| Using the tools The first time you open a file, the
toolbox appears on the left side of the screen. The tools in the toolbox let you create,
select, and manipulate objects in Illustrator.
When you select most tools, the mouse pointer matches the tool’s icon. For
example, choosing the paintbrush tool changes the pointer to a paintbrush. You can also
change a tool pointer to a cross hair () for greater precision when aligning or working
with detailed artwork.
To move the toolbox:
- Drag the toolbox by the top bar.
To show or hide the toolbox:
- To show the toolbox, choose Window > Show Tools; to hide the toolbox, choose Window
> Hide Tools.
To display hidden tools on-screen:
- Press a tool in the toolbox that has hidden tools underneath it. (Tools that have hidden
tools are identified by a triangle in the lower right corner.)
- When the toolbar of hidden tools appears, hold down the mouse button and drag to the
tearoff at the end of the toolbar. The toolbar detaches from the toolbox.
To reattach a detached toolbar to the toolbox:
- Click the close box.
- To change the pointer to a cross hair:
- Do one of the following:
- While the tool is selected, press Caps Lock on the keyboard.
- Choose File > Preferences > General, select Use Precise Cursors, and click OK.
Using palettes
Adobe Illustrator includes a number of palettes to help you monitor and modify your
work. By default, these palettes appear stacked together in several groups. You can
display and hide these palettes as you work. You can also dock palettes so that more than
one palette can be viewed at the same time.
To show or hide a palette:
Do one of the following:
- Choose Window > Show or Window > Hide. Show displays the selected palette at the
front of its group; Hide conceals the entire group.
- Press Tab to hide or show all palettes and the toolbox.
- Press Shift+Tab to hide all palettes except for the toolbox.
Using the Info palette
The Info palette provides information on the selected tool and the area beneath the
pointer. Depending on the tool you the using, you can use the Info palette to measure
size, distance, and angle of rotation. In most cases when a tool is in use, the Info
palette displays the x and y coordinates of the pointer’s position in the artwork by
using the units of measurement you specify.
To display the Info palette:
- Choose Window > Show Info. The Info palette displays the following information,
depending on the tool or command selected:
- When using a selection tool, the x and y coordinates of your starting position and of
the ending position after you release the mouse button are displayed. If an object is
selected, the width (W) and height (H) of the object are also displayed.
- When using a zoom tool, the magnification factor and the x and y coordinates are
displayed after you release the mouse button.
- When using a pen tool or gradient tool, or when you move a selection, the change in x
(W), the change in y (H), the distance (D), and the angle () as you drag are displayed.
- When using the Scale tool, the percentage change in width (W) and height (H), and the
new width (W) and height (H) are displayed after the scale is finished.
- When using the Rotate or Reflect tools, the coordinates of the objects center and the
angle of rotation () or reflection () are displayed.
- When using the Shear tool, the coordinates of the objects center, the angle of shear
axis (), and the amount of shear () are displayed.
- When using the Paintbrush tool, the x and y coordinates and the name of the current
brush are displayed.
Using context menus
- Double-click to collapse or expand palette completely.
- Click to collapse or expand palette completely.
- Creates action, brush, layer, or swatch; Alt-click to set options (except action and
brush); Drag onto button to duplicate action, brush, layer, or swatch.
- Deletes action, brush, layer, or swatch; Alt-click to delete without confirmation.
Other common palette shortcuts
- + Enter to apply value and keep text box active.
- Ctrl + ~ to highlight last-used text box in palette.
- click to select range of actions, brushes, layers, links, or swatches.
- Ctrl-click to select noncontiguous actions, brushes, layers, links, or swatches.
- Tab to show/hide all palettes.
- + Tab to show/hide all palettes except the toolbox.
Layers palette
- Drag through eye icon column to show/hide specific ranges of layers; Alt-click eye icon
to show/hide all layers but the selected one; Ctrl-click eye icon to select
Artwork/Preview view for the selected layer; Alt + Ctrl-click eye icon to select
Artwork/Preview view for all other layers; Alt-click layer name to select all objects on
the layer.
- Locks/unlocks layer (crossed-out pencil icon if locked); Drag through lock column to
lock/unlock multiple layers; Alt-click to lock/unlock all other layers.
- Template layer icon.
- Creates layer. Alt-click to set options with Layer Options dialog box; Ctrl-click to
place layer at top of list; Alt + Ctrl-click to place layer below selected layer;
- Drag the square to a different layer to move a selected object to the other layer;
Alt-drag to copy the selection to the new layer; Ctrl-drag to move the selection to a
hidden layer; Alt + Ctrl-drag to duplicate the selection to a hidden layer.
- Other layers shortcuts
- F-7 to show/hide palette.
Brushes palette
- Calligraphic brushes.
- Scatter brushes.
- Art brushes (scroll down to view).
- Pattern brushes (scroll down to view).
- Removes brush stroke.
- Sets options for selected object.
- Creates brush with New Brush dialog box. Drag brush to New Brush button to duplicate
brush.
Other brushes shortcuts
- Double-click brush to open brush options dialog box.
- F-5 to show/hide palette.
About paths and anchor points
A path is any line or shape that you create using the Adobe Illustrator drawing tools.
A single straight line, a rectangle, and the outline of a map are all typical examples of
paths.
A path consists of one or more segments. Anchor points, which define where each segment
of a path starts and ends, affix the path in place. By moving anchor points, you modify
path segments and change the shape of a path.
A path can be either open or closed. A closed path is a path that is continuous and has
no beginning or end; a circle is an example of a closed path. An open path has distinct
endpoints; a wavy line, for example, is an open path.
The first and last anchor points on an open path are called the endpoints. If you fill
an open path, the program draws an imaginary line between the two endpoints and fills the
path.
- Selected path segment and unselected anchor point
- Selected endpoint and selected anchor point
You draw paths with various tools from the toolbox. The pencil tool, pen tool,
paintbrush tool, and shape tools all draw paths. Once you draw a path, you can edit it by
changing its size, shape, location, and color. |
