Create multi-page documents in Illustrator. There are no lines, you give objects

In this tutorial, you will learn how to duplicate objects in Illustrator on an artboard of any format. Most often this is needed for printing in a printing house or on a regular home, office printer.

Discover adobe program Illustrator. Go to the menu File (File) - New (New) or press Ctrl + N.

In the window of the new document, in the Size field, select A3 format (or whatever you need). You can also set the desired size of the artboard yourself in the fields: width (width) and height (height). In the units field, select a unit of measurement convenient for you, it is closer to me in millimeters.

Place the layout you want to duplicate. This will be my business card. If you need to send a layout for printing, I recommend converting all fonts to "curves". To do this, select the business card with the mouse or hotkey: Ctrl + A and go to the menu Type (Type) - Create Outlines (Create curves), mountains. cl: Shift + Ctrl + O.


Next, we will work with the Align palette (Alignment). It is located in the Window menu or mountains. cl. Shift + F7. The photo details how to use it. Align the business card to the top and left, set the alignment in the palette relative to the artboard.


Open the Transform palette from the Window or Mountains menu. cl. Shift + F8. In the Transform palette, check that your layout is sized correctly in the Width and Height boxes.

After that, select the business card and press the enter key. The Move window will appear. Set the exact width values \u200b\u200bin the Horizontal field, as in the Transform palette, I have 94 mm. and click "copy".


The business card was duplicated on the right.


If you need to duplicate on the left, you need to enter the minus sign (-94). Press Ctrl + D to duplicate a few more times.


Now we will multiply the business card vertically. Select all horizontal business cards and press enter. In the Vertical field, type in the size of the height of the business card, mine is 54 mm, and press copy.


Press the key combination Ctrl + D to duplicate it several more times.


After it turned out to multiply business card on A3, select everything and group (Ctrl + G). In the Align palette, center the cards horizontally and vertically relative to your artboard, as in the picture. That's it, the reproduction of business cards was successful :)

Unfortunately, Adobe Illustrator does not provide for the creation of multi-page documents. It has the ability to create only one page. But there are situations when you need to create multiple pages. This is where the “tiled” printout feature comes in handy. Each tile is the size of one sheet of paper. Basically, you have to adjust the sheet size and print margins.

Below is a step-by-step example of execution.

1. First select File\u003e New... The document in the viewport should look like below.

Click File\u003e Document Setup In the sector Artboard the dialog box that appears, select "Custom" for the field Size, and enter the page dimensions in width and height. In this example we will be making an artboard that is four sheets of paper - 34 inches (4 × 8 1/2 inches) / The author of the translation apologizes for being too lazy to convert the dimensions to the metric system, because will have to redo the illustration /... Leave the height at 11 inches. In the section View select "Tile full pages"... After entering all the parameters, click "OK".


3. The document should now look like below. Note that page numbers are not printed.


4. When you click File\u003e Print, each tile will be printed as a separate page.


If you want to save the file as a multi-page PDF, don't use File\u003e Save As\u003e PDFotherwise, you may only end up with one PDF page the size of your document. To get a multi-page document, use Adobe Acrobat Distiller to send the document to print File\u003e Print\u003e to Distiller.

Any graphic Designer knows that Adobe Illustrator is one of the best vector graphics editors. At first, beginners complain that working with the program is not very convenient, but its full power is revealed later, when the designer begins to understand how everything works. With the help of Adobe Illustrator, you can implement almost any graphic idea and that is why millions of designers around the world use it today. One of the reasons explaining the incredible demand for Illustrator is its functionality, the program has many great tools that make your work much easier. Some of them are very simple, others will be a little more difficult to master, but no successful designer or illustrator can do without knowing the features of their work.

It doesn't matter what exactly needs to be created with Adobe Illustrator - you can't do without tools. They save the user from routine work and significantly save time. For example, if you need to create a certain effect in an illustration, you can do it like this: start from the very beginning and achieve the desired result by performing, say, 100 actions. But if you know exactly how this or that tool works, you can create the same effect by clicking the mouse a couple of times. However, in this article we will not consider the different techniques and tricks that allow you to achieve amazing effects. FreelanceToday brings to your attention 10 Adobe Illustrator tools every designer should know about.

RULER

The ruler is a very simple, but at the same time very useful tool if you require precise adherence to dimensions when working on a project. Guides allow you to accurately position objects inside the workers, control their dimensions, they can be used to create graphical grids of any complexity. Ruler is one of the first tools an aspiring designer should become familiar with.

By default, rulers are not displayed in Illustrator. To make them visible, you need to press the keyboard shortcut Ctrl +Ror by finding them in the menu View\u003eRulers\u003eShowRulers(Show rulers). Two rulers will appear: top and left.

A ruler is a must if you want to achieve balance in your composition. In addition, they significantly speed up the workflow, as they allow you to accurately position objects relative to each other.

BlendTool is one of the most obscure and underestimated tools, many designers only after a long time begin to understand its versatility. Blend Tool (Transition) seems complicated and it is not entirely clear in what cases it can be used to speed up work.

Like many other Illustrator tools, the Blend Tool can be used for a wide variety of tasks. It can be used to create complex patterns and textures or, as the name of the tool suggests, make smooth color transitions between two objects.

The Blend Tool is located in the toolbar, it can also be called from the menu Object\u003eBlend... In the dialog box that opens, you can set the necessary transition parameters. This is a very handy tool that must be present in any designer's arsenal.

OFFSETPATH

It is often necessary to create an enlarged copy of an existing object or increase the size of the object's outline. There are several ways to do this, and beginners often use the most obvious ways, making a lot of unnecessary movements. Meanwhile, Illustrator has a very useful tool called OffsetPath, that is, a parallel path.

As the name suggests, Offset Path creates an enlarged copy of the selected object directly below it. The new shape is identical in shape and color to the original, only the size is different.

Using parallel paths, you can create concentric circles, simulate an increase in the size of the path, while all objects do not move relative to each other. The Offset Tool will be very useful when working on icons or when creating infographics.

You can find a tool in the section Object\u003ePath... In this case, the object must be selected, otherwise the dialog box for changing the parameters of the parallel path will not appear.

THECLIPPINGMASK

Tool ClippingMask novice designers are often undeservedly overlooked. But just get to know him better, and it becomes clear that it is a great helper for creating a variety of shapes and effects.

What is a Clipping Mask? It is an object that masks unwanted areas of another object, so that the result is that what lies within the clipping path is visible. The most obvious use of the Clipping Mask is to crop images, but with enough skill this tool can create the shapes you want very quickly.

Typically, when creating complex compositions where you need to reshape objects, the Pathfinder panel and its Shape modes are often the best choice. But sometimes the use of clipping masks is justified, since they are easier to work with, while the user remains able to edit the masked objects.

The Clipping Mask tool is also in the menu section Object.

ARTBOARDS PANEL

In print design, very often the same graphic elements are used within different media. If you need, for example, to place a logo and elements corporate identity on a brochure, banner and business card and do this without creating three new documents, then the use of Artboards, that is, artboards, will help here.

Using multiple artboards saves a lot of designer time. All required elements and the composition options are right in front of it, in ArtboardsPanel, so it will take a split second to access the desired artboard.

Artboards Panel also dramatically speeds up the process of exporting, printing, and saving artboards. When working on complex projects, for example with large icon packs that need to be saved in different sizes and formats, using the Artboard Panel tool can save you a lot of time.

LAYERS PANEL

If artboards allow you to create a single document with multiple assets, then LayersPanel makes it possible to create detailed compositions using a logical structure that allows you to easily identify and customize individual parts of the same composition without worrying about losing or erasing any element.

Use the Layers Panel if you want to create a detailed hierarchy in your document. Any complex design consists of several parts, there are basic sections, there are intermediate and final ones. By placing parts of the composition on separate layers, you can work on a systematic basis until it is finished.

In the Layers panel, you can lock, hide, rename and move any layer, which gives the user an idea and understanding of what he is creating. This way, the designer can focus on one thing and try to improve the composition. Other design options may be hidden at this time, and after making the final decision, unnecessary layers can be removed.

PATHFINDER PANEL

Four modes can be found in the Pathfinder panel ShapeMode, with which you can create new shapes by merging, intersecting, or excluding objects. With sufficient skill, using any mode allows you to very quickly create an object of the desired size and shape. As mentioned, there is a lot you can do in Illustrator with the tool ClippingMask, Clipping masks are very effective in skilled hands. But if you need to create a completely new shape, then this can be easily done in the Pathfinder panel.

The user has access to modes Unite, Subtract, Intersect and Exclude,with which you can create new interesting shapes. Over time, the designer chooses the most convenient mode for himself, which he uses in the future.

ALIGN PANEL

If you need to align objects in the artboard or distribute several shapes at a certain distance from each other, then the panel Align (Alignment) is the best tool for solving problems of this kind.

The Align panel should be used in cases where you need to bring several objects to a single state, for example, align them to the left, top or bottom. It is enough to select the necessary shapes and click on the desired icon.

By default, several panel options are hidden, to make them visible, you need to click the little arrow and enable ShowOptions... As a result, additional functionality will appear DistributeSpacing, with which it will be possible to accurately position two or more objects at a given distance from each other.

To understand how the tool works Grid, you must first display this grid. To do this, go to the menu section View and find the item ShowGrid.

Why is this tool so important. Any designer knows that all elements of a layout should be at a certain distance from each other. The easiest way to arrange them is based on the grid. The grid makes it easier to position elements and tells you how to properly structure all parts of the layout.

This is a very useful tool for those designers who create pixel-precise layouts. Web and interface designers will also appreciate Grid. The tool is very powerful and there is no way in this article to describe how you can use it in your work. Additional information about the Grid tool can be found.

SNAP TO GRID / PIXEL GRID

The grid itself is a powerful tool, but as soon as you need to create a layout where objects need to be positioned with pixel precision, beginners can get into trouble. However, Illustrator has a solution to this problem: Snap to Grid / Pixel Grid (Snap to grid / pixel grid).

In different projects, you will have to adjust the grids depending on what exactly needs to be done, the size of the canvas and the principles of placing elements in the layout matter. For simple compositions, you can use the standard grid, but when perfect accuracy is required, it is better to set the lowest possible settings: grid line every one pixel, division inside the grid step: 1.

Through the use Snap to Grid / Pixel Grid you can create incredibly clear images that look very professional. This is not unusual, since all objects are tied to the pixel grid and, importantly, they were all created, initially having predetermined dimensions in pixels.

Hello! And we have another lesson in Adobe Illustrator, in which I will tell and show the advantages of using multiple artboards. If you don't have the most old version illustrator, then you probably noticed that in addition to layers, there is another dimension called Artboards. Artboards, workspaces, artboards. You can call them differently. It all looks something like this.

Yes, that's right. As if several pictures are in one vector file. This is Artboards. It is with them that we will conjure a little today. It is very convenient to use several artboards in one file. Especially if you make a series of the same type of pictures or similars for microstocks. When the work is finished, you can save all the illustrations in a couple of clicks. Be them at least ten, at least twenty. And you don't need any actions, scripts or other troubles.

I decided to divide this Adobe Illustrator tutorial into several parts. At the very beginning, we cover the main points of working with artboards, which will be useful for beginners. The end shows how to save illustrations for microstock from several Artboards.

Creating new Artboards

By default, Illustrator has one work area. And when you make a new document, it might look like this.

As you already understood, the panel is responsible for the work areas. Artboards... And the first way to add a new artboard to the vector file is to click on the button New Artboard.

The new artboard will appear alongside. Through the panel Artboards you can also delete workspaces, the trash can icon clearly hints at this. If you go to the panel menu, then there you will be offered additional options.

New Artboard - to create a new one, that's understandable.
Duplicate Artboards - create a copy of the artboard and everything that lies on it.
Delete Artboards - delete, this is also understandable.
Delete Empty Artboards - remove empty artboards.
Convert to Artboards - can turn a square into a work area.
Artboards options - work area settings, you can dig deeper.
Rearrenge Artboards - distribution, you can customize the order and position.

In general, the panel Artboards possesses truly mystical abilities to distort and refract vector space in Adobe illustrator.

But in fact, workspaces can be ordered when a new file is created. Pay attention to the item highlighted in red.

Editing Artboards

But the real master of the world, you will feel like when you try the instrument Artboard Tool (Shift + O)... Its power is indestructible, and allows it to penetrate the fabric of vector existence to manipulate artboards.

Yes, artboards can be moved, squeezed and stretched. Who had an A in geometry in school, pay attention to the information panel at the top. There will be the exact coordinates and dimensions of the current artboard, plus other useful buttons.

I also want to tell you about a very useful command that glues the work area to an already drawn illustration. This is very useful when you need to adjust the dimensions of the artboard to the finished picture. Just highlight what you drew and go Object\u003e Artboards\u003e Fit to Selected Art... The current work area will be resized to fit exactly around the edges of the selected artwork.

Save a series of illustrations from one file

So, stop messing around, let's get down to business. For example, I took a file with three artboards. On the first is a New Year's background, and on the second and third redesigns of this picture with a ball and a Christmas tree. Dimensions for artboards 1200x1200 px.

First, let's make it all EPSs for drains. Let's go File\u003e Save as.

In the window that appears, write the name, of course. Then we choose the type EPS... And be sure to check the box Use Artboards... It is after this that the illustrator will consider the work areas in the file. There is still a pipka nearby All and Range - that is, you can even choose which workspaces to save and which to ignore. Since I need everything, I left it as it is All... As a result, click Save. Next in the next window with settings EPS set as usual EPS-10 and press OK... Illustrator puffs a little and we get the following files.

Wherein christmas-background.eps it is a vector file that includes all three backgrounds. You can think of it as the so-called source. But since in EPS-10 multiple working areas are not supported, then as a result all three pictures will lie on one working area. Therefore, as a source, it is better to save the vector separately in the format ai your current version Adobe illustrator.

Files with numbers at the end 01, 02 and 03 are vectors with separate work areas. If you open, for example, christmas-background-01.epsthen there will only be one workspace number 1 with a Christmas background. In this way Adobe illustrator split the shared file into several EPS... One workspace each.

But let's go back to our file with several artboards, since we still need to make a bitmap preview for all the pictures. For this we go File\u003e Export.

We press OK, the illustrator puffs for a while, it all depends on the number of artboards and the complexity of the vector. You may even have time to drink tea. As a result, we get the following files.

From each work area, the illustrator made an export into a separate raster Jpeg... The numbers, as in the case of EPS, correspond to the artboard numbers. Dimensions at Jpeg in my example came out 5000x5000 px, resolution 300 dpi... In general, a delicious and fragrant bitmap preview that is suitable for almost all microstocks. So you can take pairs of files Jpeg and EPS with the same names and feel free to upload. Unless, of course, your vectors are prepared in accordance with technical requirements microstocks. You can read more about this here.

I'm going to make images that contain hundreds of lines of text of varying lengths, each of which will have the same "background" except for the background length, which must be relative to the length of the text. I want to avoid having to manually insert text into the field every time.

The second twist is that I want the background to decrease the opacity, but I want the text to be 100% opaque.

This way the text will always be the same size and solid white on, say, an 80% opaque orange background. "Padding" (insert?) On all four sides of the text will be constant relative to the text. All that will change is the total width of the text line corresponding to the total width of the "window".

I have looked at these two answers

which seems to solve this problem, but not quite. I am using Illustrator CS6.

Answers

Scott

As for fitting text boxes to text .. see the script in your first question link. This is the only method I know of.

It is much easier to solve the filling problem.

  • select the region text with the selection tool (black arrow)
  • Add a new fill through the Appearance panel
  • set the fill color and drag the fill under the Symbols item in the Appearance panel.
  • With the fill selected in the Appearance panel, choose Effect\u003e Convert To Shape\u003e Rectangle and enter the values \u200b\u200byou want. Then click OK
  • Click the Opacity indicator below the fill in the Appearance panel and enter the Opacity value you want to fill. This will not change the text.

Set it up once, then drag the whole thing into the Graphics Styles panel. If you need to apply the same appearance, just select the Region Text box, and then click a style in the Graphic Style panel.

Note that the background refers to the text box of the area ... if the box size changes, the background will change too.

Added after seeing what the script does with the look.

The script kills the appearance. So here's what I would do ...

Customize the graphic style and save it.
Prepare the Scope text box and prepare it for your scenario.

Now create a new action and start recording ...
- run the script
- click on the graphic style
Stop recording.
Assign the F key to the action.

Now all you have to do is select the area text box and press the assigned F key. If the text box needs to be resized while running, just press the F key.

Warning....

Illustrator has and has been error related to script actions ... The action will not save the script step if you exit Illustrator. Therefore, every time you launch Illustrator, you will need to set up the action again. It is annoying, time-consuming and painful. However, recreating the action every time it is needed can be much faster than manually manipulating the text boxes and appearance.

Brian D

It is very useful! The script and the look / feel / style method don't go well with each other, but it gives me a lot of work. The script has to be applied every time I want to resize the window in the text. That would be bearable, but it also annoys the look and feel set by the method you recommend.

Scott

@BrianD ahh, I see it is. I have updated my answer above.

Brian D

Scott, this is really helpful. I played around with my graphics just using your styling style - even having to resize the textbox for each line, styling is very useful. Maybe not much more difficult than reapplying every time the AI \u200b\u200bfile is opened for use. I'll try both ways and see if there is less headache. Thanks!

Scott

Glad I could help :)

 

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