Illustrator's Interface

8/7/2019 Illustrator's Interface

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ToolsUsing the ToolboxThe Toolbox contains 74 tools that are usedfor object creation and editing. If the Toolboxis hidden, choose Window > Tools to displayit. To move the Toolbox, drag the top bar.Click once on a visible tool to select it. Presson any tool that has a tiny arrowhead tochoose a related tool from a pop-out menu.When you double-click some tools, anoptions dialog box opens for the tool.To create a standalone tearoff toolbar – ,release the mouse when it’s over the vertical

tearoff bar on the far right side of any toolpop-out menu. Move a tearoff toolbar bydragging its top bar. To restore a tearoff toolbar to the Toolbox, click its close box.To access a tool quickly, use its letter short-cut (see the letters in gray on the next twopages). Some tools can be accessed using atoggle key (e.g., pressing Cmd/Ctrl accessesthe Selection tool when the Pen tool ischosen). You’ll learn more toggles later.To turn tool pointers into crosshairs for pre-

cise positioning, check Use Precise Cursors inIllustrator (Edit, in Windows) > Preferences >General. Or press Caps Lock to turn a toolpointer into a crosshair temporarily.➤ You’ll probably want to leave Disable

Warnings unchecked in Preferences >General, at least if you’re new toIllustrator. With this option unchecked,an alert prompt will appear when a toolis used incorrectly.

This chapter is an introduction to Illustrator’s tools,menus, palettes, and measurement systems.Note: If you’d like to glance onscreen atthe features discussed in this chapter as youread, launch Illustrator and create a new document (see pages 39–41).

1ILLUSTRATORINTERFAC

Hide/show Tab Hide/show all currently open

palettes, including the Toolbox

Shift-Tab Hide/show all currently openpalettes and tearoff toolbars,but not the Toolbox

Ch r is Spolle

n

Open a tearoff toolbarby choosing a tearoff bar.

A tearoff toolbar



The Toolbox

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C HAPTER 1

Lasso Q Selects individual points orsegments by lassoing

Adobe Online access

Rectangle MDraws rectangles andsquares

Pencil NCreates freehand-stylelines

Scale SEnlarges or shrinks objects

Free Transform ERotates, scales, reflects, shears,distorts, or applies perspective

Column Graph JCreates graphs

Gradient GChanges the direction of existing gradients

Blend WCreates shape and color blendsbetween objects

Scissors CCuts paths

Zoom ZChanges the magnificationof the illustration

Swap Fill and Stroke Shift- X

Stroke XColor that’s applied to the edgeof a path (click to activate)

None / No stroke or fill

Full Screen Mode F

Full Screen Modewith Menu Bar F

Y Magic WandSelects objects by color

Direct Selection ASelects parts of objects

V SelectionSelects entire objects

P PenDraws curved and straight line

segments

\ Line SegmentDraws straight lines at any angle

B PaintbrushCreates Calligraphic, Scatter,Art, and Pattern brush strokes

R RotateRotates objects

Shift -R WarpDistorts shapes

Shift -S Symbol SprayerSprays symbol instances

U MeshCreates and edits multicolored

mesh objects

I EyedropperSamples paint and type attributes

Shift -K SliceDefines slice areas

H HandMoves the artboard in the

document window

X FillThe color, gradient, or pattern

that fills the inside of a path

D Default Fill and Stroke(white fill, black stroke)

> GradientReapplies last gradient fill

< ColorReapplies last solid color

stroke or fill

F Standard Screen Mode

The ToolboxNote: To assign your own shortcutsto tools, use the Keyboard Shortcutsdialog box (see pages 526–528).

Type TCreates and editshorizontal type



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ILLUSTRATOR INTERFACE

Graph tools

The tearoff toolbars

Drawing tools

VerticalPath TypeCreates andedits typeverticallyalong a path

Vertical AreaType Createsand edits type

inside an objectvertically

Type on a PathCreates and editstype horizontallyalong a path

Area Type Createsand edits type insidean object horizontally

Vertical TypeCreates and editsvertical type

Group SelectionSelects whole groups

ConvertAnchor PointConverts cornerpoints to curved,and vice versaShift -C

Delete Anchor

Point -

Add Anchor

Point +

Arc Createscurved linesegments

SpiralCreatesspiral lines

RectangularGrid Createsrectangular grids

Polar GridCreatescircular grids

Reect Creates a mirror

image of an object O

Crystallize WrinkleLiquify tools Object creation tools

Twirl Pucker Bloat Scallop RoundedRectangle

EllipseL

Polygon FlareCreateslens flares

Star

EraseErases sectionsof paths

SmoothSmooths paths

SymbolStylerSymbol

ScreenerSymbolStainer

SymbolSpinner

SymbolSizer

SymbolScruncher

SymbolShifter

Symbolism tools

K Paint Bucket Fills objects with thecurrent paint or type attributes by clicking

MeasureMeasures the distancebetween points

ShearSkews objects

ReshapeReshapessections of paths

Slice Select Selects slices Page Definesthe printable area

Auto TraceTraces object silhouettes

KnifeCarves up paths

StackedColumn

StackedBar

Line Area Scatter Pie RadarBar



➝7b Artboard boundary

C HAPTER 1

Illustrator Screen in Macintosh

4

13 Resize box

The Illustrator screen in Macintosh

11 Status bar

4 Zoom3 Minimize

1 Menu bar

2 Close

Status barpop-up menu

12 Scroll arrows

6 Rulers

8 Guide

Scratch area

Scroller

➝

➝

➝

➝

7c Pageboundary

7a Imageablearea boundary

10 Zoom eld and pop-up menu

9c Swatches palette9b Pathnder palette

9a Toolbox

On the screen

Document window

Scroll bar

5 Title bar, zoom level, color mode, and view




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1 Menu bar Use the menu bar to open dialog boxes orpalettes or to choose commands.

2 Close button (red)To close a document or a palette, click itsclose button.

3 Minimize button (yellow)Click the minimize button to shrink thedocument window to an icon in the Dock;click the icon in the Dock to restore thedocument window to its previous size.

4 Zoom button (green)Click a document window zoom button toenlarge the window. Click again to restorethe window to its previous size. (Click apalette zoom button to shrink the palette orrestore it to its previous size.)

5 Title bar, zoom level, color mode, and viewThe illustration’s title, zoom level, colormode ( CMYK or RGB), and view (Preview,Outline, Pixel Preview, or Overprint Preview)are listed on the title bar.

6 RulersThe current position of the pointer is indicated

by a marker on the horizontal and verticalrulers. Ruler increments can be displayed inany of these measurement units: points, picas,inches, millimeters, centimeters, or pixels.

7a–c Imageable area, artboard boundary,and page boundaryThe imageable area within the margin guidesis the area that will print on the paper sizecurrently selected in File > Print (General).The artboard is the user-dened work areaand the largest possible printable area. Thenonprinting page boundary matches the

current paper size. Objects located in thearea outside the artboard will save with thele, but they won’t print.

8 GuideDrag from the horizontal or vertical rulerto create a guide. Guides are used only foraligning objects; they don’t print.

9a–c PalettesPathnder and Swatches are ve of 31 move-able palettes that open from the Windowmenu. The Toolbox contains 74 (yes, 74!)drawing and editing tools, as well as colorcontrols and screen mode buttons.

10 Zoom eld Enter a new zoom percentage in this eldor choose a preset zoom percentage from thepop-up menu.

11 Status bar Depending on which category you choosefrom the pop-up menu, the status bar displaysthe name of the Current Tool, the currentDate and Time from System Preferences >System > Date & Time, the Number of avail-able Undos/Redos, or the Document ColorProle. Option-press the status bar pop-upmenu to learn the Moon Phase, ShoppingDays ’til Christmas, and other vital statistics.

12 Scroll arrowsClick the downward-pointing scroll arrowto move the illustration upward in the docu-ment window. Click the upward-pointingscroll arrow to move the illustration down-ward in the document window.

13 Resize boxTo resize a document window, drag its resizebox diagonally.

Key to the Illustrator screen in Macintosh



Illustrator Screen in Windows

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C HAPTER 1

The Illustrator screen in Windows

16 Status bar

5 Application maximize button

6 Application minimize button

7 Application close box4Title bar, zoom level,

color mode, and view

3 Menu bar

2 Document Control menu

1 ApplicationControl menu

Status bar pop-up menu

12 Toolbox

7 Document close box

5 Document maximize button

Palettes

15 Zoom eld and pop-up menu

8 Rulers➝

➝

➝

➝

➝10b Artboard and pageboundary

11 Guide

13 Scroll arrow

14 Resize box

9 Document minimize button

10a Imageable area boundary



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Key to the Illustrator screen in Windows

1 Application Control menu boxThe Application Control menu box com-mands are Restore, Move, Size, Minimize,Maximize, and Close.

2 Document Control menu boxThe Document Control menu box commandsare Restore, Move, Size, Minimize, Maximize,Close, and Next.

3 Menu bar Use the menu bar to open dialog boxes orpalettes or choose commands.

4 Title bar, zoom level, color mode, viewThe illustration’s title, zoom level, colormode ( CMYK or RGB), and view (Preview,Outline, Pixel Preview, or Overprint Preview)are listed on the title bar.

5 Maximize/restore down buttonClick the document or application maximizebutton to enlarge either window to ll theavailable space completely. When a windowis maximized, the button turns into a restoredown button. Click this button to shrink thewindow to its former size.

6 Application minimize buttonClick the application minimize button toshrink the application to an icon on thetaskbar. Click the icon on the taskbarto restore the application window to itsprevious size.

7 Close boxTo close a document or a palette, click itsclose box.

8 RulersThe current position of the pointer is indicatedby a marker on the horizontal and vertical

rulers. Ruler increments can be displayed inany of these measurement units: points, picas,inches, millimeters, centimeters, or pixels.

9 Document minimize buttonClick the document minimize button to shrinkthe document to an icon at the bottom leftcorner of the application window. To restorethe document to its previous size, double-click the icon or click the restore up button.

10a–b Imageable area, artboard boundary,and page boundaryThe imageable area within the margin guidesis the area that will print on the paper sizecurrently selected in File > Print (General).The artboard is the user-dened work areaand the largest possible printable area. Thenonprinting page boundary matches the cur-rent paper size. Objects outside the artboardsave with the le but don’t print.

11 GuideDrag from the horizontal or vertical rulerto create a guide. Guides are used only foraligning objects; they don’t print.

12 ToolboxThe Toolbox contains 74 (yes, 74!) drawingand editing tools, as well as color controlsand screen mode buttons. It’s one of the31 moveable palettes that open from theWindow menu.

13 Scroll arrowsClick the downward-pointing scroll arrowto move the illustration upward in the docu-ment window. Click the upward-pointingscroll arrow to move the illustration down-ward in the document window.

14 Resize boxTo resize a document window, drag itsresize box diagonally or drag the edge of the window.

15 Zoom eld Enter a new zoom percentage in this eld orchoose a preset zoom percentage from thepop-up menu.

16 Status bar Depending on which category you choosefrom the pop-up menu, the status bar dis-plays the name of the Current Tool, the cur-rent Date and Time from the computer’sinternal clock, the Number of availableUndos/Redos, or the Document Color Prole(RGB or CMYK ). Alt-press the status barpop-up menu to learn the Moon Phase,Shopping Days ’til Christmas, and othervital statistics.







Using dialog boxesDialog boxes are like ll-in forms with multi-ple choices. They are opened from the menubar or via shortcuts.In Windows: To activate a menu, type Alt

plus the underlined letter, then release Alt andtype the underlined letter on the submenu.Some modications are made by entering anumber in an entry eld. Press Tab to high-light the next eld in a dialog box; pressShift-Tab to highlight the previous eld.Press or click on a pop-up menu to choosefurther options.Click OK or press Return/Enter to acceptmodications and exit a dialog box. Tocancel out of a dialog box, click Cancel or

press Esc.Many Illustrator dialog boxes have aPreview option that when checked will applythe effect while the dialog box is open. Takeadvantage of this great timesaver.Illustrator dialog boxes, like all the otherfeatures in the program, function the sameway on the Mac as in Windows, though theylook slightly different because the graphicinterfaces are different.

Using Dialog Boxes

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C HAPTER 1

Type a number into aeld . Press Tab to jump

from one eld to the next.

Click a check box onor off. A “ √” meansthat option is on.

Click OK or pressReturn/Enter to exit adialog box and accept the new settings.

Click Cancel to exit a dialog box with nomodications taking effect.

Check Preview topreview new settings

in your illustrationright away.

A dialog box in Macintosh

A dialog box in Windows

In Windows, you can type an underlined letterto activate that eld (e.g., “U” for “Uniform”).If a eld is already highlighted, type Alt plusthe underlined letter. In Windows XP, youhave to press Alt for the underlines to show up.



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Using the palettesIllustrator has 31 movable palettes, all of which can be opened from the Windowmenu, and many of which can be openedand closed via assigned shortcuts. To savescreen space, the palettes are organized intothese default groups : Appearance/ Layers;Actions/Links; Navigator/ Info; CharacterStyles/Paragraph Styles; Swatches/Color;Document Info/Attributes; Flattener Preview;Glyphs; Stroke/Gradient/ Transparency;Tabs; Graphic Styles/Brushes/Symbols;Magic Wand; Transform/Align/Pathnder;SVG Interactivity/Variables; Character/ Paragraph/Open Type; and Tools. Thepalette name you choose from the Windowmenu will appear in front within its group

when the group opens.You can compose your own groups or sepa-rate a palette from its group. To separate apalette, drag its tab (palette name) away fromthe group – . To add a palette to anygroup, drag the tab over the group.➤ When you compose a palette group, start

with one of the resizable palette windows.

Now the Symbols palette is on its own.

To separate a palette from its group, drag thetab (palette name) out of the group.

To dock palettes together, drag thetab name of one palette to the bottomof another palette, and release themouse when the thick black line appearsacross the bottom of the target palette.

To dock (hook up) one palette to the bottomof another palette or palette group, drag thetab to the bottom of the target palette, andrelease the mouse when the thick black lineappears . To undock, drag a palette tabout of the dock group.To display an open palette at the front of itsgroup, click its tab. Palettes with an up/downarrow on the tab (such as the Color palette)have more than one panel . Click this arrowor the tab name to cycle through the palettecongurations: tab only, two option panels,or one option panel. Another way to displaya full palette is to choose Show Optionsfrom the palette menu. To shrink a palettegroup to just the tabs, on the Mac, click thepalette zoom button (green) in the upperleft corner; in Windows, click the minimize/ maximize button. Click the button again torestore the palette’s previous size.➤ Press Tab to hide/show all currently open

palettes, including the Toolbox; pressShift-Tab to hide/show all open palettesexcept the Toolbox.

Palettes that are open when you quit/exitIllustrator will reappear in the same locationwhen the application is relaunched.

Use the palettemenus to accessadditional commands!



Color Palette; Stroke Palette

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C HAPTER 1

The color controlsThe current ll and stroke colors display incolor squares on the Toolbox and on theColor palette . The Color palette displaysthe color model and breakdown of the llor stroke in the currently selected object orobjects; use it to choose Web-safe colors orprocess colors or to adjust global process orspot color tints.The Stroke palette displays the weight andstyle of the stroke in the currently selectedobject or objects, and can be used to changethose attributes. If no object is selected,changes made on the Color or Stroke palettewill apply to subsequently drawn objects.

Color palette F6

Use the Color palette to mix, choose, andswitch between ll and stroke colors.Choose a color model for the palette fromthe palette menu. Quick-select a color, black,white, or None from the bar at the bottomof the palette.

Fill color,pattern, or gradient

Stroke color

Whichever box (Fill or Stroke) iscurrently active (is on top on the Colorpalette and the Toolbox) will be affected by changes on the Color palette.

Stroke palette F10Use the Stroke palette to edit the strokeweight and style of the selected object orobjects, and to create dashed lines or frames.

Swap Fill

and Stroke

None (nocolor)(Reapply last)

Gradient

Default Fill and Stroke

(Reapply last ll orstroke) Color

Spectrum

Stroke Weight (thickness)

Join (bend) styles

Fill Stroke

None

Out of Web Color Warning (click box for Web-safe substitute)

Out of Gamut Warning (click box for printable substitute)

Dashed Linesegment (dash) and

gap lengths (spacing between dashes)

Cap (end) styles



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Gradient slider

Starting color stop Ending color stopAn added color stop

The gradient Type :Linear or Radial

The Midpoint diamond marks

the point wheretwo adjacent colors are at anequal, 50/50 mix.

Gradient paletteUse the Gradient palette to create new gradi-ents and edit existing gradients. You canmove a color by dragging its stop; choose adifferent color for a stop from the Colorpalette; click below the gradient slider to adda new color; move a midpoint diamond toadjust how adjacent colors are distributed;or change the gradient angle.

A global process color

A nonglobal process color

Use these buttons to control which categories of swatchesare displayed on the palette.

All Colors Gradients Patterns NewSwatch

DeleteSwatch

Swatches paletteUse the Swatches palette to choose and storedefault and user-dened colors. If you click aswatch, it becomes the current ll or strokecolor, depending on whether the Fill or

Stroke box is currently active on the Toolboxand Color palette.Drag from the Fill or Stroke color box on theToolbox or the Color palette to the Swatchespalette to save that color as a swatch in thecurrent le. You can merge swatches andperform other tasks via the palette menu.

A spot color



Character Palette

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C HAPTER 1

Font

The Language for hyphenationfor the current document

Leading

Vertical Scale

Kerning Tracking

Character Rotation

Character paletteUse the Character palette to apply typeattributes: font, size, leading, kerning,tracking, horizontal scale, vertical scale,baseline shift, character rotation, andforeign language options. To apply anattribute to currently highlighted text,choose a value from the pop-up menu; orclick the up or down arrow; or enter avalue in the eld and press Return/Enter.

Font Style

Horizontal Scale

Font Size

Baseline Shift

Text-related palettes The palettes that are used for formatting textare opened from the Window > Type submenu:Character, Character Styles, Glyphs, OpenType,Paragraph, Paragraph Styles, and Tabs. Four of these palettes can be opened via a shortcut:

Character Cmd-T/Ctrl-T

OpenType Cmd-Option-Shift-T/Ctrl-Alt-Shift-T

Paragraph Cmd-Option-T/Ctrl-Alt-T

Tabs Cmd-Shift-T/Ctrl-Shift-T

new

new

new



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Character Styles paletteCharacter styles are collections of characterattributes, such as font, point size, leading,tracking, and kerning. Unlike paragraphstyles, which are applied to whole para-graphs, character styles are applied to bitsand pieces here and there—bullets, boldfacedwords, italicized words, large initial caps, etc.When character styles are applied to high-lighted text within a paragraph, multipleattributes are applied at a time; when youedit a style, the text that it’s associated withupdates accordingly. Using the CharacterStyles palette, you can create, apply, edit,store, duplicate, and delete character styles.

Glyphs paletteUsing the Glyphs palette, you can nd outwhich character variations (alternate glyphs)are available for any given character in aspecic font, and use the palette to insert

glyphs from any font into your text (someof which can’t be inserted via the keyboard).

new

New Style DeleteSelected Styles

Font Pop-up showing alternate glyphsfor an individual character

Font Style Zoom Out Zoom In

Via the Show pop-up menu, you cancontrol whether the palette displays glyphsof a specic category or for an entire font.

A character style

new



OpenType Palette; Paragraph Palette

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C HAPTER 1

OpenType paletteIllustrator CS supplies you with 24 Roman-language OpenType font families, which canbe used on both the Mac and Windows sys-tems. Those fonts that contain a particularlylarge assortment of alternate glyphs arelabeled “Pro.” By clicking a button on theOpenType palette, you can specify whichalternate characters (glyphs) will be usedautomatically in your text, such as ligatures,swashes, titling characters, stylistic alternates,ordinals, and fractions. You can also use thepalette to specify options for numerals, suchas style (e.g., tabular lining or oldstyle), andposition (e.g., numerator, denominator,superscript, or subscript).

Paragraph paletteUse the Paragraph palette to apply specica-tions that affect entire paragraphs, includinghorizontal alignment, indentation, spacebefore/after paragraph, word spacing, letterspacing, hyphenation, and hanging punctuation.

Horizontal Alignment buttons

Left Center Right

JustifyLast Left

JustifyLast Right

JustifyLast Center

JustifyAll

First-Line Left Indent

Left Indent Right Indent

SpaceAfter Paragraph

Space Before Paragraph

Automatic Hyphenation

Standard Ligatures

Contextual Alternates

DiscretionaryLigatures

Stylistic Alternates

Titling Alternates

Ordinals

Fractions

Swash

Style and positionoptionsfornumerals

new



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Paragraph Styles paletteA paragraph style is a set of paragraph speci-cations (e.g., horizontal alignment, indenta-tion, space before paragraph, word spacing,letter spacing, hyphenation, and hangingpunctuation) and character attributes, such asfont and point size. When a paragraph styleis applied, all currently selected paragraphsare reformatted; when a style is edited, theparagraphs that it’s associated with updateaccordingly. Using styles makes light workof formatting type and helps ensure that itlooks uniform. You can create, apply, edit,store, duplicate, and delete paragraph stylesby using the Paragraph palette.

Tabs paletteIf you want to create perfectly alignedcolumns of text, you need to use tabs. Usingthe Tabs palette, you can insert, move, andchange the alignment for custom tab mark-ers, as well as specify optional leader andalign-on characters.

A tab marker

Optional Leader character

Optional character toAlign On

A selected tab marker Position PaletteAbove Text

New Style DeleteSelected Styles

A paragraphstyle

Numeric Location of thecurrently selected tab marker

Left-, Center-, Right-,and Decimal-Justied

alignment buttons (or Top-and Bottom-Justied

buttons for vertical type)

new

new

new

new



Layers Palette; Info Palette

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C HAPTER 1

Layers palette F7Use the indispensable Layers palette to addand delete layers and sublayers from a docu-ment. You can also use this palette to select;restack; hide/show; lock/unlock; change theview for; create a clipping set for; target; ordim (for tracing) a layer, sublayer, group, orindividual object. When your illustration isnished, it can be attened into one layer, orthe objects can be released to separate layersfor export to an animation program.

Info palette

If no object is selected in the current docu-ment, the Info palette will list the horizontaland vertical location of the pointer in the doc-ument window (for most tools). When anobject is selected, the palette lists the locationof the object on the page and the object’swidth and height. When a type tool and typeobject are selected, the palette displays typespecications. The Info palette opens automat-ically when the Measure tool is used, and liststhe distance and angle calculated by that tool.

Click an eye icon tohide that layer or object;click again to redisplay it.

Selectionsquare

A sublayer

NewSublayer

NewLayer

DeleteSelection

Locked layers,sublayers, groups, or

objects are uneditable.

Horizontal (X) and

Vertical (Y) location of thecurrently selected object

Stroke info (color breakdown,or pattern or gradient name)

Fill info (color breakdown,or pattern or gradient name)

Make/ReleaseClipping Mask

Click this icon to target an object or group in order to edit itsappearances; drag this icon tomove the object’s appearance.

Current Layer indicator

Object Width (W)and Height (H)



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Align palette Shift-F7Buttons on the top two rows of the Alignpalette let you align and/or distribute two ormore objects along their centers or alongtheir top, left, right, or bottom edges. Buttonsat the bottom of the palette let you equalize(redistribute) the spacing between three ormore objects.

Transform palette Shift-F8The Transform palette displays location,width, and height information for the currentlyselected object. You can also use the palette tomove, scale, rotate, or shear a selected objector objects.

Reference Point (the part of theobject that the

palette values arecalculated from )

The location of the currently selected object on the x and y axes . Change eitheror both of these values to move the object.

Shear Rotation

WidthLock Proportions(width and height)

Height

Horizontal Align Left

Vertical Align Top

Vertical Distribute Center

Horizontal Align Center

Vertical Align Center

Horizontal Align Right

Vertical AlignBottom

Horizontal Distribute Left

Vertical Distribute Top

Horizontal Distribute Right

Vertical Distribute Bottom

Horizontal DistributeCenter

Vertical Distribute Space

Horizontal Distribute Space Distribute spacing value

new



Actions paletteActions let you automate the application of commands and editing steps. As you createor edit an illustration, you can record aseries of commands or steps, then save that

series as an action. You can then replaythose commands on any object, le, orbatch of les by playing the action.

Actions Palette; Navigator Palette

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C HAPTER 1

An action

A recorded command

An actions set

Toggle command on or off

Toggle dialog boxpause on or off

Stop ( playing/ recording)

BeginRecording

Play Current Selection

NewSet

NewAction

Enter the desired zoompercentage (3.13%–6400%),then press Return/Enter. Orto zoom to a percentage and keep the eld highlighted,press Shift-Return/Shift-Enter.

Click the Zoom Out button to reduce themagnication.

Move theZoom slider to change themagnication.

Click the Zoom Inbutton to magnifythe image.

Cmd-drag/Ctrl-drag within theview box to denethe view area.

Drag the view box to move the illustra-tion in the document window, or clickthe illustration thumbnail to movethat area of the illustration into view.

Artboard

DeleteSelection

Navigator paletteThe Navigator palette lets you move an illus-tration in its window and change the onscreenmagnication (zoom level) of an illustration.



Links paletteA linked image is an image that’s placed intoan Illustrator le without being embedded intothe le. The Links palette lets you keep trackof and update linked images, modify linkedimages in their original applications, andconvert linked images to embedded images.

Pathnder palette Shift-F9The shape mode buttons on the top row of the Pathnder palette create new, editable,exible compound shapes from selected

objects. The Expand button converts a com-pound shape into either a path or a com-pound path, depending on how the objectsoriginally overlapped. The pathnder but-tons on the bottom row of the Pathnderpalette produce attened, cut-up shapes fromselected objects.

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Add to Shape Area

Subtract from Shape Area

Intersect Shape AreasExclude Overlapping Shape Areas

Minus BackDivide Trim Merge Crop Outline

Relink

Modied Linked Imageindicator

Missing Linked

Imageindicator

Go toLink

UpdateLink

Edit Original

Expand compound shape



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C HAPTER 1

Brushes palette F5You can use any of the four varietiesof brushes on the Brushes palette—Calligraphic, Scatter, Art, or Pattern—toapply brush strokes to paths. There aretwo methods for doing this. You can eitherchoose the Paintbrush tool and a brush andthen draw a shape, or you can apply a brushstroke to an existing path that was drawnusing any tool. The brushes that are cur-rently on the Brushes palette save with thedocument. To personalize your brushstrokes, you can create your own brushes.To change the contour of a brush stroke,you can use any tool or command that you’dnormally use to reshape a path (e.g., Erase,Reshape, Pencil, Smooth, Add Anchor Point,

or Convert Anchor Point). If you modify abrush that’s been applied to any existingpaths in a document, you’ll be given theoption via an alert dialog box to updatethose paths with the revised brush.

Transparency palette Shift-F10You can use the Transparency palette tochange the blending mode or opacity of any layer, group, or individual object. Via aTransparency palette menu command, youcan generate an opacity mask from two ormore selected objects.

22

Calligraphic brushes

Scatter

brushes

Art brushes

Patternbrushes

RemoveBrushStroke

Options of Selected Object

NewBrush

DeleteBrush

Brushes Palette; Transparency Palette

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C HAPTER 1

Object Opacity

Click the opacity maskthumbnail to select theopacity mask for editing.

Blending mode

Object thumbnail

Isolate Blending limits the blending

mode effect to a group.

Knockout Group preventsobjects in a group fromshowing through each other.

This option allows nested objects ina knockout group to show throughtransparent areas of an opacity mask.



Graphic Styles palette Shift-F5Graphic styles are sets of attributes that canbe used to quickly change an object’s appear-ance. Among the attributes that a style cancontain are multiple solid-color or patternlls, multiple strokes, transparency and over-print settings, blending modes, brush strokes,and effects. Using graphic styles helps youspeed up and standardize object styling.(This was formerly called the Styles palette.)

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New Art Has Basic Appearance

Clear Appearance

Reduce to Basic Appearance

DuplicateSelected Item

DeleteSelected Item

Style thumbnailsand names

DeleteGraphic Style

NewGraphic Style

Break Link toGraphic Style

Click this icon (or the effect name) to edit the effect.

Appearance palette Shift-F6The Appearance palette lists in minute detailthe individual attributes that are applied tothe currently targeted layer(s), group(s), orobject(s). You can use the palette to edit,add, or remove attributes, and to edit theattributes of a style in conjunction with theGraphic Styles palette. You can also use thispalette to apply multiple lls and/or strokesto a layer, group, or object, and to quickly

access the palettes and dialog boxes thatwere used to apply those attributes.



SVG Interactivity paletteYou can use the SVG Interactivity palette toadd interactivity to an Illustrator object forviewing in a Web browser. First you choosefrom a list of common JavaScript events onthe Event pop-up menu. Then you add orenter a JavaScript command that will acton the object when that event occurs in thebrowser.

Attributes palette F11You can use the Attributes palette to specifyoverprint options for an object, show or hidean object’s center point, reverse the ll of anobject in a compound path, or change anobject’s ll rule. You can choose a shape foran image map area from the Image Mapmenu. In the URL eld, you can enter a Webaddress for an object to designate it as a hotpoint on an image map. Click Browser tolaunch the currently installed Web browser.

Document Info paletteLike the Info palette, the Document Infopalette isn’t interactive. It’s used solely forreading information about the current docu-ment, or individual objects, graphic styles,brushes—or whichever category you choose

from the palette menu.

SVGInteractivity, Attributes, Doc Info Palettes

24

C HAPTER 1

ShowCenter

Don’t Show

Center

Link JavaScript Files

Remove Selected Entry

Reverse Path Direction Off and Reverse PathDirection On buttons (switch the ll betweencolor and transparency in a compound path)

Use Even-Odd Fill RuleUse Non-Zero Winding Fill Rule

JavaScript Event pop-up menu



Magic Wand paletteThe Magic Wand tool selects objects thathave the same or similar ll color, strokecolor, stroke weight, opacity, or blendingmode as the currently selected object. Using

the Magic Wand palette, you can chooseparameters for the tool. The Tolerance isthe range within which the tool selects thatattribute. For example, if you check Opacity,choose an opacity Tolerance of 10%, thenselect an object that has an opacity of 50%,the tool will nd and select all objects thathave an opacity between 40% and 60%.

Symbols palette Shift-F11Any Illustrator object can be stored on theSymbols palette for potential reuse in any

document. To place one symbol onto the art-board, all you have to do is drag it out of theSymbols palette. A placed symbol is calledan instance. The Symbol Sprayer tool is usedto place multiple instances of a symbol ina document. Multiple instances form whatis called a symbol set. Using symbols letsyou create complex art quickly and easily.Using any of the other symbolism tools(Symbol Shifter, Scruncher, Sizer, Spinner,Stainer, Screener, or Styler), you can changethe closeness (density), position, stackingorder, size, rotation, transparency, color tint,or style of multiple symbol instances in asymbol set, while still maintaining the linkto the original symbol. If you edit the origi-nal symbol, any instances of that symbol inthe document will update automatically.

Note: For a very brief synopsis of what theVariables palette does, see page 514. Formore information about this advanced fea-ture, refer to the Illustrator Help le or getahold of Real World Adobe Illustrator CSby Deke McClelland (Peachpit Press).Read about the Flattener Preview palette inIllustrator Help.

25


The Tolerance is the range within whichthe Magic Wand will nd that attribute.

Place Symbol Instance DeleteSymbol

New Symbol Replace Symbol

Break Linkto Symbol



Mini-Glossary

26

C HAPTER 1

Path (Or “object”) Any individual shape that’s createdin Illustrator. A path can be open (a line withtwo endpoints) or closed (no endpoints). Pathsegments are joined together by smooth and/orcorner anchor points.

Smooth anchor points have a pair of directionlines that move in tandem and form a straight line.Corner points can have no direction lines, onedirection line, or a pair of direction lines that canbe moved independently.

A curve segment can join two smooth points, ora corner point and a smooth point. A straight

segment always joins two corner points. You canreshape any path by modifying its anchor pointsand/or segments.

Direction lines The pair of antennae that stick out from everysmooth point. To reshape a curved segment, you’llrotate, lengthen, or shorten a direction line on theanchor point that connects the segment.

Select To highlight an object in the document windowfor editing. Only selected objects can be modied.When a whole object is selected, its anchor points

are solid (not hollow). The Selection tool selectswhole objects or groups; the Group Selection toolselects nested groups; the Direct Selection tooland Lasso tool select parts of objects; and theMagic Wand tool selects objects based on suchcriteria as ll color, stroke color, stroke weight,opacity, or blending mode.

Layer A tier of a document that holds a stack of objects.An illustration can contain multiple top-levellayers and sublayers. The actual objects that makeup an illustration (paths, type, mesh objects, etc.)

are nested within top-level layers or sublayers.Group Two or more objects that are united via the Group

command so they can be moved or modied inunison.

Transform To rotate, scale, reect, or shear an object, orcreate a blend between two objects.

Objects

Closed path

Anchor point

Curvesegment

Straight segment

Selected object

Selected anchor point

Direction line

Openpath

Mini-Glossary A brief introduction to some of the terms that you’ll encounter as you read this book.

Object undergoing ascale transformation



27


Fill The color, pattern, or gradient that’s applied to theinside of an object.

Stroke The solid color that’s applied to the edge of an object.

Blend A multistep color and shape progression between two

or more objects. If you reshape, recolor, or move anyof the individual objects in a blend or reshape, move,or transform the path that controls the whole blend,the blend updates automatically.

Brush stroke A Calligraphic, Art, Scatter, or Pattern embellishmentthat’s either applied to an existing path or drawnusing the Paintbrush tool.

Gradient A gradual blending of two or more colors withinan object. A gradient ll can be linear (side to side)or radial (radiating outward from a center point).

Mesh An editable object ll, composed of multicoloredgradients along mesh lines, that’s created by usingeither the Mesh tool or the Create Gradient Meshcommand.

Compound shape An editable (and reversible) union of overlappingobjects produced via the Shape Mode buttons onthe Pathnder palette. If individual objects within acompound shape are moved, restacked, or reshaped,the overall compound shape readjusts accordingly.

Compound path Two or more objects combined into one object—that is, until or unless the compound path is released.Where the original objects overlapped, a transparenthole is created, through which shapes or patternsbehind the object are revealed.

Pathnders Commands on the Pathnder palette that determinewhere selected paths overlap and then divide, trim,merge, crop, outline, or subtract from them toproduce nonoverlapping (attened) closed paths.These commands aren’t reversible, except by usingUndo.

Clipping mask A command that uses an object to trim (clip) awayparts of other objects that extend beyond its border.The clipped areas don’t display or print. An opacitymask applies a mask based on opacity values.

Fill

Compound path madefrom the circle and star

Original objects

Compound shape madefrom the three objects

Original objects

Radial gradient

Blend created using acircle and a star

Art brush stroke

Stroke

Mesh

(Continued on the following page)



Appearances Editable and removable attributes, such asmultiple lls, strokes, effects, blending modes,transparency values, patterns, and brush strokes.

Style A set of graphic appearance attributes that’s savedto, and applied via, the Graphic Styles palette;a set of character attributes that’s created andapplied via the Character Styles palette; or a setof paragraph and character attributes that’s cre-ated and applied via the Paragraph Styles palette.

Effects Commands on the Effect menu that modifythe appearance of an object without actuallychanging its path shape. Effects can be edited orremoved at any time via the Appearance palette.

Symbol Reusable objects that are stored on the Symbolspalette and can be placed into any document.

A placed symbol is called an instance; multipleinstances form symbol sets. Instances can bemodied by using the symbolism tools.

Liquify Seven tools—Warp, Twirl, Pucker, Bloat,Scallop, Crystallize, and Wrinkle—that are usedto reshape an object or objects. By pushing andpulling on an object’s edges with one of thesetools, you can reshape the object as you mightsculpt a piece of clay. Many of the Effect com-mands also produce distortion.

Envelope A special kind of container that’s used for apply-ing distortion. When you distort an envelope,everything within the envelope conforms to thedistortion. Both an envelope and the object(s) itcontains are fully editable.

Action A recorded sequence of editing events that canbe replayed on any object, le, or batch of les.

Optimization The process in which le format, storage size,and color parameters are chosen for an imagein order to maximize its quality yet enable itto download and display quickly on the Web.

Slicing The division of areas in an illustration. Whenexporting an illustration using Illustrator’s Savefor Web dialog box, you can choose differentoptimization formats and settings for each slicein order to achieve faster download speeds. Aseparate export le is generated for each sliceand the object or objects that it contains. Threetypes of slices can be created in Illustrator: objectslices, text slices, and user slices.

Mini-Glossary

28

C HAPTER 1

Envelopedistortion

Drop shadow effect

Symbol set

Illustration divided into slices

Symbol



29


Measuring upThe measurement unit that you choose foran individual document (instructions below)overrides the measurement unit that’s chosenfor the application in Illustrator (Edit, in

Windows) > Preferences > Units & DisplayPerformance. The current unit is used as thedefault value in entry elds in most palettesand dialog boxes, and on the rulers.You can enter values in dialog boxes andpalettes in any of the measurement unitslisted in the sidebar at left, regardless of thecurrent default units. If you enter a valuein a nondefault unit, it will be translatedinto the default unit when you press Tab orReturn/Enter.➤ If you enter the symbol for subtraction (-),

addition (+), multiplication (*), division (/),or percent (%) after the current value inany eld, Illustrator will do the math foryou (see the sidebar).

➤ To enter a combination of picas andpoints, separate the two numbers bya “p”. For example, 4p2 equals 4 picasplus 2 points, or 50 pt. Be sure to high-light the entire entry eld rst.

Follow the instructions below to change

the measurement units just for the currentdocument. To choose a measurement unitfor the current and future documents, go toIllustrator (Edit, in Windows) > Preferences >Units & Display Performance.

To change the units for the currentdocument:If the rulers aren’t showing, choose View >Show Rulers (Cmd-R/Ctrl-R), then Control-click/right-click either ruler and choose aunit from the context menu .or

Choose File > Document Setup (Cmd-Option-P/Ctrl-Alt-P); choose Artboard fromthe pop-up menu; choose Units: Points,Picas, Inches, Millimeters, Centimeters, orPixels ; then click OK.➤ The current location of the pointer is

indicated by a dotted line on both rulers.The higher the zoom level, the ner theruler increments.

29

Division the easy way Let’s say you want to reduce an object’s widthby 25%. Select the object, highlight the entire Weld on the Transform palette, type “75%”, thenpress Return/Enter. The width will be reducedto three-quarters of its current value (e.g., 4pbecomes 3p). You could also click to the rightof the current entry, type an asterisk (*), typea percentage value, then press Return/Enter.

...or from the Units pop-up menu in theDocument Setup dialog box.

You can choose Units via a context menu in thedocument window...

29

Symbols you can use Unit Symbol

Picas pPoints ptInches

"or in

Millimeters mmCentimeters cm

Q (a type unit) qPixels px

Points ’n’ picas 12 pt = 1 pica

6 picas = 1 inch



Documents

Illustrator's Interface