Difference between revisions of "Adobe Illustrator Tips"

Latest revision as of 20:35, 18 February 2025

Adobe Illustrator is a 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.

Contact Us if you cannot find your answer here on our Wiki or if you notice any information that is outdated.

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

AFFINITY Designer — alternative to Adobe Illustrator

The Best Illustrator Alternatives — alternativeto.net

Additional Help

Links to related PPM Wiki pages:

Adobe Photoshop Tips

Adobe InDesign Tips

Adobe Bridge Tips

CorelDRAW X6 Tips

Inkscape Tips

SVG File Format Tips

Canva Tips

Blender Tips

Computers — Windows

Use the PPM Slack channel #computing

List of all PPM Slack channels

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Contact Us if you cannot find your answer here on our Wiki or if you notice any information that is outdated.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, software, materials and a knowledge base to turn their ideas into&nbsp;reality.
+Adobe Illustrator is a commercial vector graphics software package used to generate illustrations(!)
-'''Adobe Illustrator''' is a commercial vector graphics software package for Windows and Macintosh (but not Linux).
+Illustrator is a part of the Adobe Creative Cloud. It is available for Windows and macOS, but not Linux.
-Adobe Illustrator is a part of the Adobe Creative Cloud software suite.
+'''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.'''
+<br>
+<br>
+{{Template:Contact Us}}
-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 2 and 3]
+<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]]
+==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>
-[[File:Ai.png|alt=Adobe Illustrator application icon|180x180px|thumb|<center>'''Adobe Illustrator icon''']]
+'''Adobe Illustrator shortcuts for View Menu:'''
-==Classes==
-:Pikes Peak Makerspace announces its  [https://www.meetup.com/pikespeakmakerspace/events '''Upcoming events, including classes, on Meetup''']
-==Training -- PPM Trainer(s) needed==
-Links to other sites (external links):
-:'''[https://helpx.adobe.com/illustrator/tutorials.html Illustrator Get Started course] -- Adobe'''
-:[https://helpx.adobe.com/illustrator/how-to/illustration-techniques.html '''Essential techniques for beginners'''] '''-- Adobe'''
-:'''[https://www.udemy.com/course/illustrator-cc-masterclass/ Illustrator 2022 MasterClass] -- Udemy class ($20) recommended by Mathew P.'''
-:'''[https://www.makeuseof.com/tag/adobe-illustrator-keyboard-shortcuts-cheat-sheet/ Illustrator Keyboard Shortcuts Cheat Sheet]'''
-==Tips==
-:'''- View Shortcuts:'''
 ::{| class="wikitable"
-|Ctrl + =
+|'''Shortcut'''
-|Cmd + =
+|'''PC'''
-|Zoom in
 |-
-|Ctrl + -
+|Zoom In
-|Cmd + -
+|Ctrl++
-|Zoom out
 |-
-|Ctrl + 0
+|Zoom Out
-|Cmd + 0
+|Ctrl+-
-|Fit to window
 |-
-|Ctrl + 1
+|Fit Artboard in Window
-| Cmd + 1
+|Ctrl+0
-| View actual size
+|-
+|Fit All in Window
+|Alt+Ctrl+0
+|-
+|Actual Size
+|Ctrl+1
+|-
+|Rulers > Show Rulers
+|Ctrl+R
 |}
-:'''-''' [https://helpx.adobe.com/illustrator/using/automation-actions.html '''Use actions to automate tasks in Illustrator - Adobe Support''']
-:'''- [https://helpx.adobe.com/illustrator/how-to/sharing-basics.html Share your artwork with others using the Package command.]'''
-:'''- [https://helpx.adobe.com/illustrator/kb/create-efficient-illustrator-files-improve.html Create efficient Illustrator files | Improve print performance]'''
-==For Additional Help==
+'''Open Illustrator Files Without Illustrator:'''
-:Use the PPM Slack channel #computing
+:☐  Change the file extension .AI to .PDF, and open in your default PDF viewer.
-:[[How To Slack#Channel Names and Descriptions|'''List of all PPM Slack channels''']]
+:☐  On a Mac, use Preview.
-: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.
+:☐  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==
+:'''[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
-==See Also ==
+==Additional Help==
-Links to other PPM Wiki pages (internal links):
+'''Links to related PPM Wiki pages:'''
-:'''[[Inkscape Tips]]'''
 :'''[[Adobe Photoshop Tips]]'''
 :'''[[Adobe InDesign Tips]]'''
 :'''[[Adobe Bridge Tips]]'''
+:'''[[CorelDRAW X6 Tips]]'''
+:'''[[Inkscape Tips]]'''
+:'''[[SVG File Format Tips]]'''
 :'''[[Canva Tips]]'''
-:'''[[Computers]]'''
+:'''[[Blender Tips]]'''
-==Curated Links==
+:[[Computers|<span style="color:#000000; background:#D0DD27">&nbsp;&nbsp;'''Computers — Windows'''&nbsp;&nbsp;</span>]]
-Links to other sites (external links):
-:'''[https://www.avery.com/templates Avery Templates]'''
-:[https://www.vecteezy.com/blog/design-tips/illustrator-tutorials '''35 Adobe Illustrator Tutorials to Master Vector Design''']
-:[https://www.makeuseof.com/tag/open-ai-files-without-illustrator/ '''How to Open AI Files Without Illustrator''']
-:'''[https://www.adobe.com/products/illustrator.html Product Home Page]'''
-:'''[https://www.adobe.com/products/catalog.html All Products -- Adobe]'''
-==Other Fun Stuff ==
+:Use the PPM Slack channel #computing
-<br>
+:[[How To Slack#PPM Channel Names and Descriptions|'''List of all PPM Slack channels''']]
-'''[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sAbjajnLZY0 John Warnock: Bezier Tutorial]-- (1987)'''
+: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.
-<br>
-<br>
-<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>Links to other sites (external links):
-:'''[https://pikp.ent.sirsi.net/client/en_US/PPLD/search/results/?qu=GRAPHIC+ICONS&te=ILS Visionaries who shaped modern graphic design]''' -- paperback book
-:[https://www.amazon.com/Inside-Publishing-Revolution-Adobe-Story/dp/0321115643 '''Inside the Publishing Revolution: The Adobe Story''']
-:'''[https://adobe.fandom.com/wiki/Adobe_Wiki Adobe Fandom Wiki]'''
-<br>
-<hr>
 {{Template:Footer}}
+<p style="padding:0.2em 0.4em; background:#ff6c00; color:#FFFFFF; font-size:15%;"> &nbsp; </p>
 [[Category:Software]]
 [[Category:Volunteers Needed]]