you don’t see the fill rules, click the three lines near the panel’s upper-right corner and choose Show All.

You will see both the Non-Zero Winding Fill Rule button and the Use Even-Odd Fill Rule button.

Non-Zero Winding Fill Rule

You can specify whether overlapping shapes appear with holes or are filled by clicking the Reverse Path Direction button in the Attributes panel.

Even-Odd Fill Rule

This is a more predictable rule that makes every other region within an even-odd compound path a hole.

Step 3 - Releasing a Compound Path

You can return a compound path to its original components just as quickly as making them. Select the compound path and go to Object > Compound Path > Release.

That's it. Now you can try out and create all sorts of unique compound paths in Illustrator. If you found this tutorial helpful, you may also like our tutorials on using the width tool, using the pathfinder tool, and using the blend tool in Illustrator.