In this video, we're going to create a complex shape by creating more than one shape on a single shape layer.

We can then control how those objects interact with each other using the merge pass command.

So, the first thing we want to do is make sure none of the layers are selected down here in the Timeline, then go up to the Tool Panel and let's choose the Pen Tool.

I'll click and hold on the Pen Tool to make sure that that is the tool.

You may have some of these other tools active.

Just make sure you've chosen the Pen Tool, then come over to its options.

You want to make sure it has a white fill and no stroke.

If you see something else, you can hold down Alt on Windows or Option on the Mac and click directly on the box and cycle through each of the different options until you get to the No symbol for the stroke.

You can do the same for the Fill, but once you get to a solid color, go ahead and click on that color and make sure to choose white as the color.

Once, we've got that squared away, let's go to the lower left corner of the Composition panel and enable Title and Action safe.

That way, I can create my shape based on the center point of the composition.

So, I can see this more clearly, I'll press the period key to zoom in in the Composition panel.

If you zoom in too far, you can press the comma key to zoom back out, and I'll click once to add a point.

I'm not holding the mouse down, I'll go ahead and come down right over top of my center point and I'll click and drag out to the right, so that I get this teardrop shape.

Now, I'll let go of the handles and come right back up here and I'll click once on the first point, and you can see we've created a teardrop shape.

If you need to adjust the handles, just hover over the handle and go ahead and click and drag to adjust.

If you need to move the points, you can click directly on a point and just make sure that this bottom point is set up on the center point of our composition.

Now press V on your keyboard to grab the Selection Tool and no longer select the Pen Tool.

And then we can go ahead and select Layer 1 in the Timeline and press U-U to open up its unique options that we've set up.

So, we've created Shape 1.

So, I want you to go ahead and click on the name Shape 1 because I'd like to create a duplicate of that shape.

And just so we can see the composition more clearly, press the comma key to zoom out in the Composition panel.

With Shape 1 selected here in the Timeline, press Control D on Windows or Command D on the Mac to duplicate that shape, then open up the options for Shape 2 and open up its transform options.

Let's go ahead and scrub on the Scale parameter and scale this up.

I'll set mine to a value of 157.

Now, let's create a complex shape by subtracting the first shape from the second one.

I'll scroll up in the Timeline so I can see my Add button here.

Now, I'm going to click on the word Contents once just to make sure that’s selected, and then I'll go over to Add and I'll choose Merge Paths.

Merge Paths will merge the paths of any shapes above the Merge Paths commands as long as they're in the same group, and these are all in the same group.

So, open up the Merge Pass option and change the mode from Add to Exclude Intersections.

And now we've got a more interesting shape.

To take this to the next level, let's add a repeater.

Scroll up to the top, click on the word Contents again, and then go over to the Add button and let's add a Repeater.

Open the Repeater options and open its Transform options and let's change the Position parameters back to 0 on the X and 0 on the Y, then scrub on the rightmost Rotation parameter until you get something around 120 degrees.

And now, we've created a relatively complex shape.

So, once you understand how multiple objects can be created on a single shape layer with the Add button, you can see the creative options become virtually unlimited.