I have an image that I have drawn with several objects overlapping each other.



I want to fill the shapes with a particular design that I will create custom for each shape.

Under normal circumstances the only way I can think to do this is split this up into a few layers of objects. I take my base image and duplicate it. One copy I keep just my outline and the other copy keeps just the fill. Then between those two objects I put in new objects to put in the other colors and shapes I want.

This is the only way I can think to do this, because if I try to put those other shapes on top of the original object, they will either cover up part of the outline, or not quite reach the outline and have some of the main object's fill color bleed through. Even if I somehow managed to cover exactly to the edge of the outline, if I even found that I wanted to go back and change and the thickness of that outline, then the shapes I added would no longer fit.

So I need to duplicate the object and have the liens and the fill separate so I can put the other objects in-between the two.

But in this particular example, I have many objects that overlap each other.
If I copy all those objects and keep just the outlines, then I will see lines where they are supposed to be overlapped.

Is there any way I can copy all the outlines "as they are seen" so that I don't get those parts of the lines that are hidden by the objects in front of them?

Have a look at this thread maybe it will address your problem?