Graphics Programs Reference
In-Depth Information
x,y
coordinates. You can still change the location of the origin point by dragging from the
upper left corner of the rulers to the desired location, but you can give each artboard its own
origin point when you choose Artboard Rulers.
You can apply guides globally or to individual artboards. To place a non-global guide with
the Artboard tool selected (Shift-O), drag a guide from the ruler to the active artboard, being
careful to drag right over the board, not between it and another. If you drag a guide in
between the artboards, it will place the guide across all artboards.
If you intend to use several guides in a project, you should probably create separate layers
for specific sets of guides. By keeping guides on named layers, you not only can easily
control which guides are visible at any time, but also how the global locking, visibility, and
clearing of guides is applied. (
CC
has enhanced guide placement.)
You can also create guides by selecting an object and defining it as a guide by choosing
Object> Make Guides ( -5/Ctrl-5, or via View> Guides). By default, guides are unlocked,
but you can lock them using the Lock/Unlock toggle (in the context-sensitive or View
menus); the Lock/Unlock Guides toggle is global, and affects all guides in all documents.
Any unlocked guide can be changed into a regular, editable path by targeting the guide and,
again in the context-sensitive menu, choosing Release Guides. Guides not targeted will not
be converted.
Smart Guides, which can be powerful aids for constructing and aligning objects as you
draw, are helpful enough to become an essential part of your workflow. Try keeping them
on (the toggle is
-U/Ctrl-U). Enable or disable viewing options in Preferences> Smart
Guides.
Changing measurement units
Control-click/right-click on a ruler to change units of measurement, or cycle units using
-Option-Shift-
U/Ctrl-Alt-Shift-U
.
Set default units in Preferences> Units.
Shifting patterns with rulers
When ruler origins move patterns:
• The pattern will NOT shift if you change an Artboard ruler origin.
• All patterns WILL shift if you change a Global ruler origin.
Changing Constrain Angle
If you adjust the X and Y axes in Preferences> General> Constrain Angle, it will affect the drawn objects
and transformations of your grid, as they will follow the adjusted angle when you create a new object.
This can be helpful if you're working in isometrics or another layout requiring alignment of objects at an
angle.
Hide/Show Edges
The shortcut for Hide/Show Edges is -H/Ctrl-H (or choose View> Hide/Show Edges). Once you hide
the selection edges (paths and anchor points), all path edges in that file will remain hidden until you
show them again—and that hidden state is saved with your file! Get in the habit of toggling it off when
you're done with the task at hand. And, if you open a file and can't decode the mystery of why things
don't appear selected, remember to try
-H/Ctrl-H.
Three grids
View Illustrator's automatic grid using View> Show Grid ( -”/Ctrl-”). Illustrator also offers a Perspective
Grid and a Pixel Grid. For details on the Perspective Grid, see the
Reshaping Dimensions
chapter, and for
information on using the Pixel Grid, see the “
Web Graphics
” section in the
Creatively Combining Apps
chapter.
