Adobe Illustrator basics
Loaded with nifty features once you’re through the initial learning curve
By Mike Jackson
Posted on Thursday, October 26th, 2017
Have you ever loaded Adobe Illustrator on your computer, then tried to figure out how to do some of the most basic functions, only to feel like you were lost in a foreign land? Illustrator has incredible power, but you might not find it as intuitive as you’d like at times.
Illustrator has hidden tools or dialog boxes, and you might need to hold down “qualifier” keys like the Shift key or Alt/Option key to make it respond to your needs. Occasionally, you’ll see an entry box that you might assume ranges from 1 to 10, but find out you can also enter .01 instead of simply 1. Who knew?
So, that’s the purpose of this article. It’s not intended to make you a power Illustrator user, but help you get your feet on the ground— especially if you are used to other desktop publishing programs or sign making programs.
Mike and Darla Jackson operate Golden Studios in Loveland, Colorado, and do a variety of sign-related projects. Mike’s website is www.goldenstudios.com. His email address is golden@goldenstudios.com. You can see more of Mike’s photos at www.tetonimages.com and www.goldenstudios.com.