Adobe ILLUSTRATOR 6.0 Online Manual

1

List of topics

Menu commands

Toolbar

Index

How to use this guide

2

Basic concepts

Viewing and setting up documents

Drawing

Moving and aligning objects

Modifying shapes and applying

special effects

Painting

Creating custom colors, gradients,

and patterns

Using layers

Using type

Using graphs

Importing and exporting artwork

Printing documents

Producing color separations

Error messages and troubleshooting

What’s new in 6.0

List of topics

3

Basic Concepts

Bitmap images and vector graphics

Opening documents

Saving documents

Setting preferences

Using the toolbox and the plug-ins

toolbox

Using the status bar

Using the Shortcuts palette

Correcting mistakes

Reverting to an earlier version of

your document

Using plug-in modules

4

Bitmap images and vector graphics

Computer graphics fall into two main

categories—

bitmap images

and

vector

graphics

. Understanding the difference

between these two types of graphics is

useful when you’re creating and editing

digital illustrations. (For more informa-

tion on using these formats with Illus-

trator, see About graphic ﬁle formats.)

See also

•

Selecting tools

•

Using the tool pointers

•

Toolbox overview

16

Using the tool pointers

Many of the tools change the mouse

pointer to an icon that indicates the

function of the selected tool. For exam-

ple, choosing the brush tool changes

the pointer to a brush. You can also

change any painting or editing tool

pointer to a cross hair.

To change the pointer to a cross hair:

Choose one of the following options:

•

While the tool is selected, press the

Caps Lock key on the keyboard.

•

Choose File

>

Preferences

>

General,

select the Use Precise Cursors option,

and click OK.

jump to art

Selecting tools

Select a tool from the default toolbox by clicking the tool. Select

a hidden tool by positioning the pointer on the current tool in the

toolbox and dragging to highlight the tool.

Click on any tool to jump to information on that tool.

Twirl

Star

Knife None

Spiral

Polygon

Selection

Hand

Pen

Brush

Oval

Measure

Rotate

Reflect

Paint Bucket

Gradient

Graph

Scissors

Direct-

selection

Zoom

Type

Freehand

Rectangle

Shear

Scale

Page

Eyedropper

Blend

Group-selection

Convert-direction

point

Autotrace

Rounded-rectangle

Path-type

Area-type

Add-anchor point

Delete-anchor point

jump to art

Toolbox overview

Click on any artwork to jump to information on that tool.

The selection tool

selects entire objects.

The direct-selection tool

selects points or segments

within objects.

The group-selection tool

selects objects and groups

within groups.

The hand tool moves the

Illustrator artboard within

the document window.

The zoom tool increases

and decreases the view in

the document window.

The pen tool draws

straight and curved

lines to create objects.

Toolbox overview, continued

Click on any artwork to jump to information on that tool.

The scissors tool splits

paths.

The add-anchor-point

tool adds anchor points

to paths.

The delete-anchor-point

tool deletes anchor points

from paths.

The convert-anchor-point

tool changes smooth

points to corner points

and vice versa

The brush tool draws

freehand lines of

varying thickness.

The freehand tool

draws freehand lines.

Toolbox overview, continued

Click on any artwork to jump to information on that tool.

The autotrace tool

traces the outline of

objects in a template.

The oval tool draws

circles and ovals.

The rectangle tool

draws squares and

rectangles.

The rounded rectangle

tool draws squares and

rectangles with rounded

corners.

The measure tool

measures the distance

between two points.

The type tool creates

individual type and type

containers and lets you

enter and edit type.

The beeboppers bellow the blues in

B-ﬂat on the

bassoon,

the baritone

and bass

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Adobe ILLUSTRATOR 6.0 Online Manual

Adobe ILLUSTRATOR 6.0 Online Manual

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