Illustrator

Apply fill rules to compound paths

You can specify whether a compound path is a nonzero winding path or an even‑odd path.

Nonzero winding fill rule
Uses mathematical equations to determine if a point is outside or inside a shape. Illustrator uses the nonzero winding rule as the default rule.

Even-odd fill rule
Uses mathematical equations to determine if a point is outside or inside a shape. This rule is the more predictable rule because every other region within an even‑odd compound path is a hole, regardless of path direction. Some applications, such as Adobe Photoshop, use the even‑odd rule by default, so compound paths imported from these applications will use the even‑odd rule.

Self-intersecting paths are paths that intersect themselves. You can choose to make these paths either nonzero winding or even‑odd, depending on how you want them to look.

Self-intersecting path with Use Non‑Zero Winding Fill Rule (left) compared with Use Even‑Odd Fill Rule (right)

When you create a nonzero winding compound path, you can specify whether overlapping paths appear with holes or are filled by clicking a Reverse Path Direction button in the Attributes panel.

Fill rules

A.
Four circular paths

B.
Circular paths selected, converted into compound path

C.
Reverse Path Direction applied to innermost path

Change the fill rule for a compound path

  1. Select the compound path using the Selection tool or Layers panel.
  2. In the Attributes panel, click the Use Non‑Zero Winding Fill Rule button  or the Use Even‑Odd Fill Rule button .

Change a hole in a compound path to a filled area

  1. Make sure that the compound path uses the nonzero winding fill rule.
  2. With the Direct Selection tool, select the part of the compound path to reverse. Do not select the entire compound path.
  3. In the Attributes panel, click the Reverse Path Direction Off button  or the Reverse Path Direction On button .