Tutorials Open the Studio

Lesson 8 of 23

Split, cut and join pieces

Add joints, remove leads, cut with the Knife, divide a piece evenly and join pieces with the Shape Builder.

5 steps2 minChecked against the Studio on 17 October 2026
The Divide into pieces dialog for one quarry: Grid, Diagonal, Radial, Rings, Fan, Crackle, Waves and Brick, three columns by three rows, and what the cut will make.
1 of 5 Add a joint Split a lead (S): click a lead to add a joint there, an anchor you can then drag.

A piece too big to cut, or two pieces that ought to be one: these tools change how a panel is divided without redrawing it.

  1. 1

    Add a joint

    Split a lead (S): click a lead to add a joint there, an anchor you can then drag.

  2. 2

    Remove leads

    Remove a lead (D): click a lead to remove it, or drag across several to scrub them all away. The pieces beside them become one.

  3. 3

    Cut with the Knife

    Knife (ShiftK): drag across pieces to cut them along your stroke. Press ShiftK again for the Straight knife.

  4. 4

    Divide a piece evenly

    Select a piece and click Divide into pieces… in the Inspector. Choose a way to divide it, from a plain grid to rings, a fan, crackle, waves or brick, and set the numbers.

    The dialog says how big the new pieces come out and how many pieces the panel will have before you click Divide.

  5. 5

    Join with the Shape Builder

    Shape Builder (ShiftM): with two or more pieces selected, drag across them to join them into one. Alt-drag removes a region instead.

    Tip Edit › Join two anchors with a lead (CtrlJ) draws a lead straight between two anchors.

Try it

Now do it, with the Studio's own engine

The Line tool drawing leads across a blank panel in VETRATA Studio.

  1. Draw two leads across the field
  2. Take one out with Remove a lead
Next · Lesson 9Draw it once with the MirrorMirror across a line or repeat around a centre, and see the reflected part live while you draw.Mark done and continue Select, move and reshape