When creating content in Illustrator CC, you may want to create a background behind content that's already there, or even add content within a shape like this hot air balloon.
In Illustrator CC you can use Drawing Modes to either draw behind or draw inside of content.
So, with Illustrator CC open, open this file from the practice files for this tutorial if you want to follow along.
In this document, you'll start by adding a rectangle to create a background that's underneath everything else.
Now, you could draw a rectangle and then arrange it to go behind all the other content, but it would be easier if you could just draw it behind everything else.
Using the Drawing Modes, you can either draw behind, or draw inside of vector content and that's what you'll do.
So, press and hold on the Drawing Mode button at the bottom of the Tools panel and choose Draw Behind from the menu.
If you see a two column Tools panel, you can simply click the Draw Behind mode button.
With Draw Behind mode selected, any content you create, whether you draw it, paste it or place it will be put behind the other content on the selected layer.
So, to draw the rectangle, select the Rectangle Tool and starting up here, press and drag to create it.
When you release down here, you should see a rectangle appear behind everything else.
Now to change the fill color so it fits better with the design, click the Fill color in the Properties panel and with the Swatches selected, click to apply this Gradient Swatch.
To change the appearance of the gradient in the shape, click the Gradient Options button down here to open the Gradient panel.
In the panel that opens you can change the angle to 90°.
That looks a little better.
You can then click the X to close the panel.
Next, you'll cut and paste this cloud so it's behind this larger balloon, but in front of all the other background shapes.
So, select the Selection Tool in the Tools panel and click to select the cloud.
To cut it, choose Edit, Cut.
With Draw Behind mode still active, click the yellow balloon shape to select it.
Any content you now add by drawing, pasting or placing with artwork selected, will be put just underneath the selected artwork.
So, choose Edit, Paste and drag the cloud into position.
Notice that it's right behind the balloon, but in front of all the other content behind the balloon.
You can also create, paste or place content inside of a shape using the Draw Inside mode.
Next you will add some artwork to the balloons to decorate them.
So, with the Selection Tool selected, click the smaller blue balloon to select it.
Press and hold on the Drawing Mode button toward the bottom of the Tools panel and choose Draw Inside.
If you have a double column Tools panel, simply click the Draw Inside button down here.
Notice the dashed lines around the balloon indicating that any content you create, paste, or place, will be contained within the balloon shape now.
Click away from the balloon to deselect it, it doesn't need to be selected to do this.
Now you'll draw some shapes inside of this balloon.
So, press and hold on the Rectangle Tool in the Tools panel and select the Ellipse Tool.
Click the Fill color in the Properties panel and change it to this light green color.
You can then press Escape to hide the colors.
Press and drag to draw several circles in the shape, making sure a few of them extend beyond the edge of the balloon shape.
And you can see that any artwork outside of the balloon shape is masked or hidden.
To stop drawing, inside this shape, choose Draw Normal from the Drawing Modes menu, or click the Normal Drawing Mode button and the dashed lines disappear.
To edit the content you added inside of this balloon shape select the Selection Tool, click in a blank area to deselect any artwork.
Double click the balloon to enter Isolation Mode, which means you can focus on the content in the balloon.
You can then add more artwork or click on one of the circles to edit it.
When you're finished, you can press the Escape key to exit Isolation Mode.
Click to select the larger yellow balloon you see here.
Now you'll paste the group of shapes you see off the right side of the artboard into this larger balloon.
So, click the group of shapes and choose Edit, Cut.
Click the yellow balloon and choose Draw Inside from the Drawing Modes menu or click the Draw Inside button down here.
Click away to deselect the balloon.
Then to Paste the content choose Edit, Paste.
Drag the content in the shape to reposition it where you want, then to finish you can choose Draw Normal from the Drawing Modes menu or click the Draw Normal button at the bottom of the Tools panel to stop drawing inside and you'll notice the dashed lines disappear.
Drawing Content behind or inside of other content can really speed up your workflow and make it really easy to be creative with your artwork.
