Adobe Illustrator Help Sheet
Adobe Illustrator Help Sheet
Left Tool Bar (l-r)
1. Selection Tool- (black arrow) – Use to select, move, resize or group bodies of text, objects, or anything in its entirety by dragging over selected areas or by clicking. Hold Shift and click to grab several objects.
2. Direct Selection Tool – (grey arrow) – Use to select individual points or sections of objects to reshape or resize them.
3. Direct Group Tool – (grey arrow w/+) – Use to group together objects without their bounding box.
4. Magic Wand – (Stick with spark at the end) – Use to select a portion of something or objects of similar characteristics (like color).
5. Direct Lasso Tool (lasso w/ gray arrow) – Use to select objects that are difficult to grab in layers.
6. Lasso Tool – (lasso w/ black arrow) – Use to select groups of objects that are layered.
7. Pen Tool – (pen tip) – Use to draw a continuous line, including shapes. Click to make points that connect with straight lines. Click and drag to make curved lines. Hold Shift to make level.
8. Add Anchor Point Tool – (pen tip w/+) Use to make new anchors (points) along a line.
9. Delete Anchor Point Tool – (pen tip w/-) - Use to remove anchors (points) along lines or in shapes.
10. Convert Anchor Point Tool – (pointed lines/arrow) – Use to convert lines that join a point into curves.
11. Type Tool – (Large T) - Use to type in a straight line by single clicking where you want to start typing. Click and drag to make a text box to keep all text aligned within the box/ in paragraphs.
12. Area Type Tool – (T inside a shape) – Use to type text inside a shape.
13. Path Type Tool – (T on a diagonal line) – Use to type along a specific path or line in any direction.
14. Vertical Type Tool – (T with a downward arrow) – Use to type letters up and down (stacked upright)
15. Vertical Area Type Tool – (T in a shape with a downward arrow) – Use to type words up and down (stacked upright) in a shape.
16. Vertical Path type Tool – (T along a vertical line) – Use to type along a path with vertical letters (stacked upright)
17. Line Segment Tool – (vertical line) – Use to make a line. This is NOT for drawing shapes or curves. Drag to draw or click to create size/length. Hold Shift to make level.
18. Arc Tool – (arched line) – Use to draw an arc in one direction. Drag to draw or click to create size/length.
19. Spiral Tool – (spiral line) – Use to draw spiraling lines. Drag to draw or click to create size/length.
20. Rectangular Grid Tool – (grid in a box) – Use to make a grid in rows. Lines can be moved or adjusted with direct selection tool. Drag to draw or click to create size/length.
21. Polar Grid Tool – (circle with a grid) – Use to make a grid that radiates out from the center. Lines can be moved or adjusted with direct selection tool. Drag to draw or click to create size/length.
22. Rectangle Tool – (rectangle) – Use to draw a rectangle or square (by holding shift) Drag to draw or click to create size/length.
23. Rounded Rectangle Tool – (Rectangle with round corners) – Use to draw rectangle or square (hold shift) with rounded corners. Drag to draw or click to create size/length.
24. Ellipse Tool – (Oval) – Use to draw ellipses and circles (hold shift) Drag to draw or click to create size/length.
25. Polygon Tool – (Hexagon) – Use to draw multisided, equilateral shapes (polygons). Drag to draw or click to create # of sides
26. Star Tool – (star) – Use to draw a star. Drag to draw or click to create #of sides.
27. Lens Flare – (glare in circles) – Use to draw light/lens flare. Drag to draw or click to create size/length.
28. Paintbrush Tool – (paintbrush) – Use to draw freeform shapes or lines that fill with color.
29. Pencil Tool – (pencil) use to draw lines or shapes.
30. Smooth Tool – (pencil w/lines inside) – Use to redirect lines drawn with a pencil, changing the shape.
31. Eraser Tool – (upside down pencil) – Use to erase segments of line drawn with the pencil.
32. Rotate Tool – (circling arrow) – Use to rotate an object after creating an axis point to turn it on.
33. Reflect Tool – (facing arrows) – Use to rotate an object in the opposite (reflected) direction from its original placement.
34. Twist Tool – (Spinning shape) – Use to twist an object.
35. Scale Tool – (Box w/ arrow inside) – Use to make objects bigger by dragging in the direction you want to increase the size in.
36. Shear Tool – (2 boxes leaning apart) – Use to take an object at lay it flat/angle it.
37. Reshape Tool – (Line w/ a dark arrow) – Use to change the shape of drawn objects made with the brush or pencil. Click and Drag the section you want to change.
38. Warp Tool – (Pointed finger) – Use to distort sections at anchors (points). Click to move. Double Click menu to change settings.
39. Twirl Tool – (box w/twisted corner) – Use to twist sections of shapes, objects or text. Click to move. Double Click menu to change settings.
40. Pucker Tool – (Box w/ sides pinched in) – Use to squeeze in objects, shapes or letters. Click to move. Double Click menu to change settings.
41. Bloat Tool – (Box w/ sides puffed out) – Use to puff out objects, shapes, or letters. Click to move. Double Click menu to change settings
42. Scallop Tool – (Box w/ corner squeezed in smoothly) – Use to smoothly bend in objects, shapes, or letters. Click to move. Double Click menu to change settings.
43. Crystallize Tool – (Box w/ spiky corner) – Use to make shapes, objects, or letters explode out. Click to move. Double Click menu to change settings
44. Wrinkle Tool – (box w/ jagged edge) – Use to make edges of objects, shapes or letters look jagged. Click to move. Double Click menu to change settings
45. Free Distort Tool – (Dotted outline box) - Use to expand text boxes and the text inside. Select with selection tool first.
46. Symbol Sprayer Tool – (Spray can) – Use to place multiple layers of symbols into a design. Good for filling large amounts of space quickly. Click and Drag to use. Double click on tool bar to adjust settings.
47. Symbol Shifter Tool – (circle w/ arrows) – Use to rearrange symbols sprayed into a design. Click and Drag to use. Double click on tool bar to adjust settings.
48. Symbol Scruncher Tool – (3 circles) – Use to rearrange symbols by drawing them closer together. Click and Drag to use. Double click on tool bar to adjust settings.
49. Symbol Sizer Tool – (Overlapping Circles w/ an arrow) – Use to make symbols in the design bigger. Click and Drag to use. Double click on tool bar to adjust settings.
50. Symbol Stainer Tool – (paint bucket w/ a circle) – use to add color to a symbol. Color is chosen from the right side menu. Click and Drag to use. Double click on tool bar to adjust settings.
51. Symbol Screener Tool – (overlapping circles) – Use to apply different transparency screens to symbols. Click and Drag to use. Double click on tool bar to adjust settings.
52. Symbol Styler Tool – (Circle with shadow underneath) – Use to apply styles to symbols. Click and Drag to use. Double click on tool bar to adjust settings.
53. Graph Tools – (various grids and charts) – Use all of these to create various types of charts and graphs. Click and Drag to use. Double click on tool bar to adjust settings.
54. Mesh Tool – (wavy lines in a box) – Use to create a mesh cover on a shape. Useful when making an object appear 3D with gradients.
55. Gradient Tool – (Faded shadow in a box). Use to adjust the direction and length of a gradient by dragging in the direction desired.
56. Eye Dropper Tool – (eye dropper) – Use to sample or select characteristics from one shape and apply them to another selected shape.
57. Paint Bucket Tool – (paint bucket) - Use to fill in shapes with color sampled from another source.
58. Measure Tool – (ruler) – Use to directly measure length or angle or location of any individual object. Click and drag over the object to measure it. Read details in the info box on the right menu.
59. Blend Tool – (2 shapes with dots between) – Use to create blends between 2 or more objects. Objects will blend smoothly with no outlines. Click and drag from one object to another, then release and click and drag back.
60 . Auto Trace Tool – (Line with fading gray underneath) – Use to trace images in PHOTOS based on their value. Trace by clicking on the area you want to fill.
70. Slice Tool – (exacto blade) – Not used
71. Scissor Tool – (scissors) – Not Used
72. Knife Tool – (Jagged Knife) – Use to cut objects apart by dragging from side to side through the object. Hold control to make it straight.
73. Hand Tool – (hand) – Use to move the “paper” on the screen.
74. Paper Tool – (paper) – Use to move the work/print area of the design in relation to the design space on the screen.
75. Zoom Tool – (magnifying glass) – Use to enlarge the image on the screen.
76. Fill Tool – ( large square) – Use to fill the insides of things with color by double clicking then selecting the desired color.
77. Stroke Tool – (large outlined box) – Use to outline shapes, objects and text with color. Double click then select the desired color to outline with.
78. Default Color – (small box overlapping outlined box) – changes the selected object to a white fill and black outline.
79. Color Options – (3 small boxes) – Use to have a color, gradient, or no fill.
80. Screen Options – (Bottom 3 Boxes) – Use to view alternative screens.
Top Tool Bar (menu)
File:
New
1. Starts a new project.
a. Name – Project Name
b. Size – Dimensions of project
c. Units – Measurement type (inches)
d. Width and height – Will default with size settings
e. Orientation – The direction the page is turned (cannot change later)
f. Color Mode – CMYK unless using filters on photos (can be changed later if necessary.
Open:
1. Allows you to open an existing file.
Close :
1. Closes the project (you will be prompted to save)
Save:
1. Saves the project if already titled.
Save as:
1. Gives the project a name before saving.
Save a Copy:
1. Gives you a chance to save the file with variations. Make sure to not save the changes when closing the original file.
Document Color Mode:
1. Allows you to change from CMYK to RGB of desired. (usually necessary only with filters.
Print Setup:
1. Sets up the document and printer. Choose the HP printer only.
Print:
1. Sends the document to the printer.
Edit
Undo:
1. Goes back a step. Can be done over several steps.
Redo:
1. Reinstates a change in the design. Can be don to several steps.
Cut:
1. Makes a copy of something and removes it from it original location.
Copy:
1. Makes a duplicate of something you choose without changing the original.
Paste:
1. Places a copy into the design on top.
Paste in Front:
1. Places the copy into the design above the chosen object.
Paste in Back:
1. Places the copy below the chosen object.
Clear:
1. Deletes the chosen object.
Object
Transform:
1. Like the left menu tools, it allows you to move, rotat,e reflect, scale, or shear a selected object.
Arrange:
1. Allows you to move anything stacked from top to bottom to a new level.
Group:
1. Links chosen objects, etc… into one group to make all change together.
Ungroup:
1. Breaks a group apart so that changes can be made to individual objects.
Lock:
1. Makes it impossible to change selected areas.
Unlock All:
1. Makes changes possible to locked objects.
Hide:
1. Makes all desired areas invisible
Show All:
1. Makes hidden objects visible again.
Flatten Transparency:
1. Use to make all objects appear as flat objects. It makes fonts turn into shapes so PDF’s and other formats convert them correctly.
a. Select what you want to flatten
b. Click the box in the pop up window that says convert all strokes….
c. Select Flatten
Path:
1. Allows you to make several changes to paths (lines, shapes, groups etc)
2. Divide Objects Below will let you use the top object to cut what is below it with that shape.
Blend:
1. Does the same things as the blend tool.
Envelope Distort:
1. Makes objects wrap around (envelop) the objects below.
Clipping Mask:
1. Fills a top object with the layer below, cropping it from the area around the object.
Type
Font:
1. Allows you to choose the type of lettering you want.
Other:
1. Allows you to choose the size of the font.
2. Select “other” to get a pop up menu for more size and spacing options for fonts.
Create Outlines:
1. Places actual outlines around letters instead of a simple bounding box, allowing tools to be used for modifications.
Find/Change:
1. Used for editing purposes
Find Font:
1. Searches for fonts used to help with editing
Check Spelling:
1. Checks for mistakes in spelling, etc…
Smart Punctuation:
1. Editing tool
Rows and Columns:
1. Helps align text into rows and columns
Type Orientation:
1. Changes type from horizontal to vertical or vice versa.
Select
Allows you to select in several different ways including different layers above and below or several at a time.
Filter
Makes changes to pictures/images imported into illustrator similar to photoshop. You must change the document color mode to RGB to use them.
Effects
1. The lower half of the Effects Menu work like filters do, but for objects made in Illustrator, without having to be in RGB mode.
2. The upper half of the Effects Menu is used to make common changes. Most useful are:
a. Distort and Transform – changes the shape of any object, shape or text according to the type of effect.
b. Stylize – Used most commonly to add shadows below objects, soften edges, create glowing edges.
c. Warp – Takes a shape or text and makes rearranges its layout/position with effects like arcs, waves, etc…
View
Outline/Preview:
1. Outline shows only lines around objects, while Preview shows the artwork as it was created.
Zoom In/Zoom Out:
1. Makes the appearance on the screen bigger or smaller.
Show Rulers:
1. Places rulers along the top and left margins to help with measuring and aligning
2. Measurements will be in the same format as the page was set up, but can be changed by right clicking on the ruler.
Guides:
1. Horizontal or vertical lines that you can use to align things by clicking on the ruler and dragging across to the design.
2. Guides do not print or copy. To remove click on the option in the top menu again.
Show Grid:
1. Places a grid in the background for alignment purposes.
2. Grids do not print.
Window
All choices in this column create new pop up windows on the right side of the screen. See below for details.
Right Side Menu (groups)
1. Appearance, Navigator, and Info (in order)
a. Shows the attributes for the selected object like stroke and fill color, plus any effects, etc…
b. Allows you to resize, and move the design.
c. Shows details about objects like coordinates, and dimensions.
2. Color and Attributes
a. Allows you to select the fill color and stroke color. There are several ways to do this including double clicking on the square or frame, clicking the color bar along the bottom. Colors can also be selected by typing in the correct corresponding color numbers (CMYK or RGB).
b. Allows you to make changes to the appearance of objects. Also has a link to directly open a webpage.
3. Transparency, Stroke and Gradient
a. Allows you to change the opacity (ability to see through) of an object. It also creates different transparency layers with different qualities.
b. Refers to the line or outline “stroke”. The weight changes the thickness of the line in points. By extending the menu you can make lines dotted and change the end-cap or joint.
c. Makes a grayscale fill in an object. To add color to the gradient drag the color down from the color menu. To make further adjustments double click 2x. You can make the gradient linear (straight) or radial (circle) and change its angle. Changes can also be made to the gradient by dragging the markers on the gradient scale.
4. Styles, Swatches, Brushes, and Symbols
a. Patterns that can be used to fill objects. You can make a style and drag it into the style menu to apply to objects also.
b. Preset colors that can be quickly chosen to fill objects. Create a color and drag it into the swatches menu to use later. Helpful in the color choices for each assignment. Copy from the shared color menu to help simplify.
c. Allows the stroke to be transformed into different appearances like pencil, charcoal, calligraphy, and other misc. styles.
d. Small icons that are placed into the design by dragging them in or using the symbol application tools. You can create your own symbols and drag them into the symbol menu to use like other symbols.
e. More of each styles, swatches, brushes, and symbols can be opened from the bottom of the Window menu.
5. Layers, Actions, and Links
a. Layers are set by putting one or more objects together and making a group and locking it into a layer. This makes them all one separate part of the design. Locking it makes it unchangeable.
b. This shows you what you have done in the design in order .
c. Shows what other files, etc… are linked to this project/design.
6. Character, Paragraph
a. Character changes can be for the font, size, line spacing, letter spacing and angle.
b. Changes the alignment (l,r,c,j) and indentation.
7. Magic Wand
a. Select objects based on their fill color, determined by the tolerance or closeness to the original.
8. Transform, Align, and Pathfinder
a. Move or change the location or angle of objects
b. Lines up objects on a margin (l,r,t,b) or rearranges them horizontally or vertically.
c. Takes shapes and links, crops, cuts, or divides them by using other shapes.
Use the help menu to get more help by clicking the illustrator help link in the menu.
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