Difference between revisions of "Adobe Illustrator Tips"

Revision as of 14:59, 29 March 2025

Adobe Illustrator is a subscription-based, commercial vector graphics software package used to generate illustrations(!)

Illustrator is a part of the Adobe Creative Cloud. It is available for Windows and macOS, but not Linux.

Pikes Peak Makerspace (PPM) has a subscription for the complete Adobe Creative Cloud, and it is installed on our Windows Design Workstations 2 and 3.

Adobe Creative Cloud desktop applications at PPM

burst of white rays on orange background

Tips

Links to adobe.com:

Illustrator vs. InDesign

When to use which design application.

Essential techniques for beginners

Measure and add dimensions

Use actions to automate tasks in Illustrator

Adobe Illustrator shortcuts for View Menu:

Shortcut	PC
Zoom In	Ctrl++
Zoom Out	Ctrl+-
Fit Artboard in Window	Ctrl+0
Fit All in Window	Alt+Ctrl+0
Actual Size	Ctrl+1
Rulers > Show Rulers	Ctrl+R

Open Illustrator Files Without Illustrator:

☐ Change the file extension .AI to .PDF, and open in your default PDF viewer.

☐ On a Mac, use Preview.

☐ Upload Illustrator files to Google Drive.

External Training

Links to adobe.com:

Illustrator Get Started course

Adobe Illustrator Product Home Page

Learn Adobe Apps

All Products — Adobe

Hand-Curated Links

Links to member-recommended external sites:

Illustrator Tutorials Covering the Basics — on vecteezy.com

Avery Templates — design and print using Illustrator

Links to other external sites:

Adobe Firefly — A.I. image generation

Adobe Illustrator icons — WIKIMEDIA COMMONS

John Warnock: Bezier Tutorial — (1987) on YouTube (7:23 mins)

Alternatives

Links to other external sites:

AFFINITY Designer — alternative to Adobe Illustrator

The Best Illustrator Alternatives — alternativeto.net

Additional Help

Links to related PPM Wiki pages:

CorelDRAW X6 Tips

Inkscape Tips

SVG File Format Tips

Canva Tips

Blender Tips

Use the PPM Slack channel #computing

Note that we have a Slack channel (#job-board) for members to post, discuss, or accept job opportunities either within PPM or from the community.

Search the PPM Wiki — include Content pages as well as Multimedia.

Contact Us if you cannot find your answer here on our Wiki or if you notice any information that is outdated.

@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
-Pikes Peak Makerspace (PPM) is dedicated to supporting our maker community in their creative process by providing shared space, shared tools, materials and a knowledge base to turn their ideas into reality.
+'''Adobe Illustrator is a subscription-based, commercial vector graphics software package used to generate illustrations(!)'''
-{{Template:Is incomplete top banner}}
+Illustrator is a part of the Adobe Creative Cloud. It is available for Windows and macOS, but not Linux.
+Pikes Peak Makerspace (PPM) has a subscription for the complete Adobe Creative Cloud, and it is installed on our Windows Design Workstations 2 and&nbsp;3.
+:'''[[Software_Tips#Adobe_Creative_Cloud_desktop_applications|Adobe Creative Cloud desktop applications at PPM]]'''
 <br>
-Adobe Illustrator is a commercial vector graphics software package for Windows 7 and 10 (and Macintosh, but not Linux).
+<p style="padding:0.2em 0.4em; background:#ff6c00; color:#FFFFFF; font-size:15%;"> &nbsp; </p>
+<br>
+[[File:Burst.png|alt=burst of white rays on orange background|link=https://wiki.pikespeakmakerspace.org/index.php/About_PPM|right|frameless|250x250px]]
-Pikes Peak Makerspace has a license for the complete Adobe Creative Cloud Suite, and it is installed on our [https://wiki.pikespeakmakerspace.org/index.php/Computers#Equipment_Lists Design Workstations 1 and 2]
+==Tips==
+'''Links to adobe.com:'''
+===[https://www.adobe.com/creativecloud/design/illustrator-vs-indesign.html '''Illustrator vs. InDesign''']===
+:When to use which design application.
+===[https://creativecloud.adobe.com/en/learn/illustrator/web/illustration-techniques Essential techniques for beginners] ===
+===[https://helpx.adobe.com/illustrator/using/tool-techniques/dimension-tool.html Measure and add dimensions]===
+===[https://helpx.adobe.com/illustrator/using/automation-actions.html Use actions to automate tasks in Illustrator]===
 <br>
-<br>
+'''Adobe Illustrator shortcuts for View Menu:'''
-==Developer Link==
-:'''https://www.adobe.com/products/illustrator.html'''
+::{| class="wikitable"
+|'''Shortcut'''
+|'''PC'''
+|-
+|Zoom In
+|Ctrl++
+|-
+|Zoom Out
+|Ctrl+-
+|-
+|Fit Artboard in Window
+|Ctrl+0
+|-
+|Fit All in Window
+|Alt+Ctrl+0
+|-
+|Actual Size
+|Ctrl+1
+|-
+|Rulers > Show Rulers
+|Ctrl+R
+|}
+'''Open Illustrator Files Without Illustrator:'''
+:☐  Change the file extension .AI to .PDF, and open in your default PDF viewer.
+:☐  On a Mac, use Preview.
+:☐  Upload Illustrator files to Google Drive.
+==External Training==
+'''Links to adobe.com:'''
+:'''[https://helpx.adobe.com/illustrator/tutorials.html Illustrator Get Started course]'''
+:'''[https://www.adobe.com/products/illustrator.html Adobe Illustrator Product Home Page]'''
+:[https://creativecloud.adobe.com/learn/ '''Learn Adobe Apps''']
+:'''[https://www.adobe.com/products/catalog.html All Products — Adobe]'''
+==Hand-Curated Links==
+'''Links to member-recommended external sites:'''
+:[https://www.vecteezy.com/blog/design-tips/illustrator-tutorials '''Illustrator Tutorials Covering the Basics'''] — on vecteezy.com
+:'''[https://www.avery.com/templates Avery Templates]''' — design and print using Illustrator
+'''Links to other external sites:'''
+:'''[https://firefly.adobe.com Adobe Firefly]''' — A.I. image generation
+:'''[[commons:Category:Adobe_Illustrator_icons|Adobe Illustrator icons]]''' — WIKIMEDIA COMMONS
+:'''[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sAbjajnLZY0 John Warnock: Bezier Tutorial]''' — (1987) on YouTube (7:23 mins)
+==Alternatives==
+'''Links to other external sites:'''
+:'''[https://affinity.serif.com/en-us/designer/ AFFINITY Designer]''' — alternative to Adobe Illustrator
+:'''[https://alternativeto.net/software/adobe-illustrator/ The Best Illustrator Alternatives]''' — alternativeto.net
-Classes and Training
+==Additional Help==
+'''Links to related PPM Wiki pages:'''
+:'''[[CorelDRAW X6 Tips]]'''
+:'''[[Inkscape Tips]]'''
+:'''[[SVG File Format Tips]]'''
-===Classes===
+:'''[[Canva Tips]]'''
-:Pikes Peak Makerspace announces its  [https://www.meetup.com/pikespeakmakerspace/events '''Upcoming events, including classes, on Meetup''']
-===Training===
-<gallery>
-File:Adobe Illustrator Class.jpg|alt=Adobe Illustrator Class|<center>'''Adobe Illustrator Class<br>by Brandon Hall<br>(November 2016)'''</center>
-</gallery>
-=== Tips -- Trainer(s) needed ===
+:'''[[Blender Tips]]'''
-:'''-''' If large format printer reports "Print Head Path Error 2", check the Illustrator file to see if it has elements that need to be trimmed to fit within the artboard.
-===For Additional Help===
+Use the PPM Slack channel #computing
-:Use the PPM Slack channels #computers or #general
-:Or message Warren Jokinen on Slack
-==See Also==
-===[[Inkscape Tips]]===
-===[[Adobe Photoshop Tips]]===
-==Curated Links==
-[https://helpx.adobe.com/illustrator/how-to/illustration-techniques.html '''Essential techniques for beginners''']
-[https://www.vecteezy.com/blog/design-tips/illustrator-tutorials '''35 Adobe Illustrator Tutorials to Master Vector Design''']
+Note that we have a Slack channel (#job-board) for members to post, discuss, or accept job opportunities either within PPM or from the&nbsp;community.
-== Other Fun Stuff ==
-<gallery>
-File:Illustrator Review June 1987.pdf|alt=Illustrator 1.1 Review June 1987|<center>'''Illustrator 1.1 Review<br>by Warren Jokinen<br>(June 1987)'''</center>
-</gallery><br>
-<hr>
 {{Template:Footer}}
+<p style="padding:0.2em 0.4em; background:#ff6c00; color:#FFFFFF; font-size:15%;"> &nbsp; </p>
-[[Category:Software]]
+[[Category:Software]] [[Category:Volunteers Needed]]