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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
Bitmap vs. Vector graphics
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5
Bitmap images
Bitmap images, such as those created
in Adobe Photoshop, consist of a grid,
or
bitmap
, of small squares, known as
pixels
. For example, a bicycle tire in a
bitmap image is made up of a collection
of pixels in that location, with each pixel
part of a mosaic that together gives the
appearance of a tire. When working with
bitmap images, you edit pixels rather
than objects or shapes.
Bitmap images are best used for work-
ing with continuous-tone graphics, such
as photographs or images created in
painting programs. Bitmap images
are set at a fixed resolution—they are
resolution dependent. This means that
objects can appear jagged and lose
detail if they are scanned or created at a
low resolution (for example, at 72 pixels
per inch) and then enlarged or printed at
a higher resolution.
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6
Vector graphics
Vector graphics, such as those created
in Adobe Illustrator, are made up of lines
and curves defined by mathematical
objects called
vectors
. For example, a
bicycle tire in a vector graphic is made
up of a mathematical definition of a cir-
cle filled with a specific color and set at
a specific location. When you move,
resize, or change the color of the tire,
the program changes the mathematical
definition of the shape or location of the
tire, or the tire’s color.
Vector-based programs are best for type
(especially small type) and drawings
that require crisp, clear lines regardless
of the size to which they are scaled.
Graphics created in vector-based pro-
grams such as Illustrator always appear
at the maximum resolution of the moni-
tor or printer on which they are output—
they are resolution independent.
jump to art
Vector
Bitmap vs. Vector graphics
Click on artwork to jump to information on that format.
4:1 zoom
16:1 zoom
4:1 zoom
16:1 zoom
Bitmap
8
Opening documents
When you start Adobe Illustrator, the
program automatically opens a new
document. You can also create a new
document at any time, once Illustrator is
running. In either case, a new document
appears with the name
Untitled art
in its
title bar.
You can open existing documents as
well as create new ones. An existing
document appears with its name dis-
played in the title bar.
See also
Opening and placing artwork.
To open a new document:
Choose File
>
New from the Illustrator
menu bar.
To open an existing document:
1
Choose File
>
Open.
2
Select the name of the document you
want to open, and click Open.
9
Saving documents
You can save a document under its
current name, location, and file format
by using the Save command. If you are
saving the document for the first time,
the Save dialog box appears, enabling
you to specify how and where you want
to save the document.
By using the Save As command, you can
save a copy of a document under a dif-
ferent name, location, or file format. For
information on saving a document in a
different file format or with a special
preview option, see Exporting artwork.
To save a file:
1
Choose File
>
Save or File
>
Save As.
If you choose the Save As command, or
if the document has not been saved
before, choose any of the following
options:
•
Select the folder in which you want to
save the document.
•
Create a new folder by clicking New.
•
Enter the name of the document in the
Save This Document As text box.
10
•
From the Format pop-up menu,
choose the file format in which you
want to save the document.
2
If you save the document in EPS for-
mat, you can add Fetch® information.
Fetch
is a program that searches for and
retrieves files based on information
about the file. Choose any of the follow-
ing options:
•
Select the Include Document Thumb-
nail option to create a thumbnail pre-
view for the file when viewed by Fetch.
•
Enter the author’s name in the Author
text box.
•
Enter any search keywords, separated
by commas, in the Keywords text box.
•
Enter any identifying information
about the document in the Description
text box.
3
Click Save.
11
Setting preferences
After you have used Illustrator for a
while, you may develop preferences for
the way in which various commands
and tools work in the program. To
accommodate different styles of work-
ing, Illustrator lets you set and save a
wide variety of preferences. Any time
you work in Illustrator, your saved pref-
erences take effect, and tools and com-
mands work the way you have specified.
To set preferences:
1
Choose File
>
Preferences and then
choose the type of preference you want
to change:
•
The General Preferences dialog box
contains preferences for how various
commands and tools work.
•
The Color Matching dialog box lets
you coordinate the colors displayed
by your monitor with the color system
you choose.
12
•
The Hyphenation Options dialog box
defines which language dictionary is
used and lets you specify any words you
don’t want Illustrator to hyphenate.
•
The Plug-ins dialog box lets you
indicate where the plug-in modules
are located.
General Preferences dialog box
Click on any option for information on that option.
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14
Using the toolbox and the plug-ins
toolbox
The first time you open a document, the
toolbox appears on the left side of the
screen. The toolbox contains the set
of working tools with which you can
create, select, and manipulate objects
in Illustrator.
A further set of tools is available on the
plug-ins toolbox. This second toolbox
contains tools that can be provided by
third-party developers. For more infor-
mation about plug-ins, see Using plug-in
modules.
To show or hide either toolbox:
Choose any of the following options:
•
Choose Windows
>
Show Toolbox to
display the standard tools.
•
Choose Windows
>
Show Plug-in Tools
to display the plug-in tools.
•
Choose Windows
>
Hide Toolbox to
hide the standard tools.
•
Choose Windows
>
Hide Plug-in Tools
to hide the plug-in tools.
15
To move either toolbox:
Drag it by the title bar.
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.
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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
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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.
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