How do I close a vector shape?

While working in Harmony, you may find that you need to close a shape to successfully fill it with colour. Sometimes a shape will require a full line, and other times the style will lend itself to open shapes. 

This article will explore the different ways you can close shapes in your artwork.

Option 1: Identify the gaps

If possible, try to find the area of your artwork that has the gap. If you cannot find it, try following the instructions under Option 4 or Option 5.

If you are using Pencil lines, you can check for gaps by doing the following:

1. In the Timeline view, select the layer with your artwork on.
2. Activate strokes by doing one of the following:
   • Use the K shortcut key.
   • In the top menu, go to View > Show > Show Strokes.
3. Blue lines will appear on your artwork. Gaps are represented by yellow points.

Option 2: Close the gap with artwork or by adjusting the points.

If the style of your artwork has closed lines, closing the gap is as simple as adding more artwork or adjusting the vector points.

1. In the Camera or Drawing view, draw artwork across the gap using your chosen drawing tool, or use the Contour Editor tool or Centerline Editor tool to pull the points across until the gap closes.

Pencil line	Brush line

TIP: If you activate the Snap to Contour option under the Snapping menu in the Contour Editor’s Tool Properties, it will snap your points to each other, making the artwork cleaner and ensuring connection over the gap.

Option 3: Close the gaps using invisible lines

If you're using a style of artwork that needs gaps in the artwork, you may want to maintain the style and shape by closing gaps using one of the stroke options.

1. Activate strokes by doing one of the following:
   • Use the K shortcut key.
   • Go to the top menu and select View > Show > Show Strokes.
2. Find the gap you want to close and do one of the following:
   • In the Tools Toolbar, select the Stroke tool and draw a freehand stroke across the gap in the Camera or Drawing view. This is suggested if you need a specific shape.
   • In the Tools Toolbar, select the Close Gap tool and draw a stroke across the gap in the Camera or Drawing view. This will draw a perfectly straight line across the gap. This is suggested for smaller gaps, or gaps that don’t need a specific shape.

Option 4: Adjust the Paint tools’ gap settings

When filling in artwork, you can try using the automatic close gap settings in the Paint tools’ Tool Properties. This can be useful when the gaps are quite small.

1. In the Tools toolbar, pick the Paint , Repaint , or Paint Unpainted tool.
2. In the Tool Properties view, find the close gap section.

3. Click on the open circle icon and choose one of the options based on your needs. 

4. In the Camera or Drawing view, try filling the shape. The gap will be automatically closed with an invisible stroke.

Option 5: Use the Clean Up feature

This option is useful for closing off a multitude of gaps, however it can sometimes close off areas that do not need to be closed. It is best used across multiple drawings and frames. 

1. In the Timeline view, select the layer with your artwork on.
2. In the top menu, go to Drawing > Clean Up > Close Gaps…
3. The Close Gaps window will open:

4. While keeping an eye on your artwork in the Camera view, drag the slider to close gaps.
5. Your artwork will start to show red lines to show where the gaps will be closed with a stroke.

6. Check the result and adjust as necessary. Watch out for areas with many lines close together as this can make filling more tedious.
7. If you want to apply this setting to all drawings on the layer, select Apply to All Drawings.

8. When you’re happy, press OK.

Q&A 

Question: 

Can I fill multiple frames at a time?

Answers: 

Yes, see How do I paint multiple frames at a time?