Using the "Pathfinder/Shape" Tool

We are going to play around with combining shapes in Adobe Illustrator

1. Draw two distinctly different shapes (star and a circle), 
2. Give the shapes two distinctly different colours, no line/stroke.
3. Overlap them slightly. 
4. Then copy the shapes three times to make four combinations on your page.
5. Open the Pathfinder pallet from the Window menu.
6. Select the 1st shape combination- either drag your cursor over both or click one and shift click the other. 
7. Select the "Unite" shapes.
8. Type the Pathfinder shape effect that you used underneath.
9. Try the other three in the Shape Mode pallet: Minus Front, Minus Back, Exclude with the other shape combinations.
10. Save your file as "Shapes" practice.