2. HOW TO ILLUSTRATOR • 1
INTRODUCTION
Vector vs. Raster (Illustrator vs. Photoshop)
Vector File Formats:
.ai
.svg*
These sneaky file formats can be
either vector or raster:
.eps
.pdf
*Bonus! You can use svgs on the web!
Raster File Formats:
.psd
.jpg/.jpeg
.bmp
.tif
.gif
.png
3. HOW TO ILLUSTRATOR • 2
INTRODUCTION
File Size (Illustrator vs. Photoshop)
File Specs:
·· 10pt font
·· 14pt leading (space between lines of text)
·· 0.5" margins
·· 50% black background
·· White text
Illustrator (.ai) File Size:
1.7mb
Photoshop (.psd) File Size:
4.5mb (cue sad trombone)
Quati as ium is consequis volorem quat ut re, sunt.
Luptatium quunto totatem acculle ctatem quam ulpa soluptas pore nosandam rest quas sendiassit veriosti ommo-
luptate magnissi sita am etur ma vit, exceat qui quae pra corro blam rati temporepudae volut etusamus aliandis
ditatem nim dolene re nonsed et qui nosam sima nes voloressime nobitat pereprorrum eosae rehent endis atur
aruptatibus molorrovit vellabo. Ostem accus rem sit ex essimust officiasitas voluptam ilitam iuntotatur?
Sunt molo dolorem aturiae dessequi officiate res nimil eatur aliae et repella utenimil magnihi ciendam consect
ioriatium et estem quis modi occaese ndelique vollupis cones suntio eateturis as as duci quam de nihit explis iuscias
sinvelici untus, consedi ciisqui stotatia nonsequo torro tem rempor sam, ent latem fuga. Ut et, to dolupti ssinvenia et
reri dolor aut aut denditas alibusto molore, coremporiae sin pe nonsequi archil invel ium auda quaessum, voluptati
acepuda voloreperum fugia doluptur? Sedist is as ut eniendi nisimporem estioressum que eliquae providenihil
mollam qui imperum quunt.
Nam, cus int ariatem odisci nam voluptis am a aut vero experovit, consent landam rata cullupta cupidem quostrum
faciis et exceriatate nonseque voles invenimus mo cuptat a nos que occuptatibea volore sint laut ea si optia nonem-
porum doloremodic tem verum dolore vel inime consecusapid undae nes est, audit qui inum eium acea sandipis ipid
ut di sus as iditi ressunturis esti solupta tioribus quiae si verit expelis et idelign imolorent quae erferion nullacepta
nimpor aciet asim il explabore magnis et eos min nietur a quatio. Orum harcim fuga. Ita dolupicae volenest lam, a
expliquae del essitatat ad magniendam, ullam sit harit dipsandem rerum sit, sae volupta dolorro qui corepero
veruntio etur soloreptur sendipiet voluptas quae re ped enectemost venim aut re miligent, sum rectorit esseque
preptaque est, consequi num atem res aut rerio tet pro occus cum in porrum aliatur rehenderum aboribe rionserro
eaqui conetur as et qui dolorepudit alia aut que dolorum quaspernam rem fuga. Neque doloresti aut utessintia
sequodit incimus utemporion nisit molorum lacepernat mossend undescia inciducia quam eum vit quia dernatur
sandic te pere vendis eum nem autempor aturi rem apedition etur sandist ipsa qui repersp erorum re inum dit ut res
invererum niet aut eatur reiusandi quia perum nus sequibusae pra volor atur simagnati que consequia sam, simus
mintectatur sunt, quae consequam hit ommos evenima volore im ipicips usaerio bla volorit re late ex et de qui dellupt
iistectas ellorerorum net am fugitati consed modicienist, que nessimusto eatur, imporitio. Nihiciet laboritatum et
omnis rectur? Quia que ipiciur sum repremque debit es sintectas nosanda volliquiat qui cus.
Sitaqua tempos plignatur? Quis net vellanda non culparumquas nonseri aepella borest percipsum rations equatiis
entur apicae non cus aut quiam rem id quas eum utemolu ptatiae pernate issin cullecte autet autem volupta quiasi
cusapic ipicit essit ilit liquibus ex etur mos doluptas volupta quia doluptate por aborae denimin cidusaperion coresti
con eos escia se quatiuntias re, quo quas et inus modion nos nihicim posam, se nonsere sinum eicte volorehende ne
nonsed errovit aturectatur re offic totatem quo dolest, in ellaut la doloremod que volupta tiuntur rem. Aribus aliquas
comnitet quis etum fugita volecae nam faccum, adit aciis aditio blautem porerum ra del et, cum rem nobisti onse-
quid eostis et est, culpa verum imo eni audaest omni ima quiaspelesed eliqui vellupt iurepre as istrum dit quid ut
ipsanisquo totatius pro ducimus et vitatum se corum et haribus nient omnis sint estore sequi omnisci liquaerae
parit explam, eos et rerum exped que nimin conemqui que sus, odis est, quam nat facepro vitiossim aditi illiquoditae
porum excea net excepta volorem quas exerspe rorerem nonsequibus eosandebitio etum solest od excepudamus aut
que pro omnimol uptate et aut et quo officimusae aut ad ut is ratur secum et demque pa volum fuga. Arum evelest
ullupti aturis alibus susapis eat eostia ipsum sus aciamust, omniscid ea natesectat et dolorio. Nam quo ex et omnim
rem quidi nonsenit ex ent unt quia qui ate odia vidersped quis rem volore nimi, que vernatu sciendis dus nulpa vid
que vid qui aut exerum exceptatquam quo est, inimpora qui dia ventur at.
Cabo. Itasperum volupic tem dest, quia verrore vendanis magnimp oriosam usandiam, que dolorernam quis est
aborpor atempostiae. Des dem adit opta as adita dolorem facerfere, nis maxim et, sae simodis vellis doluptatur?
Quiasit aliciti volest, cumendae volluptatur?
Sedi dunte es aliati vent lanihic tiaectusae esequam rae ellaborem sus, con nihil illaut auda ni comnimos molessim
vidigent pa veles aut et labo. Nam ratur seque expliquam doloris alit pro maios volenis magni deliquid que es qui tem
quis assi conest int peribusam et et ea voloreprem di tem faccus dest aut occab in nam quo bearcimposam nullibus.
4. HOW TO ILLUSTRATOR • 3
INTRODUCTION
Basic Setup
New File:
·· Can create file name
·· If you know how many artboards (pages) you
will have, you can set it here to start
·· Includes many standard size presets
·· Choose units the rulers will be set in (usually
inches or pixels)
·· Do you have a bleed? (Print: probably, Web: no)
·· Select color mode and resolution
Not seeing rulers or
Smart Guides?
·· Toggle both on and off in the
View menu along the top
Smart Guide
Rulers
(Drag guides from these
to align things easier)
5. HOW TO ILLUSTRATOR • 4
INTRODUCTION
Workspaces and Palettes
My Customized Workspace:
·· Has all the palettes I use
frequently, grouped by like type
·· This has been set up by and
saved so I can come back to
"homebase" at any point
·· Yes, there is a reason the
Gradient palette is hanging out
on its own, but I won’t go into
that here
Prefab Workspaces
and Palettes:
·· All available under the
Window menu along the top
·· If you create a custom
workspace, you can save it
as your own here, too
6. HOW TO ILLUSTRATOR • 5
TIP 1:
Selection Tool vs. Direct Selection Tool
Selection Tool (Black Arrow):
·· Selects whole shape
·· Selects whole group
Direct Selection Tool (White Arrow):
·· Selects individual anchor point
·· Selects individual piece within a group
·· Allows you to modify a path using anchor points
and bezier curves
7. HOW TO ILLUSTRATOR • 6
TIP 2A:
Shift, Alt...
Shift*:
·· Hold shift to scale an object proportionately
Shift + Alt:
·· Hold shift + alt to scale an object proportionately, but
using the center as a scaling reference point
*Please, please for the love of all that is good, always hold shift.
8. HOW TO ILLUSTRATOR • 7
TIP 2B:
...And Alt and Shift Again!
Alt:
·· Hold alt and drag with your mouse to create
a duplicate copy of a shape or group
Alt + Shift:
·· Hold alt + shift and drag with your mouse to create a
duplicate copy of a shape or group and move it only
in a straight line
9. HOW TO ILLUSTRATOR • 8
TIP 3:
Align and Distribute
How to Align and Distribute
Accessing the Align and
Distribute Tools:
·· When multiple objects are
selected, the Align menu will pop
up along the top (see above)
·· The Align palette can always be
opened via the Window menu
Three Ways to Align/Distribute:
1: To Selection
2: To Key Object
3: To Artboard
To Align to Artboard:
·· Choose a single or mutiple object/s
·· Choose Align to Artboard from either
menu along top or palette
·· Select your alignment(s)
To Align to Selection:
·· Choose mutiple objects
·· Choose Align to Selection from
either menu along top or palette
·· Select your alignment(s)
10. HOW TO ILLUSTRATOR • 9
TIP 3:
Align and Distribute (cont.)
To Align to Key Object:
·· Choose mutiple objects
·· Without holding shift (if you were), click
the object you want set as your key object
(all other objects will be aligned relative
to this object)
·· Select your alignment(s)
Distribute Spacing:
·· Choose mutiple objects
·· Use Align to Selection
·· In the Align palette, choose to distribute
spacing vertically (seen here) or horizontally
11. HOW TO ILLUSTRATOR • 10
TIP 4:
Text Creation
When creating a text box:
·· Always click and drag to create the
text box
·· Don’t single click and start typing;
you’ll create a mess for yourself
When you click and drag to
create a text box:
·· You can resize the box to accommodate
more text
·· Left align, center, right align all happens
within the box you’ve created
·· Text box is more flexible overall
When you click to type:
·· You can’t resize the box (text won’t reflow)
·· To break a line of type, you have to
do so manually
·· Type is easily stretched or shrunken
when you don’t mean to
·· Left align, center, right align happens
around the point you first clicked
Text box created
No text box created
SOME BIG TEXT
SOME BIG TEXT
SOME BIG TEXT
SOME BIG TEXT MADE LONGER
12. HOW TO ILLUSTRATOR • 11
TIP 5:
Type on a Path
Here comes a fun one:
·· Create a path (a circle, a diagonal
line, a wavy line, any path you’d like)
·· Click and hold on the Text tool to
reveal the hidden options
·· Choose the Type on a Path tool
·· Click somewhere on the
path (generally some
sort of top or starting
point is good)
·· Type or copy and paste
your text
Heads up! If the path you
created had any colors
or effects applied, they
will disappear.
·· Click and drag the long
bar opposite the type to
adjust where the type is
on the path
Beware: this can be
extremely finicky.
Just make friends with
your undo button and
be patient.
Hey! This is text
on
acircle!
Hey! This is text on a circle!
13. HOW TO ILLUSTRATOR • 12
TIP 6A:
Some Miscellaneous Type Tips
Character Palette:
·· Change physical characteristics
(typeface, weight, size, leading,
kerning) of selected text
·· Adjust baseline of selected text
(shift some text slightly upward
or downward)
·· Make text uppercase, small caps,
super or subscript, underlined,
or with a strikethrough
Paragraph Palette:
·· Change text alignment
·· Indent a full paragraph (from
left or right)
·· Indent just the first line
·· Add space before or after a
paragraph
·· Toggle hyphenation on and off
So... someone sent you some copy that’s
formatted ugly:
·· Type > Change Case ... will allow you to change selected
text to all uppercase, all lowercase, title case (every
word capitalized), or sentence case (first word of each
sentence capitalized)
Please just pretend these tools don’t exist; it will
make a type lover and the font’s designer cry.
14. HOW TO ILLUSTRATOR • 13
TIP 6B:
Some (More!) Miscellaneous Type Tips
Glyphs Palette:
·· Access some "hidden" characters that may be
included with the typeface
·· Easily use FontAwesome icons as vectors!
(Yeah, I know!)
When to outline type*:
·· You’re sending a file to a printer, client, or coworker who may not
have the fonts you used, and they won’t need to change the text
·· You’re using a glyph (maybe FontAwesome?) as an icon and
would like to easily resize and reposition it
·· You’d like to edit a character/glyph in a non-standard manner
(Emma, this one’s for you!)
How to outline type:
·· Select the type box (it’s all or nothing here), then use
Type > Create Outlines
*Note: Text that is outlined can no longer be edited.
15. HOW TO ILLUSTRATOR • 14
TIP 7:
Rounded Corners
Three ways to achieve rounded corners:
·· 1: Effect > Stylize > Round Corners
(This will round them all equal amounts)
·· 2: Shape Properties (located along the top once
a shape is selected): Choose corner radius for
individual or all (if lock is selected) corners
numerically
·· 3: Use selection tool (will affect all corners) or
direct selection tool (will affect just the corner
nearest the anchor point selected) to drag the
blue dot on a corner in or out
16. HOW TO ILLUSTRATOR • 15
TIP 8:
Effect > Warp
Bonus: The Appearance Palette
Use Warp to:
·· Alter the shape of text while leaving it editable
Oops! Too much bulge? Not enough arch?:
·· Open the Appearance palette and click on any blue
link to edit an aspect of the shape’s appearance
(like the warp we just applied)
·· Alter the appearance of a shape in various ways
17. HOW TO ILLUSTRATOR • 16
TIP 9A:
The Infamous Pathfinder Tool
Common uses of the Pathfinder tool:
Add/Unite Subtract/Minus Front Intersect Exclude
18. HOW TO ILLUSTRATOR • 17
TIP 9B:
For Mikey: Using the Pathfinder to Cut a Shape in Half
How to be a shape samurai (got your katana ready?):
·· Create the shape you want to "cut" in half
·· Draw a dividing line through it (use the line segment tool)
·· With both selected, use the Divide tool within the Pathfinder palette
·· Either use the direct selection tool to move just one half or ungroup
(Object > Ungroup) the shape you just sliced to manipulate the
halves individually
Divide
Mmm... we just made a macaron
Divide
Mmm... we just made a macaron
19. HOW TO ILLUSTRATOR • 18
TIP 10:
Simple Blends
Four key steps to any blend:
·· Create beginning and end shapes
·· Select both shapes
·· Object > Blend > Blend Options...
·· Object > Blend > Make
Smooth Color (creates a smooth gradient)
Specified Distance (shapes are all equally spaced apart)
Specified Steps (5 steps for a total of 7 shapes)