How To Use The Modify Tool In Silhouette Studio

In today’s tutorial you will learn how to use the Modify Tool in Silhouette Studio. With the Modify Tool Panel, you can change the interaction between overlapping objects. This is especially useful when designing cut files from scratch. The ModifyTool is available in all Silhouette Studio versions.

Throughout the tutorial we will be using Flexi Shapes but you can also modify SVG files and text.

Step 1 - Add the Flexi Shapes

After you have opened Silhouette Studio, draw out three shapes using the Flexi Shapes tool on the left toolbar. Now, fill the shapes with color using the Fill Panel on the right side toolbar.

We have a great tutorial on advanced color settings in Silhouette Studio if you need more information.

You can also edit the shapes before moving onto the Modify options.

Step 2 - Use the Modify Panel

The Modify Tool Panel can be found on the right side toolbar. So let’s take a look at what each option does.

Weld Tool

The Weld tool can also be used by right clicking > Weld, or clicking the icon top toolbar. This option would normally be used to weld overlapping text when cutting as a single object.

In this case, we will overlap our images as seen below.

Next, select all the shapes with the Select Tool on the top left toolbar. Under the Modify Panel, click on Weld. Where the shapes overlap, they will weld together. As you can see, the final result has taken on the color of the top most shape.

In the image below we shifted the shapes so there was a gap. One the left side are the unwelded shapes. On the right, a single welded shape.

Subtract All Tool

Subtract All essentially “cuts” out the areas that are overlapping. We repositioned the shapes as shown below. Then, we clicked on Subtract All.

Move the shapes apart to see the result.

Divide Tool

The Divide tool will not remove any part of the shapes. Instead, overlapping areas are cut into individual objects.

Subtract Tool

The Subtract tool removes the top shape and the overlapping areas from the bottom shape.

Intersect Tool

This tool will remove everything except for the area that overlaps. In the image below, we duplicated the shapes then used the Intersect option. The result is on the right side.

Crop Tool

Crop is similar to Intersect when all but the overlapping areas are removed. More than two shapes can be cropped with only the overlapping areas remaining.

This is especially useful when using shapes to crop around images.

In the example below, we added a background. We selected the Heart Shape and placed it over the background. Both objects were selected, then we clicked on Crop. The background was cropped to the shape of the heart.

Step 3 - Compound Paths and Detach Lines

Under the Modify panel you will also find options for working with compound paths and detaching lines.

Make and Release Compound Paths

A compound path is a single object that can consist of cut out areas or holes. In the image below we create text objects to show this example.

A compound path was created out of the top text object. After the text was created, we clicked on Make. This then created a single object where the holes for letters ”O”, “B” and “D” were kept.

For the bottom text object, we clicked on Release. This then separated all parts of the text, including the holes in the letters. The individual objects can be moved around, re-colored and edited as you like.

The Release option is useful in situations where a design can no longer be ungrouped. You would then use Release to separate into individual items and delete if needed.

Detach Lines

This option simply detaches the shape’s outline. The outline can be moved, resized and filled with another color. It could almost be considered as another way of duplicating.

Detach Lines can work on overlapping shapes or single shapes.

With a little imagination you can create cut files for your specific projects. Why not use the Point Editing tool to create detailed designs from the basic shapes? There are so many creative possibilities! We hope you enjoyed this easy to follow guide on how to use the Modify Tool in Silhouette Studio.