Figma is known as one of the best programs for graphic designers worldwide. Its features are comprehensive, helping users create anything from eye-catching logos to unique landing pages. Notably, the Boolean feature (also part of the component properties update in 2002) allows you to achieve custom shapes by combining their layers through multiple formulas.
Here you’ll learn how to use the Boolean features in your next design.
The Boolean Formula Options for Custom Shapes
Before creating your custom shape, you’ll need to know how Boolean formulas work and what they achieve. Whenever you make a Boolean group, it’ll count as a single shape layer with both fill and stroke properties.
You can find the Boolean icon with two telegram number database overlaying squares in the top bar of your interface. You’ll have four formula options from the drop-down menu when you click on it.
These formula options include:
- Union Selection – This option turns your selected shapes into a Boolean group. When using Union, the outer sub shape’s paths will form the new custom shape’s outline. However, it won’t include any of the inner overlapping segments.
- Subtract Selection – Considering this marketing budget items option is the opposite of the union selection is helpful. It removes the whole area of a shape from the base shape. This leaves only the bottom layer visible.
- Intersect Selection – With intersect selection, users can create a custom shape only consisting of the overlapping segments of the original shapes or sub-layers.
- Exclude Selection – Exclude functions is the opposite of the intersect Boolean group option. Using it will give you a custom shape from the non-overlapping parts of the original shapes.
Remember that you’ll need to select two or more shapes before you can effectively use the Boolean option from the top menu. This is because Boolean only combines multiple shape layers into one custom and complex shape.
Using the Figma Instance Swap Property
When Figma announced the component america email list properties update in 2022, the Boolean selection was only one of the multiple new features available. The whole point of the components update is to help you make variation templates effectively rather than digging through out-of-the-way options.
While Boolean is an important part of this, users can also use the instance swap property. Here’s how to do so:
- Select an element of your design.