How can I split a shape into two colors?

[rdeppens]

I am new to indesign and am trying to do something that seems very simple....all I want to do is make a square (which I know how to do) and then split it diagonally down the middle and make one triangle part of the square a different color than the other one. I have tried using the eye dropper tool as that would make sense, similar to the MS paintbucket that allows you to fill in closed areas, but it will not work. any thoughts??

Thanks!

 

[eugenetyson]

Here's what I'd do.

Draw a guide, drag the ruler from the side on to the page. around the middle

Drag another Guide from the top ruler onto the page. around the middle.

Get the Rectangle Tool. With the cursor where the guides meet, hold down the ALT and shift key when you draw it.

Make Guides around the square.

Delete the Square you just drew.

With the Pen Tool, click on each part of the Guides where they meet to make the rectangle.

This is a lot easier in illustrator.

You can also draw a polygon. ON the rectangle tool, hold down the mouse when you press it, you will see a polygon shape. Choose that.

You can make a triangle by clicking once on your document. Choose your polygon width and height.

Number of sides 3

Star inset 0.

If you do the maths right you can make an equilateral triangle, but don't hold your breath.

 

[rdeppens]

That helps me to get the shape, but doesn't really help me with my color problem. When I create the shape, I can't copy and paste it like I can a rectangle. I need an isoceles triangle...is there no way to apply the color to certain parts of a shape if there is a clearly defined line separating the parts?

 

[jmgalvin]

As an example, we can use a square that you want to divide into 2 triangular shapes with the dividing line running from top right to bottom left.

Draw a square and fill with any color (makes things easier to see) but don't add any stroke. Clone the square. On a mac that would be done by using the main selection tool (black arrow) while holding down the Option key and draggin a little. On PC try the second key to the left of the space bar or check ID Help for "clone".

Select the new square, fill with a different color (for learning purposes and to keep it different from first square) and go to tools window and click-hold on the Pen tool. Select Delete Anchor Point Tool form the flyout. Click in the upper left corner of the second square. That square will turn into a triangle.

Open the Align window. Select both the square and rectangle and align tops and right sides via the Align window. If you wnat you can choose to group these.

One thing to remember - when you clone, the clone becomes the forward object so the triangle will land on top of the square - giving the appearance of 2 triangles. If you somehow reverse them, the triangle will go under the square leaving just the square visible. In that case you would select the square and go to Object menu/Arragne and click send backword or send to back.

Using OSX 10.3.9 on a G4

 

[rdeppens]

Thanks! That makes it so much easier and now I can sleep at night.

 

[eugenetyson]

Well I'm just making the basic shape. You can't select parts of it, because you can't split the box in two, so to speak, as you'd need two separate shapes.

I think what you're looking to do is an illustrator feature, where you divide the box into shapes, in this a diagonal line over the square, select both objects, using PATHFINDER to divide the shape.

I don't know what you're thinking with the Eyedropper tool? The eyedropper with the first click samples one objects properties and then the second click on another similar object pastes that objects style, whether it be a box or text or whatever object you need.

With the way I've described, you simply draw another object to mirror it and colour them any colour you want, removing the diagnol strokes of course with the selection tool. And the other suggestion there is a good idea too.

But I like the other idea. But I wouldn't move them. As they wouldn't be in line with each other. You can do a step and repeat, and don't put in a distance and copy once, the proceed with the point removals.

But interesting point, you can't do what you want to do easily.