Creating Compound Shapes with Union Operations

Union, also called Weld, combines multiple overlapping shapes into a single, unified path. This is essential for creating custom shapes, logos, and professional designs.

Union is perfect for: creating custom letters or logos, combining shapes into new forms, ensuring designs are unified as single pieces, and reducing the number of separate elements. It's especially useful for complex designs.

Draw or place the shapes you want to combine. They should overlap where you want them joined. These can be circles, rectangles, custom paths, or text converted to paths.

Arrange your shapes so they overlap in the areas where you want them joined. The overlapping areas will become part of the unified shape. Use alignment tools for precision.

Select all the shapes you want to combine. Hold Shift and click each shape, or drag a selection box around all of them. Make sure all desired shapes are selected.

Right-click on the selected shapes and choose 'Union' or 'Weld' from the context menu. All selected shapes will be combined into a single path, with overlapping areas merged seamlessly.

After union, you should have one unified path. Select it to verify - you should see a single bounding box around the entire combined shape. The shape is now a single, unified element.

• Custom monograms: Combine letters into one shape • Logo design: Merge multiple elements into unified logo • Decorative borders: Union multiple shapes into continuous border • Custom icons: Combine basic shapes into complex icons • Text effects: Union text with decorative elements

• Convert text to paths before unioning with other shapes • Ensure shapes overlap - non-overlapping shapes will still union but may create unexpected results • Use Union to combine multiple elements into single, unified shapes • Group shapes first if you need to union multiple groups • Test the result before finalizing complex unions