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The Slice Tool in Illustrator is an excellent tool for dividing artwork into smaller pieces for various purposes, like web design, logo creation, creating interactive elements, and more. It separates parts of an element that can be saved as individual images. In this tutorial, we'll discuss the concept of the Slice Tool and provide a...

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Adobe Photoshop is such a comprehensive and universal design software that it provides you with hundreds of tools to carry out any design-related task. There are many ways to achieve the same result. Typography plays a crucial role in achieving the desired goals with many designs. Whether it's a social media post, the cover of...

The post How to Create Bullet Points in Adobe Photoshop appeared first on Bittbox.

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We all know that color is the essence of any artwork. It's the language through which artwork communicates its message and tone. And recoloring artwork can bring new life to a design, giving it a fresh and captivating look. Fortunately, Adobe Illustrator offers a fantastic tool that makes recoloring artwork easy, smooth, and flexible. In...

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Have you ever seen the realistic concept art of games with many buildings and tall towers? Or the pictures of busy markets with giant billboards and advertisements? Or the images with street perspectives, including Photoshopped texts and digitally painted graffiti? These images grab our attention and appeal to our eyes. For a designer, artist, or...

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Who doesn't want their designs to stand out? If you want to make your design unique, you have to go beyond the same old shapes. In such case, the Free Transform Tool is what you need. This tool allows you to manipulate your objects and shapes in many ways. This tutorial will provide you with...

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One of the best things about Photoshop is its exceptional tool flexibility, simplifying our work and enhancing our productivity. The Options Bar works as a gateway to access all the options associated with the selected tool, enabling seamless customization and control over the tools for us. What is the Options Bar? The Options Bar is...

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Before we talk about anti-aliasing, let’s get a quick glimpse of “aliasing” in graphic design. A screen display is made of thousands of tiny square pixels. Rounded lines can sometimes look rough or jagged if the pixel edges are visible rather than a smooth, crisp line. The result of having the digital image or fonts...

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If you want everything to be calculated and aligned precisely, Photoshop's Ruler Tool is all you need. The Ruler tool allows you to measure the height, width, and distance between two objects. It helps you create precise designs and acts like a virtual measuring tape.

This tool enables you to achieve a professional look for your design by adding the right angle, precision measurements, sharpness to shapes, and straightening lines.

What is the Ruler Tool?The Ruler tool is used to straighten lines and images, measure angles, and ensure sharp and precise design elements. It helps you measure the width, height, angle, and distance between objects. The ruler tool has multiple uses and is quite easy to handle. For example, if you have a crooked image and you want it to be straightened up. The Ruler tool makes it easy. Simply drag a straight line over the crooked area, and it's almost done.

Where to Find the Ruler Tool?You can find the Ruler tool in the left toolbar, along with other tools such as the eyedropper tool and color sample tool. If you can't see it in the toolbar, it may be hidden behind another tool. Right-click on the tool where you know the ruler is hidden. This will lead you to the extended menu, where you can find the Ruler Tool.

Alternatively, you can use the keyboard shortcut Shift +I to activate the Ruler Tool. Since other tools are incorporated with it, you may need to press the shortcut key multiple times to switch between these tools.

Before we begin, let's look at some of the options available with the Ruler Tool. When the Ruler Tool is activated, an options bar appears at the top, just below the top toolbar.

X and YThe first thing you'll see in the options bar is X and Y. These two indicate the position or the location. When you draw a line with the Ruler Tool, the X and Y coordinates represent the starting point of the line.

W and H W (horizontal) and H (vertical) show the distance to the second point along the X and Y axes. This means that W indicates the distance from the x coordinate of starting point to the x coordinate of the endpoint. Likewise, H indicates the distance between the y coordinates of starting point and the y coordinate of the endpoint.

A The A measurement shows the angle between lines. When you create an angle using the Ruler Tool, the result of the angle is displayed in the box labeled ‘A.'

L1 and L2The L1 measurement indicates the length of the first line, representing the distance between its two ends. L2 indicates the length of the second line.

How to use the Ruler Tool in PhotoshopAs mentioned earlier, the Ruler Tool has multiple uses. In this article, we will showcase four of its main uses.

We're using the following images in this tutorial. Feel free to download them from Vecteezy if you want to follow along:

• Worm's eye view of buildings
• Photo of a city skyline
• Banana illustration
• Red apple cartoon

Measuring an AngleStep 1 Select the Ruler Tool from the left toolbar or use the shortcut key Shift +I.

Step 2 Click on the first point and drag it to the other point on the first line. Release the mouse button when you reach the last point.

Step 3Hold down the Alt key, click on the endpoint of the first line, and drag it to your desired point where you want to measure the angle. Release the mouse button.

Measuring an ObjectStep 1 Select the Ruler Tool (Shift + I) from the left toolbar.

Step 2 Click on the point from where you want to measure the distance and drag it to the other end of the object. Now release the mouse button when you reach the other point.

Step 3The result will be displayed on the options bar in the L1 field.

Straightening an ImageStep 1 Open Photoshop and place two images side by side on the dashboard.

Step 2From the left toolbar, select the Ruler Tool or use the shortcut key (Shift + I) to activate it.

Step 3With the Ruler Tool activated, go to the first image and click on the starting point. drag the ruler towards the end point of the second image and release the mouse button once you reach that point.

Step 4In the options bar of the ruler menu, click on Straighten Layer. This will straighten your image.

Straightening a Crooked ImageStep 1 Identify an element (a crooked line) that you want to straighten up.

Step 2 Select the Ruler Tool from the left toolbar or use the shortcut key to activate it.

Step 3Once the Ruler Tool is activated, click on one end of the line and drag it toward the other end. Remember, Photoshop will work based on the line you draw here.

Step 4 Go to the Image menu on the overhead toolbar. Select Image Rotation from the drop-down menu and choose Arbitrary from the extended menu. A command window will appear on the screen. Click Ok.

Note: If this rotation leaves any white spots around the image, crop them away using the crop tool.

This is how the Ruler Tool assists you in bringing precision to your design through its multiple uses. I hope you find this article helpful.

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Blending modes are features in Adobe Illustrator that determine how different hues of color interact with various objects or layers underneath them. Blending modes are like thin layers overlapping another surface of your artwork. Put a layer on top of two overlapping objects, and we see different results with different blending modes on the overlapping areas.

What Are Blending Modes?Blending Modes in Illustrator enable you to blend the color of a selected object with the color of an underlying object. They add blending effects to your objects. When an object is stacked on another, blending modes let you see how they interact with each other. You can make the overlapping areas darker, lighter, or other color contrast through blending modes.

Things to Remember: Blend Color: The original color of the top selected object is called Blend Color. * Base Color: The underlying color is known as Base Color. * Resulting Color*: The Resulting Color refers to the color we get after applying the blending mode.

Let's learn how to apply these modes to objects in Illustrator.

Applying Blending Modes in IllustratorApplying blending modes to objects is not a difficult task. All you need to do is create your artwork by combining objects and selecting the blending mode that suits your artwork. Let's look at the step-by-step process to better understand how to apply blending modes in Illustrator.

Step 1 Select the Shape Tool and create two shapes with it. Choose your preferred color for each shape.

Step 2 Place the shapes you created in a way that parts of them overlap each other. In my case, I have used two overlapping triangles, but you can create whatever shape you want. The blue triangle is on top, indicating this is the Blend Color. On the other hand, the brown triangle is the Base Color. The point here is that we need two different colored objects to overlap each other.

Step 3 Open the Transparency Panel, which is located on the right toolbar. If you can't find it there, you must enable it first. Go to Window and select Transparency from the drop-down menu.

Step 4 A small panel will appear on the screen once you select Transparency from the Window menu. This is the Transparency Panel, where you'll find all the blending modes to apply to your objects.

Step 5 Select the objects and apply any mode from the drop-down list of blending modes. The overlapping area will change according to the selected blending mode.

Each of the modes will show different results on the overlapping areas. Now let's see how each of the blending modes work.

Blending Modes in IllustratorIn Illustrator, the default mode is normal. These are the fifteen blending modes you can apply to manipulate the color of your design elements and add a unique visual effect to your artwork.

• Darken: When you apply the darken mode, the overlapping area will become darker. Darken mode chooses the base or blend color depending on the level of darkness.

• Multiply: Multiply mode multiplies the blend color with the base color, resulting in a darker shade.

• Color Burn: Similar to the darken mode and multiply mode, color burn also darkens the overlapping areas. It darkens the base color to reflect the blend color.

• Lighten: Lighten chooses a color based on the lightness of the color. It chooses the lighter color and replaces or lightens the overlapping area that is darker than the blend color.

• Screen: Screen results in a lighter color by increasing the inverse of the blend and base colors.

• Color Dodge: Color dodge produces a lighter color by increasing the brightness of the base color based on the blend color.

• Overlay: Overlay mode multiplies or screens the color depending on the base color. However, it keeps the highlights and shadows of the base color intact and mixes the blend color to reflect the lightness or darkness of the original color.

• Soft Light: Soft light works similarly to decreasing opacity. Depending on the blend color, it darkens or lightens the overlapping area. The overlapping will get brighter if the blend color is light. Similarly, the overlapping area will be dark if the blend color is darker.

• Hard Light: Depending on the blend color, hard light mode screens or amplifies the color. It creates a kind of harsh and stronger spotlight effect on the overlapping area.

• Difference: In difference mode, the brighter gets subtracted from either the blend or base color. When applying this mode, It inverts the brighter color. When you blend with white, the base color gets reversed, but no changes will be applied while blending with black.

• Exclusion: Exclusion produces a similar effect to the difference mode. What differentiates these two modes is that the exclusion mode has a lower contrast than the difference mode.

• Hue: When applying the hue blending mode, the resulting color is formed by considering the luminance and saturation of the base color and hue of the blend color.

• Saturation: Unlike Hue, Saturation mode considers the luminance and hue of the base color and the saturation of the blend color to create the resulting color.

• Color: Color mode generates the resulting color from the saturation and hue of the blend color and luminance of the base color. This mode is useful when working with monochrome artworks where you must retain the grey levels and tinting work.

• Luminosity: In Luminosity mode, the resulting color is produced by the hue and saturation of the base color and the luminance of the blend color. It creates the opposite effect from the color mode.

With blending modes, Illustrator gives you the opportunity to make your artwork stand out by bringing unique color variations to your artwork. I hope this article has helped you understand the blending modes and the ways all these modes work. Explore them all and enjoy them while learning to use blending modes.

The post Blending Modes in Illustrator: What They Are and How They Work appeared first on Bittbox.

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Free Transform is one of Photoshop's most versatile tools, offering many potential functions. It allows you to modify your design elements by applying transformations such as scaling, rotating, skewing, changing perspective, and more. The Free Transform tool manipulates images and objects for your design purposes.

I'll be working with this broccoli cartoon vector throughout the tutorial. Feel free to download it from Vecteezy if you want to follow along.

What is the Free Transform Tool?The Free Transform Tool in Photoshop is a feature-rich tool that allows you to distort, resize, rotate, scale, and skew design elements. It enables you to view your design element from a different point of view by reflecting and changing its perspective. In short, the Free Transform Tool grants you the freedom to easily and effectively modify your artwork and many ways.

Where to Find the Free Transform Tool?There are two ways to activate the Free Transform Tool in Photoshop. Since this tool operates on individual layers, you must select the layer first. Then, follow either of the two methods mentioned below to activate the Free Transform Tool.

• Use the keyboard shortcut Ctrl + T.
• Alternatively, Go to the Edit menu on the overhead toolbar and select Free Transform from the drop-down menu.

The Features of the Free Transform ToolAs mentioned earlier, the Free Transform Tool has multiple actions that can be performed on your artwork. The features available in this tool are:

• Rotate
• Scale
• Skew
• Distort
• Perspective
• Warp
• Flip

In this article, we'll explore these features and learn how to apply them to your artwork.

RotateThe rotate option of the Free Transform tool simply rotates objects. You can either manually use it by dragging handles around your object, or you can choose one of the default options you get in the right-click menu.

How to RotateActivate the Free Transform Tool using the keyboard shortcut Ctrl + T. Right-click on the object and Select Rotate from the drop-down menu. Take the mouse pointer to one of the handles and hover around it until the cursor changes into a two-sided curvy arrow icon. Now click, hold, and drag the corner upward or downward to rotate.

Holding down the Shift key while dragging the handles will enable you to rotate the element in 45-degree increments.

ScaleThis action is selected by default when you activate the Free Transform Tool. This feature allows you to resize your image, object, or design elements.

How to ScaleWhen Scale is activated, you'll see eight handles around the image. Click any of the handles and drag it to scale the image/layer.

Note: Holding down the Shift key while dragging one of the corner handles will preserve the aspect ratio. This will prevent causing any distortion to the artwork while scaling.

SkewSkew allows you to slant or tilt an object in a particular direction. You can also use this option on multiple objects.

How to SkewYou need to use both the keyboard and mouse to perform this action. Hold down the Ctrl key and drag one of the handles that are present in the middle.

If you want to skew more than one object, first select the layers you want to skew and then activate the skew option. The layers will be displayed in one bounding box. Now you can drag any handlebars to skew objects up, down, left, or right.

DistortThe distort feature of the Free Transform Tool allows you to pull and stretch the layer in all directions. This option works similarly to skew, but unlike skew, distorting lets you stretch and compress an object in multiple directions. Distorting enables you to do more freeform manipulation of your artwork.

How to DistortHold down Ctrl, then click and drag one of the corner handles to distort the image in various directions. If you want to scale the shape inward or outward, drag the handles in the middle.

Note: Holding down the Alt key while dragging one of the handles will distort the opposite handle at the same time.

PerspectivePerspective works slightly differently from distort and skew. Unlike distort and skew, the opposite handles move in the opposite direction when you use perspective to change one of the corners and add a perspective to your object. When you drag corners using the perspective option, the opposite corner tends to move the opposite direction. This transforms the layer as if you're viewing it from a different perspective.

How to Use PerspectiveHold Ctrl and drag one of the corner handles to move the opposite handle in the opposite direction, resulting in changing the perspective of an image or object.

WarpThe warp option gives you the freedom to manipulate the shape of your design element however you want. This feature provides you with more control over the warped areas.

How to WarpActivate the Free Transform tool from the Edit menu or by using the keyboard shortcut Ctrl + T. To access the Warp option, you need to turn on “warp” from the option bar.

Once you activate warp, a grid will appear over your design element. Now you can alter any point in the grid by clicking and dragging.

FlipYou can flip an image or object using the flip option of the Free Transform Tool. You can flip your images both horizontally and vertically.

How to FlipTo access this option, activate the Free Transform Tool and right-click on the object to access the drop-down menu. Select Flip Horizontal or Flip Vertical from the drop-down menu.

The Free Transform tool is a great way to show your creativity in editing and manipulating images. It's way easier than it sounds. Once you start exploring the Free Transform Tool, it will become easier for you.

The post How to Use Photoshop’s Free Transform appeared first on Bittbox.

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One of the best benefits of the digital design process is that it has provided us the freedom to play with the designs to reach the final product. Adobe Photoshop is one of these masterpieces. We can produce any concept graphics and design. With Photoshop's tools and a wide variety of options, we can do any creative task. Whether it's to cut a person into two, change the weather in the landscape, fly a person in space without an oxygen mask, or put your face on the body of your favorite actor. All of these things are just a few clicks away when we work in Photoshop.

Like the above-mentioned tasks/skills, in this tutorial, we'll be going through a commonly used skill which is to add a shadow in Photoshop. Adding a shadow can be useful in the editing of a product as we photograph it, or it could be adding the shadow of a person whom we've just pasted on another background. In all cases, adding a shadow becomes mandatory as it makes the editing look more realistic and adds more details.

This 5-7 minutes tutorial is divided into two parts. First, we'll add a simple drop shadow to some objects to understand the basics of product photography. Second, we'll add a shadow of a girl whom we paste into another background. So, without any delay, let's get into the tutorial.

How to Add a Shadow to a Product ImageWhen you shop for anything online, you come across different products. Many of those product photos are photoshopped, but these look realistic. And their realism is due to the shadow that has been added during the editing. To understand it better, we will add a shadow to a bowl and a plate that has been photographed from above. The photographs are shown in the following.

If you want to follow along, you can download these images:

• Photo with a bowl
• Photo with a plate

Separate these two objects from the images with the selection tools (see our tutorials on how to cut out an image in Photoshop and how to use the lasso tool) and paste them on another flat background of your own choice.

After we've pasted our cut-out object on the flat background, the image will look like this.

You might notice that after pasting, I have rotated both objects, and I've added a flat yellow background. This image doesn't look realistic as the objects seem to be floating above the yellow background, and it looks like they don't belong to each other. This problem will be solved after adding the shadow to these objects.

To add shadows, select any of the objects using the Selection Tool and then go to the Layers Panel. You'll see that the layer of the object is selected.

Now, click the fx icon in the Layers Panel and select Drop Shadow in the newly appeared window.

A huge window of Layer Styles will open, and it will show the drop shadow options on the right side. On the left, you'll see other options and styles.

You can change the values of the different options in the shown window. Tick the Preview option before you change any settings. It will allow you to see the changes on the original image as you change the settings.

Here, I've changed the Blend Mode to Multiply, set Opacity to 66%, Angle to -139 degrees, Distance of the Shadow to 25, Spread 28, Size (determines the blur size) to 13, and Noise (to add some roughness) to 5%. Finally, click on OK.

It is not mandatory to keep these exact values. You can play with these settings to see what suits the best for the image you are adding the drop shadow into.A drop shadow based on your settings will be added to your image or layer of the product. Of course, you can adjust the settings and experiment to see how they impact the shadow.

Similarly, add a drop shadow to the placed bowl. You'll notice that entering all the settings will not be required a second time. The settings you used the first time will automatically be filled in the settings here. The final look of the image with drop shadows will look like this;

You can see that, the mere addition of the drop shadows will have a huge impact on the overall look of the photo. It provides a sense of depth and a sense of realism in the overall look of the photo.

For different products, you can play around with the settings of drop shadows to meet your needs.

Adding a Shadow to a Figure on a New BackgroundFor this part of the tutorial, let's look at two images that we'll use to understand the whole process of adding shadows.

If you want to follow along, you can download these images:

• Photo of a girl
• Background image

Next, separate the girl from the image and paste her on the path that has been shown in the background image. After adjusting the figure in the background, the overall image will look as follows.

Now, select the layer of the girl from the Layers Panel and select all of the pixels of the girl's image using the Quick Selection Tool.

Make a new layer below the girl's layer in your Layers Panel.

Next, fill the solid color in the girl's selection area on the newly made layer. The fill color should be darker than the cast shadow. You can fill it with black, but considering what darker tone will suit this background according to the given condition will make you fill it in the best cast shadow color. For example, I have filled in the darker shade of brown.

You can fill the selection using the brush tool or simply using the shortcut, “Alt + Backspace”. The shortcut will fill in the foreground color in the selected area.

Now, you can deselect the selected area using the shortcut, “Control + D”. And now, flip the newly filled layer vertically by going to “Edit > Transform > Flip Vertical” on the Menu Bar above. The layer will look as follows.

Now, displace the shadow layer downwards to set the position of the shadow you add to the picture. The image will look like this.

As you can see that the perspective of the shadow doesn't fit into the perspective of the picture, so we'll adding the perspective to the shadow. For this, simply select the shadow layer and use the shortcut, “Control + T” to activate the transform command into the shadow. And then, right-click on the shadow and select “Perspective”.

The image will look like this.

Now, drag the corners of the selected shadow to make it meet the perspective of the background, as I have done in the following.

You may notice that it is still not placed in the right way. To make it look more appropriate, we can use the Puppet Warp. To activate the Puppet Warp, simply go to the “Edit > Puppet Warp” in the above Menu Bar.

You can adjust the contact points of the shadow and girl's figure with the Puppet Warp.

The overall image with the adjusted shadow will look like this.

Here, the shadow looks very sharp and solid, so we must adjust it to the background. For this, change the Blending Mode of the shadow layer from Normal to Multiply. And also lower the opacity of shadow per your needs from the Layers Panel.

On adjusting the settings, the image will look like as follows;

The added shadow still looks very sharp and solid, so we need to blur it a bit to add a realistic effect. To do this, we can add a Blur Filter to it.

To add the blur, select the shadow layer and go to, “Filter > Blur > Gaussian Blur”.

From the newly opened window or panel, adjust the blur value according to your needs.

After all the adjustments, the overall image with the added shadow will look like this.

Final Thoughts on Adding Shadows in PhotoshopCongratulations, you've just learned one of the most demanded skills of adding a shadow to an image in Photoshop. Play around with your photographs and try to add shadows to make them look different and unique.

The post How to Add a Shadow in Adobe Photoshop appeared first on Bittbox.

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Seamless patterns (also called tileable or repeating patterns) can be extremely useful in your design work. Being “seamless” means that when the pattern is repeated on the canvas, the repetition cannot be seen and there is visually no beginning or end to the pattern. Also, it means that we can paste that pattern on as large of a canvas or frame as we would like. These patterns are limitless.

At first glance, you might get the idea that making seamless patterns would be difficult so that when they're placed side by side, differentiating the two tiles of one pattern becomes impossible. But when you understand completely how this works, it becomes very easy for you to create as many patterns as you need. In this, 5-7 minutes tutorial on making patterns, you'll not only learn about the basics of making a pattern in Adobe Photoshop, but you'll also learn to save custom-made patterns in the Photoshop library.

Are you an Illustrator user? See our tutorial on How to Make a Seamless Pattern in Illustrator.

Patterns in PhotoshopPhotoshop comes with a pre-made pattern set like the brushes, shapes, and presets. You can use those patterns wherever you like, and you can create your own and save them in that library for future use.

Patterns are everywhere. You can see them on clothes and fabric. Or you can notice them on the buildings around you. In the interior of a house, tiles also seem to be designed as patterns. If you start noticing everything around you, you'll find patterns everywhere. That means, for a designer, it becomes crucial to master the skill of making the pattern. So, without any further ado, let's get into the tutorial.

How to Make a Pattern in PhotoshopTo make a pattern, we need to start from the very beginning. Like any other graphic design project in Photoshop, first, we must create a new blank document. For that, we'll go to, “File >New” by going to the Menu Bar.

Next, in the newly opened dialogue, select Pixels as the sizing unit of the document and enter 100 pixels as the value in both the width and height of the document. (You can change these values but keep in mind that your document should be square in size.) Enter the resolution value of 72 Pixels/Inch (You can also make it higher if you prefer). Set the Background Content as Transparent to create a document without any background. Then simply click on Create.

A new transparent document with a transparent background that looks like a checkerboard will be created based on the values you've entered.

Now, we need to zoom in on this document to 500%. To do this, simply press and hold the Control and Spacebar Keys. Your cursor will change into the Zoom Tool. Now you can zoom in or out by pressing and holding the left button on your mouse and then dragging it to either the right or left side to zoom in or out. Or, simply click four times on the document and it will automatically get zoomed in to 500%.

The zoomed-in value of the document will appear on the top, down to the options bar, next to the name of the document.Next, we add the guides through the center of the document. To do this, we simply go to, “View > Guides > New Guides” from the Menu Bar.

A new window will be opened named, New Guide.

Now we need to add the horizontal and vertical guides in the center of the document. To do this, first I will be adding the Horizontal Guide. I will select horizontal, and put the value of 50 in the position box. Also I would change the color of the guide to Magenta as for me it becomes difficult to see the Cyan Guides (this is personal preference). Then finally, click Ok.

You'll see that a horizontal guide will be created that goes through the center of the document.

Similarly, we'll add the vertical guides following the same steps. But this time, select the Vertical option instead of the Horizontal one in the New Guide Dialogue Box. The document will look as follows, with both guides added.

Now, the center of the document is quite visible to us and it's the point where horizontal and vertical guides meet, Next, we'll draw or create a new shape, design, or graphic in the center of the document.

The shape could be of any type. It could range from simple shapes to complex ones. We can hover into the Custom Shape Tool in Adobe Photoshop to add the built-in, complex shapes to the document. You can find the Custom Shape Tool under the rectangles tool in the Tool Bar or Tool Panel.

With the tool, we'll add one of the pre-made shapes that Photoshop provides us within the Custom Shape Tool. This tool gives us three modes of drawing shape options, which are Shape mode, Path mode, and Pixel mode. We'll use Pixel Mode because Photoshop only allows us to add patterns that are pixels based. As you select the tool, you can switch between these three modes by going to the top left corner of the options bar down to the Menu Bar.

Next, we'll select the shape type from the options bar. Click on that. A window will be opened below. Select any of the shapes from there (I have selected a flower shape). To select the shape, simply click on the shape's icon.

Before you proceed, make sure what color would you like your shape to be. You can change the foreground color from the Tool Panel because the shape you draw will be filled by the foreground color you've already selected in the Tool Panel. I have selected a green color as my foreground color, and the background remains white.

Now, simply bring your cursor to the center of the document and draw a shape by clicking and holding the left button on your mouse, then dragging it. We will see that the flower will be drawn on the document and it will be filled with the color we have selected as the foreground color.

Press the “Shift” key while you drag your mouse to draw the shape. It will allow you to draw the shape in its perfect proportions without deforming it.Our shape does not lie directly in the center. There's no need to worry about it. We can bring it to the center by selecting it with the Selection Tool and dragging it to the center.

Make sure that Snap is on. It will allow you to place your shape in the center easily. You can turn it on or of by going to, “View > Snap” in the Menu Bar.Next, we'll duplicate the layer by selecting it in the Layers Panel and using the shortcut, “Control + J” (For Windows) / “Command + J” (For Mac). Or simply, right click on the layer and then select the “duplicate layer” from the panel, then click Ok. You'll see two identical layers in the Layers Panel.

Now, to make our pattern seamless, we need to provide the Offset Filter to the newly duplicated layer. The filter will be provided such that the four parts of shape will be placed at the four corners of the document. For this, go to “Filter > Others > Offset” from the Menu Bar.

In the Offset dialogue box, put in the value of 50 in the horizontal as well as the vertical value boxes. Select Wrap Around from the down of the dialogue box. Then Click Ok.

As you click Ok, you'll see that the copy of the original shape in the center will be split into 4 parts, and these will be placed in the 4 corners of the document.

The repeating tile is ready! Now we simply need to save it as a pattern and apply it on another document or canvas to see if it works as a seamless pattern or not. To save it as a pattern, go to, “Edit > Define Pattern” in the Menu Bar.

In the new window, name your pattern. It's good to name every pattern you make in Photoshop. Type the name and click on OK. Your pattern will be saved in the pattern library.

Next, we create a new canvas of any size with a white background. To do this, simply go to, “File > New” from the Menu Bar. In the new dialogue window, select the size you want and select White as Background Contents. Then simply click Create.

A new white canvas will be created.

Now, we add a new layer on the canvas. For this, go to the Layers Panel and simply click on the New Layer Icon on the bottom of the Layers Panel. A transparent layer will be created above the white layer.

Lastly, we'll fill the new transparent layer with the pattern we've just created. To do this, we select the new layer and then go to, “Edit > Fill” from the Menu Bar.

The Fill dialogue box will appear after you click on the Fill button. From there, you can select Pattern as the Content, and select the saved pattern by clicking on the already selected pattern icon in the box and then double-clicking on the icon of your custom-made pattern.

Leave the other settings as it was in the default mode. Then simply click on OK.

As you click on OK, you'll notice that on the new transparent layer, the pattern will be applied, and the white background layer remains intact. We see that in the applied pattern, we can not differentiate between the tiles, and it proves that our pattern is seamless.

Final Thoughts on Patterns in PhotoshopYou've just learned how you can make a seamless pattern in Adobe Photoshop. There are a lot more options and possibilities in Photoshop you can follow to create more interesting and complex patterns. You can add more colors and gradients if you like, to meet the requirements of your design projects, or you can make custom handmade patterns for your seamless designs. Just keep practicing and exploring your way to learn new tools by playing with them.

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Having a white background can be helpful when you're working on your design, as it creates a clear vision for you to see. However, the white background creates obstacles when using the image in other designs. In such cases, we often search for an image with a transparent background. Fortunately, Illustrator can save us time by removing the white background and giving our design a transparent background.

In this article, we'll learn how to make the background transparent in Illustrator.

Illustrator comes with a tool called Image Trace, which allows us to convert an image to a vector graphic and remove the white background.

We'll be using these two images in the tutorial. Download them from Vecteezy if you'd like to follow along.

• Tree photo with white background
• Illustration of a cartoon face

Image TraceImage trace converts any image (JPEG, PNG, etc.) to a vector graphic. It helps you convert the raster image into an editable vector image that you can edit. To enable Image Trace, go to Window on the overhead menu and choose Image Trace. A new panel for image tracing will appear on the right side of the interface.

Transparent Background from Image TracingStep 1 Place the image on the artboard. Press Shift + Ctrl + D (PC) or Shift + Cmd + D (Mac) to enable the transparent grid.

Step 2 Select the Selection Tool (keyboard shortcut V) from the left toolbar and select the image. Go to the Window menu on the overhead toolbar and select Image Trace from the drop-down menu.

Step 3 Once you select the Image Trace, a window of image tracing will appear on the screen. Change the mode from Black and White to Color. Then extend the Advance menu, go to the Options section, and check the box next to the Ignore White option.

Step 4 After completing the settings, click Trace to initiate the trace.

Make the Background Transparent by Deleting PointsStep 1 Trace the image if it's not a vector image. Select the image, and go to Window > Image Trace. Make the necessary changes as we did in the previous method.

Step 2 Go to the View menu on the overhead toolbar and select Show Transparency Grid. Alternatively, you can enable the transparency grid using the keyboard shortcut Shift + Ctrl + D. We need to do this step to delete the background later.

Step 3 Select the image using the Selection Tool. Go to the Object menu on the overhead toolbar and select Expand from the drop-down menu. After you expand the image, all the points will appear on your image.

Step 4Using the Direct Selection tool (keyboard shortcut A), select the points from the background area you want to remove. Make sure you don't miss any points while selecting. Hold down the Shift key while selecting if you need to make multiple selections.

Step 5Once you're done selecting the background, press Delete. This will remove the image's selected part, leaving you with a transparent background. Don't worry if you fail to select all the points at once. You can select the points again and delete them.

After you remove the background from your image, you can keep working with it or save it as a PNG or SVG for later use.

How to Export Your Image with a Transparent BackgroundIf you want to save the image with transparent background, save it as a PNG or SVG form. Follow the instructions given below:

• Go to the File on the overhead toolbar.
• Click on Export from the drop-down menu and select Export As from the extended menu.
• A Save As window will appear on the screen. Select the location where you want to save it and give a name to the file.
• Go to the Save As Type menu and change it to PNG format.
• Click Export. A new window with PNG format options will appear on the screen.
• In the Preview option, select the background color as Transparent.
• Click Ok to finally save the image with a transparent background.

Removing the white background and replacing it with a transparent one is essential if you plan to use the element seamlessly in another design. Illustrator comes to the rescue again by providing a solution for this issue. I hope this article has helped you achieve your goal of creating a transparent background.

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Color plays a significant role in design. It's one of the many languages of design that can evoke mood and emotion in viewers. Adobe Illustrator has a vast field for exploring and playing with color. As you're working, there may be times when you want to invert colors in Illustrator.

When we talk about inverting colors in an image, there are two important aspects to consider in Illustrator: vector objects and raster images. However, color inversion can only be applied if the object or the image is editable in Illustrator. In this article, we'll learn how to invert colors in Illustrator for both vector objects and rasterized images.

Before we begin the tutorial, let's briefly understand what vector objects are and what rasterized images are.

We'll be using the images below in this tutorial. Download them from Vecteezy if you'd like to follow along:

• Butterfly vector illustrations
• Colorful butterflies vector
• Isolated flowers

Vector Graphics/ObjectsVector graphics are composed of shapes and lines based on mathematical formulas. To simplify, vector graphics are drawings made from a series of connected dots. When you select a vector object in Illustrator, you'll see anchor points or paths. Resolution is not an issue with vector images. They do not lose their quality or become blurred when resized, so they can be scaled to infinity.

Raster Based ImageRaster files are composed of pixels (like photos). Therefore, when you zoom into a rasterized image, you see individual pixels. So, you can tell if the image is vector or raster by increasing the size. If the image becomes pixelated when zooming in, it's a raster image.

How to Invert the Color of a Vector ImageIf you want to invert the color of a whole vector image at once, follow these instructions:

• Select the image/object.
• Go to the Edit menu on the overhead toolbar.
• Select Edit Colors from the drop-down menu.
• Choose Invert Colors from the extended menu.

You can also select a particular part of the object and invert the color individually using the color panel.

Step 1 Select the object using the Selection Tool located in the left-side toolbar.

Step 2 Right-click on the object and select ungroup from the right-click drop-down menu. Alternatively, you can ungroup the object using the keyboard shortcut key U.

Step 3 Using the Direct Selection Tool, select the part you want to invert the colors.

Step 4Go to the color panel located on the right-side toolbar. If you cannot find it there, go to the Window menu in the overhead toolbar and select Color from the drop-down menu.

Step 5From the Color Panel, open the hidden menu (by clicking on the hamburger icon) and select Invert.

How to Invert the Color of a Raster ImageUnlike vector images, the color of a rasterized image can only be inverted in one way. However, before you invert the color, ensure the rasterized image is embedded and not linked.

Embedding an ImageIf you want to invert the color of a rasterized image, you need to embed it first. You can embed an image in two ways: either using the Links Panel or the Quick Action panel. The quickest way to embed an image is through the Quick Action panel.

• Select the image you want to embed.
• Go to the Quick Action panel in the right toolbar and select Embed.

After embedding the image, you can proceed to invert the color. The steps are outlined below.

Step 1 Select the selection tool from the left-side toolbar and select the embedded image.

Step 2 Once the image is selected, go to the overhead toolbar and open the Edit menu.

Step 3 From the drop-down menu, select Edit Colors and choose Invert from the extended menu.

When inverting the color of a rasterized image, the entire image, including the background, will be changed. In this case, the white background was inverted. Now, if you ever want to revert it back to its original state, you can repeat the steps mentioned above.

Final Thoughts on Inverting Colors in IllustratorYou can invert the color of both vector and raster images using the Edit menu. I hope this article has helped you learn how to invert colors of images in Illustrator.

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For designers and photographers, it's common to edit and manipulate images to showcase their creativity. Thus, knowing all about photo editing and photo manipulation techniques becomes a must-know skill.

Knowing the shortcuts to best increase editing speed also becomes mandatory. If you're working with a large number of photos, editing becomes a significant task.

It would not be wrong if I say that shortcuts and tricks help a lot in the process to reach the desired results. And one awesome Photoshop hack is inverting the selection made on an image. To understand it better, first, we need to understand what a selection really is in Photoshop.

Making a Selection in PhotoshopTo make a selection in Photoshop means that we select or choose a specific area on an image and that very area becomes our working area. Everything we change or manipulate remains within that selected area. There are certain tools in Photoshop that are used to make selections, such as the Lasso Tool, Quick Selection Tool, Rectangular Marque Tool, Elliptical Marque Tool, and Pen Tool.

When something is selected in Photoshop, that area becomes surrounded by the “marching ants”. “Marching ants” refers to a moving black-and-white dashed line that surrounds the selected area.

Inverting a Selection in Adobe PhotoshopTo understand how we can use the selection invert feature to make our task easier, let's look at an example of the following image that has been opened in Photoshop. (If you want to follow along, you can download the photo from Pexels.)

Now, we will select the man in the image, then we'll inverse that selection to select the background and make changes to it. Let's assume that I have selected the man using some selection tools. You can choose any of the selection tools that suit you the best as I have used the Quick Selection Tool and Lasso Tool to do it.

Now, we'll look at different methods to inverse this selection to select the background of the image. The methods have been discussed in the following.

Method 1: Using any Selection Tool and MouseTo invert the selection with this method, first, you need to use any selection tool from the Tool Bar or Tool Panel. The selection tool can be a Lasso Tool, Rectangular Marquee Tool, Elliptical Marquee Tool, Quick Selection Tool, or any other selection tool that works the best for you or that is fast and easy for you to select.

In this case, I have selected the Lasso Tool using the keyboard shortcut, “L”.

Next, with your tool selected, bring your cursor into the selection area. Right Click there using your mouse. An options window will appear. Click on Select Inverse.

And there you go. You have just inverted the selection on the image. You can observe that only the background is selected now and marchig ants have surrounded the background.

Method 2: Using the ShortcutAnother easy and quick method to invert a selection is through the shortcut using your keyboard only. Let's take an example from the above photo. As you have selected the man in the image, now use the keyboard shortcut Control + Shift + I (For Windows) or Command + Shift + I (For Mac). And that's it, you've done it in no time!

Method 3: Using the Menu BarThis method looks the same as method one, but it's slightly different. Let's suppose you have selected the man in the image by any means, and the marching ants surround the man only, depicting that you've selected the man.

Now simply, go up to Select > Inverse in the menu bar.

You'll see that your selection will be inverted as you click on “inverse.”

As you've selected the background of the image by inverting in the selection, now you can complete your editing easily. You might like to add a mask to the selection, or you would like to change the background of your original image. For example, I've changed the background of the sample photo.

(If you want to use the same background that I've used, you can download the image from Pexels.)

Final ThoughtsThe invert selection feature can be used to precisely edit your photo where you would like to edit the subject and background without affecting each other. This means you can turn to either side of the selection just by inversing the selection repeatedly using either of the methods discussed above. Not only this, you can use this feature in many different scenarios, and you should keep experimenting to save a lot of your time in editing.

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Adobe Photoshop is used for a vast variety of work, ranging from photo manipulation and photo editing to designing. When it comes to photo editing and manipulation, no other software can compete with Photoshop.

If you're a creator or photographer, then you might have come to a point where you'd like to make some changes to your image or want to select just a small portion of the image. When it comes to selection tools, Photoshop provides a wide range of tools and options you can use to make any selection easily.

Making the perfect selection in Photoshop is a skill worth mastering. Using the right tool to select a particular area is also considered an art. One should learn and master the selection tools of all kinds to be a good designer or editor.

The selection tools that have been integrated into Adobe Photoshop include, Rectangular Marquee Tool, Elliptical Marque Tool, Lasso Tool, Magic Wand Tool, and Quick Selection Tool. And if you're a professional and make the selections precisely, then you may also use the Pen Tool for selections.

The Lasso Tool in PhotoshopQuick freehand selections while dealing with a photo in Photoshop are required in some cases where small selections perfect the photo's editing. And this is where the Lasso Tool brings the magic. Photoshop provides different variations of the Lasso Tool for making unique selections while using them.

These variations include Standard Lasso Tool, Polygon Lasso Tool, and Magnetic Lasso Tool. You can find these tools in the same place in the Tool Panel or ToolBar of Photoshop.

We will be covering the Standard Lasso Tool in this tutorial, which is the most common while making freehand selections. You can select the tool simply by clicking on its icon in the toolbar.

Or you can use the shortcut, “L” to select it. Your settings of Photoshop will decide what to select when you press the “L” keyUnderstanding your tool and its function before you use it is very crucial. To give a proper explanation of the tool, let's discuss the following features that come with the Lasso Tool.

Freeform SelectionsSometimes, while editing or making changes in an image, you would probably think about making a selection that follows the cursor or that moves along the cursor. Well, the Lasso Tool provides exactly this type of selection-making.

The Lasso Tool works best when you're much more comfortable with your mouse. Or if you have a drawing tablet, then you'll find it very easy to make natural and more organic-shaped selections.

Let's see how it works.

Using the Lasso Tool with Your MouseAfter selecting the Lasso Tool from your Toolbar, bring your cursor to your canvas. Then, using your mouse, Click at the point where you want to start the selection and Hold. While holding the button, drag the mouse in the direction you want to make the selection.

Using the Lasso Tool with a Drawing TabletUsing the stylus pen of your drawing tablet, bring the cursor where you want to start your selection on the canvas. Then draw the selection as you write on normal paper while you do the freehand drawing.

How to Use the Lasso ToolIn both cases, bring your ending point near the starting point. That will be the point where you would like to release the mouse button or lift the stylus pen from the tablet surface. You'll see a selection made like a freehand drawing on paper;

You'll notice that as you release the mouse button anywhere away from the starting point, a straight line is automatically drawn, connecting the starting point and ending point. And that completes the selection.

This is how the Lasso Tool functions, and through it, we can make as large selections as we want. To understand how we can use it effectively, let's take an example of the following image that I have opened in Photoshop. (If you want to follow along, you can download the photo from Pexels.)

Suppose we want to select the dancer and isolate him by pasting the selection on another page or canvas. To do it, first, I'll select the dancer by using the Quick Selection Tool. The selection will look like this.

As you can see, the selection is not good in this case. To perfect the selection, I will move over to the Lasso Tool and start correcting the selection by adding the small areas and removing the unwanted areas.

To do it, I'll use my Pen Tablet. You can also do it with your mouse, although it may be slightly more difficult for precise selections like this one.

To add to the selection, I will press and hold the Shift key before adding the area. You'll notice that, with the Lasso Tool selected, when you press and hold the shift key, a plus sign will appear under the Tool's icon, which indicates that you're adding to the selection.

Similarly, to remove the selection, I will press and hold the Alt key before I start to select the unwanted area using the Lasso Tool.

Now that you know how to add or remove the area in the selection, you can go ahead and make the required changes.

If you're zoomed in to work on the image, you might want to move around your canvas to see different parts of the image. For that, you can press the Spacebar whenever you like. It will allow you to turn your cursor into a hand that you can use to move anywhere on the canvas. As you release the Spacebar, you'll see that it returns to the Lasso Tool to continue your selection.

Or, you might want to zoom in or out to see if the overall correction is going okay. You can press the “Z” key to zoom in or out. It will allow you to select the Zoom Tool. Now, you can zoom in or out on the window to adjust the view of the canvas.

Or, while using the Lasso Tool with your mouse, you can press and hold the Alt key any time, and then you can zoom in or out with the Mouse Wheel by moving it upwards or downwards. As you release the Alt key, you'll return to the Lasso Tool to continue your selection.

After correcting the areas of our selection, the final selection looks like the following.

Now, you can copy this selection with the keyboard shortcut Control + C (PC) or Command + C (Mac) and paste it on any other page or canvas by using the shortcut Control + V (PC) or Command + V (Mac)

Congratulations! You've just learned to use the Lasso Tool to make and correct freeform selections.

Final Thoughts on the Lasso ToolWhen we understand any tool, we understand there are many different ways to use that tool for unique purposes. We can use the Lasso Tool to make simple selections. We can use it to add the layer mask to complicated selections and draw different complicated shapes onto the canvas. The more you use it, the more you discover different perspectives. Just keep using and practicing with it, and you will surely be able to create interesting designs.

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Resizing photos is a common task in Photoshop. Perhaps you want an image with a lower resolution and fewer pixels for posting on a social platform, or you need to enhance the resolution for printing purposes. Regardless of the purpose, you may encounter unexpected results while resizing an image if you don't consider the quality of the image.

In this article, we'll discuss how to resize an image and how to do it without compromising the quality of the image.

Before beginning the tutorial, let's look at two features we'll use to resize an image in Photoshop.

I'm using this lion photo from Vecteezy for this tutorial.

Transform ToolThe Transform Tool is a multi-functional feature in Photoshop that enables us to resize, scale, skew, distort, flip, warp an image, and more. To use it, simply select your object or layer and choose the desired option from the Transform menu.

Where to Find It?You'll find the Transform menu in the Edit menu in the overhead toolbar. Go to the overhead menu and select Edit > Transform to access it.

Image Resize This feature allows us to make changes to the size of an image. When I mention changing the size of an image, I am referring to adjusting the image's width, height, resolution, and dimensions. This feature provides a variety of sizes you can choose from.

Where to Find It?You will find the Image Resize option in the Image menu on the overhead toolbar. To access it, go to the overhead toolbar and select Image > Image Resize.

How to Resize an Image Using the Transform Tool Step 1 Make a copy of the image in the Layers panel. To do this, right-click the layer you want to copy and select Duplicate from the right-click drop-down menu. Alternatively, you can select the layer and press Control + J (PC) or Command + J (Mac) to duplicate the layer.

Step 2 Convert the duplicated layer into a smart object. To do this, right-click on the empty space of the layer and select Convert to Smart Object from the drop-down menu.

Step 3 Select the image layer you want to transform and press Ctrl + A.

Step 4Open the Transform Tool by going Edit in the overhead menu. You can also use the keyboard shortcut key Ctrl + T. Now you can resize the image by dragging the anchor points without worrying about any loss in quality.

How to Resize an Image Using the Image Size Properties As we know, an image is composed of millions of pixels. When we try to enlarge an image, the pixels are spread out, resulting in a soft and pixelated appearance due to quality loss. Fortunately, Photoshop offers a feature to minimize this problem. Photoshop uses the Image Size command to fill in the pixel gaps to maintain the resolution.

Step 1Select the image you want to resize from the layer panel.

Step 2 Go to the overhead menu, select Image from the drop-down menu, and choose Image Size.

Step 3 Once you select the Image Size, a new dialogue window will pop open on your screen. Choose the desired size for your image from the Fit To drop-down menu. You will find several options in the drop-down menu. Select whichever option suits your objective.

Alternatively, You can manually set your preferred size by changing the Width and Height values.

The proportions of the image are linked by default. If you want to maintain the image's aspect ratio, ensure that the chain link button next to Width and Height is selected. However, if you want to adjust the Width and Height independently, click on the link icon to unlink the connection between width and height.

Note: Keep the Resample option checked to maintain the image's dimensions unchanged, as they automatically change while you adjust the resolution.

Step 5Click Ok to finalize your selection.

You can choose any of the methods mentioned in this article to resize your image in Photoshop without losing the quality of the image. I hope you find this article helpful.

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In the ever-evolving world of graphic design, finding reliable and powerful tools is crucial for artists who want to create striking visuals. Enter Adobe Illustrator, a popular, industry-leading vector editing software that has been the go-to choice for many professionals over the years.

However, Adobe Illustrator's hefty price tag and subscription requirement have driven designers to seek alternatives. In this article, we'll explore some of the best free and paid Adobe Illustrator alternatives available today, providing you with a comprehensive list of options to boost your creativity while keeping your wallet happy.

Key Takeaways* Adobe Illustrator alternatives are sought after by graphic designers primarily for cost savings, or to avoid an ongoing subscription commitment. * The best free Adobe Illustrator alternatives include Inkscape, Vectr, and Vectornator while the best paid options include Affinity Designer, CorelDRAW, Gravit Designer, Sketch, Boxy SVG, and Graphic. * Choosing the Adobe Illustrator alternative that's right for you depends on your specific needs, as well as your situation (hobbyist or professional).

Why Look For Adobe Illustrator Alternatives?I've you're a regular reader of Bittbox, you know that we're big fans of Illustrator. After all, it's the most powerful and capable vector design program available. However, there are other capable programs as well.

The main reason why you may want to consider an alternative to Adobe Illustrator involves cost and payment options. To license a copy of Illustrator, you'll need a valid, active subscription to Adobe's Creative Cloud. Not only is it more expensive than some competitors, it forces you to commit to monthly payments if you want to continue to use Illustartors.

Years ago, you could purchase Illustrator and continue to use it with no additional payments. Today, that's not an option. A Creative Cloud subscription comes with some excellent features and perks, including constant software updates. However, some customers prefer to make a one-time payment for software rather than an ongoing monthly payment. Most of Adobe's competitors do not force customers into monthly payments.

The learning curve of Illustrator may be another consideration. Because the software includes so many advanced tools, it takes some time to learn and master the basics. That's fine for a professional, but if you're a hobbyist, you may prefer something that's easier and faster to learn.

Best Free Adobe Illustrator AlternativesBeleive it or not, there are some pretty good vector editing programs that can be used at no cost. Here are our favorites.

1. InkscapeInkscape is a highly recommended open-source software for creating stunning vector graphics. It has various drawing and shape tools that allow designers to create professional-quality icons, logos, and other graphic designs without spending significant money on design software.

What's great about Inkscape is its ability to support multiple file formats such as SVG, PDF, EPS, AI (Adobe Illustrator), and CDR (CorelDRAW). You can open or import files in all of these formats, which comes in very handy. You can save or export files in SVG, EPS, PDF, and many other file formats.

Furthermore, Inkscape can be used across all major operating systems including Windows, macOS, and Linux, making it extremely versatile.

1. VectrOne of the best free Adobe Illustrator alternatives for graphic designers is Vectr. This online application offers a stress-free vector graphics editing experience, perfect for those who prefer working on their browser.

It's not quite as advanced as a program like Illustrator, but it's an excellent choice for hobbyists or freelancers who don't need all of the features of Illustrator. Additionally, web-based access is extremely convenient.

1. VectornatorVectornator is one of the best free Adobe Illustrator alternatives for graphic designers looking to save costs without compromising on quality. Its intuitive user interface and powerful design tools make it an ideal option for digital illustration, vector drawing, and UI design.

In addition to being completely free to download and use, Vectornator boasts a range of features that rival those found in paid software options like Affinity Designer and Adobe Illustrator.

With its extensive collection of creative tools and design applications, Vectornator offers excellent artistic software capabilities for graphic designers at all levels.

The downside is, Vectornator is currently only available for Mac, iPad, or iPhone.

Best Paid Adobe Illustrator AlternativesFor those looking for more advanced features and capabilities, the best paid Adobe Illustrator alternatives may be a more suitable replacement.

1. Affinity DesignerAffinity Designer is a highly powerful and popular alternative to Adobe Illustrator. This graphic design software can be used on Windows, macOS, and iPad.

It boasts an impressive range of features similar to those offered by Illustrator but at a much more affordable price point. Equally important, it's a one-time payment with no monthly subscription required.

Affinity Designer offers advanced vector editing capabilities, which allows users to create incredibly precise designs with ease.

Additionally, the interface is intuitive and easy to navigate while still offering users plenty of creative flexibility.

1. CorelDRAWCorelDRAW is a powerful and popular Adobe Illustrator alternative that is widely used by graphic designers. This professional design software provides all the necessary tools for creating high-quality vector graphics, digital illustrations, and layouts.

In addition to its impressive feature set, CorelDRAW also offers a one-time fee for those who don't like subscription payments (although the price is higher than Affinity Designer).

CorelDRAW's exceptional file format support means that designers can easily exchange files with clients or colleagues using different software applications without losing quality.

1. Corel Vector (Formerly Gravit Designer)Corel Vector is a powerful vector graphics editor that can be used for digital design applications. It's available as a free or paid version, making it accessible to graphic designers with varying budgets.

The browser-based Corel Vector has an intuitive interface that makes it easy for users to jump in and start working on their projects quickly. It also allows you to import files from Adobe Illustrator, which means you won't have any compatibility issues. This feature keeps your work flowing without wasting time converting file formats.

In addition, Corel Vector's impressive creative flexibility enables designers to experiment freely with different design elements and create visually appealing works of art in no time.

1. SketchSketch is a highly-acclaimed vector drawing program that has become one of the best alternatives to Adobe Illustrator. It offers several advanced features, such as shared libraries, real-time collaboration, and excellent capabilities for UI design and layouts.

Designers can easily create and manipulate objects in Sketch, making it an ideal tool for digital design. The program allows designers to export PDFs with clickable elements, which is particularly useful in creating prototypes or presenting designs to clients.

Additionally, Sketch is compatible with macOS and supports plugins, giving users plenty of customization options.

1. Boxy SVGBoxy SVG is an excellent paid Adobe Illustrator alternative that is highly praised by graphic designers. It offers a clean and user-friendly interface, making it easy to use even for beginners.

Boxy SVG boasts an extensive toolkit that allows users to create scalable vector graphics quickly and efficiently. This software's most significant advantage over Adobe Illustrator is its ability to work specifically with Scalable Vector Graphic (SVG) files, where it excels beyond other graphics editors.

This program has changed the game by offering a highly comprehensive approach dedicated solely to scaling vector graphics while also providing an intuitive structure within a moderately-priced package compared to its competitors like Adobe Illustrator, CorelDRAW, and Sketch.

1. GraphicOne of the best paid Adobe Illustrator alternatives is Graphic, a vector-based design software that offers powerful graphic design tools. It provides a user-friendly interface and allows users to easily create stunning digital illustrations.

With its comprehensive drawing tools and extensive support for different file formats, including PSD and AI files, Graphic stands out as one of the most flexible solutions available for professional designers.

It's perfect for creating logos, icons, and web graphics with precision and speed. Graphic is currently only available for Mac.

How To Choose The Best Adobe Illustrator AlternativeTo choose the right Adobe Illustrator alternative, consider your budget, assess the learning curve, and analyze compatibility with other software.

Determine Your PurposeBefore choosing an Adobe Illustrator alternative, it's essential to determine your purpose. Will you use the software for professional design work or personal creative projects? The answer to this question will help you decide which alternative is best suited for your needs.

Another factor to consider in determining your purpose is the level of complexity required for your project. If you're a beginner looking for simple design tools that are easy to use, then Inkscape may be an ideal choice.

On the other hand, if you require advanced design features, then Affinity Designer or Sketch or might be perfect.

Consider Your BudgetWhen choosing an Adobe Illustrator alternative, it's essential to consider your budget. While some options may seem more affordable upfront, they may not have the same level of features or support as a higher-priced option.

For example, Inkscape is a free vector graphics editor that offers many of the same features as Adobe Illustrator but without the price tag. On the other hand, if you're willing to invest in a paid alternative, Affinity Designer provides robust design tools and compatibility with other industry-standard software at a reasonable cost.

Assess The Learning CurveWhen choosing an Adobe Illustrator alternative, assessing the learning curve is crucial. Adobe Illustrator has a vast array of features and tools that can be overwhelming for beginners or those who are not tech-savvy.

However, there are several alternatives available that offer easier-to-learn interfaces and simpler tools without sacrificing functionality.

It's important to remember that each person's proficiency level and learning speed vary, so what works best for one individual may not work for another. Affinity Designer is often considered the best all-around alternative to Adobe Illustrator because of its ease of use and advanced functionalities suitable for both beginners and professionals.

Analyze Compatibility With Other SoftwareOne crucial factor to consider when selecting an Adobe Illustrator alternative is its compatibility with other software. Since graphic designers often use multiple tools in their workflow, it's essential to ensure that your chosen design software will work seamlessly with the others you depend on.

Final ThoughtsIn conclusion, Adobe Illustrator has been a popular vector editor for graphic designers over the years. However, many users don't like being forced into an on-going subscription payment. Fortunately, there are some excellent Illustrator alternatives with one-time payments, and others are free.

This article highlights some of the best free and paid alternatives available today. From Inkscape to Affinity Designer and Sketch, these design tools offer a range of powerful capabilities that bring creativity to life.

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Embedding is necessary when you're working with an image in Illustrator. Especially when you're supposed to send your document, which includes an image in it, to print or to someone else (like a client).

The image you place into your document is not saved there. As a result, when you send the file to someone, they will not be able to view the image if it is not embedded. If the image is not embedded, you have to send them the image separately.

What is an Embedded Image in Illustrator?Basically, when you place an image in your design document, it's not saved in that document unless you embed it. When an image is placed into a document, it shows as a link rather than a saved image. Embedding the image into the document will save the image in the Ai document file, so even if the image is deleted from your hard drive, it will still appear in the document. Hence, you can send the image to other devices, and anyone from anywhere can view the image.

How Do You Know if an Image is Embedded?When you place an image into your document, you will see two blue cross lines over the image. These lines tell us that the image is not saved in the AI file. This means the image is not embedded yet into your document. Once you embedded the image into your document file, the cross lines will be gone, and you will view the image inside a bounding box.

For this tutorial, we're using a travel photo from Vecteezy.

Why Do We Need to Embed an Image?Without embedding the image, you run into a problem of missing images. This is a problem when you're supposed to present your file in front of multiple people. Embedding images in your document will allow you to open the Ai document from other devices without having any trouble with missing images. So, it's always a good idea to embed the image you place into your design at the beginning of your work.

So now you know why embedding an image is essential. In this article, we'll learn how to embed an image in Illustrator in two different ways.

How to Embed Images Using the Links PanelStep 1 Place an image into your document. To place an image into your document go to the File option from the overhead menu and select Place from the drop-down menu. You can also simply drag down the image to your artboard.

Step 2 Go to the Links panel. If you cannot find the Links Panel with the other panels on the right side of the Illustrator, it's because the panel is not enabled for use. To enable the links panel, go to Window from the overhead menu and select Links.

Step 3Select the image from the list of images you use in your design. Here, I am using one image.

Step 4After selecting the image, go to the menu, which you can find on the top right corner of the Links Panel.

Step 5 Select Embed Image(s) from the drop-down menu. Your image will be embedded after selecting this option, and the cross lines will be disappeared from the image.

How to Embed Images Using the Quick Action Step 1Place the image into your document either by dragging the image to the artboard you are working on, or you can place the image by going to the overhead menu File > Place.

Step 2Select the image using the Selection Tool (keyboard shortcut V).

Step 3Go to the Quick Actions menu that appears on the right side of the screen.

Step 4Select the Embed option from the Quick Actions panel. This will embed the image you've selected into the document file.

Embedding images is always a better idea than depending on the linked images. It saves your time and eliminates the trouble of sending the image separately to other devices or downloading it again, in case the image has been deleted from the hard drive. Follow any of the methods that are mentioned above for embedding images.

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Have you ever seen those giant billboards with something popping out of them? Of course you have. Those are designed to grab attention. Graphic designers should master the same principles to produce a captivating design.

Well, coming back to the billboard idea, an editor or graphic designer should be familiar with cutting the objects out of an image with precision. The picture used in the design will be the primary object in the visual.

That said, cutting any object out of a photo becomes a must-know skill for a graphic designer. Whether it's a small scale or a big project to be designed on, this skill as it is one of the most used skills for any graphic designer. So, let's get into the mastery of this.

Methods to Cut Out an ImageDepending upon the nature of the photo you're working on, there are some different methods to cut an object out of an image. So, let's look at the options.

Method 1: Using the Elliptical/Rectangular Marquee ToolCutting out an object in frames of different shapes can be helpful in many cases. The shape can be an ellipse, oval, rectangle, pentagon, hexagon, etc. This type of isolating the object can be used while making an avatar for any profile picture or dropping your picture in some resume that requires only a small part of your image with a portrait.

For this basic cutting of an image, we use the Marquee Tool, which can be found in the Tool Bar. Depending on the shape of the selection, the Marque Tool further consists of many types. It can be rectangular, elliptical, single row, or single column.

If you right-click on this icon, you'll see many types of Marquee Tools. You can select any shape of those marque tools based on the type of selection you want. Let's take the following image as an example to understand it better. (If you want to follow along, you can download the image from Pexels.)

Now, let's consider I want to cut the portrait out of this image in a square form. For this, I would select the Rectangular Marquee Tool and make the selection by left-clicking, holding, and dragging while pressing and holding the Shift Key. This will allow the selection to be a perfect square.

Now, simply right-click on the selected area and select the Layer via Copy or Layer via Cut from the pop-up panel.

As I have selected, Layer via Cut here, and, the selected area is isolated in a square shape.

You can cut out the object in a circle with the same method. But you will need to use the Elliptical Marquee Tool for this.

You can copy and paste the isolated part anywhere on the other images, or you can save them for future use.

Method 2: Using the Lasso ToolAs we move further to make more advanced and precise selections, the Lasso Tool is the one that should never be ignored. You can find the Lasso Tool in the Tool Panel.

The Lasso Tool is mainly used for adding or subtracting any part of the selection quickly. This tool is more for a freehand selection, so, you might need a Pen Tablet if you cannot make good use of a mouse for this.

For example, let's take the following part of an image with ‘not that good of a selection.' You can see the ‘marching ants' aren't on the edges of the man, like they should be.

Photo by Abubakar MushtaqTo correct the selection, I will use the Lasso Tool. In this case, I'll press the Shift Key or Alt Key while I select the area that's deselected. This will allow the selection being made to be added or subtracted from the previous selection.

In this way, I have corrected the selection using the Lasso Tool.

You can isolate the selected part of the image with the same method used previously.

Method 3: Using the Subject Selection ToolWith the newer versions of Adobe Photoshop, the Subject Selection Tool has been introduced. It is one of the most effective and quick tools to select an object in an image. Let's learn how to make a selection with this taking an example. (If you want to follow along, you can download the image from Pexels.)

We want to isolate the whole human figure from this image. For this, after the image has been opened in Photoshop, we first select the Object Selection Tool from the tools panel.

The Object Selection Tool here will act like a Rectangular Marquee Tool. For the selection, we'll simply cover the object with the area of selection.

As we release the button of our mouse, some loading starts to take place, and then after a few moments, the selection will be made automatically around the object that was put inside the rectangle.

As we notice closely, we come to know that the selection made by the Object Selection Tool will not be perfect, there will be some areas where it will need to be fixed. To correct these areas, we can use any tool to select. It can be any tool that works best for us.

For instance, I have used the Polygon Lasso Tool in this example. The Polygon Lasso Tool works like the normal Lasso Tool, but it makes the selection in straight lines that makes the planar objects to be selected more easily. You can also use the Magnetic Lasso Tool. It works as a magnet and sticks to the corners as you move your cursor along the ends of an object.

NOTE: Like any other selection-making tool, you can use the Polygon Lasso Tool and Magnetic Lasso Tool to make the overall selection of the object.

After the correction of selection, our image will look like this (notice, the still has been removed from the selection).

Using the previously used method, we can isolate the selected object from the image. We can paste it on another image or page, or we can simply remove the background of the original one.

To remove the background, make a new layer with a selection by clicking Layer via Copy as was shown previously. And then hide the background layer.

In this quick way, we can cut any object out of an image with precision.

Method 4: Using the Quick Selection Tool and Magic Wand ToolThe Quick Selection Tool and the Magic Wand Tool are also used to make a selection while dealing with images in Adobe Photoshop. The Quick Selection Tool allows the selection of objects by filling up the object area with the click-and-drag method of the mouse. And Magic Wand Tool works best for images with flat backgrounds or backgrounds with the same colors or hues.

To understand these tools, let's take the above image. First, I used the Quick Selection Tool to select the figure and then refined the selection using the Lasso Tool.

Selection with the Quick Selection Tool is done as follows.

Below the Quick Selection Tool, there is Magic Wand Tool.

To use the Magic Wand Tool, I have selected the background as it is flatter than the object being selected.

After correcting the selections with both, Magic Wand Tool and Quick Selection Tool, we can isolate them with any method, we have gone through previously.

Method 5: Using the Color Range SelectionThe Color Selection Method is also considered when it comes to making a selection of objects with flat backgrounds or backgrounds with similar colors and hues. To understand it much better, let's take an example of the following image opened in Photoshop. (If you want to follow along, you can download the image from Pexels.)

Next, we simply go to Select > Color Range from the Menu Bar.

Now, we select the color of the background with the Eyedropper Tool from the newly opened panel of the Color Range and adjust the Fuzziness until you get a nice, crisp selection.

Finally, we click OK. We will get a nice selection based on the color range we have selected.

After correcting our selection, we can isolate the object using any of the previously told methods.

And that's it. We have successfully isolated the objects from our background using the Color Range Method.

Non-Destructive Editing: Using a Layer MaskOne of the main benefits of using a Layer Mask is that it allows us to do Non-Destructive Editing. In dealing with the image, it becomes easy to edit it even after the final changes. It allows us to edit our selection even after completely isolating the object from the background, as it keeps the original image intact.

To understand it better, we can take examples from any of the previous images. In the image of oranges, we've made the selection of these oranges using the Quick Selection Tool.

Now, we simply go to the Layer Panel and click on the Add Layer Mask Icon on the bottom side of the Panel. We'll see that the selected oranges will be isolated from the background, and a Layer Mask will be added to the layer that hides the background behind itself.

After the background has been removed from the image, we can still edit our image selection as it consists of the layer mask hiding the background. To edit the selection, we simply need to paint white or black on the layer mask to reveal or hide the pixels respectively. We can change the selection anytime, anyway we like.

I will be hiding two of the oranges in the image by painting black on them using the Brush Tool.

With the same method, I can paint white on the Layer Mask to bring the hidden image out of the Layer Mask.

And here we go. We have successfully learned one of the most demanded Adobe Photoshop skills, which is how to cut out an Image.

Final ThoughtsPhotoshop provides a vast range of tools and options to carry out any task when it comes to designing graphics in the industry. A designer should be versatile and creative to carry out any task in several different ways.

In this case, there are many more tools or options to cut out an image in Photoshop. You can choose any of those methods that suit you the best to get the results you will be looking for. Get the best out of your learning process as you go along with this. That's how great designs are made.

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In Photoshop, layers are used to separate or organize different elements of an image, and let you work with each element on different levels. This means, for each element you add in Photoshop or Illustrator, a layer will be added.

Working with so many layers can be challenging if you're not being careful. Locking layers will reduce the risk of ruining your design. When you lock a layer, you cannot edit that layer unless it is unlocked. Hence, no accidental changes can be made to a locked layer.

One must know how to lock and unlock a layer in Photoshop for work flexibility. In this article, we'll learn about different ways to unlock a layer in Photoshop.

Before starting our tutorial, let's learn about the Layers Panel. (I'll be working with this flower photo from Vecteezy.)

The Photoshop Layers PanelThe Layers Panel is where you'll find all your layers in a stack. This panel is located on the right side of the window. If you cannot find the layers panel, it's probably because it's not enabled or you accidentally closed it. In such a case, go to Window and select the Layers Panel from the drop-down menu. Or, you can simply use the keyboard shortcut key F7.

We'll cover two methods of how to unlock a layer in Photoshop.

How to Unlock a Layer Using the Layers PanelStep 1 Go to the Layers Panel located on the right side of your screen. You will find all your artwork's layers in a stack here.

Step 2 Select the layer you want to unlock from the stack. By clicking on a layer, you'll select that layer.

Note: If you want to lock or unlock multiple layers, hold down the Control or Command key and click on the layers you want to select. This will select multiple layers from the layer stack.

Step 3When a layer is locked, you'll see a padlock symbol on the right side of the layer's name. Click on the padlock button to unlock the layer.

How to Unlock a Layer Using the Keyboard ShortcutStep 1 Go to the Layers Panel and select a layer you want to unlock from the Layers panel.

Step 2Press Ctrl + / (PC) or Command + / (Mac) from the keyboard to unlock the selected layer.

Note: In the same way, you can also lock a layer.

How to Lock Layers in PhotoshopThere are various ways to lock layers in Photoshop. Let's have a look at the options.

Step 1 Open the Layers Panel. Select the layer you'd like to lock.

Step 2Go to the layer menu, which you can find on the top right corner of the layers panel. Select Lock Layers from the layer menu.

Step 3After you select Lock Layers, a dialog box containing a few lock options will appear. Choose what best suits your preference and click Ok. Your selected layers will be locked now.

Alternative Way to Lock or Unlock a Layer Select a layer from the layers panel. * Click the Lock* icon. You will find this icon just above the layers.

Note: You can also use the keyboard shortcut key (Ctrl + /) to lock the selected layer.

Working in Photoshop with so many layers can be stressful at times. Locking and unlocking layers quickly and effortlessly can be a significant relief by protecting your artwork from being ruined while working. I hope you found your convenient way of locking and unlocking layers in Photoshop from this article.

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Why download dotted and dashed lines when you can create your own in Illustrator? Creating dotted or dashed lines in Illustrator is way easier than you think. In fact, it's more beneficial to create your dotted or dashed lines as you can always modify the gaps and pattern.

In this article, we will learn how to create dotted or dashed lines. We'll also learn about the tools and panels needed for creating these lines. So, let's begin.

Related reading: How to Create a Dotted Line in Photoshop

The Tools and Panels to Create Dotted & Dashed LinesLine Segment ToolThis tool is used for drawing straight lines. The Line Segment Tool is located in the left toolbar. You can also access this tool using the keyboard shortcut key (**).

Ellipse ToolEllipse Tools are used for making circle shapes. You can find this tool in the left toolbar inside the menu of the Rectangle Tool. The shortcut key to this tool is (L).

Stroke Panel For the Stroke Panel, there's no separate section. This panel is located within the Appearance panel. The Stroke Panel has various options to customize and stylize your strokes.

Brush PanelThe Brush Panel is located on the right side of the Illustrator. This is a separate panel for modifying the brushes you use. If you cannot find the brush panel along with the others, it's probably because it is not enabled yet. To enable the brush panel, go to Window and select Brushes.

Creating a Dotted Line in IllustratorStep 1 Select the Ellipse Tool from the left toolbar (L) and create a circle with it.

Step 2 When you're done with creating the circle, click and drag the circle to the Brush Panel.

Step 3 Once you drag the circle to the brush panel, a dialog box will appear on the screen with various brush types. Click Ok.

Step 4 After you click Ok, a new window, “Scatter Brush Options,” will pop up. here you can change the setting of the dotted lines. You can edit the spacing between the dots, the size of the dots, colors, and so on. You can also give a name to this newly created brush. In this case, we're naming it “Dotted Line Brush.”

Step 5 When you finish the brush settings, select the Line Segment Tool (**) from the left toolbar and draw a line. To draw a straight line, hold down the Shift key** while drawing the line.

Step 6Go to the Brush panel and select the brush (Dotted Line Brush) you just created. Selecting this brush will turn the plain straight line into a dotted line.

Creating a Dashed Line in IllustratorStep 1 Select the Line Segment Tool (**) from the left toolbar and draw a line with it. Select the line you just created.

Step 2Go to the Appearance panel and click on the Stroke to open the Stroke Panel.

Step 3 In the Stroke Panel, you can adjust the strokes. You can modify how you want your strokes to appear. As for creating a dashed line, check the Dashed Line box. This will change the plain line stroke into a dashed line stroke. Once you choose the dashed line, the selected line will change into a dashed line.

How to Remove a Dashed LineRemoving a dashed line is as simple as creating one. It takes only two simple steps to remove a dashed line.

Step 1 Select the dashed line using the Selection Tool.

Step 2Go to Appearance > Stroke and uncheck the dashed line box.

Creating dashed lines or dotted lines in Illustrator gives you more flexibility in changing the size and spacing. And it's much easier to create than using images from other sites. So save yourself some and create your own dotted or dashed lines following these methods.

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When we talk about filling an area with color in Photoshop, the Paint Bucket Tool is one of the quickest ways to do it. The paint bucket tool comes with many options to make your artwork look more appealing. It does not only fill an element of your artwork but also gives in-depth details to your artwork.

You can download the floral illustration used in this tutorial from Vecteezy.

What is the Paint Bucket Tool?The Paint Bucket Tool is an advanced tool that lets you fill design elements with various other options to enhance your design. This tool gives you more control over filling an object. For instance, you can change the tolerance value to apply shades to an object while painting with the paint bucket tool.

It has the ability to fill adjacent pixels that are similar in color to the selected pixel, and you can fix the area by changing the tolerance value. We'll learn about Tolerance and other tools that come with the paint bucket tool in detail later in the article.

Where to Find the Paint Bucket ToolIf you're new to Photoshop, you might be lost in finding the paint bucket tool because you cannot find this tool individually in a separate place. The Paint Bucket Tool is located inside the submenu of the Gradient Tool. The shortcut key for the gradient tool is (G). However, you can switch to the next tool of the gradient tool menu by pressing Shift + G.

The Paint Bucket Tool SettingsBefore we start the tutorial, let's learn about the options the paint bucket tool offers us. When we select the paint bucket tool, a toolbox appears on the top of Photoshop. Here, you can modify how you want to paint with the paint bucket tool.

• Fill Option: The paint bucket tool comes with two options for filling. One is foreground, and the other is pattern. Foreground lets you fill objects with plain color while using pattern adds a pattern to the fill.

• Blending Mode: While using the paint bucket tool, you'll get plenty of options for mode to choose from. If you want a darker fill, you can choose multiply or color burn. And if you want a lighter version you can choose the color dodge or the other options like screen, linear dodge, lighter color. However, there are so many other options you will see here.

• Opacity: With this option, you can reduce or increase the visibility of the fill you are applying. All you need to do is change the value between 1-100%.

• Tolerance: The paint bucket tool allows you to paint a huge area with just one click. However, you can fix this area by changing the tolerance value. Basically, if you want to paint all the pixels with the same color, choose the tolerance value high like 255. And if you want to paint by filling a smaller area, choose a lower tolerance.
• Anti-alias: Checking this option will allow you to minimize the spikey jagged line, remove the harsh line, and give a smooth edge.
• Contiguous: Choosing this option will allow you to select the pixels that are connected to the one you have selected. Suppose you want to paint the pixels that are red. Once you chose to use the contiguous option, it will paint only the pixels of the same color that are directly attached to the one you have selected. In a nutshell, enabling the contiguous option will allow you to paint only the pixels that are close to each other.
• All Layers: Basically, when we use the paint bucket tool to paint, it only paints the selected layers. However, sometimes we may want to paint all the layers simultaneously. Selecting the All Layers option will allow you to paint all the layers together.

How to Use the Paint Bucket ToolStep 1 Select the Object Selection Tool from the left toolbar. The shortcut key for this tool is (W). Using the Object Selection Tool, select the object you want to fill in with the paint bucket tool.

Step 2 Select the Paint Bucket Tool, which you can find under the submenu of Gradient, located on the left-side toolbar.

Step 3 After selecting the paint bucket tool, go to the paint bucket toolbox, which you can find on the top. Choose your setting for the paint. I am choosing the foreground as I want a plain color for the fill. As I don't want to fill one color in the entire area, I will reduce the tolerance to 20. In that way, I can add some shading effect to the object. Since I'm working on only one layer here, I will not check the All Layers box.

Step 4 Select the color you want to use for the fill. You can use multiple colors for different areas. I am using different shades of pink for the flower (object).

Step 5After picking the color, all you are left to do is click on the areas to fill them in with the selected color. Just pick your color and keep clicking on the object to fill in with different colors.

The paint bucket tool is a quick and innovative way to paint any object. On the one hand, you can cover a large area with just one click. On the other, you can be creative by using its various settings. I hope this article helped you learn about the paint bucket tool.

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In Adobe Illustrator, you may need to create superscript or subscript text for certain design projects. Superscript text is a smaller font size that appears above the baseline of the regular text, while subscript text appears below the baseline.

To create superscript text, simply highlight the text you want to modify and click the Superscript button in the Character Panel. Similarly, to create subscript text, highlight the text and click the Subscript button. These simple steps will help you add emphasis and clarity to your typography in Illustrator.

How To Make a Superscript In IllustratorStep 1If you need to add superscript or subscript text in Illustrator, follow these simple steps. First, open your Illustrator file by double-clicking on the icon or selecting “File” and then “Open” from the top menu. You can also use the keyboard shortcut Command+O (Mac) or Control+O (Windows) to open your file quickly.

Step 2To add superscript or subscript text in Illustrator, start by selecting the Type Tool from the toolbar on the left side of your screen. You can also use the keyboard shortcut “T” to quickly select the tool.

Step 3To add superscript or subscript text in Illustrator, draw a text box on your art board. The box will automatically fill with placeholder text, which you can replace with your own copy.

Step 4Start by selecting the text you want to modify. Then, click and drag your cursor over the text to highlight it. From there, you can use the appropriate formatting options to make the text appear as a superscript or subscript.

Step 5Start by opening the Character menu. Simply click on the word “Character” located on the menu at the top of your screen to access the Character menu.

Step 6Go to the Character menu and locate the Superscript icon. Click on it to apply the superscript formatting to your selected text. Follow the same process, but click on the Subscript icon to format for subscript text.

Now, you'll have the text with superscript or subscript, as desired.

Final ThoughtsIn conclusion, mastering the technique of subscript in Illustrator can enhance your design skills and add a professional touch to your future projects. So experiment with this feature to create stunning visuals that stand out.

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Have you ever seen those astonishing aesthetic mirror images on the internet or social media that grabbed your attention and made you think to create such imagery to implement in your design projects? Well, in the next 5-7 minutes of reading this Photoshop tutorial, you'll master this process.

Mirroring an image is used in symmetrical designs or where you want the viewers to have their attention. On the other hand, creating seamless patterns and images that repeat themselves to fill up a large area also includes this type of image creation. You might think it would be a difficult skill to attain such results, but it only takes a few minutes to get the result we want. So, let's look at the process.

How to Mirror an Image in Adobe PhotoshopBegin with the first basic step, which includes the opening of the image we want to create the image effect with. (You can download this photo from Pexels if you want to follow along.)

After that, you can crop the image from its sides to get the result you want. For this, select the Crop Tool from the Tool Bar. You'll see the cropping border around the image;

Next, drag the sides of the cropping border to the position where you would like the image to be cropped from. And, then press Enter. You will get a cropped image.

Now, as you go to the Layer Panel, you'll see only the ‘Background' layer. Right Click on that layer and select ‘Duplicate Layer.' You will see a newly created layer ‘Background Copy' in the Layer Panel. You can also use the shortcut, “Control + J” to duplicate the original background layer.

As the image with mirror effect consists of the two images side by side, we need to create a copy of the original one to put that on the other side.

Here, the newly created layer looked the same as the original one. It is placed on top of the original one, so the original layer hides under it. Now, we simply need to place the copied layer on the other side after flipping it. First, we need to expand the canvas size to place our image.

You'll need to think about where you would like the canvas to be expanded. It will depend on the image and how you want it to look. In this case, I would like my canvas to expand on the right side.

To do this, simply go to the ‘Image > Canvas Size' by going to the Menu Bar.

In the new window, select the unit as ‘Percent' in front of Width and put in the value of 200 on the side box. As, here I would like to expand the canvas to the right, so, in the bottom grid option, I would click on the middle left arrow. It will force the original image to move to the left and expand the canvas to the right. And finally, click on OK.

You will see that the canvas will be increased in size and will be expanded as we wanted it to be.

Now, select the top duplicated layer and go to ‘Edit > Transform > Flip Horizontal' by going to the Menu Bar.

You'll see that image will be flipped but remains in the same position;

Now, you just need to place the top layer on the expanded canvas side. Click the Selection Tool in the toolbar, then click and drag the top image to the right while pressing and holding the Shift key. Place both images side by side.

There you go. You have successfully created the mirrored effect in the image!

NOTE: Make sure that snapping is active while you drag the image to the other side. It allows you to place the image in the right position. To turn on the snapping, simply go to the ‘View > Snap' by going to the above Menu Bar.

For further mirroring, maybe you would like to create and place the images vertically. For this, let's consider the same above example.

But before we move further, select both layers, the Background layer and duplicated layer and merge them to create a single unit. For this. select one layer and then click on the second one while holding the Shift key, both layers will be selected. Now, Right-click on either of the layer and click on the Merge Layers.

Next, duplicate the new layer that has been created through the merging of previous layers.

Now, expand the canvas to the side. Create the mirror as we did before. But this time, change the value of Height and on the canvas grid, click on the middle top arrow and OK.

This will allow the canvas to expand to the downside;

Select the duplicated top layer and go to ‘Edit > Transform > Flip Vertical. You will get a vertically flipped top layered image as was done before.

Finally, place the top flipped layer on the expanded canvas part by using the Selection Tool through the click and drag method while pressing and holding Shift with Snapping turned on.

Congratulations!You can create appealing visuals using these simple steps to create the mirror effect in your photos. Be creative while using the right images for this. You will get amazing results!

Different sizes will make a difference and allow you to expand your vision toward new imagination. Let's create a new creative world of imaginary mirrors.

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One of the primary purposes of a graphic designer is to convey an idea or thought through visual representation by playing with them in many different ways. These visuals can be inspired by any idea or a starting point, including color, light, shape, form, space, etc.

In this advanced world, there are many means to record or capture the things seen by humans and experienced by living things. And one of those means is the camera.

A camera captures images as they appear behind the lens. But to elaborate these pictures to convey any meaning is where the role of a graphic designer comes in. He or she needs to convert these pictures to something that's said to be unseen or witnessed by the human eye or perception and that's one thing where the creative circles of lives are seen.

Why Would You Need to Vectorize an Image?Adobe Illustrator is an essential tool for any graphic designer. It plays a crucial role in designing any type of presentation, whether it is a simple logo or a huge billboard design. When it comes to designing on such a massive scale as a billboard, one has to use high-quality visuals as graphics. As we know, raster images consist of many tiny boxes of colors called pixels, and every image we capture consists of these pixels.

There always comes a point where when we zoom in on the bitmap image (raster image), it gets pixelated, and the quality of the image doesn't equal the result that we would expect.

The solution to this problem is the vectorization of the image. Vectors consist of computerized mathematical formulas, which means that these can be zoomed in infinitely without losing the quality of the main image. So in this way, vectors provide easy solutions for visual representations.

Methods to Trace an Image in Adobe IllustratorDepending on the nature of the image we want to trace, there are different methods to do it in Illustrator. So, without any further delay, let's get into this.

Method 1: Using the Image Trace Tool or PanelThe Image Trace method to trace any image is the most commonly used, and it's used to trace any photo image or even logos. It only takes a few steps to get our desired result immediately. Let us take an example of the following image opened in Adobe Illustrator. (If you want to follow along, you can download this image from Pexels.)

After you have opened the image, open the Image Trace Panel by simply going to “Window > Image Trace” in the Menu Bar;

A small panel will appear that includes all Tools and options for tracing an image.

Now, you need to ensure that your image is selected before proceeding. To select your photo, You need to activate the Selection Tool in the Toolbar and then simply click on the photo.

Note: Selecting the photo is necessary because the Image Trace Panel's options will be greyed out if the image is not selected. If these are faded already, you'll notice that these will become available as you select an image.

Next, in the preset options, select any one that suits your desired result. As in this case, I have selected 6 Colors.

Your image will automatically get traced. Depending upon your option and your PC, it will take a few seconds to process before it shows the final result. In the following, all the preset results have been shown. You can choose anyone that you like.

From all of the above presets, you can choose the one according to the result that you require. Seeing above, we get the overall idea about all the effects as High Fidelity Photo will tend to make the image as it looks originally, Low Fidelity Photo does the same work but with fewer details.

3 Colors, 6 Colors, and 16 Colors will make the traced image consist of the range of colors we want to implement. Logo is also a colored trace with a few flat surfaces.

Shades of Grey, Silhouette, and Sketched Art are black and white and will show the results as their names represent.

And lastly, Technical Drawing and Line Art are some artistic effects that make the traced image look more like a sketch.

Customizing the Presets in the Image Trace PanelIf you're not happy with any of these premade presets, then you can also customize the presets according to your image.

For instance, in this case, the presets Technical Drawing and Line Art don't give satisfactory results as these don't change the image in a well-traced drawing. For this. in the Image Trace Panel, you will select Black and White in the Mode option.

And then, you can change the values of different options behind to get the wanted results. As in this case, I have changed the value of the Threshold and Paths (in the advanced options) to get the shown result.

NOTE: Tick the Preview in the lower left corner to see the changing results as you change the settings in the Image Trace Panel.

So you have seen how I got a good drawing effect just by changing some values in the panel. In the same way, if you want to get something in color, you can also change the number of colors you want your traced image to consist of.

NOTE: For this, first, you need to select either 3 colors, 6 Colors, or 16 Colors in the preset option on Image Trace Panel. Also, make sure that Color is selected in the Mode option.

You can see here that you can put in the number of colors value that ranges from 2 to 30. In this case, I made it consist of 9 colors to get a nice painting effect;

You can also change the values of other options to get any effect in tracing the image. And there you go, you have vectorized your image successfully!

To Edit the Traced ImageIf you want to edit the traced image, first, you'll need to Expand to trace, and finally, you'll need to Ungroup the traced image.

To expand it, you will need the Properties Panel, which you can get from the Menu Bar by going to ‘Window > Properties.' You will see the Expand button at the bottom of the Properties Panel. Click it after selecting the Image By using the Selection Tool.

If you don't see any Expand button on the panel, it means that your traced image is deselected and you need to select it by using the Selection Tool from the Tool Bar. As you select the image, you will see that button will appear in the Panel. As you click on Expand, the outlines will appear around the traced elements of the image.

Next, keep selecting the image and ungroup the image by clicking the Ungroup button in the Quick Actions that has just appeared after you clicked the Expand button.

With that, now your traced image has become editable. Thus, you can edit it any way you like using different tools such as Selection Tool or Direct Selection Tool to change its shape.

And yes, You have successfully traced your image and made it an editable file.

Method 2: Using the Manual Tracing / Direct Trace MethodWe normally use different tools to trace the object's boundary on our canvas for more precise tracing of an object. The Pen Tool and Shape Tool is the most commonly used tool for this purpose if you use the mouse to trace the image.

On the other hand, you can also use a Pen Tablet to use the Pencil Tool and Brush Tool, to get a hand-traced image. A Pen Tablet proves to be a handy gadget when working on illustrations.

To understand it better, let's take an example of the following image (download the image from Pexels if you want to follow along).

After you've opened and embedded the image in Adobe Illustrator, you can use any tool to trace the objects. As I have used the Blob Brush Tool with a Pen Tablet here. You can select it from the Tool Bar, below the Brush Tool.

Using the Pen Tablet with Blob Brush Tool selected, I created the outlines of objects in the image.

NOTE: Make sure that you have locked the original image and started to trace the objects on a newly made layer.

Now, you can change the colors of the shapes or objects or even add gradients to them to look as close as you like them to be.

Final Thoughts on How to Vectorize an Image in IllustratorCongratulations! You've just learned an essential skill in Adobe Illustrator. For a photo-realistic effect, you can use the Image Trace Panel. But, for more detailed and fundamental work, such as logo designs and flat illustrations, you must follow the manual tracing method. So, here it is. You can now design your infographics and illustrations with more ease.

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Fonts are essential elements in the realm of graphic design as they hold the essence of the message you want to convey to your audience through your design. A font carries the tone of a design. The font will be the first to let the audience know what mood the design or artwork is setting for them.

There are no bad fonts but there is always one right font for every design. Just as choosing the wrong font will fail to express the true meaning of your artwork, choosing the right font will make everything fall into place.

A font creates the whole vibe for the entire design. A bold, rugged font will look good for an athletic poster, but if you use the same font for a party invitation, it will take all the fun out of the design.

Hence finding a proper and perfect font is important. Although Photoshop comes with a huge collection of fonts, you may not find your desired font there. I face this challenge all the time. So what will you do if you can't find a font that goes perfectly with your design? No worries! You can always add fonts to Photoshop.

In this article, we'll learn how to add fonts to Photoshop. Let's get started with the tutorial.

Method 1: Download and Install from WebsitesAs long as a font is installed on your computer, it will be accessible in Photoshop. So, we'll look at how you can download and install a font to your computer, and then use it in Adobe Photoshop.

Step 1 Choose a font for adding to your Photoshop. There are a lot of font websites both free and paid such as DaFont, Google Fonts, FontSpace, FontSquirrel, and so many more. Here, I'm using Font Squirrel.

Note: Be sure to check the license details of any font you download. The license dictates how you can use the font.

Step 2When you've selected your font, it's time to download it. Click on the right side of the font to download it. You can also check the font details by clicking on the name of it. Here, you can see the font sample, get more visual details of the font, and check the appearance of all the characters, alphabets, and numerals of the selected font.

Step 3Open the file location of the downloaded file. You'll find it in the downloads where the downloaded files are typically placed. Once you've located the font on your device, it's time to install it. The downloaded font will be inside a compressed zip file. Double-clicking on it will open the font files inside.

Step 4The font you've downloaded usually comes in TTF (TrueType Font) or OTF (OpenType Font) format. Here, you can see the file came in TTF format.

Double-click on the font and it will open a new window where you can see the appearance of the font. Click on the Install button to install it.

Step 5Now that you've downloaded and installed the font, it's ready to use. Just open Photoshop and use the Type Tool to find the font in the font list.

Method 2: Using Adobe FontsIn this method, you don't need to go through downloading and installing the fonts. You'll simply choose your font and add it to Photoshop with just one click.

Note: You'll need an active Creative Cloud subscription to use Adobe Fonts in Photoshop.

Step 1 Open Photoshop, and select the Type Tool.

Step 2 Using the Type Tool, go to the fonts drop-down menu. Click on the Browse Adobe Fonts, and you're ready to browse for new Adobe fonts from the cloud.

Step 3 Clicking on Browse Adobe Fonts will open a browser where you'll find all the Adobe fonts. There's a search bar with various filters to find a font according to your preference. Choose the font you like to add to your Photoshop and click on it.

Step 4Unlike the previous method, you don't need to download or install this font. All you need to do is activate the font. You'll see a toggle for “Activate” on the right side of the font. Toggle on the Activate button to instantly add the font to your Photoshop.

Note: Make sure to sign in with your account so you can use the font from any device you're logged in with.

Step 5Open Photoshop and select the Type Tool. Go to the font search bar and look for the font you just activated. There you go, you just added a new font from Adobe Cloud.

Having a variety of fonts in your collection adds more productivity to your work. Fonts are essential, and it's even more important to use the correct font in the right place. I hope this tutorial made it easy for you to add fonts to Adobe Illustrator and Photoshop.

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In Adobe Illustrator, it's crucial to ensure that your designs are free of spelling errors. A misspelled word can detract from the overall impact of your design and even undermine your message.

To avoid this, take advantage of the spell-check feature in Illustrator. Trust me. You don't want to experience the embarrassment of having a typo in a printed design.

If you're an artist or designer using Adobe Illustrator, it's essential to ensure your text is error-free before submitting your work. While you may not see a red line indicating a spelling mistake, Illustrator does have a spell-check tool.

In this tutorial, you'll learn two ways to use the spell check feature in Illustrator, as well as a bonus tip for checking spelling in a different language. Don't let a simple spelling error ruin your hard work. Take advantage of this helpful tool!

Auto Spell CheckIn Illustrator, ensuring that your design is free of spelling errors is crucial. Fortunately, the program offers an Auto Spell Check feature that can help you catch any mistakes before they become problematic. Simply turn on this feature and let Illustrator do the work for you, allowing you to focus on the creative aspects of your design without worrying about typos.

To ensure your text is free of spelling errors in Adobe Illustrator, simply go to the Edit menu and select Spelling, and then choose Auto Spell Check.

This tool will quickly scan your text and highlight misspelled words for easy correction.

Check SpellingLet's say you've already typed out your text and noticed a potential spelling mistake. Simply select the text and go to the “Type” menu, then choose “Check Spelling.” If the program detects an error, it will suggest possible corrections for you to choose from. This is a quick and easy way to ensure your text is error-free before finalizing your design.

First, you can simply select the text and right-click to bring up the menu, then choose Spelling > Check Spelling. Alternatively, you can use the keyboard shortcut Command + I (Ctrl + I for Windows users) to quickly check your text for spelling mistakes.

Click “Start” and the program will search for any misspelled words in your document.

Select the correct spelling from the suggested options, click “Change,” and then click “Done.”

There you go!How to Spell Check a Different LanguageIf you're using Adobe Illustrator and notice that the spell check feature is flagging words spelled correctly in another language, don't worry. This is a common issue. Illustrator's spell check only recognizes the program's default language, so if you're typing in a different language, even if it's spelled correctly, it may show up as an error. For example, if you type “Eu estou aprendendo português” in Portuguese, Illustrator may flag it as incorrect.

Here's how to use it:

First, navigate to the overhead menu and select “Illustrator” or “Edit,” depending on whether you use the Mac or Windows version. From there, choose “Preferences” and then “Hyphenation.”

Start by changing the default language to the language you want to check. Simply click on the language option and select your desired language, then click OK to save the changes.

When you start typing, the program will automatically detect the language you are using and check for any spelling mistakes.

If you need to change the default language for spell check, go to the Hyphenation window and select the desired language.

Final ThoughtsRegarding spell checking in Adobe Illustrator, there are two main tools to choose from: Auto Spell Check and Check Spelling. While Auto Spell Check is more convenient as it automatically checks for errors, Check Spelling allows you to add new words to your personal dictionary so they won't be flagged as errors in the future.

If you work with a lot of text content, it's recommended to use Auto Spell Check. But for new words, Check Spelling is a useful tool.

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Procreate has become incredibly popular with illustrators and digital artists. If you want to save time and create amazing work, Procreate brushes are incredibly useful.

Procreate brushes create fluid and unique textual and textured designs. They give the power of creative design at your fingertips and on the go!

We've gathered the best Procreate brushes to download and use in your own work. These are our favorites for a wide variety of projects.

The Best Procreate BrushesBelow is a list of many brilliant brushes that work well for the creator for everything from small DIY projects and social assets to big projects for clients. The brushes below show how easily a graphic design can be enhanced by using these creative app brushes to enhance any design quickly and effectively.

Pick from many amazing options on the list that create bold lines and amazing illustrations for beginner and advanced artists alike. There are many brush packs highlighted below that can be added to a designer's handheld device (iPad) in order to have the power of creativity on the go!

Illustration Brushes for ProcreateThis is a set of 21 illustrative brushes that can be used to highlight illustrations or create a handwritten feel to any element in a design. There are multiple options to just select a brush a draw.

Create an all-new creation or enhance a scanned-in hand-drawn image with textures and colors. These are digital brushes that create a painted and charcoal texture and feel. A great option to use with Procreate and an Apple pencil.

Hand-Drawn Brushes for ProcreateThis is a large brush collection that encompasses many different textures that can be used across many different projects. It's a hand-drawn brush set that works through rough and smooth textures. Texture from brush strokes is what adds dimension to a painting or sketch. Why should a digital asset be any different when it comes to emulating that texture on screen with Procreate or an Apple stylus?

This is a great creative option to use for social media banners and images for commercial advertisements. It can take an illustration to the next level either in a more soft spongy texture to a hard line cutout with definitive edges.

Procreate Watercolor BrushesWatercolor painting creates a soft and blended mood for almost any art piece. It is a technical skill that can be will be used with this set of 50 brushes. This is a huge brush collection that also harnesses paper texture with 6 paper options as well.

On top of creative watercolor brushes, there are blender brushes included that add the bleed, blend, and splatter texture to finish a digital painting for the artist.

Oils Brushes for ProcreateThis is a zip file brush set that works amazingly well for digital artists. This is a small disciplined set of oil brushes to use on an iPad in the Procreate app.

Use these items to change photography into a multi-media digital project or create from scratch an illustration with the application of oil texture without waiting for hours of dry time to finish a piece.

Artist Oil BrushesThis is a small set of amazing brushes that create an oil-on-canvas feel. They are paintbrushes used to create an entirely digital asset with texture and unique line application for a piece of digital art to hang up.

Artistic brushes are not just specific to hand and canvas. An artist now has the latitude to create mass-produced digital artwork to create mainstream prints and fine art for people to enjoy in their homes.

Create a memorable art piece as a beginner or advanced artist using a new medium, the screen, with old tradition, and artistic talent.

MAGERPAINT BrushesThis is a new set of amazing skin and hair-textured brushes that can be used in Procreate 5 and early versions as well. These are truly built for handheld device use.

Create not only brush strokes that give an illustration an artistic flare like they were created on canvas, but add those subtle items such as skin imperfections, freckles, and hair density to the arsenal for amazing brush settings that round out an illustration that includes humanity.

This brush set includes hair brushes that give depth to different stylistic features for each subject in an illustration. There are 20+ brushes in this Procreate set to pick from for the next project!

Soft Watercolor Procreate BrushesWatercolor effects are essential to illustration. They are soft and blended strokes that create an inviting and calm feel to any illustration. These 10 watercolor brushes are ones that work well for illustrations that help create a sense of calm and soft, inviting art.

These are paint brushes that blend items together and create the next level of color creation by simply allowing colors to mix and bleed into each other or over lines. It is an organized chaos that works well as a Procreate brush for artists that need to complete projects like children's illustrative books or posters.

Soft Watercolor BrushesTake this brush to a snapshot on a smart device and blend colors flawlessly. This is a collection of brushes that works with each other well. There are 36 options. It includes canvas textures, watercolor blending, and 4 tutorial videos for the artist to learn how to fully harness and master the art of this watercolor procreate brush set.

With accurate and detailed tutorials, this is a great asset for a designer to have in the palm of their hand.

Aquarelle Watercolor BrushesElegant and delicate describes this brush set that works well for soft muted artwork. This is a set that includes 16 realistic watercolor brushes and 5 textured paper surfaces to work with on-screen.

The art studio travels in a purse or laptop case now with the easy touch of a stylus and no clean-up afterward! Make the kinds of drawings that are artistic and can be reproduced for wall art. This is the discipline of digital art at the tips of an artist or designer's fingers.

Portrait Brushes for ProcreateThis is one that needs to be a part of the brush studio for the iPad. It creates clean artwork that is colorful and illuminates any rough sketch. There are many variations in the range of black and grey. Create hair textures or skin textures with one package.

With the artistic license, this set allows for a huge variety of line art that covers most disciplines.

Tattoo BrushesThis is a brush download that every tattoo artist needs in their arsenal. Create client artwork easily and within minutes to share concepts and ideas to enhance the experience from idea to finished project.

These twelve brushes have everything from tight-knit linear lines to free-flowing charcoal-type textures to apply to any artwork or rough illustration.

Tattoo Art BrushesThis rough and textured brush set is one that creates the illusion of other cluster brushes. The brush speaks of skin application and rough textures to create 3D artwork. It's a small set of 10 brushes that range from large to small line size.

With color incorporated with a carefully placed stylus on an iPad, illustrations will come to life. Blend rough textures with more soft and muted textures to create a life-like pencil blended effect on the screen.

Ink Brushes for ProcreateThis is a small, but powerful set of procreate brushes. It contains amazing linear brushes and extends to artists in the realm of Anime art styles or Japanese illustration. It can utilize color or create bold 2D ink illustrations.

Within these 10 brushes, there are a variety of textures to use together to create an entire illustration in black and white that is bold and beautiful.

Sketcher Procreate BrushesSketching is an artistic ability that brings things to life off the page. In this case, this set of sketching brushes uses the foundational discipline of pencil sketching and brings it to a new medium; digital sketching with a stylus instead of a pen. This not only eliminates waste and space for multiple pencils, but it allows the artist to switch between all 10 pencils with ease.

Erase the mess and the artist has access to thousands of options wherever they are. No need to have a studio or room for a sketch pad. The studio travels with the artist to capture those quick moments in the field or take time with a still life with easy clean up and start up each time throughout the timeline of a project.

Illustration Brushes for ProcreateProcreate Brushes such as this set were built specifically for fine arts and digital illustrators. Create captivating illustrations for children's literature or movie shorts on YouTube. This is a set that works from base layers of backgrounds to focal point details in shading and highlighting subjects in an art piece.

This is a brush that starts artists out to allow them the feel of how drawing on screen relates to hand and paper. This is the beginning of learning how to utilize brushes and create brushes at some point for digital illustration.

Procreate Dry Media BrushesThese 21 high-quality brushes are meant for the online artist. The color and the options for blending dry media online are evident here. There's even a YouTube video to demonstrate how best to use this set of brushes.

They are a great option for concept artists or fine artists to create a full model piece to scale and colorized as needed for conceptualizing a finished project. These are Procreate brushes that are a must for fine artists transferring to a digital medium.

Dry Marker Brushes for ProcreateA graphic designer is always looking for that unique text that makes a design pop. This is a brush set for that artist. It is a great option. These are design brushes meant for text. These are high-quality brushes that have 15 line weights and styles.

There is a bonus calligraphy brush to add to the mix for an extra touch of class to textual design. Create window lettering, title pages, posters, or social media banners with this set of Procreate brushes.

Pencil Procreate BrushesPencil brushes are a great way to blend and sketch on the screen. There are many beautiful brushes highlighted in this list and this is just a small set of many pencil brushes that are available to digital illustrators and artists.

On Envato Elements, this brush set shows examples of what mixing multiple brush styles can create within a finished project. Use the entire library of brushes within your scope to create amazing illustrations.

There are 25 Procreate brushes with this set that go from soft to hard to cross-hatching techniques that most artists learn about in the elemental level of sketching classes. This set takes that element of discipline and applies it to the screen with this set.

Fabulous Pencils for ProcreateHave access to every style of sketch pencil and brush. There are so many individual brushes included with different styles of application in this set. There are over 40 pencil brushes included to create options for texture and color application to any project for an artist.

Create black and white sketches or colored pencil illustrations with this set. Access the easy-to-use PDF guide for each brush so that the guesswork is taken out when needing to know exactly what each brush will look like within a project.

The file formats for the textures and brushes are BRUSHSET and PNG respectively to work easily within the framework of the iPad illustrative network.

Sketch and Pencil Procreate BrushesThere's nothing more powerful in capturing a moment or elements of study than with a sketch pad and pencil. This is a collaborative set of pencil brushes and grunge textures that help an artist hold to the true sense of grounding and creation geometrically in sketch design.

Create a library of sketches without worrying about the smudging of a pencil to paper on a sketch pad. This is a great tool and brushes even for architects that need to be onsite working through concepts and have the power of creation in their laptop bag with their handheld device and stylus.

These 17 brushes and textures can be used with a mix of watercolor brushes or chalk brushes to bring to life a schematic sketch of an illustration on the fly.

Kota BrushesThis is a custom lettering textured brush set. It is built to accentuate text and stylizes it with ease. Use these 25 brushes and 25 texture brushes to stylize text on any graphic quickly and effectively for title pages or social media posts. This is a set that is easy to download and start using immediately. Create backgrounds and other show-stopping graphics with a swish of a stylus.

Chalker Procreate BrushesSharp, crisp lines. Blended soft lines. Texture without the dust! This is a set of chalk brushes that is an amazing option for artwork creation. This exciting brush option gives off emotion and days of yore grandeur of chalkboards and the rough textured artwork it can create.

Color and blending options are a great highlight with these brushes. A readme file is included on how to best use or operate this set of procreate brushes. Transfer the unzipped files with ease to an iPad and start creating!

Procreate Grain BrushesThe texture is key to any illustration. It's what gives the item its life. This set of over 25 brushes was created with soft textures in mind like those found in children's illustrations of storybooks. It gives a grain effect adding depth without adding too much of a realistic feel to the art.

This is a brush type that works on gradient through texture and image grain. It is accessible through the latest update on iOS in the Procreate App for artists to use.

Realistic Marker Brushes for ProcreateIf traditional art that utilizes bright colors and shape development is the key feature being sought, this is the brush set that is needed. Create realistic canvas still life pieces that work well with color theory and utilize prior drawing experience.

This is a smaller more detailed set of brushes that works well to create digital artwork to be replicated at any size. This is a mixture of marker and canvas brush real-life application brought to the screen. Not only for fine artists, but this brush set can be used by commercial artists for items like anime artworks that need a touch of softening and color presentation.

Auld Inks for ProcreateThe “Iron Pen” still exists in the stylus these days. This set boasts 62 old ink-style brushes and drawing elements to give that 1960s cartoon feel to the handwritten letters of the 1800s!

Experienced artists that have worked with pen and paper, as well as digital mediums, would appreciate this extensive set. Move the comic styles of yesteryear to today on screen with a quick click of the download button. Unlike other brush sets this one includes a PDF of a quick tip list to find the exact brush needed for certain artistic disciplines.

InkDraw Procreate BrushesAn anime character relies on consistent and clean line development. This brush set delivers these elements for the digital animators out there. This procreate brush set comes in a zip file with multiple options. Solid character creations start with the strength of the digital tools at the artist's disposal.

This set includes ink brushes, and 20 texture swatches to work together. Add a pop of color to any layer to bring to life any illustration that relies heavily on portrait development.

Super Shaders Procreate BrushesThis is a great brush set to create mood, depth, and density in an illustration. A graphic designer can create different textual feel based on stylus pressure with is a great asset. This set also comes with a quick reference guide to upload and an instructional guide on how to use and edit the brushes to create unique illustrations and textured elements for many different digital assets.

It is a great additional brush on top of a pencil or paintbrush set from Procreate that is one of the many affordable brush sets on this list.

Memento Shader BrushesThere's a new animal on the block for Procreate brushes. These shader brushes work well in the Procreate app on iPad. With over 30 brushes to choose from and each mini set within the larger set has a different discipline to utilize key features of brush sets.

Add noise or scatter splatters to create texture. This is a set that can either be used to draw or shade illustrations. Have this illusion of distressed brushes as well as a crosshatch brush pack to either sketch or spray paint with a stylus.

Gritcore Brushes for ProcreateThis is a set to end all sets in the Procreate app world! These gritty brushes emulate charcoal brushes in the way they present texture on the screen. If an artist is looking for access to a large brush set to start their digital artwork journey on a tablet, this set offers 70 brushes!

There are different grit depths and sizes to use to create an illustration all within one downloadable file. With a subscription to Envato Elements, this is an affordable tool to add to an iPad creator's arsenal. There are fine grit and deep grit options to use varying textures to give the illusion of emotion and depth to any piece of digital artwork.

Texture Brushes for ProcreateThis is a 15-set that works well with the Procreate app and is compatible with iPad software. Utilize a different brush size to create different texturized applications and results in digital artwork. This is a tool that can be used for marketing the creation of DIY labels on crafts, postcards, digital media banners, or easy illustrative how-to graphics for a YouTube channel.

Take a photo or illustration and add artistic texture. This BRUSHSET file is easy to download onto a handheld device and comes with a PDF for access to easy-to-install instructions.

Procreate Stippling Brush KitThis brush set is different than many because it works by creating negative space. Take a 2D illustration on the iPad and create texture or an extra layer of dimension. This is not one of the basic brushes that only create the illustration rather it works with selective layers to add dimension and texture.

There are 15 brushes included. The brush creator also included hand-drawn artworks that source the brush creation and a how-to-install guide to make it as accessible as possible for a media designer.

Procreate Foliage BrushesThis is an extensive set of over 70+ brushes that have everything from leaf brushes to tree brushes to create any natural foilage needed in an illustration. There are leaf brushes that help to create firs, maple trees, oak trees, and pine trees. Take a brush to create a real art piece or use brushes to create surreal masterpieces illustrations of wood areas with mystery in Procreate.

There is a read-me file included with the download of the BRUSHSET. This is another item on Envato that with membership is affordable to access and add to the brush library in Procreate.

Pastel Brushes for ProcreateThis is a combination Procreate brush set. It has 5 pastels and 3 canvas brushes included. This is a heavy texture option to add a handheld chalkboard to the arsenal for the designer. Brush packs like this one are great to create small graphics for blog post titles and illustrations.

A DIY crafter can utilize this brush set for easy-to-access creative details to enhance marketing on the fly. This is an instant download set with easy-to-install instructions included on the Envato Elements page for use immediately on an iPad.

Watercolor Procreate BrushesThis is a powerful set of brushes that is considered a paint line brush. It is a watercolor set that not only has painting capabilities but there is a BONUS brush, a blender brush, included to create the next level of versatility with the set.

Using a stylus on an iPad is suggested as the pressure response is exceptionally good with this series. This is a set that is pointedly known for being easy to paint with and easy to customize for the graphic designer's needs.

Outline Procreate BrushesThis set is a stellar option to add with over 100 brushes included!! This set includes an extensive set of outline brushes, halftone brushes, and pattern brushes. Text can come to life with this unique treatment. An outline gives an extra measure of depth with the proper pattern and shadow treatment to focal point text.

This is the biggest brush library included on our list of Procreate brush sets. It is well worth the download and creates an endless number of illustrative text panels for digital assets.

Procreate Universe BrushesUnlike other brushes, this brush set is one that works of real imagery inspired by space objects! Sci-fi animation and illustration can go to a realistic level with brush creations such as these in the arsenal.

It is important to really harness the power of these10+ Procreate brushes by pushing design options on a hand-held device to the limit. Create unique textures and backdrops with these brushes and color palettes that complement each other.

Snow Brushes for ProcreateThis is a texture brush set that is meant to fully embody the look and feel of snow in all its forms. This is a brush set that is meant to be used to the best of its ability with the Apple iPad and stylus. It can be used in the Procreate app or other 3rd party devices but is best with the iPad for the accurate application within the illustration.

Like other options on this list, it does NOT work with Adobe products. Being an Envato Elements member, this Procreate brush can be downloaded for an affordable price.

Art Brushes for ProcreateThis is a set of 21 brushes that take both disciplines of oil and acrylic to the next level on the screen. It is a great option to mix media and work with a blending option with these procreate brushes without the mess like in the studio. The digital paper can come to life for the artist by taking this brush bundle and applying concepts of how oil paints and acrylic paints work on screen.

To finish off the piece, gouache brushes are included to create a surreal and cloud-like feel of softness to an illustration. There is a quick cheat sheet included at an affordable price to access these brushes to the best of their ability on the artist's device.

Smoke Procreate BrushesThis is a zip file that is available for download on the iPad. it is a set of over 10 smoke brushes and a couple of dust cloud brushes. It is a real effect that can be amazing in editing professional photography that needs an extra layer of intrigue for professional projects such as promotional materials or marketing assets for a client.

Use these with other brush options to layer a creative realistic illustration as a graphic artist. These brushes are created specifically for Procreate for Apple iPad use and will not work in any Adobe products.

Glitter Sparkle Procreate BrushesThese 12 showy brushes can set off any illustration with the right touch of bling. This brush set is perfect for text to be highlighted in any color glitter. These are perfect brushes for stylized advertising like store signage, business cards, and website digital assets to highlight a boutique or custom store. Use this affordable option in Procreate.

Realistic Tie Dye BrushesThis is a set of retro realistic tie-dye brushes that not only have multiple capabilities to create dynamic 60s and 70s-inspired designs but come with a big resolution option. This creates a large asset to add to the brush library for a graphic designer and artist.

This version is ready to use in the latest Procreate 5X and older versions of the app. Create patterns for large projects on backgrounds and clothing. Or create highlighted options with so many brushes to reverse out text or icons. Create dynamic designs that harness the use of bright colors.

Halftone Procreate BrushesProcreate painting brushes like this one bring to life the texture and paint dot pattern of classic comic strips and books of the past. It is an element that gives a digital piece of paper and ink texture on the screen. Create shading, and coloration to any line art illustration to give it depth and dynamic focus.

This is a large package that includes 18 dot brushes and 4 paper textures. Take that stylus in hand and transform a plain black-and-white iconic image into a work of retro art.

Graffiti Procreate BrushesSpray paint on the screen with this set of brushes in the brush menu. This small ground-breaking package of 5 graffiti brushes is available for analog touch as well as stylus touch. It is a new product that accesses what artists want…organic and mainstream brushes to create posters, flyers, and digital media.

It is an urban setting that includes painting brushes for those artists that are looking for a cutting-edge grunge option for fast turnaround digital assets such as displayed on Envato Elements in the examples.

Why You'll Love Using These Procreate BrushesThis is a list of some of the best Procreate brushes that have options like filler brushes, fancy brushes, dithering brushes, and element brushes. Use this list to build a digital toolbox for any on-the-go artist that has an iPad or smart device in their bag.

It is important to utilize an approach to artwork that does not limit you based on time and space. An artist of artists knows that it is important to learn new disciplines and new techniques to succeed and move their artwork into the spotlight.

From the hobbyist with multiple DIY projects to the professional cartoonist or illustrator, Procreate brushes are essential to staying on task for creating captivating artwork or media in the 21st century!

The post Procreate Brushes: 43 Brush Packs for Your Designs & Illustrations appeared first on Bittbox.

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The Scissors Tool in Illustrator is a powerful feature that allows graphic designers and illustrators to build precise cuts and edits in their designs. This tool is a must-have for anyone who works with visual content, from creating logos and icons to designing books, brochures, and infographics. With Illustrator's Scissors Tool, artists can attain their desired design with ease and precision.

For beginners, navigating through Illustrator can be a daunting task. With its vast array of features, it can be difficult to understand even the most basic tools. One such tool is the Scissors Tool, which may seem intimidating at first but is actually quite simple to use.

If you're struggling to understand how to use this feature, don't worry. We have come up with easy-to-follow directions below to help you master the Scissors Tool in Illustrator.

What Is the Scissors Tool in Illustrator?In Adobe Illustrator, the Scissors Tool is an important tool that allows designers to cut paths or elements at a specific point or along a segment. This feature is especially helpful for creating precise cuts and separating different parts of an image or design. With the Scissors Tool, designers can smoothly manipulate and edit their artwork with precision and correctness.

The Scissors Tool in Illustrator is a digital tool that allows you to cut paths and shapes in a precise and controlled manner. Unlike real-world scissors, you only need to define the starting and ending points of your cut. This tool can be used to delete paths, split shapes in half, open closed paths, and split any object or shape. It is a versatile tool that can help you attain the desired outcome in a digital format.

Using the Scissors Tool in IllustratorTo access the Scissors Tool, there are two options.

The first is to use the shortcut, while the second is to access it through the left side toolbar.

Both methods provide easy access to this useful tool for cutting and editing in various applications.

If you're using Adobe Illustrator and need to quickly access the Scissors Tool, there's a handy shortcut you can use. Simply press the “C” key on your keyboard and the tool will be activated. Alternatively, you can follow these steps to access the tool through the program's menu.

1. To access the Scissors Tool, simply tap and hold the Eraser Tool in the middle of the tool palette on the left side of your screen.
2. Simply locate it within the Eraser Tool and click it.

Cut Simple Objects with the Scissors Tool in IllustratorIn Illustrator, the Scissors Tool is a handy feature for cutting objects. While it may become more challenging with complex objects, the process is relatively straightforward. After activating the Scissors Tool, the next step is to choose the path you want to split. With this tool, you can easily cut and edit your designs with precision.

1. Simply select the path point on the object where you want to make a split.

2. It’s important to select the anchor point(s) or path(s) that appear after splitting an object.

3. The Scissors Tool in Illustrator makes cutting objects a breeze.

Cutting Text with the Scissors Tool in IllustratorWhen it comes to cutting text in Illustrator using the Scissors tool, there's a catch – it only works for anchor points and paths. If you attempt to use it on live text, you'll quickly realize it won't work.

However, there's a simple solution to this problem – outline the text first. Once you've done that, cutting text with the Scissors Tool in Illustrator is a breeze and not much different from cutting objects.

To cut text using the Scissors Tool in Illustrator, follow these steps:1. If you want to cut text in Illustrator using the Scissors Tool, you first need to make sure the text is outlined. This can be done by using the shortcut Command+Shift+O (Mac) or Control+Shift+O (PC) or by going to the Type menu and selecting Create Outlines. Once the text is outlined, it will be converted into anchor points that can be edited and manipulated using the Scissors Tool.

1. You can access this tool by either pressing the “C” shortcut or opening it from the side palette window.

2. First, select the point in the text where you want to make the cut. Keep in mind that you can click on any part of the text now that it's outlined and has anchor points. If you are having trouble seeing the anchor points, zoom in for a closer look.

3. First, draw a line to indicate where you want to cut the text. Then, create multiple anchor points along the line to ensure that the text is fully separated. For a clean cut, it is recommended to add at least four anchor points.

4. The Scissors Tool in Illustrator allows you to easily cut elements from the text.

5. When using the Scissors Tool in Illustrator to cut text, it's important to note that clicking on the fill section of a letter won't do anything. Instead, you need to click on the anchor points or path of the text in order to make a cut.

6. When using the Scissors Tool in Illustrator to cut text, you may notice a line appearing between the four anchor points of the cut letter. To remove this line, simply use the Direct Selection Tool.

7. First, select the Direct Selection Tool from your toolbar. Simply select the line you want to remove and click on it.

8. You can then press the Delete key on your keyboard to remove the selected portion. simply select the tool and click on the anchor points where you want to make the cut. You can also move the anchor points around to achieve the desired effect.

However, it's important to note that when using this tool, the endpoints of the cut text will not be connected and will appear as open paths. To view these paths, switch to outline view using the shortcut Command+ Y (Mac) or Control+Y (PC).

Mastering the Scissors Tool in the IllustratorIf you're new to using the Scissors tool in Illustrator, it may seem daunting at first. However, with practice, you will find it easier to cut through various shapes, text, and other design elements. To access the Scissors Tool, you can either find it in the left-hand side tool palette or use the “C” shortcut on your keyboard. Remember to set your text to “outlined” if you want to cut it. With a little practice, you will be cutting like a pro in no time!

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If you want to add a spooky little flair to your latest design project, the best scary fonts can help. Whether you want to create an eerie atmosphere for a horror movie poster or a chilling invitation for Halloween, these creepy typography choices will come in handy.

Sharp, jagged edges to gothic design and eerie typography – get ready for whatever vibe you want! We've rounded up some of the scariest font styles out there. They're sure to give chills down the spine.

Unlimited Downloads: Millions of Creative Assets by ###### Scary Things

Creepy Serif ###### Scary Night

All-Caps Typeface ###### Midnight Terroro

Horror Font ###### Psychomachy

Handmade Scary Font ###### Castleton

Scary Display Font ###### Earthen Parasite

Horror Font Download Now

Best Scary FontsAre you ready to bring the fright and excitement of Halloween into your home or business? You can turn any space into a spooky retreat with the right combination of suspenseful visuals. One way to create that environment is by choosing the perfect display fonts for all those horror-filled signs, greeting cards, and posters.

These typeface options ranging from creepy and unsettling to horrifying, will surely add a haunting touch to whatever project. To help make the task easier, we've gathered some of our favorite scary font picks.

Download Unlimited Fonts at Envato Elements
Designers always need fonts. Thanks to Envato Elements, you can download as many professional fonts (and other design resources) as you need for one low price. They offer millions of fonts, stock photos, illustrations, templates, themes, plugins, and much more, all with simple commercial licensing. It's the #1 resource for designers and creatives. Get instant access.

Scary Things – Creepy SerifScary Things is a bold, all-caps serif font that will make your spine tingle with its solid and sharp letterform design. Perfect for dashing headlines, titles, and subtitles, use it to make your horror stories stand out.

It's versatile enough to be used in children's horror story books to introduce new horror fanatics. With Scary Things, you'll give your design project the fear factor they need!

Scary NightGet ready to be terrified with the edgy and unique Scary Night font. Add a spine-chilling effect to any design with this jagged font that screams horror at first glance. The wobbly, extra grunge mood-inspired lines give this uppercase font a perfect touch to convey an eerie and unsettling feeling.

Midnight Terror – Horror FontExperience terror from the stroke of a font with Midnight Terror – a perfect addition to your next Halloween design project.

Its powerful, solid brush styles will send shivers down anyone's spine, while the uppercase letters and alternates offer a versatile range of use. Get ready to create the creepiest invitations ever with pointy Midnight Terror font.

Psychomachy – Handmade Scary FontPrepare to give your design a chilling makeover with Psychomachy, the spine-tingling handmade font filled with ligatures and unique glyphs.

Whether you're creating photography overlays, window art, graffiti posters, or children's book illustrations, this street-inspired font will infuse your work with an extra layer of frightful excitement.

Castleton – Scary Display FontLooking for a font that's equal parts spooky and striking? Castleton is the perfect pick. With a vintage gothic vibe and rigid serif styling, this font will send shivers down your spine.

It's available in both uppercase and lowercase letters, so you can make your eerie design look its best. Plus, with its horror flair, Castleton wouldn't be out of place at a haunted mansion or spooky graveyard.

Earthen ParasiteEnter the terrifying world of Earthen Parasite, where dry brush strokes bring a chilling, hand-drawn hatch pattern to life. These capital letters will send shivers down your spine as if they were scratched across a wall in a horror movie.

With alternates and ligatures, this perfect slant scary design font accentuates your spine-tingling movie title.

Halloween NightHalloween Night is a horror display typeface with a striking upright style, complete with blood drops on the edge of the letters! With its serif letterforms and uppercase-only design, this font is perfect for anything from Halloween party invitations to spooky social media graphics.

Alternate letterforms, ligatures, and sward signs make it easy to create killer designs that will stand out in any crowd.

SadisticIntroducing Sadistic – a hauntingly beautiful handwritten font that captures the essence of sorrow and loss. With its spider trap-like appearance, it's no wonder this font transports you to a creepy, old hunt home.

But don't be scared – the essence of horror is subtle yet evil, making it the perfect choice for adding a touch of darkness to your designs.

NightscaryStep into the night with Nightscary font, a handwritten typeface that's fierce and edgy. With powerful splatters, this font exudes a spooky and chilling aura perfect for Halloween or thriller designs.

Are you ready to relive a classic slasher movie like Scream? With Nightscary font, you'll feel the thrill and urgency of the brushstrokes, creating a sense of panic essential for classic horror design elements.

MidnightMidnight is a hauntingly beautiful font with wide spacing that's made to send shivers down your spine. Crafted with love and inspiration from vintage novels and horror flicks, this authentic serif typeface is just what you need for all your spooky design projects.

From creepy posters to eerie headlines and even chilling social media posts, Midnight is perfect for any design that demands a touch of horror. With its tall handmade structure, this font will leave a lasting impression on your audience.

SonnyfiveSonnyfive is a horror brush typeface that sends horror down your spine. Its bold and striking all-caps letters bring to mind the epitome of 80s horror, especially when paired with red.

With its scary brush strokes and ambiance of horror, this font perfectly fits everything from street art to movie posters. It's no wonder Sonnyfive is a front-runner in a scary font game used on well-known movie posters.

Terrible Dream – Horror FontTerrible Dream is a horror and scary typeface perfect for adding a ghoulish vibe to your designs. Its unique stylings capture the spirit of fear, featuring sharp edges, grotesque details, and menacing curves.

Its jagged appearance gives it an eerie feel that captivates and frightens viewers. Whether creating a horror movie poster, a Halloween-themed event flyer, or a scary video game logo, Terrible Dream will surely give your design that extra boost of terror.

Fright HoursFright Hours is an eerie, creepy, and bone-chilling handwritten font that adds more fear to any project. This bloody horror font has a unique lowercase style featuring intense letterforms and a blood-curdling look.

It's perfect for creating titles, posters, or web banners for Halloween-themed projects. The font comes in regular and bloody versions giving any project a sinister yet stylish touch.

DarkmodeDarkmode is an ominous horror gothic typeface perfect for creating a mood of dread and fear. It has a rough brush, and bold letters evoke a feeling of foreboding. The unique letters contrast nicely with the horror-themed background, creating uneasiness and impending doom.

Horror – Bold Scary FontHorror is a bold, smooth, uppercase font with a blood-dripping effect, perfect for creating a scary vibe for Halloween, posters, merchandise, and more. This font is designed to make your design stand out with quirky and fun shapes while maintaining a frightening touch. It's great for adding a unique and spooky element to your projects and exploring design possibilities.

Another DangerAnother Danger a chaotic typeface that oozes raw and retro vibes. Its rough and distinct style scratches across the page, making it hard to miss.

This all-caps pick is a typographical showpiece with a thrilling twist. Its rough brush strokes and splattered ink make it look like it's straight out of a Hollywood classic horror film – no wonder it's a crowd favorite in this category.

Scary Zombie – Spooky FontScary Zombie is a creepy and distressed zig-zag design font commonly used in horror-themed projects like posters and media to create an atmosphere of fear and unease.

It is perfect for enhancing your design's spooky and unsettling elements, especially those related to supernatural themes like zombies or ghosts. Scary Zombie can be particularly effective during Halloween or when a creepy text message aesthetic is desired.

Halloween DangerNCL Halloween Danger is a handwritten font that resembles the classic horror movie genre from the 1950s. The overall design follows a spooky, vintage aesthetic with bold letterforms and decorative details such as bats, spiders, and other creepy characters.

The font is perfect for adding a bit of darkness to your design projects, be it a poster, flyer, or plain text document.

Black House – Horror FontBlack House is a horror-themed display font that adds a nail scratcheffect, complemented by sharp, eerie lines. Not only to perfect for creating chilling invitations or posters, but with added alternates and ligatures, it's versatile for any project needing an extra effect boost of horror.

The Night Lamp – Horror FontStep into the shadowy world of horror with The Night Lamp font inspired by classic movie posters. This font has a spooky and mysterious design that will creep you out most elegantly. Its haunting letterforms and sharp, jagged edges give it an otherworldly vibe perfect for blood-chilling terror designs.

With The Night Lamp, you'll feel like something sinister lurks out of sight. This eerie font brings a touch of terror to your following horror-themed projects.

Horror NightIf you want to add a spooky twist to your design, you need a font tailored to the dark side of childhood tales. Horror Night evokes the oozy, gooey texture of slime creeping over large, bold, molded letters – giving kids a wickedly fun element of terror in their storybooks or Halloween party invites.

Grimes BloodThe Grimes Blood font is a spooky creation perfect for instilling fear and unease in your audience. Its sharp edges and blood-dripping letters design create a terrifying effect, adding a horror touch to any horror-themed project.

The blood-soaked letters are not for the faint of heart and are sure to frighten your audience.

Bloody Mary – Thriller TypefaceThe Bloody Mary font is like something from a horror movie, with a gory design perfect for Halloween events, spooky book covers, and creepy posters. It's all thanks to the bold, sharp style and chilling blood-dripping effect that gives it an overall sense of horror.

With its unique shapes and eerie vibe, this font is a surefire way to create a spine-tingling atmosphere and make your audience uneasy.

HantuBring your horror designs to life with a zombie-esque font that will give your work the perfect oozing, creeping, and crawling look.

This bold, customized all-caps font will ignite a burning fire effect and scare like an eerie wave drawing style. Stick to tradition and elevate your design with the perfect horror-inspired typography.

ElastikaThe Elastika typeface is an eerie work of art that's sure to leave an impression. Inspired by the scribbles of restless hands, it boasts a prickling design that practically pops off the screen.

As you scroll through its text, it takes on a life of its own, spreading and expanding like something out of a horror movie. With its sharp edges and sinister strokes, it's no wonder this typeface gives off such an otherwordly vibe.

Sinister MindWith rough lines and jagged edges, Sinister Mind is perfect for horror-themed projects and Halloween designs. Its dark and menacing zig-zag design will create a sense of fear and unease, adding a horror touch to your design.

Whether you're creating a poster or other media, Sinister Mind is the ideal choice for those who want to make an impact and hold their viewer's attention.

Scary NightScary Night is a bold headline brush font designed to add an eerie feeling to any creative project. With its angular lines and jagged edges, Scary Night has the power to bring even the most mundane tasks to life.

It's perfect for comic books cover, posters, logos, movie titles, and promotional materials that need a spooky edge.

Horror HustleHorror Hustle is a smooth curvy display font perfect for creating a sinister and spooky atmosphere for your projects. Whether designing a scary-themed website or looking for a horror movie poster font, this eerie font will surely give your work an edge of fear.

The unique style of Horror Hustle adds a particular element of beauty and terror to any text or design.

Zombies RebornZombies Reborn is a horror-themed typeface inspired by classic zombie films. The font has been designed to look like the writing of a zombie's hand or the blood splash, with an added eerie twist. It features bold, angular characters and sharp edges that evoke a sense of dread.

Perfect for creating posters and titles for horror-themed projects, Zombie Reborn font will surely give your work a spooky edge.

Unblessed – Horror TypefaceExperience the spine-tingling horror atmosphere with Unblessed, a font that evokes pure terror. Its jagged edges and ominous design create an eerie ambiance that will leave you on edge.

With a texture brush stroke style, ligature, and glyphs, Unblessed is the perfect choice for adding a touch of ominousness to horror films and games.

Gruesome – Horror Scary FontThe Gruesomebrush texture will send shivers down your spine with every stroke, terrorizing any design. Whether crafting invitations or sprucing up a website, this font will leave an unforgettable mark. Its bold and daunting lettering is a force to be reckoned with, leaving a lasting impact on any project.

Gendarwo – Scary TypefaceGendarwo is a typeface with an eerie aesthetic. Its blood stains, like letterforms, are spindly and awkward, lending it an unsettling character that creates discomfort and unease when used in design projects.

It has a unique style of letters that makes it stand out from other typefaces and adds to its creepy feel. Its rounded edges give the overall design an unfinished, unpolished look, adding to its spooky effect.

Why You'll Love Using These Scary FontsWith the right font, you can enhance the design and create an atmosphere of horror and suspense. Don't be scared to experiment with these scary fonts to help create compiling designs while bringing out the eerie side of Halloween.

Bring out those scissors, cups of coffee, and spooky typefaces. Take the time to play around with them and find the perfect style that best fits your design. After all, aesthetics are essential in captivating your audience with a powerful message.

The post 30+ Best Scary Fonts (Spooky, Horror Typefaces) appeared first on Bittbox.

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Are you a designer looking for distressed fonts capable of creating an attention-grabbing headline?

Maybe you're looking for an excellent typeface with a great variety of alternate characters and alternative versions.

Whatever brought you here, we're glad you've joined us! Below you'll find a list of distressed fonts that make an ideal choice for designers from all walks of life.

Unlimited Downloads: Millions of Creative Assets by ###### Hoverage

Modern Vintage Typeface ###### Bargers Distressed

All-Caps Typeface ###### Rustic Jack

Vintage Font Duo ###### Habanos

Retro Font ###### Visage Demolised

Distressed Font ###### Chaotic Sans

Distressed Display Sans Download Now

Best Distressed FontsThese distressed fonts are filled with stunning variations, exciting features, bonus textures, and so much more. This list of 25 distressed fonts are sure to provide you with plenty of options to create the look you're after.

Download Unlimited Fonts at Envato Elements
Designers always need fonts. Thanks to Envato Elements, you can download as many professional fonts (and other design resources) as you need for one low price. They offer millions of fonts, stock photos, illustrations, templates, themes, plugins, and much more, all with simple commercial licensing. It's the #1 resource for designers and creatives. Get instant access.

Hoverage TypefaceHoverage is a beautiful modern vintage serif typeface. It features unique grungy textures perfectly suited for a wide variety of vintage designs.

This typeface supports uppercase letters, lowercase characters, and numbers. You have the choice between a regular and vintage style, so this is a very versatile option for vintage projects.

Bargers DistressedBargers is a very solid yet creative typeface that originated from old-style printing. It truly captures the essence of vintage typography. The distressed textures are essential to providing your project with that traditional vintage feel we all know and love.

The possibilities are endless with this creative typeface. It's perfectly suited for any project requiring a distressed font, including posters and vintage logos.

Rustic JackRustic Jack is distinctly different from those mentioned previously because it carries somewhat of an antique Western tone. The distressed textures are distinctive and boldly unique, which makes this one of our favorite fonts for all things Western.

Rustic Jack is created for designers seeking a good old American style.

HabanosThis impressive typeface has so many bonus features, it almost feels too good to be true. Habanos comes packed full of exciting features including two different weights, unique illustrations, premade logos, and more.

The wide variety and additional features make this one of the best fonts for designers looking to create unique vintage designs and retro signage.

Tamaki ProTamaki Pro is a 100% originally created typeface with applied contextual substitution features that allow you to utilize five different alternatives for each letter in the English alphabet.

This unique typeface is an excellent choice for projects such as posters, logos, distressed font headline designs, and more.

Visage DemolishedThis typeface is set apart from the others thanks to its unique grunge texture. It's perfectly suited for branding projects, logos, and bold displays.

This is an all-caps font, however, so it is certainly not well-suited for any long-form writing. The rough textures on this one truly do make it a unique distressed typeface completely set apart from the rest.

Chaotic Sans – Distressed Display FontChaotic Sans is a beautiful hand-painted sans serif grunge font featuring multilingual accent support.

This is such a unique choice because it's a handmade typeface created by the designers themselves.

It holds a natural and modern tone while maintaining a completely professional appearance perfect for poster design, houseware designs, modern logos, and more.

Oxford Press SVG FontOxford Press SVG is a cool font in this collection because it was created by utilizing real vintage metal letterpress blocks sourced from old printing companies.

The creators utilized these letterpress blocks to create the beautiful distressed ink textures displayed in this typeface.

GoliadGoliad is an exceptionally versatile family of fonts. It's truly one of those perfect all-around country fonts. It features 5 styles filled with southern flare and varying intensities of rough textures.

This typeface is uniquely set apart from the rest due to it offering two different stylistic alternatives featuring inline designs. The other three stylistic alternatives feature varying degrees of weathered textures ranging from regular to worn and rough versions.

RushenRushen is a beautiful all-caps sans serif font family that features 5 different styles and textured versions.

Its distressed letters uniquely captivate the audience and provide a unique vintage tone. This makes it the perfect sublimation font, especially for any vintage versions of designs you may be creating.

HanselHansel is a unique and high-quality edgy font that provides you with two styles- rough and textured. This slab serif font family is perfect for crafters. Cricut fonts work well in conjunction with Hansel and may provide you with a unique stylistic tone to your custom-designed SVGs.

Overall, it's an excellent choice for any design style seeking a grungy font to complete its look. This font family is unique and will distinctly set your work apart from the rest.

ThunderhouseThunderhouse is a font family containing three different weights and 52 OpenType features. It's very well suited for any short-form writing, so it's the perfect font for posters and vintage designs.

This font family has a unique feature. If you type the same letter twice in a row, the software will automatically adjust the weight of the letter that has been duplicated

The MacksenThe Macksen is a cute and casual hand-drawn typeface featuring elegant swashes and graceful ligatures. It carries a friendly personality making it the perfect choice for a wide range of projects carrying a joyful tone.

SunmoreSunmore is an elegant and complete font family containing six different font style variants. Its distinct style sets it apart from most sans-serif fonts due to its classy yet distressed feel.

This family of typefaces is the ultimate selection when looking for a family of versatility for many different project types.

AmnestiaAmnestia is incredibly versatile and is a perfect choice for a wide range of projects. Its 100+ included alternate characters carry a wide range of unique swashes and tails perfect for creating striking headlines or sub-text.

This font family utilizes only uppercase characters which makes it best suited for headlines and subtext, we do not recommend its use for long-form text and body writing.

Microbrew Soft Mega FamilyThis is an all-around complete font family. Featuring 27 unique styles this family of typefaces is well-rounded and suited for a very broad variety of projects. You truly can't go wrong with this letter-pressed sans serif font family.

Floresto – Textured FontFloresto is an essential selection of fonts for professional designers. It's an excellent choice of fonts for display purposes as well as any short-form writing meant to make a quick and simple statement. It has a simple yet beautiful distressed touch leaving you with some of the finest alternate characters imaginable.

Immortal CannonImmortal Cannon is an all-caps display typeface with a unique yet classic grungy texture. It's truly a great option if you're looking for beautiful, Pinterest-worthy typography. It has the potential to serve a huge range of purposes when it comes to working with bold fonts with a touch of grit.

Rhyolite + Gold DustThis family of typefaces contains uppercase and lowercase characters. Its western grit and worn edges are just so unique and loveable, you won't be able to resist using this family of typefaces for all of your vintage-style projects.

MalinshaMalinsha is a family of typefaces containing hundreds of alternate characters inspired by retro signage and modern-style calligraphy.

This bold, eye-catching typeface utilizes both uppercase and lowercase letters and comes in two different file format options (OTF & TTF).

Its authentic texture beautifully conveys a vintage style perfect for a wide range of projects from brochures to logos. It will cover your full range of design needs.

WeisshornWeisshorn is well suited for a huge range of design needs. It contains two stunning variations, normal and rough styles. The rough style has just the perfect touch of grit to keep its urban vibe alive.

It's a perfect choice for a variety of design contexts. However, it's an exceptionally ideal choice for beginners thanks to its unique patterns, objects, and some ready-to-use badges.

HikerThe Hiker font family contains a unique array of fonts that gives off a really unique and fun tactile feeling. The 12 different hand-drawn font styles contain some really unique textiles and patterns including hatch and shadows.

This hand-drawn font not only offers an all-caps alphabet but also offers unique extras exclusive to this font family. Hiker is a great family of typefaces for any beginner seeking a premium font family at a budget-friendly price.

GutenbergThis family of typefaces pays an endearing tribute to Johannes Gutenberg, who introduced mechanical moveable printing techniques to Europe in the second millennium. This beautiful selection of fonts contains a beautifully mimicked letterpress texture that urges the audience to get in and get their hands dirty.

It not only supports both uppercase and lowercase characters, but it also has excellent support for foreign characters. This sans-serif font family will surely meet your design needs for a variety of projects. This font family complements everything from vintage logos to bold-stated headers.

MarlineThis family of typefaces offers four alternate versions including regular, rounded, textured, and rough versions.

This is an all-caps typeface. However, you can utilize both uppercase and lowercase characters to create different unique stamp textures. This unique feature prevents repetition and a basic appearance. By simply mixing in some lowercase characters. you're able to create a unique contextual appearance distinct from even your toughest competitors.

BolandesBolandes is a vintage monoline typeface inspired by vintage signage. It has a beautiful letterpress texture that truly captures the tone of vintage letterpress styles. This beautiful font features over 99 alternate characters, stylistic sets, and ligatures.

It's an all-caps typeface filled with a unique personality and includes both small caps and standards. It's well suited for a range of design needs, including projects such as modern logos, advanced typography, headline designs, branding materials, and more. With its unique set of alternate characters and stylistic sets, the sky is the limit with this one!

Why You'll Start Using These Distressed FontsThis list of 25 distressed fonts does not fall short of amazing. We've got a great variety including everything from Western grit to vintage fonts. The list here is complete and will certainly help you find that perfect match for you and your project.

The post 25 Best Distressed Fonts for a Rough and Textured Look appeared first on Bittbox.

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In Adobe Illustrator, there are multiple tools available to fill objects with colors, including the Fill Tool located in the toolbar. The act of filling an area with color or elements is known as the fill action. In Illustrator, this means adding color or gradients to objects to enhance their appearance.

As a seasoned Adobe Illustrator user, I have found that different coloring tools work best for different situations. While the Eyedropper Tool and Color/Color Guide are my go-to options for filling colors, there are other tools available that can be just as useful.

In this article, I'll introduce you to these tools and provide quick tutorials on how to use them effectively. So, are you ready to dive in and explore the world of color filling in Illustrator?

Where is the Fill Tool in Adobe Illustrator?Fill Color Using the Fill ToolLocated in the toolbar, the Fill Tool is represented by a solid square icon. It is a commonly used tool in many design and editing software programs.

The Fill Tool can be easily accessed through the keyboard shortcut “X“, which also allows you to switch between Fill and Stroke modes. This handy feature makes it quick and easy to switch between the two modes without having to navigate through menus or toolbars.

Fill Color Using the Eyedropper ToolTo quickly access the Eyedropper Tool, simply press the “I” key on your keyboard. Alternatively, you can locate the tool in the toolbar.

Fill Color Using Swatches/ColorWhen working with objects in Illustrator, you may notice that the Swatches and Color panels appear on the right side of the document. This is a feature in certain versions of Illustrator that allows for easy access to color options and swatches while working on your design.

If you're having trouble viewing the panels, don't worry! You can easily set them up by going to the “Swatches” and “Color” options under the “Window” tab.

Swatches can be accessed by clicking on the Color icon in the toolbar, which will activate the Color panel on the right side of the screen along with other panels.

Fill Color with the Live Paint Bucket ToolIf you are not familiar with the Live Paint Bucket Tool in Illustrator, don't worry– it's not always easy to find. Depending on your version of the software, you may need to set it up or search for it in a specific folder tab. But once you locate it, this tool can be incredibly useful for quickly filling in shapes and creating dynamic designs.

The Live Paint Bucket Tool can be accessed in two ways: either by navigating to Edit Toolbar > Live Paint Bucket or by using the keyboard shortcut “K“.

Quick Tips and TutorialsLooking for some quick tutorials and tips on how to fill objects with colors?

Look no further! There are several methods you can use, but the most common four are the Fill Tool (Color Picker), Eyedropper Tool, Color/Color Guide, and Swatches. Here is a quick guide to get you started.

1. Fill ToolThe Fill Tool is a useful feature that allows you to choose any color you desire and even input the color hex code for accuracy. This is particularly important when working on branding design or visual identity projects where color consistency is crucial.

Step 1: To use the Fill Tool, simply select your object and double-click on the Fill Tool icon to open the Color Picker window. From there, you can choose your desired color and apply it to your object.

Step 2: To use the Fill Tool, you must first select a color. This can be done by either choosing a color from the Color Picker or by inputting a color hex code. Once you have selected your desired color, simply click OK to proceed with filling your selected area.

1. Eyedropper ToolThe Eyedropper Tool (I) is a handy feature that allows you to quickly and easily fill your object with a specific color. By using this tool, you can sample colors from any image and apply them to your artwork with just a few clicks.

Step 1: Start by selecting the object you want to apply the color to. Then, choose the Eyedropper Tool from the toolbar.

Step 2: Select a sample color from an image or design. Simply click on the color you want to use and the tool will fill your selected object (such as text) with that color.

1. SwatchesSwatches are a useful tool for quickly filling in basic colors. However, there is actually a wide range of color options available in the Swatch libraries menu, and you can even create your own unique swatches to save for future use.

Step 1: Choose the item you want to apply color to.

Step 2: To select a color, simply click on one of the options available in the Swatches panel.

1. Color/Color GuideThe Color Guide is a helpful tool for those who are unsure about which colors to use together. It provides suggestions for color combinations that you can use as a starting point, and you can always customize and create your own unique color palette from there.

Step 1: Select the object you want to change the color of.

Step 2: You must first choose a color from either the Color or Color Guide panel.

Final ThoughtsIn conclusion, taking the time to set up the necessary color and fill tools for your project can save you a lot of trouble and time in the long run. I highly suggest taking a few minutes to ensure you have everything you need before diving into your work. With the right tools at your fingertips, you can have fun exploring and experimenting with colors to bring your project to life!

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Crop Marks, which are also known as Trim Marks, are the indicators of where you want your printed artwork to be cut. In some software, you need to create crop marks manually. Luckily, Adobe Illustrator comes with features that automatically arrange the crop marks' position automatically.

What are Crop Marks?Crop marks are the marks positioned at the corners of an artwork. They indicate where to have the final trim for the artwork. Crop Marks help us to see the exact size of a document and guide us in trimming away the outer edges of the file. Crop Marks are for commercial use, printing business cards for instance.

Creating Crop Marks Around ObjectsStep 1 Select the Selection Tool (keyboard shortcut V) from the left toolbar.

Step 2 Select the object you want to create crop marks around using the selection tool.

Step 3 Go to the Object menu from the overhead toolbar and select Create Trim Marks. You'll see an editable set of corner marks at the four corners of your artwork.

Step 4You can also create crop marks as a live effect. To do so, go to the Effect menu from the overhead toolbar and select Crop Marks.

Crop marks are the best way to guide the printer about where to trim the paper. I hope this article helped you to understand the notion of crop marks in Illustrator.

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One of the things you frequently do while working on Illustrator is to use the brush with different settings. You may need to change the brush stroke pattern for some particular design object or change the size of the brush for another one. Hence, learning different ways of changing the brush size will come in handy while working with Illustrator.

In this article, we'll cover three ways of changing the brush size in Illustrator. Before we get started with the tutorial, let's get introduced to the tools and panels we'll use here.

Brush OptionsYou'll find the brush options in the brushes panel. Go to the top right corner of the brush panel, click on the menu, and select Brush Options from the drop-down menu.

Properties PanelThe properties panel is located on the right side of the Illustrator screen. If you cannot find this panel, go to the Window and select Properties to enable it.

Blob Brush ToolThe Blob Brush Tool is located on the left toolbar. You'll find it inside the brush tool sub-menu. The shortcut key for the Blob tool is Shift + B.

Method 1: Using the Brush OptionsStep 1 Go to the Brush panel, which you can find with the other panels on the right side of your screen.

Step 2 A small menu icon is on the brush panel's top right corner. Clicking on this menu option will open a drop-down menu.

Step 3 Select the Brush Options from the drop-down menu. You will get a dialog box, “Calligraphic Brush Options,” after clicking on the brush options.

Step 4You can change the brush angle, the roundness of the brush tip, and the brush stroke's size. There's a slider you can move to change the size of the brush.

Method 2: Using the Properties PanelStep 1 First, select the stroke/brush you want to change.

Step 2 Go to the properties panel while the stroke is selected.

Step 3Inside the properties panel, there is an Appearance section where you can find the Stroke option. Change stroke according to your preference. Increase the value if you want a thicker stroke, and decrease it if your selected stroke is thinner.

Method 3: Using the Blob Brush ToolStep 1 Double click on the Blob Brush Tool to get the settings options.

Step 2In the settings options, you can change the roundness, the angle, and the size of the blob brush.

Method 4: Using Key Board Shortcut KeyThere are keyboard shortcut keys for decreasing and increasing the brush size in Illustrator. It's easier, quicker, and more convenient to use shortcut keys to change the size of the brush.

Step 1 Select the Paintbrush Tool from the left toolbar. The shortcut key for the paintbrush tool is (B).

Step 2Press the bracket key from the keyboard [ ]. Pressing [ will decrease the size of the brush, and pressing ] will increase the size.

Keys illustration via VecteezyChanging brush size is a task that tends to be done often in Illustrator. Hence, knowing different ways of changing the brush size will help you in your illustrator project. I hope you find this article helpful.

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Adobe Illustrator is a powerful tool for creating digital art and designs, but sometimes mistakes happen. Fortunately, the program makes it easy to undo or redo your actions.

You may be wondering how many times you can undo an action in Illustrator. While there are technical limitations, in most cases you won’t need to worry about them as you are unlikely to undo or redo an action 100 times. So go ahead and experiment with your designs, knowing that you can always backtrack if needed.

By default, Illustrator saves up to 100 states for Undo and Redo. However, if you need more, you can adjust the limit up to 200 states by going to Preferences and selecting Performance.

Adobe Illustrator has a handy feature that allows you to show your actions up to 50, 100, or 200 times.

In this tutorial, we'll explore three methods for undoing or redoing actions in Illustrator. This makes correcting mistakes and streamlining your workflow easy.

3 Ways to Undo and Redo in IllustratorIf you're working on a project in Adobe Illustrator and need to undo or redo a recent action, there are three methods you can use. However, it's important to note that these methods only work within the current document you're working on. If you need to undo or redo something in a previously saved and closed file, you'll need to refer to the next section where reverting an .ai file is discussed.

First Method: File MenuSimply select Edit > Undo from the overhead menu. If you change your mind and want to redo the action you just undid, select Edit > Redo. These simple commands can save you time and frustration when working on your designs.

It's important to note that to redo an action, you must first undo a previous action. If you find that the redo option is greyed out or not working, it may be because there is nothing to redo yet. Take advantage of the undo function to make changes to your design with ease.

If you accidentally delete something, you can simply “Undo” to bring it back. And if you change your mind and want to redo an action you just undid, you can “Redo” to restore it.

If you need to undo a recent action, go to the Edit menu and select Undo Clear. And if you change your mind and want to redo that action, the “Redo” option will now be available in the same menu.

Second Method: Keyboard ShortcutsIf you want to undo your last action on your computer, there's a handy keyboard shortcut you can use. The shortcut is Control + Z (PC) or Command + Z (Mac), which is a universal undo shortcut used in many software programs.

If you've made a mistake while typing or editing, don't worry! You can easily redo your last action with a simple keyboard shortcut. Simply press Shift + Control + Z (PC) or Shift + Command + Z (Mac) to redo your last action. It's a quick and easy way to fix any mistakes and get back on track.

Third Method: History PanelThe History Panel is a useful tool for reverting to a specific stage. Instead of relying on the Command + Z or Control + Z shortcut, which only allows you to go back one step at a time, the history panel lets you easily navigate through your project's history and undo multiple steps at once. This can save you time and make your workflow more efficient.

If you're familiar with using the history panel in Photoshop, you'll be happy to know that Adobe Illustrator also has this feature. To access the history panel, simply go to the Window menu and select History. From there, you can view and undo previous actions taken in your Illustrator project.

It allows you to easily navigate your design history and undo any unwanted changes. To go back to a specific step, click on it in the panel, and all actions after that step will be removed from your artboard.

Rest assured, deleting a step is not permanent. If you need to redo a step, just scroll down to the history panel and click on the specific step you want to redo. It's that easy!

How to Undo with a Closed Illustrator FileIf you accidentally closed an Illustrator file without saving it, do not panic. There's a way to undo it. Keep in mind that these versions expire after 30 days.

To access this feature, simply open the Illustrator file that has been saved in Creative Cloud and go to the overhead menu. From there, select Window > Version History to see a list of previous file versions that you can restore.

This will show you a list of previous versions of the file that you can choose from and hopefully recover your work.

Example: If you need to return to a previous file version, it's easy to do so. Just locate the version you want to revert to and click on the options menu (represented by three dots). From there, select “Revert to this version,” and your file will be restored to its previous state.

Note: Any files saved directly to your computer will not display version history on the panel.

How to Save Your Adobe Illustrator File to Adobe Creative CloudSaving your Adobe Illustrator file to Adobe Creative Cloud has numerous advantages. Apart from reverting a file, you can access your Ai files from anywhere, even when you're not using your own computer. The process is also straightforward. All you need to do is go to File > Save As and select Save to Creative Cloud.

Simply give your file a name and click the “Save” button.

From there, you can easily access and edit your file from any device with an internet connection. Plus, with the detailed version history, you can easily undo or redo any changes made within the last 30 days. So do not forget to save and take advantage of the benefits of cloud storage!

Final ThoughtsIn conclusion, while it may seem like a hassle to save your files in Creative Cloud, it can be a lifesaver if you ever need to revert to a previous version of your work. It's important to note that methods 1 to 3 for redoing or undoing actions will not work on a file that has been closed and reopened, so it's better to be safe than sorry and save your work in Creative Cloud.

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If you're new to Adobe Illustrator, the Eraser Tool can be tricky to navigate.

It is not always clear when and how to use it, and beginners may find themselves struggling to erase parts of an image or illustration.

However, several different tools are available for erasing objects in Illustrator, depending on what you are trying to erase, whether it's a portion of an image, a shape, or a path.

With a bit of practice and experimentation, you'll soon become a pro at using these tools to achieve the desired effect in your designs.

This Illustrator tutorial will guide you through erasing in Adobe Illustrator using various tools and techniques. Whether you're a beginner or an experienced user, you'll learn when to use each tool and how to achieve the desired results. So, let’s get started!

Related reading: How to Change the Eraser Size in Illustrator

3 Different Methods for Erasing Elements in Illustrator1. The Eraser ToolIn Illustrator, removing unwanted brush strokes, pencil paths, or vector shapes is easy with the Eraser Tool.

To access it quickly, use the keyboard shortcut Shift + E or select it from the toolbar. Then, simply brush over the areas you want to erase and watch them disappear.

By using the Eraser Tool, you can divide them into different parts and manipulate the anchor points. For example, if you use the erase tool on a pencil path, it will break the path into sections and display the anchor points, allowing you to easily edit and adjust the path as needed.

2. The Scissors ToolThe Scissors Tool is essential to have in your toolbox. But did you know you can also use it to remove parts of a path?

For instance, if you want to erase a section of a circle, the Scissors Tool can help you do just that.

To access the Scissors Tool, simply select it from the toolbar or use the keyboard shortcut C. This tool is found in the same menu as the Eraser Tool and can cut and separate different parts of an image or design.

Select the circle path you want to edit. Then, click on the starting point of the area you want to erase and click again on the ending point. The Scissors Tool will cut the path at that point, allowing you to remove the unwanted section.

Select the path you want to cut using the Selection Tool (shortcut key V). Once you have the path selected, you can then use the Scissors Tool to cut the path at specific anchor points.

1. Now press the Delete key, and you will erase part of the circle path.

3. Clipping MaskIn Illustrator, a clipping mask is a helpful tool for removing parts of an imported image. Unlike the Eraser Tool, which cannot be used on imported images, a clipping mask allows you to precisely control which parts of the image are visible and which are hidden. This is especially useful when working with complex images or when you need to create a specific effect.

Cat illustration via VecteezyTo begin, access the Transparency Panel by clicking on the Windows menu and selecting Transparency from the options.

First Step: You can use the Paintbrush Tool to erase a specific part of an image. Simply select the tool (shortcut B) and brush over the area you want to erase. You can adjust the brush size accordingly if you need to erase a larger area. In this example, the pink area was brushed over to be erased.

Second Step: Select both the brush stroke and the image. Then, navigate to the Transparency Panel and click “Make Mask.”

This will allow you to adjust the transparency of your image and brushstroke as needed.

Note: When working with multiple brush strokes, it's important to group them before creating a clipping mask.

You'll notice that the image within the brush strokes disappears, leaving only the brush area visible.

This technique can be used to create interesting and unique effects in your artwork.

Third Step: Simply click on the Invert Mask option and make sure that the Clip is unchecked. This will result in the image being displayed with the brushed-on part erased.

Final Thoughts on Erasing in IllustratorThe Eraser Tool, Scissors Tool, and brushes for Clipping Masks can all be used to erase or remove. It's important to note that the Eraser and Scissors tools only work on vectors, while brushes are necessary for erasing parts of an image. With these tools at your disposal, you can easily make edits and adjustments to your designs.

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When it comes to dealing with vector-based projects in graphic design, Adobe Illustrator is unparalleled. It controls all types of design, ranging from simple infographics to designing a whole brand identity.

Using different layers of vectors you can achieve any type of shape. But, sometimes you get to a point where dealing with the rasters also becomes compulsory. For instance, vectorizing a portrait or editing a simple flyer. At this point, you might want to remove the background of the image, or you might want to separate an object from the overall image for some purpose.

You may be surprised to know that you can do this in Illustrator alone without moving it into Photoshop. Even though Illustrator is mainly a vector-based software, you can still use it to remove the background of a raster image.

The question is, how? In the next 5-10 minutes, you'll master how to remove the background in Adobe Illustrator. So, without any further ado, let's get into it.

Methods to Remove the Background in IllustratorDepending on the image we want to remove the background from, there are different methods we can follow to get the job done.

Method 1: Using the Pen Tool and Clipping MaskIn this method, first, we trace the object or create a path around our object using the Pen Tool, and then add a Clipping Mask to separate the object from our background. To understand it better, let's take an example using the following image.

We will separate the Rubik's Cube from the rest of its background. To do this, first, we'll trace the object (add a path around the object) using the Pen Tool. You can select the Pen Tool from the Toolbar. The Pen Tool provides a convenient way to trace any object precisely and accurately. You just need to master it through practice.

To trace more accurately, turn the Fill off and Stroke on. You can select any color for the stroke too. It allows you to see the entire area of the object as well as the stroke area. We make sure that we have traced the entire object and closed the path around the object;

Now, we select the closed path and image using the Selection Tool. To select both, using the Selection Tool, we first select the closed path and then click on the image holding the Shift key.

Now, we simply right-click on the image and select Make Clipping Mask.

We will see that background is removed from the image, and only the Rubik's cube remains.

You can still edit your selection using the Direct Selection Tool (white arrow icon beside the Selection Tool). And you can save the separated object as an image without the background. For this, export the image as PNG making sure that Background Transparent Box is checked.

Method 2: Using the Image Trace from Window MenuWhen working with images of flat shapes or colors, the image trace method is best. In this method, we first change the image into a vector and then remove the unnecessary parts or elements of the image. So, in this way, we can easily remove the object's background. To understand it better, let's take an example of the following flat illustration of the pencil.

This seems a flat-colored illustration, so we can easily change it into a vector with this method. To see the result of our removal method, you might want to turn on the transparency grid by going to View > Transparency Grid. Or you can use the shortcut, Shift + Control + D (PC) or Shift + Command + D (Mac).

Next, go to Window > Image Trace by going above Menu Bar.

A new Image Trace Panel will appear. Now, select the image using the Selection Tool from the Tool Bar. In the Image Trace Panel, choose High Fidelity Photo in the dropdown option of preset. You can choose any option here that suits your requirements. Uncheck the Preview option in the panel and then click on Trace.

Now, go to Object > Expand in the above Menu Bar. Then click OK in the window that appears. This will convert the entire image into a vector.

Now, select the Direct Selection Tool from the Toolbar, select the components of the background, and press the Delete key from your keyboard to remove them. You will see that as we remove the background, the transparency grid behind the image will start to appear. It means you have successfully removed the background of the image.

Finally, you have removed the background of the pencil. You can save it as a PNG with a transparent background.

Method 3: Using the Magic Wand ToolThe Magic Wand Tool proves to be the best to remove elements that are alike in an image. This is because the Magic Wand Tool makes it easier to select the areas or elements of a vector file that are similar. Being similar means the common colors, hues, and such factors. To understand it much better, let's take the image of the pencil that has been shown in the previous method;

Here, the Transparency Grid has been turned ON. To get this, you can use the shortcut, “Shift + Control + D”.Here, we consider that this image has been converted into a vector by the Image Trace. Next, we select the Magic Wand Tool from the Toolbar.

After selecting the Magic Wand Tool, we click on the background area of the pencil. You'll see that the background of the pencil is selected.

Next, simply, press the Delete Button on the keyboard. The background of the pencil will be removed.

Now, you can save it as a PNG or EPS with a transparent background to use in your graphics.

Final Thoughts on Removing the Background in IllustratorYou have just learned how to remove the background of an image in Adobe Illustrator. I hope you will play with this skill to produce different exciting visuals. Enjoy!

The following image has been used in this article: https://unsplash.com/photos/Lvy_S3ELzIs.

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As an image editor, graphic designer, or Photoshop artist, you'll need to be able to make all types of selections. Photoshop is a raster image editing software where pixels are used, so selecting the same colored pixels is a must-know technique.

When it comes to knowing how to change the color of clothes, backgrounds, or other objects, you'll be astonished to know that there are several tools and options within Photoshop to help you get your job done. The main thing in doing this is how you do the task using your creativity and playing with different tools.

In the next 5-10 minutes, you'll learn how to make selections of the same color or the pixels containing the same color. Here, we'll use the selections for different purposes.

So, without any further ado, let's get into the selection methods.

How to Select a Color in PhotoshopMethod 1: Using the Select Sky ToolWhile dealing with images including landscapes or large sky areas, you might like to select the sky to change its color or to replace the sky. The Select Sky Tool only selects the blue pixels as it is made to select the sky. These could only be done by selecting the sky entirely and applying certain changes. Let's take an example using the following image to select the sky.

After bringing your photo into Photoshop, go to Select > Sky on the above Menu Bar.

By doing this, the sky will be selected automatically. To edit this selection precisely, we would apply a layer mask. To do this, we need to select the inverse area of the image. Go to Select > Inverse on the above menu bar.

Now, we can add a layer mask over our selection. To do this, from the overhead menu bar, go to Select > Select and Mask.

You can also use the shortcut, “Alt + Control + R” to apply the layer mask over the selection From the newly appeared window of Layer Mask options, you can edit and refine your selection precisely. After making your desired changes, you simply select New Layer with Layer Mask in Output Settings. Then click OK.

You'll get a new layer with a layer mask, and you'll notice the background is removed from your photo.

Still, if you are not satisfied with your selection, you can edit it by selecting the mask layer of the new layer and painting it black or white with Brush Tool.

And that's it. You've successfully removed the background from your photo.

Method 2: Using Magic Eraser ToolThis quick and easy method is mainly used to remove pixels of the same color from an image. This tool can be very handy when it comes to removing the background from an image. Let's take the same image as an example to understand this.

Note: This background removal method is said to be a Destructive Editing. To make it non-destructive, at first, you might want to duplicate the layer of your image to keep the original layer intact. To duplicate it, right-click on the image layer and select Duplicate Layer. Or you can use the shortcut, Control + J to duplicate it directly.

After creating a duplicate layer we simply hide the original layer behind a new duplicate layer by clicking on the small eye icon on the left of that layer. And then select the newly duplicated layer to edit.

Then, we select the Magic Eraser Tool from the Toolbar that lies under the standard eraser tool.

You can also use the shortcut, “E” to select the Magic Eraser ToolNow, we click on the areas of the sky until it is completely gone;

If you still see some areas where blue pixels are remaining, you can remove them by using another different tool as a standard eraser tool.

And there we go. We've got our image without the sky.

Method 3: Using Color Range ToolThe Color Range Tool is the most frequently used graphic design selection tool by Photoshop experts as it provides a more precise selection with many more options.

Let's take the following photo as an example to understand this method;

After adding the photo in Photoshop, we simply go to Select > Color Range from the above menu bar.

In the Color Range Window, set the sliders of Fuzziness and Range to 0 and 100, respectively. Select the Sample Color in the drop-down menu, tick the Invert option, and select None in Selection Preview.

Select the Eyedropper from the menu. It means that this will add up the pixels to the selection you are going to click on next.

Now, simply left-click on the areas of the image using your mouse to add to the selection. You'll notice that it will select all the pixels with the same color as the pixel you click. In Color Range Menu, the black area of the image shows the selected pixels.

To edit the selection, you can clean up the areas with pixels you do not want to select simply by selecting the – Eyedropper from the menu and directly clicking on the areas you want to remove from the selection. You'll notice that the deselected area will become white.

As you click on OK, your selection will be highlighted. Now, you can add the layer mask over your selection by going to Select > Select and Mask.

You can further edit your selection with more precision from the Layer Mask Menu. Now, select New Layer with Layer Mask in the dropdown menu of Output Settings, and click on OK.

As you click OK, you'll see that your selected area will be removed from the image. Also, you will notice that a new layer with added layer mask will be created, which means you can still edit your selection by selecting your layer mask layer and painting it black or white using the Brush Tool.

And here we go, we've got our desired result.

Method 4: Using Properties PanelIf you're working on an image you want to remove the blue background, then this tool is going to be very handy for you. This tool is also known as the Remove Background Tool. As its name says, this tool is helpful for background removal.

The Remove Background Tool is cited in the Properties Panel that you can enable by going to Window > Properties from the above menu bar.

To understand this method, let's take an example of the following image.

To enable the Remove Background Tool in the Properties Panel and to do the non-destructive editing, you would like to duplicate the original layer simply by using the shortcut, Control + J.

After creating a duplicate layer, we hide the original by clicking on the small eye icon on the left of the original layer. This will allow us to see the changes we will make on the duplicated layer and non-destructive editing.

After all this, we simply click on Remove Background under the Quick Actions on the Properties Panel. You will see that the background from the image will be removed. Also, you'll see that a new Layer Mask will be created on the duplicated layer. This means that you can still edit your selection by adding black or white paint using the Brush Tool on the layer with the mask.

In this case, I would like only the background to vanish. So I would paint the Layer with white using the Brush Tool to get the desired results.

And here it is. We've done it in no time.

Final Thoughts on Selecting Colors in PhotoshopThere is a wide variety of tools in Adobe Photoshop that can be used one way or another to achieve hundreds of thousands of different results for different purposes. As a designer, one should not be stuck to only limited tools. You can achieve more precise and different results with totally different tools too. It can only be mastered by practicing more and more.

The following images were used in this article:

• https://unsplash.com/photos/qVGDP5CVDKk
• https://unsplash.com/photos/ICFPv3xJY90
• https://unsplash.com/photos/papgZtEFaAA
• https://unsplash.com/photos/wSN4iFjQZyg

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If you use Adobe Illustrator while working on projects like designing a brand identity or drawing illustrations, you'll come to a point where you'd like to rotate your whole artwork or canvas. Thankfully, this is pretty simple.

The rotation of the artboard is mostly required in packaging design where your client would like to see the overall design through a totally different point of view or where you, yourself would like to see your design as it comes to designing different sides of the package. The same case can apply to illustrations where one gets to see different results for the same illustration.

So, as an Illustrator user, it's necessary to know how to rotate the artboard while working on any project.

Let's look at the following quick and easy methods to rotate an artboard in Illustrator.

For more on artboards, please see:

• How to Make the Artboard Transparent in Illustrator
• How to Duplicate an Artboard in Illustrator
• How to Move Artboards in Illustrator

Method 1: Use the Rotate View Tool to Rotate an ArtboardRotating the artboard using the Rotate View Tool is the most used and easy method that you can apply. From your Toolbar, first, you can select the Rotate View Tool. The icon of the tool is shown in the image below.

You can also use the shortcut, “Shift+H” to select the Rotate View Tool.Note: If you don't see the icon of the tool, you can bring it to the toolbar by going to the Edit toolbar menu. After finding the tool, you can bring it to the toolbar and place it anywhere you like.

After selecting the Rotate View Tool, you simply bring your cursor to the outer boundary of the artboard. Then, you click and hold the left button on the mouse and drag it in a rotating manner. In the center of your working window, you'll see the rotating angle.

When you see that you've reached your desired angle, you simply release the left button on the mouse.

And there you go! You've successfully rotated the artboard.

For the most-used rotating angles, 15, 30, 45, 60, 75, and 90 degrees, you can snap the rotating angle in multiples of 15. For this snapping, you simply need to press and hold the Shift Key on your keyboard while you drag the mouse for rotation.

In the above example, I have rotated the artboard to 45 degrees.

Method 2: Use the View Menu to Rotate an ArtboardIf you want to rotate the artboard quickly without using your keyboard to snap the angle or without using the Rotate View Tool, then you can use the Menu Bar to rotate the artboard to 15 degrees or to multiples of 15 degrees.

For this, going to the Menu Bar, you simply go to View > Rotate View.

From the given popped-out menu, select your desired angle.

As in the following example, I have rotated the artboard to 60 degrees.

And that's it. You've just learned to rotate the artboard quickly through the Menu Bar.

Resetting the Rotation of the ArtboardIf by any chance, you've accidentally rotated your artboard or you want to bring it back to the default rotation (0 degrees), then you can easily do that too by going to the View Menu.

To understand this, let's take an example of the following artboard that I've just rotated.

Now, to bring it back to the original position or rotation, you simply need to go to the Menu Bar and then go to the View > Reset Rotate View.

You can also use the shortcut, “Shift + Control + 1” to directly reset the rotation view of your artboard.Your artboard will come to its original or initial position.

Final ThoughtsMostly, the rotation of the artboard is decided before we start our work on the creation of the artboard. The rotations that we can choose while creating the document are Portrait or Landscape. If by any chance you choose that wrong, you can change it by following the same methods to rotate it to 90 degrees.

Consequently, you can rotate your artboard following these methods to produce different and unique designs and illustrations. I hope you create something that brings out something positive in everything.

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As a graphic designer, you'll need to make different shapes within your design projects. Thankfully, Illustrator makes it easy to create just about any type of shape you need. The key is simply knowing the most effective ways to create those shapes.

Most of the elements of the heart shape are derived from curves, and you might be thinking of making or drawing a heart using curves or tools including curves. There are some quick simple methods to make a heart in Adobe Illustrator, and we'll look at them in this tutorial.

Making a heart in Illustrator might look a bit difficult or tricky. But trust me, once you go through this 5-7 minutes tutorial, your opinion will completely change. So let's learn how we can easily make a heart in Illustrator.

Different Methods for Making a Heart in IllustratorThe following are some quick methods to make a heart in Adobe Illustrator. Go through them, and you'll find it easy to make a heart in Illustrator.

Method 1: Using the Rectangle Tool and Anchor Point ToolThe easiest way to make a heart in Adobe Illustrator is by making a rectangle and then simply curving two of its sides. You'll get a nice quick heart drawing with this method.

To understand it much better, let's dive into the specific steps.

Select the Rectangle Tool from the Toolbar on the left of your Illustrator window.

Now, go to the artboard and make a square using the rectangle tool. To make a perfect square, you must press and hold down the Shift key while you click and drag the left mouse button to make a rectangle.

Now, we rotate the square to 45 degrees. To do that, you bring your cursor to one of the corners of the square until it shows you a rotating double arrow icon. Then you click and drag your left mouse button while pressing and holding the Shift key.

For rotation, you can also use the Properties Panel to put in the angle value you want the square to be rotated to, as shown below.

Now, go to the Toolbar and select the Anchor Point Tool.

You can also use the shortcut, “Shift+C” to select the Anchor Point Tool.Next, press and hold the Shift key. Then click, hold, and drag one of the upper two sides of the square. In this way, you'll get a constant nice extension of the side in a curvilinear manner.

Now, do the same for another side.

And there you go! You've got a nice heart shape on your artboard. You can color this shape and alter it in any way you like.

Method 2: Using Rectangle Tool and Shape Builder ToolIf you want to create a perfect heart, then this method will help you to achieve that. To understand it better, let's get into the details.

Select the Rectangle Tool from the Toolbar on the left of your Illustrator window.

Now, go to your artboard and make a rectangle by clicking, holding, and dragging the left button on your mouse.

In the next step, you need to make the corners of this rectangle round. To do this, using your mouse, click and hold on one of the small circle icons at the corners of your rectangle and then drag inwards or to the center of the rectangle until all the corners become round.

Now, you rotate this rounded corner rectangle to 45 degrees. You can use the previous methods to rotate the rectangle to 45 degrees.

Duplicate this rectangle.

By selecting both shapes and using the Align Panel, align both shapes horizontally and vertically to the center.

Next, you need to reflect or mirror one of the shapes. For this, you select the shape using the Selection Tool, and then you reflect the shape by going over to the menu bar, as, Object>Transform>Reflect.

In the next step, you select both the rectangles and Select the Shape Builder Tool from the toolbar.

After selecting the Shape Builder Tool, you click on the extra two extensions on the downside of the shapes to separate them from the above shape.

Now, delete both the extra shape by selecting them and hitting the Delete Button on your keyboard.

Now, select the remaining heart shape using the Selection Tool from the Toolbar and select the Shape Builder Tool. Combine or merge all the shapes with the click, hold, and drag method using your mouse.

And that's it! You've got a perfect heart shape. You can change its color as needed.

Making Hearts in Illustrator is Easy!Congratulations! You've just learned some quick and easy methods to create a heart shape in Adobe Illustrator. Now, it's time to add some lovely heart visuals to your designs.

Enjoy!

Learn how to make other shapes in Illustrator:

• How to Make a Triangle in Illustrator
• How to Make a Semicircle in Illustrator
• How to Make a Circle in Illustrator

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Making a pie chart in Adobe Illustrator may sound a little complicated if you' are used to making pie charts elsewhere've never done it before, but it's actually not difficult at all. It's super easy to make pie charts in Illustrator, and you get to explore new ways to customize your pie chart to make it stand out.

In this article, we'll learn how to make different pie charts and stylize or customize them in Illustrator.

A pie chart is a visual representation of data. It helps one to manage, organize and present the data as a percentage of the entire data.

Pie charts are used for advertisements, infographics, market research, etc. For example, if you have a clothing business needing the percentage of your customer categories, you can make a pie chart showing the percentage of men, women, and kids categories.

You just have to put the data in the designated category, and your pie chart will show you the data as a percentage of a whole. It helps the viewers or readers to have a more precise and better understanding of data of different categories in an interesting, appealing way.

Pie Graph Tool in IllustratorBefore we get started, Let's learn about the Pie Graph Tool. The pie graph tool is located in the left toolbar. Unfortunately, this tool has no shortcut key, and you may find it under the Column Graph Tool. Just right-click on the column graph tool to see the pie graph tool in the drop-down menu.

Method 1: Making a 2D Pie Chart in IllustratorTo make any pie chart, you need the Pie Graph Tool. In this method, we'll make a simple 2D pie chart.

Step 1Create a new document. Before going to the next step, ensure your toolbar has the advanced setting. Otherwise, you won't find the tool you need in the toolbar.

Step 2 Select the Pie Graph Tool from the left toolbar and click on the artboard to create a pie chart.

Step 3 As you clicked on the artboard with the pie graph tool activated, you'll have a graph box where you'll input the size you want for the pie chart. Input your preferable width and height for the pie chart and click Ok.

Step 4 Now you have a half-done pie chart and a table next to it. All you need to do is input the data in the table. In the first row, write down the attributes and input the value for each attribute in the second row.

Step 5When you're done with inputting data in the table, click on the checkmark in the top right corner of the table. And your pie chart is ready.

Method 2: Making a 3D Pie ChartIn this method, you'll make a normal 2D pie chart using the previously mentioned method, and then turn it into a 3D.

Step 1 Make a normal 2D pie chart using the Pie Graph Tool. Follow the steps of method one given above.

Step 2 Select the pie chart and ungroup it so that all parts are separated.

Step 3 From the top toolbar, choose Effect and select 3D and Material. There will be a drop-down menu where you will get 3D options. From the drop-down menu select Extrude and Bevel. You can also choose 3D Classic, which will give you more control over customizing your 3D object.

Step 4Once you select your 3D option, your pie chart will turn into a 3D pie chart. Next to it, you'll have a dialog box where you can change the value according to your preferences. Here we made the 3D using the first option. First, we'll change the depth. This depth will determine the extrude level.

Step 5Change the rotation from the rotation section. You can change the rotation from three angles in this part. Your 3D pie chart is ready. You can also separate the segments a little to make it look better.

Method 3: Making a Donut Pie ChartTo make a donut pie chart, you must make a 2D pie chart first.

Step 1 Make a pie chart using a pie graph tool. Ungroup the pie chart.

Step 2 Select the Ellipse T

ool (E) from the left toolbar and draw a circle in the middle of the pie chart. Once you place the circle, select both the pie chart and the circle using the Selection Tool.Step 3Select the Shape Builder Tool from the left toolbar. The shortcut key for the Shape Builder Tool is Shift + M.

Step 4 When you select the Shape Builder Tool, you can see the divided parts of the pie chart underneath the circle. Now, click and draw with the Shape Builder Tool to combine these parts within the circle.

Step 5After combining the shapes, select the circle using the selection tool and delete it. Your donut pie chart is ready!

Editing a Pie ChartWhether it's a 2D, 3D, or donut pie chart, it is not complete until you add some details to it. You can add colors, gradients, patterns, and whatnot. Or maybe you want to change the size or data of your pie chart.

Adding Color to a Pie ChartIf you want to add colors to a pie chart, you can't just select the pie chart and select a color. That way, the entire pie chart will have the color you selected.

Select the Direct Selection Tool. Using the direct selection tool select one part individually and then go to the Fill and select the color.

In the same way, you can add patterns to a pie chart. Choose your patterns from the Swatch panel.

Resizing a Pie ChartSelect the pie chart. Right-click on the window, go to Transform and select Scale. You will get a dialog box “Scale.” Change the percentage in the uniform box. If you want to reduce the size of the pie chart, you will input less than 100%, and if you want a bigger pie chart, change the value to 150% or 200%, or whatever you want

Editing Data in a Pie ChartSelect the pie chart and right-click on the window. From the right-click menu select Data. This will open a table where you can edit the data you previously input for the pie chart. Click on the green tick mark when you are done with editing.

This is for all today. I hope making pie charts in Illustrator seems simple after reading this article.

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Arrows are a crucial aspect of many designs. The arrows provide a simple solution to point out or focus on the thing that's being highlighted.

In designing books, posters, coffee shop menus, and other booklets, different types of arrows are often needed. So, for a graphic designer, it's important to know how to make any type of arrow needed. Simple arrows, curvy arrows, hand-drawn arrows, and standard arrows are commonly used by professional graphic designers to work in the creative circle.

In the next 5 to 10 minutes, you'll learn how to draw any arrow using several different methods and tools.

So, let's get into it!

Related reading: How to Make a Triangle in Illustrator

How to Make an Arrow in IllustratorMethod 1: Using the Stroke PanelOne of the quickest methods to make an arrow in Adobe Illustrator is adding the arrowhead on the stroke using the Stroke Panel. You can access the Stroke Panel from the above menu bar by going to Window > Strokes.

For this method, ensure that you have a line (open path) drawn with a stroke applied to it.

To understand it better, let's consider the following example. Here, I've drawn two lines using the Pen Tool. You can use any tool to draw any open path or line to get your desired result.

To apply the arrowheads on these lines, we simply select these lines using the Selection Tool, and then open the Stroke Panel. On that, we'll see the arrowhead options.

Using the arrowhead options in the Stroke Panel, select any arrow shapes to make the ends of the strokes have arrows.

Similarly, you can also add any head on the other side of the Stroke using the option besides the one that we have just used.

You can use the swap button on the Stroke Panel to interchange the arrowheads on both sides/ends of the Illustrator.

You can use the Scale option on the Stroke Panel to adjust the arrowheads' start, end, and size.

You can use the Align buttons on the Stroke Panel to adjust whether the stroke end should meet the tip of the arrowhead or should it remain behind the arrow.

To change the color of the arrow, you simply change the stroke's color.

Method 2: Using the Brush ToolIf you want to get the arrows of your desired shape and you find it difficult to make it through the stroke method, then drawing the arrows using the Brush Tool could be an easy, useful, and handy method for you. For a better result, you can also use a graphic tablet with a stylus to draw the arrow.

Adobe Illustrator contains some built-in arrow brushes. You can access these from the menu bar by going to Window > Brushes.

To open the Arrow Brushes, simply go to the Brush Library Icon on the bottom left corner and then go to Arrows > Arrows_Spepcial. A new window will open, containing a collection of arrow brushes.

Now, simply select the Brush Tool and choose your desired brush. Start drawing on the artboard using your stylus or mouse. You'll see that the ends of your drawn lines will turn into arrowheads. Here, I have drawn several arrows using the Arrow Brushes and mouse.

From this same collection, you can also draw the arrows with the double heads if you want;

For more brush collections, you can go to the Arrow_Standard panel using the same method.

If you want to draw some brushes with the patterns, then you can go to the Pattern_Arrows panel in the Brushes Library.

Note: You can also add the Arrow Brushes styles to the simple strokes. For this, you simply need to select the stroke using the Selection Tool and then click on the desired Arrow Brush on the Brush Library. Your stroke will be changed into the shape of your selected brush pattern;

Method 3: Using the Symbol PanelYou can use the Symbol Panel to add the arrows directly to your artboard for the pre-made arrow symbols.

You can open the Symbol Panel from the menu bar by going to, Window > Symbols. Symbol Panel looks like this.

For arrow symbols, simply click on the Symbol Library Icon on the Symbol Panel and then click on the Arrows. A window containing the Arrow symbols will open;

Now, simply click and drag your desired symbol to the artboard. You'll get an arrow you selected on the artboard.

In this way, you can add and edit any arrow symbol of your choice to your design to make it more appealing and interesting;

Note: To edit the arrow symbol on your artboard, simply double-click on the arrow symbol. In this way, you can change the fill color or stroke color, add or remove fill or stroke, and many other things to your added symbol.

Now It's Time to Start Making Some Arrows!Congratulations! You have just learned some quick methods to add/draw the arrows in Adobe Illustrator. Now, I hope you will not find it difficult to add arrows in your next designs.

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When working in Adobe Illustrator, you may notice that your artboard appears to have a white background.

However, this is simply an illusion. The artboard is transparent by default.

If you don't add any color to it, it will remain transparent. The reason for the white appearance is unclear, but rest assured that your design will not be affected by this.

When creating a new document in Illustrator, you may notice that you do not have the option to choose a background color as you do in Photoshop.

Instead, the default artboard background color appears white, although it is not technically pure white. This may be a small difference, but it's important to keep this in mind when working on your designs in Illustrator.

How to Display a Transparent Grid in IllustratorDesigners can make their artboard display transparent by accessing the Ruler & Grids option on the Properties Panel. With this change, instead of the background that appears to be white, you'll clearly see that the background is in fact transparent.

By clicking on the transparent grid option, the artboard can be made transparent, allowing for a more versatile and customizable workspace.

For those using an older version of Illustrator that does not have the option readily available, there is still a way to show the transparent grid.

Simply navigate to the overhead menu and select View> Show Transparent Grid.

Alternatively, you can use the keyboard shortcut Shift + Control + D (on PC) or Shift + Command + D (on Mac) to quickly display the grid.

The artboard now displays as transparent.

To make the background appear white again, click on the same icon located on the Properties Panel.

Alternatively, you can go back to the View menu and choose the option to Hide Transparent Grid or use the same keyboard shortcut as before.

How to Save Artwork with a Transparent BackgroundWhen creating artwork, it's essential to consider the purpose and context of the piece.

For example, if the artwork is intended to be used as a logo, it's best to save it without a background color so that it can easily be placed on different backgrounds without any issues.

This is just one of the many considerations illustrators must consider when creating their work.

When adding a logo or image to a design using Illustrator, it's important to consider the file format and background. For instance, using a PNG file with a transparent background is preferable to a JPEG with a white background.

This is because even if no background color is added to a JPEG, it will default to white (JPEG files cannot have transparent backgrounds, but PNGs can). To illustrate, let's look at an example.

Moon and Stars Vector via Vecteezy When exporting your artwork as a PNG, you'll have the option to select a transparent background. Simply follow the steps provided to ensure your design looks its best.

Step 1: Go to the overhead menu and select File > Export > Export As.

Step 2: Rename the file and choose where you want to save it. Then, change the format to PNG and make sure to check the Use Artboards box. Finally, click Export and your file will be saved as a PNG.

Step 3: One of the steps in using this process is to change the background color to transparent. The resolution can also be adjusted, but the default setting of 72 pixels per inch is suitable for screen resolution.

Click OK, and your image with the transparent background will be saved and ready for use on other projects.

Frequently Asked Questions*How do I change the background color of an artboard in Illustrator?* An illustrator can easily change the background color of their artwork by using the rectangle tool. Simply create a rectangle that is the same size as the artboard and fill it with the desired color, whether it is a solid color or a gradient. Alternatively, the grid color can also be changed from the Document Setup.

Final Thoughts on Transparent Backgrounds in IllustratorIn conclusion, creating a transparent artboard is a simple process of adjusting the view mode to display the transparent grids. To achieve an image with a transparent background, exporting it as a PNG and setting the background color to transparent is the way to go. With these steps, you can easily create stunning designs with transparent backgrounds.

For more about artboards, please see How to Duplicate an Artboard in Illustrator and How to Move Artboards in Illustrator.

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You may have finished your design, but it still feels incomplete. Filling objects or shapes will help to complete the design. In Adobe Illustrator, you can fill objects or shapes with patterns, images, and colors or gradient colors. In this article, we'll learn how to fill a shape or an object in various ways.

These resources from Vecteezy are used in the tutorial:

• Unicorn silhouettes
• Magic sky background
• Set of fruit illustrations

Method 1: Filling an Object with Color Using the Eyedropper This is a basic and easy way to fill an object with color. Let's see how you can use an eyedropper to fill color in a step-by-step process.

Step 1 If your object is ready, select the object or the part of your object you want to fill in using the Selection Tool (keyboard shortcut V).

Step 2Select the Eyedropper Tool from the left-side toolbar. The shortcut key for this tool is (I).

Note: You need to have your color palettes ready for use beforehand. You may have your own customized palettes.

Step 3Click on the color you want to fill in with from the palette. Clicking on the color will fill the portion of the object you selected.

Method 2: Filling Objects with Swatches Using Swatch PanelFilling objects or shapes with swatches may sound complicated, but all you need to do is select the object and then select the swatch you want to fill the object with. In this method, you can fill your object with various types of patterns.

Step 1 Select the object or the shape you want to fill in with swatches.

Step 2 Go to the Swatches Panel. You will find the Swatches Panel around the other panels on the right side of the Illustrator. If you can't find it then you need to enable it. Go to the Window, located at the top toolbar, and select Swatches from the drop-down menu.

Note: Click on the Library button located on the bottom left of the panel to explore more options for swatches.

Step 3 Select the swatch you want your object to be filled in with. Clicking on a swatch will fill in the object with the swatch.

Note: Alternatively, select the swatch first and then draw an object. Your object will be filled in with the swatch as you draw it.

Method 3: Filling Objects with Images Using the Clipping MaskThis method allows you to fill your objects or shapes with any image. It adds more details and visual aids to your design than a standard fill with color.

Step 1 Place the image you want your object to be filled in with. Make sure you embed the image after placing it.

Step 2 Bring your object on top of the image. Place the image just the way you want to reflect it on the object because the object will be filled with the exact area of the image that's under the object.

Step 3 When you're done with placing the image, select both your object and the image and select Make Clipping Mask from the right-click menu. Your object is now filled with the image using a clipping mask.

Method 4: Filling Object with GradientThis is almost like using the swatches but a little more complicated. For this method, we're using text for demonstration.

Step 1 Type your text using the Type Tool (T).

Step 2 Select your text using the Selection Tool (V).

Step 3 While your text is selected, go to the Fill option from the left toolbar and select No Fill. Your text seems to disappear on the white background, but don't worry about that.

Step 4 Go to the Appearance Panel. You can find it in the Window from the overhead toolbar.

Step 5 In the appearance panel, click on the Add New Fill option. This is a small box you will find at the bottom of the panel. Right after you click the Add New Fill option, a Fill option will appear in the panel.

Step 6 Select the Fill option, and the swatches of colors will pop up. While the Fill option is selected, go to the Gradients panel and select your gradient color.

Filling objects or shapes is a fun way to be creative with your design. You can choose from the various filling methods mentioned in this article and get unique results from each of them.

https://www.vecteezy.com/vector-art/7539061-unicorn-black-silhouette-collectionhttps://www.vecteezy.com/vector-art/4312540-fantasy-background-of-a-magic-sky-in-rainbow-colors-and-sparkling-starshttps://www.vecteezy.com/vector-art/16395200-illustration-of-isometric-tropical-fruit-set-vector-icon-illustration-vector-illustration-suitable-for-diagrams-infographics-and-other-graphic-assetsThe post How to Fill a Shape or Object in Adobe Illustrator appeared first on Bittbox.

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Adobe Illustrator is a powerful tool for graphic designers, and one of its most useful features is the Knife Tool. With this tool, you can easily divide shapes or paths by creating a cutline.

The Knife Tool can cut through any unlocked shape, allowing you to divide it into two or more parts. This makes it easy to create complex designs and shapes precisely and easily. Whether you're a professional designer or just starting out, the Knife Tool is essential to your Illustrator toolkit.

One useful feature is the ability to cut paths using the Scissors Tool. It's important to note that if no object is selected before using the tool, it will cut all available paths that it's dragged over. However, if a specific object is selected beforehand, the tool will only cut that one, leaving the other elements on the canvas untouched.

Guide to Adobe Illustrator's Knife ToolWe'll cover the details step-by-step, but first, here is an overview.

To use Illustrator's Knife Tool, select it from the main toolbar. Then, position your mouse above the shape or path you want to cut and drag it across the area.

Be sure to start and end your cutline away from the shape. Once you've finished, the shape will be divided into multiple new shapes that can be edited as separate objects.

Step By Step Guide to the Knife ToolStep 1: Search or Design the Shape You Want to Cut OutFirst, we have to design the shape. In Adobe Illustrator, the toolbar offers a variety of pre-set shapes that can be used in your designs. You can create triangles, circles, squares, and more.

Additionally, you have the option to create your own custom shapes, like a semicircle. It's important to note that whether you select a pre-set shape or create your own, the tool will function the same way.

If you need to cut out a specific shape from a group, simply select the shape, and the rest of the group will remain untouched.

However, if you need to cut multiple shapes at once, you can drag the tool over all of them, and they will all be cut accordingly. With Illustrator, precision editing is made easy.

Step 2: Select the Knife ToolIt is important to know the difference between the Knife Tool and the Slice Tool. While the Knife Tool is located near the Eraser Tool in the sub-menu, the Slice Tool is a separate tool altogether.

If you can not find this tool, then you have to click on three dots at the bottom, and then you can find the Knife Tool easily as shown in the image.

Be sure to use the correct tool for your needs to avoid confusion and mistakes in your work.

Step 3: Pick on the Kind of Cut You Want to MakeWhether you prefer to work freehand or make straight cuts in any direction, Illustrator has you covered. Simply hold down the Alt key while cutting to achieve the desired effect.

Instead of manually drawing a straight line, you can hold down the Alt and Shift keys together to create a perfectly straight horizontal, vertical, or 45-degree line. This can save time and ensure precision in your designs.

It's essential to have a clear idea of what you want to achieve with your work before you begin using the Knife Tool.

Step 4: Sketch Your Cutline By holding and dragging the mouse, pad, or digital pen, draw the initial cutline. It should start and end away from the shape to ensure a successful cut. The number of cut lines used is up to the your discretion, allowing for flexibility and creativity in your work.

With its various features and capabilities, you can create stunning designs and illustrations in a relatively short time. And when you see the final result, it's truly impressive!

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Are you looking to give your design project an edge? A glitch font can enhance the visual appeal by introducing a distinct, vintage-inspired vibe. Glitch fonts are characterized by fragmented and distorted letterforms reminiscent of VHS and other analog technology.

Broken lines, overlapping text, and pixelated colors make it easy for glitch fonts to create extra impact and make your message unique. These visually striking typefaces will always draw attention, whether used subtly as part of a wider design or as the focal point.

Best Glitch FontsIn this post, we'll look at some of the best glitch fonts available today, giving insight into their layout while highlighting how they can elevate your designs. Whether you need an edgy retro font or something more subtle but still disruptive enough to turn heads, you'll find what you're looking for here

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Mokoto – Glitch TypefaceDiscover the cutting-edge Mokoto, a multi-layered typeface born from the experimental fusion of today's modern fonts and visually intriguing digital errors. This unique glitch font is designed to bring a touch of cyber sophistication to your designs.

Using all four layers of this multi-layered glitch color font, you can easily customize it for any project – from web design and album covers to motion graphics, video games, logos, packaging & more.

GlitchyGlitchy is a bold and futuristic glitch font that breathes life into broken lines that mimic futuristic malfunction and high-tech mishaps. Dazzle your audience in graphic design, video production, and digital media with this captivating typeface featuring versatile uppercase and lowercase characters, punctuation, and beyond.

No SignalNo Signal is a striking all-caps sans serif font designed to look like a distorted digital signal, similar to what you might see when there's no signal or poor connection.

This display font transports you to the glitchy, distorted days of 80s TV static – like a nostalgic nod to your favorite era's show titles and movie posters. It's perfect for grabbing attention with larger-than-life headers or adding some tech flair.

Avalon – Glitch FontAvalon a mesmerizing glitch font that transports you to a futuristic realm. With bold letters perfectly cut horizontally by dynamic glitch symbols, this cutting-edge typeface boasts uppercase characters, numbers, punctations, and multilingual support.

Delve into the world of thrill and mystery as Avalon adorns posters for adventure and horror films and covers for enigmatic puzzles and sci-fi novels.

FelixFelix is a daring, italic-style font duo with a touch of edginess. This pair boasts two unique styles: a regular glitched version, complete with overlapping special character effects and cutlines, and a new, clean version.

It's perfect for nightclub posters, festive greeting cards, and any design that craves a creative spark.

Lucy GlitchExperience the captivating charm of Lucy Glitch, a typeface inspired by the beauty of digital imperfection. With its rounded, decorative style mimicking the monitor screen glitches, this font brings a unique touch to TV commercials, feminine designs, and trendy t-shirts.

Boasting a versatile set of uppercase and lowercase letters, numbers, punctuation, and ligatures, Lucy Glitch is ready to breathe new life into your creative projects.

Prnt GlitchDiscover the enchanting Prnt Glitch font, a spellbinding fusion of four captivating weights, each bringing its degree of creepy glitch charm. Unleash the true potential of this font by daring to experiment and layer it and witness the magical transformation of your project.

The four enhancing weights from light, a hazy mist of legible blur, to heavy, a fascinating mess tangled in utter perfection.

Fault – Glitch FontFault is a strikingly broken futuristic font that looks like it's been zapped by digital malfunctions. Its distinct distorted and fragmented characters come together in a dazzling combination of bold glitches and subtle fuzziness.

The mind-bending artistry in its all uppercase letters, numbers, and symbols makes it a go-to choice for projects that pay homage to the glitch art movement and radiates an ultramodern, techno vibe.

System GlitchSystem Glitch is your go-to monospace display font that mimics the thrilling excitement of a technical malfunction. Its lower side distortions and individual letter disruption make it feel like a computer glitch has struck.

It's perfect for futuristic graphic design projects. This captivating font is the tech and entertainment industry's dream for branding and advertising purposes.

AvalunaAvaluna is the futuristic glitch display font that flawlessly fuses art with technology. Channeling an eccentric vibe rooted in a rich, mysterious past, Avaluna stands out as the epitome of modern digital glitchy marks.

This iconic font will bring a cutting-edge feel to your artwork, websites, and branding designs, boasting versatile features, including uppercase, lowercase, alternates, and ligatures.

CybergroseCybergrose is a cutting-edge font that breathes life into your cyberpunk and sci-fi creations. Its audacious, futuristic design is perfect for epic video game titles, mind-bending movie posters, and more. While the daring uppercase letters command attention in headlines and titles, this unique font may not suit long text sections.

With Cybergrose, transform your digital designs into a visual masterpieces from the realms of tomorrow.

Glitch ShiftGlitch Shift is an alluring, all-caps font with a futuristic edge. It will take you on an immersive gaming journey, give your movie nights a blockbuster makeover, and elevate your flyers and posters.

This stunning digital font has two styles a clean version and a glitch effect with horizontal slices that add a unique and mesmerizing touch to your creative expression.

Young SprimeYoung Sprime is a striking sans-serif masterpiece with bold and italic flair. Explore its three unique styles – Regular, with a stunning glitch effect; Sans, for a sleek touch; and Outline, for stylish distinction.

Use it for posters, logos, magazine covers, banners, t-shirts, headers, or even dazzling large-scale artwork.

GlitchStep into the future with Glitch, a wild and sleek display font guaranteed to elevate any creative project it graces. Experience clean letterforms sliced into three electrifying sections that add flair to your designs.

With its cutting-edge charm, rocking exclusively in uppercase, Glitch seamlessly enhances company names, movie titles, auto workshops, squad names, tees, product labels, and so much more.

Those Glitch FontThose Glitch is a riveting and warped display font that flawlessly mimics a glitchy aesthetic. Crafted with precision, each sans serif character undergoes a unique stage-by-stage transformation, elevating it to a high-resolution masterpiece.

This font simplifies the glitch text of a magnificent collision of science fiction cinema and gaming, making it a visual delight for your posters, logos, magazines, and more.

Broken FontDiscover the captivating charm of Broken, a striking font that shatters its letters into delicate fragments for an unforgettable, dramatic impact. Unleash the beauty of disarray and enhance your grunge design project, from album art to poster masterpieces and daring website headers.

Debug – Uppercase Glitch FontDebug is a unique, edgy typeface that morphs your ordinary letters into a world of glitchy chaos. This bold, uppercase font transports you into technology, coding, and gaming visuals, making text appear as if a software malfunction has zapped it.

The distorted and fragmented letterforms exude an electrifying, futuristic vibe, perfect for adding energy to any design.

Pixel GlitchPixel Glitch is a vector alphabet designed to take you on a journey back to the days of vintage video game fonts and quirky digital displays. This edgy, distorted font is characterized by its fragmented, angular letters, perfect for gaming, technology, or retro-themed designs.

With in-build glitches and design quirks, Pixel Glitch will transport your project to the digital realm.

Block Glitch FontBlock Glitch is a sleek, edgy, weird glitch font designed to elevate any design. This versatile typeface features three distinctive glitch effect styles: regular, hard, and sharp.

It's an ideal and versatile option for logos, packaging, ads, magazines, and more.

Glitch Mood FontExperience the electrifying fusion of quirkiness and boldness with Glitch Mood. This all-caps display font captures the essence of system errors in a 3d overlapping glitch effect.

Watch your creative projects soar to new heights as this dazzling typeface enhances them with its edgy glitch effects and fearless letterforms.

SaberzSaberz is a display font characterized by its sharp, angular lines and futuristic appearance. The letters in Saberz font are designed to resemble laser sabers, giving the glitch sci-fi or space-age feel.

This font is often used in gaming, technology, or science fiction designs and in scenarios that require a sharp, modern aesthetic.

Uncracked – Glitch FontUncracked is a towering, slim, and intricately glitched font ready to supercharge and electrify your designs. Ideal for gaming, neon signs, movie posters, music, and beyond – Uncracked's versatility shines through with its all-encompassing character set, complete with uppercase and lowercase letters, numerals, and great punctuation.

With alternates, glyphs, and cunning ligatures, your project has met its match in this unstoppable font.

GlitcherGlitcher sans serif is a contemporary font that combines glitch texture and geometric letters with a rounded twist. Perfect for making your business cards and presentations both sleek and memorable, this distinct typeface boasts versatile ligatures and glyphs for endless creative possibilities.

Why You'll Love Using These Glitch FontsThe best glitch font options are practically endless. From explosive script to wacky characters, glitch fonts offer something unique that no other style can. This modern typeface has become increasingly popular in a variety of fields due to how versatile it is. Whether you are creating logos or making invitations, this aesthetic can tie everything together.

Overall, glitch fonts can be powerful and impressive to elevate the visual of any design. We Hope this article helped you decide or at least gain some inspiration!

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You're not alone if you're new to Illustrator and struggling with drawing lines. It can be overwhelming to figure out where to start and which tool to use. But don't worry. With a little practice and guidance, you'll create smooth and precise lines in no time.

In Adobe Illustrator, creating lines is a breeze with the variety of tools available. Whether you need a straight line, a curved line, or even a spiral, Illustrator's got you covered.

With pre-made line tools and the versatile pen tool, you can easily create any line you need for your design project.

This tutorial will guide you through the process of drawing lines in Illustrator using four different drawing tools. You'll also learn when to use each tool for optimal results.

How to Draw Lines in Adobe IllustratorWhen it comes to drawing lines in Illustrator, the Line Segment Tool is great for straight lines. However, if you need to draw curves, you'll want to use the Pen Tool or Pencil for freehand lines.

And if you're drawing a spiral line or shape, the Spiral Tool is a game-changer, making it much easier to create perfect spirals.

How to Draw a Straight Line with the Line Segment ToolTo start, click on the artboard to choose where you want your line to begin, and then drag your cursor to the ending point.

The Line Segment Tool (keyboard shortcut “\”) is your best bet if you need to draw a straight line.

Select the tool from the toolbar, hold down the Shift key, and click and drag on the artboard to create a straight line. It's that easy! Holding the Shift key ensures that your line is straight.

How to Draw a Line with the Pen ToolThe Pen Tool (keyboard shortcut P) in Adobe Illustrator is powerful for creating precise lines and curves.

You can create anchor points that connect to form your desired shape by clicking on the artboard.

Whether you need a straight or curved line, the Pen Tool allows you to create it easily. Start at your desired beginning point and click to make your first anchor point.

The Pen Tool also allows you to create curves by clicking and dragging to create anchor points and adjust the handles.

With practice, the Pen Tool can become essential for creating professional-quality illustrations and designs.

How to Draw Lines with the Spiral ToolCreating spiral lines in Illustrator may seem like a daunting task, but fear not!

Illustrator has a Spiral Tool that makes it easy. While it may not be visible on the basic toolbar, you can easily access it by going to the Edit Toolbar option. With this tool, you can create beautiful and intricate spiral designs with ease.

To access the Spiral Tool in your editing toolbar, simply click on the Edit Toolbar menu and locate the Spiral Tool. Once you've found it, drag it to your toolbar wherever you prefer. For example, you may want to place it next to the Arc Tool for easy access.

Simply access the Spiral Tool and use your mouse to click and drag on the artboard to make a spiral.

How to Draw Freehand Lines with the Pencil ToolIn Adobe Illustrator, the Pencil Tool (keyboard shortcut N) is versatile and allows you to draw freehand lines and create illustrations.

The Pencil Tool is even more precise and responsive if you have a drawing tablet. To use the Pencil Tool, simply select it from the toolbar and start drawing as you would with a traditional pen and paper.

Whether you're sketching out ideas or creating detailed illustrations, the Pencil Tool is valuable for any digital artist.

Final ThoughtsAdobe Illustrator is a powerful tool for creating digital art and designs. One of the most important skills to master is using the various drawing tools available. Whether you need to create straight lines, complex shapes, or freehand drawings, Illustrator has a tool for every task.

Some of the most commonly used tools include the line segment, pen, and pencil tools. With practice, you can become a master of these tools and create stunning works of art with ease.

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The Shape Builder ToolIn Adobe Illustrator, the Shape Builder Tool can quickly build shapes with just a few clicks. We can easily add, subtract, and merge overlapping shapes using this handy tool.

It involves two simple steps:

1. Selecting the shapes
2. Using your mouse to draw through the shapes to get your desired results

Of all the other tools used for drawing shapes in Illustrator, Shape Builder Tool is the quickest and easiest to use. Yes, you can draw the shapes using the Pen Tool and Group Image Method, but as you get comfortable with the Shape Builder Tool, this tool will become your favorite in no time.

In the next 5-10 minutes, you're going to learn the Shape Builder Tool and improve your workflow.

So, let's get into this.

Note: Before starting, you need to keep in mind that the Shape Builder Tool only works with closed paths or simple shapes. So, before you proceed ahead, make sure that you're working on enclosed shapes and that all lines are overlapping or intersecting.

You can easily select the Shape Builder Tool using the shortcut on your keyboard, Shift+M.

Or You can select it directly from the Toolbar, as shown below.

To make the use of this tool easier to learn, let's look at two examples.

Example 1: Drawing a PencilIn the first example, a simple pencil has been illustrated using different drawing tools in Illustrator. I've used the Rounded Rectangle Tool and Pen Tool to draw the pencil.

You might notice in the following pencil drawing that I made sure to extend the lines beyond the edge of the shapes. This is because Shape Builder Tool works best when shapes or lines are at least touching. So, extending the lines beyond the shapes makes it more comfortable to detect the corners.

To see whether the shapes/lines are overlapping or not, you can select all the components of the object and then use the shortcut Control+Y (PC) or Command+Y (Mac) to preview the overall shape. The shape will look like this.

You can use the same shortcut (Control+Y or Command+Y) to turn off the preview mode on the window.

Coming back to the normal view, we'll use the Shape Builder Tool to refine the shape of the pencil.

First, we'll refine the eraser of a pencil at the back of it. For this, we'll select the overlapping shapes for the eraser at the back of the pencil using the Selection Tool. The shapes will look like this.

After selection, we select the Shape Builder Tool and place our cursor into a selected shape when the area shows a dotted screen highlight.

Now, we click, hold, and drag through the three rectangles.

This will look like the screenshot below.

Now, we'll refine the whole drawing by selecting them using the Selection Tool and then building the shapes of different areas using the Shape Builder Tool. The drawing will look like this.

Now, we would like to complete the drawing by removing the remaining extended lines. These lines can easily be removed by the Shape Builder Tool. For this, let's take an example of the tip of the pencil. We select the arc and shape that make up the tip;

Then, we select the Shape Builder Tool and bring the cursor to the tip until the dotted area of the shape appears;

Now, we click once on the shape. This will convert the highlighted area into a separate shape. Now, we select the unwanted lines using Selection Tool.

To delete all the unwanted lines, we repeat the same step. Selecting with the Selection Tool and building the shapes using Shape Builder Tool, and finally, deleting the extended lines. Our final drawing will look like this.

Now, we can fill the shapes with our desired colors to give this pencil a final look.

Example 2: Drawing an AppleConsider the following drawing of an apple consisting of different elements. I have used the Pen Tool to draw these elements.

Let's refine all the elements using the steps or methods from the previous example. This can be done by using Selection Tool and Shape Builder Tool.

The drawing will look like this.

Let's place all the elements in their positions.

Now, let's say we want to add bites to the apple. For this, we would want to remove parts of the apple. To remove a part of the shape, we place the shapes over the apple, as, in this case, we have placed two circles that overlap the shape.

In the next step, we simply select both shapes using Selection Tool, and then after selecting the Shape Builder Tool, we place our cursor on the part of the apple we want to remove;

Then, we press and hold the Alt on our keyboard. Under the cursor, we will see a minus sign (-), which means we are subtracting this shape from the apple.

Now, press and hold the Alt key, left-click, and drag over to the end of the shape we want to remove.

Our shape will look like this.

We repeat the same steps to subtract the other shape from the apple. Our overall shape will look like this.

That's it! Our drawing is completed. Now we can add colors and shadow to the apple to make it look complete.

Congratulations!You have just learned one of the most used tools of Adobe Illustrator. The Shape Builder Tool is a powerful tool that was first introduced in Adobe Illustrator CS5. Since then, it has made Illustrator users' lives easier. This tool makes it easy to build the most complicated shapes in just a few minutes.

That's it! Now, go ahead and play with this tool to master it. This can only be done by practicing along with dedication.

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Underlining text in Illustrator is not the same as the usual underlining we do in Microsoft Word or Google Docs. It's different than just selecting the text and pressing Ctrl + U (or Cmd + U on a Mac). In Illustrator, you can underline your text in various ways.

In this article, we'll cover a few methods of underlining text in Illustrator. Let's get started with the tutorial.

Method 1: Underlining Text with the Character MenuIn this method, you'll select the text and give a command from the character menu.

Step 1 Open your file and type the text using the type tool (T).

Step 2 Activate the Selection Tool from the left menu or press the keyboard shortcut key (V). Select the text you want to underline using the selection tool.

Step 3 Now, open the Character Panel. You'll find this panel in the Character Toolbar which is situated just below the Top Toolbar. Select the Character to open the character panel.

Step 4In the character panel, you'll find various styles and options to customize your text. To underline the text, select the Underline icon. This is a button with a tiny underlined T written on it. As you click this button, your text will be underlined.

How to Edit the Underline Made by Character PanelWhen you draw an underline using the character panel, you cannot customize it much through this panel. For this method, we need to expand the object first.

When you finish underlining, select the object using the selection tool (V).

Now you need to expand the object to edit it. For expanding the object, go to Object, select Expand, and click Ok. This will turn the line into an editable shape.

Your object is now expanded. Double-click on the entire object. Then click on the underline and drag the anchor points to make it thicker, thinner, bigger, or smaller.

Method 2: Underlining Text with the Line Segment ToolIn this method, all you need to do is to prepare your text. Select the Line Segment Tool and click-drag a line underneath the text you want to underline. Here are the specific steps.

Step 1 Prepare the text you want to underline.

Step 2 Select the Line Segment Tool from the left toolbar. The shortcut key for the line segment tool is (/).

Step 3 Place the cursor under the text you want to underline. Now, click and drag the cursor to draw a line. Stop dragging the cursor when you're done underlining your text. Holding down the shift key will allow you to draw a straight line.

How to Edit the Underline Made by the Line Segment Select the object (the underline) using the Selection Tool (V). * Go to the Properties Panel. Under the Appearance* section, you'll find the Stroke option. Reduce the stroke to get a thinner line, or increase the stroke value to make it thicker.

Note: You can also change the stroke value from the Appearance panel or the properties options on the top toolbar.

Method 3: Underline Text with the Rectangle ToolThis method is like the previous one. The only difference is that we will use Rectangle Tool.

Step 1 Type your text using the Type Tool (T).

Step 2 Select the Rectangle Tool from the left toolbar. The shortcut key for the Rectangle Tool is (M).

Step 3Using the Rectangle Tool draw a thin rectangle under the text you want to underline. Draw a thin rectangle so it will look like an underline.

How to Edit the Underline Made by the Rectangle ToolThe underline made by this method does not require much to edit. Since it's a rectangle, you can easily change the size by dragging the anchor points directly.

I hope this article helped you to understand different ways of underlining text in Illustrator. So, which one is your favorite?

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When you work with vectors in Adobe Illustrator, it's likely that you might come to a point where you'd like to blend the colors of shapes. You might be struggling with the blending of colors and might want to make progress smoothly and seamlessly without making them choppy and unnatural.

When it comes to the blending of colors when dealing with vectors, Adobe Illustrator proves to be the best among all other vector-creating programs. With Illustrator, you can make a large number of color palettes and even when you are dealing with 3D objects, it proves to be unparalleled.

In this article, we'll look at how to use the Blend Tool in Illustrator. To start, please create a new document.

After creating a new document, two different methods can be followed to blend the colors. These methods are described below.

Method 1: Using Blend Tool in IllustratorOn the new document, draw the shapes you want. These could be circles or squares of different colors and sizes. You can make these using the Shape Tool on the left in Illustrator. Here, I've made squares of different colors.

After creating objects of different colors, you simply select the Blend Tool from the toolbar, or use the keyboard shortcut “W.”

You can select the blend tool directly by clicking this icon on the left. Or you can also use the shortcut “W” key on your keyboard to select the tool.After selecting the Blend Tool, you simply click on each shape to make a smooth nice blend between these colors.

And here you go, you've successfully blended the colors of the squares.

Change the Blend Color DirectionIf you want to change the direction of the blend, go to the menu bar above the window and select, Object>Blend>Reverse Spine.

There you go, you've changed the blend color direction successfully.

Using the same steps, you can also blend the colors of overlapping shapes. For instance, take the two shapes shown below.

To blend these two overlapping shapes, you simply select the blend tool (‘W' key) and click on both shapes. And we've got a nice seamless blend of colors.

Even after this, you can change the colors and sizes of shapes by selecting them.

Gradient/Blend Over a PathYou can also add a blend or gradient over a path easily. To understand this, let's look at an example of a path and a blend of shapes.

Now, you select both the path and blend, as below.

After the selection, you go to Object>Blend>Reverse Spine.

And here, you have successfully added the blend to the path.

Method 2: Using Object>Blend>MakeIn our second method, we can also add the blends to the shape without clicking on the shapes directly.

For this method, let's take an example of the following texts.

Add the outlines to both texts by selecting them and using the shortcut “Shift+Control+O” (for PC), or Shift+Command+O (for MAC).

Make one of them smaller and place it anywhere you like on the artboard. As in the following case, I have placed it above.

After the placement, on your Menu bar, go to Object>Blend>Make. The results will be like this

To get your desired fading effect, on your Menu bar, you simply go to Object>Blend>Blend Option. Then select ‘Specified Steps‘ in the bar and add the numbers. Click on OK when you think you have attained the results you want.

Using the same steps, you can also create the color pallets of your desired numbers.
Let's take two shapes of different base colors of your choice.

In your Menu Bar, go to Object>Blend>Make. You'll get something like this.

After this, you can change the Specified Steps, adding a smaller value depending upon the number of colors you want in between those two colors. Then press OK.

We have got a color pallet in between our base colors successfully.

Final ThoughtsYou've just learned some quick methods to add the blend to your desired colored shapes and texts. You can use these methods to create incredible color transitions, text effects, and color palettes of your choice.

Be sure to play with this Blend Tool and create fascinating masterpieces in your design projects.

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Adobe Illustrator is excellent software for creating and editing shapes. The shapes created in the program are live objects, so they can be easily modified and adjusted later. That means there's no need to redraw a shape or object once it is created. Simple adjustments, such as changing the size, shape, or color of a shape can be done with just a few clicks.

Are you new to Illustrator and wondering how to draw a circle? In this tutorial, We walk you through creating a circle in Illustrator using two different methods. We'll also show you how to create a dotted circle in Illustrator.

Drawing circles in Illustrator is a quick & simple process. You can use the Ellipse Tool to draw circles of any size. First, select the Ellipse Tool from the tools panel, then click and drag on your canvas to create a circular shape.

Alternatively, you can enter exact measurements using the Ellipse dialogue box. After, Creating your circle, you can customize it with various stroke styles, gradients, and color palettes.

What you will learn in this tutorial:

1. How to make a circle in Illustrator

2. How to draw a dotted circle in Illustrator

How to Make a Circle in Illustrator:Select the Ellipse Tool (L) from your toolbar if you want to draw a circle in Illustrator.

Once selected, click and drag your mouse to create an ellipse shape. If you hold down the Shift key as you click and drag, it will create a perfectly round circle. Let go of the mouse after you are done & voila! You have a perfect circle.

How to Draw a Dotted Circle in Illustrator:If you want to create a dotted circle in Adobe Illustrator, the process is surprisingly simple.

To draw a dotted circle, start by selecting the shape you want to use (a circle that's already drawn) and setting the color for the stroke. Then, go to Window > Control & adjust the stroke weight as you like.

Finally, open up the Stroke fly-out panel by clicking on the Stroke text and selecting Dotted Line. Then chooses your dot size & gap settings as desired.

To create a dotted circle in Adobe Illustrator, select the stroke you want to turn into a dashed line and click the Dashed Line box to make it a dashed line. Once the dash and gap values have been set according to the stroke weight, check the Align dashes to corners button for even spacing between each dot. Finally, review that the Round Cap button is selected to turn your dashes into dots.

Congrats! You are done.

ConclusionDon’t hesitate to draw some circles in Illustrator and apply what you have learned.

Feel free to expand on this knowledge & use it in all kinds of creative projects!

Frequently Asked Questions*What is the work of the Ellipse tool in Illustrator?* It can draw the best circles when you press and hold the Shift key as you draw, or it can draw an ellipse without a transformer key.

*How do you make multiple dots in Illustrator?* With the Ellipse (E) tool, generate a small circle that will fit inside the box. Hold down the Shift Key to make it a superb' circle. This will be your continuous dot, so select whichever color you would like the dots to be. Place the circle inside the box.

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When using Adobe Illustrator, copying or duplicating design elements or, in some cases, duplicating the whole artboard is a common task, especially when working on a project where you need to make a similar design.

For example, if you're managing a social media platform and have to make a visual post every day. In that case, you might need to keep the same layout for all the posts. Duplicating artboards comes in handy in such a situation.

To duplicate artboards, we need both the Artboard Tool and the Artboard Panel.

• Artboard Tool: The Artboard Tool is used for controlling and adjusting artboards. You can find this tool in the left toolbar. The shortcut key for the artboard tool is Shift + O.
• Artboard Panel: You'll find this panel on the right side of your screen beside the other panels. If you cannot find the artboard panel there, you must enable it from the window first. Go to Window and select Artboard.

We'll learn different ways of duplicating artboards in this article. Let's get started with the tutorial.

Related reading: How to Move Artboards in Illustrator

Method 1 for Duplicating Artboards in IllustratorFor this method, we'll use the artboard panel to duplicate the artboard.

Step 1 Go to the Artboard Panel first.

Step 2 Inside the artboard panel, you'll see the list of the artboards you have in the document. Select the artboard you want to copy from the artboard list.

Step 3 On the top right corner of the artboard panel, you'll see a submenu. Click on the submenu and select Duplicate. This will duplicate the selected artboard.

Note: If you want to duplicate multiple artboards using the Artboard Panel, you need to select those artboards together. To select multiple artboards, hold down the Shift key and click on the artboards you want to duplicate. You can also hold down the Ctrl key and click on the artboards you want to select. Then follow the usual steps mentioned above.

Method 2 for Duplicating Artboards in IllustratorIn this method, we're going to use Artboard Tool.

Step 1 Activate the Artboard Tool (Shift +O) by selecting it from the toolbar.

Step 2 Select the artboard you want to duplicate. Click on an artboard using the artboard tool to select it.

Step 3From the keyboard, press Ctrl + C (PC) or Cmd + C (Mac). This will allow you to copy the element you have selected. Now all you need to do is paste the artboard into the document.

Step 4Press Ctrl + V (PC) or Cmd + V (Mac) from the keyboard to paste the artboard. And now you're done duplicating your artboard!

Method 3 for Duplicating Artboards in IllustratorThis method is the easiest and quickest way to duplicate an artboard. I like this method as it saves me a lot of time compared to the abovementioned methods. For this method, we'll use the Artboard Tool.

Step 1 In this method, we need to select the artboard to duplicate it. Unlike other elements or objects in Illustrator, we cannot select artboards with a Selection Tool. Only the Artboard Tool can select an artboard. Select the Artboard Tool from the toolbar or use the shortcut key ( Shift + O).

Step 2Using the Artboard Tool, select the artboard you want to duplicate. Click on an artboard while the Artboard Tool is activated, and your artboard will be selected.

Step 3 With the artboard selected, hold down the Alt key and drag the artboard to an empty place. Your artboard will be duplicated.

In the example above, I have only copied Artboard 1 and changed the color and the text inside the copy. In this way, I did not have to design the artboard all over again from scratch.

Creating artboards with the same design template is time-consuming. Duplicating artboards makes your work easier and quicker and saves you a great deal of extra work. I hope you find this article helpful.

The keyboard illustrations in this article are from Vecteezy.

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Over the years, I've gotten plenty of emails about how to create a seamless diagonal pattern in Adobe Illustrator, so here we go!

Illustrator comes with some default pattern brushes, but no diagonal love. Diagonal line patterns are a bit more tricky to make than a simple horizontal, or vertical pattern, but with some rock-solid alignment, and manual input into the Transform Panel, you'll be making diagonal patterns in no time.

You'll learn to blend different geometrical Illustrator patterns and figures. You'll also learn to set different geometrical figures to the appropriate place by selecting the proper dimensions for your graphic design.

Creating the diagonal stripes pattern is an easier process than sketching the horizontal or vertical lines. In the end, you will be able to fit the pattern of diagonal lines into a small box. Let's get started with an example.

Creating a Seamless Diagonal Pattern in IllustratorSeamless means the pattern is continuous without any break or obstacle (also called a repeating pattern or tileable pattern). Many beginners struggle to create seamless diagonal or other such patterns that cannot be created manually. But once you know how to do it, this approach can be very useful in your design or illustration work.

1. Start with a Square ArtboardIt doesn't really matter what size but if you want to follow along, I'm using a 600px x 600px artboard with a white background.

2. Create Your Vertical LineAgain, the size and shape are up to you here.

3. Align Your Shape to the Top Right CornerHere we are going to be using the Transform palette to make our shape align exactly to the upper left corner. Select your shape and in the Transform, set the “X” value to 0, and the “Y” value to 600 (or the document size you chose). The middle of your shape should now be aligned exactly to the upper left corner.

4. Rotate 45 DegreesNext, rotate your shape 45 degrees either using your mouse and holding Shift, or right-click, and enter the value manually. Now you've got your first diagonal line or stripe.

5. Duplicate Your Shape and Align it to the Opposite CornerNow we need to duplicate our shape, and align it the same way we did above, but to the opposite corner. Again, select your new shape, and using the Transform palette, set your X value to 600 (or the document size you chose) and the Y value to 0. Now your two shapes should be aligned perfectly to opposite corners of the artboard.

6. Make a Blend Between the 2 ShapesUsing the Blend Tool click on 1 of your shapes, then immediately click on the other to make a blend.

Then double-click on the Blend Tool, and you should see the ‘Blend Options” dialogue box. Set it to “Specified Steps” and then select a number that you think looks good. I recommend making this an odd number.

Blend it according to the size of the box that you want to sketch. Be specific about all the dimensions so that you get more accurate and precise results in the end. You should have something that resembles the image below.

1. Expand Your BlendSelect your new blend, and then go to Object > Expand, then click “OK.”

2. Create a Square to Crop WithSelect the Rectangle Tool, and click once on the artboard. You can now enter the exact dimensions you want your square to be. Set it to 600 x 600px (or the document size you chose), and click “OK.”

3. Align Your Square to the ArtboardSelect your square, and in the Align palette, make sure you have “Align to Artboard” selected.

Now hit these two buttons to align your square exactly on top of the artboard.

1. Crop.Do a Select All (Command/Control + A), and then hit the Crop button in the Pathfinder palette.

Done!Now you have a nice, seamless Illustrator diagonal line pattern that can be put to use.

If you want to add this seamless pattern as a Pattern Swatch, just select it, and then go to Edit > Define Pattern, and it will appear in your swatches panel. You can now add these types of graphic styles to your work as a graphic designer. With lots of practice and creatively applying these tools in different manners will enhance your designing skills, and you'll be operating Illustrator like a pro.

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When it comes to creating 3D graphics and objects in Adobe Illustrator that need vanishing points, the “Perspective Grid” tool is extremely helpful. It proves to be the best tool for making changes in an existing object or creating new ones.

You might be struggling with removing the Perspective Grid after completing your drawings, as you don’t want it to bother the finished work. For beginner designers, getting rid of Perspective Grid proves to be more difficult than adding it to the drawings.

Related: How to Make a Grid in Adobe Illustrator

Note: The perspective grid will not be visible on the saved artwork. However, removing it is helpful because it gets in the way once you no longer need it.

How to Remove the Perspective Grid in IllustratorHere are three methods you can use to remove the Perspective Grid easily.

1. Shortcut MethodShortcut method for MAC:
   The simplest way to quickly remove the Perspective Grid on a Mac is the “Escape” key.
   Furthermore, you can use also use the shortcut “Shift + Command + I.”

Shortcut method for WINDOWS:
In Windows too, the quickest and simplest way to remove the Perspective Grid is the “Escape” key.
Moreover, you can also use the shortcut “Shift + Control + I” to remove the grid.

Apart from using your keyboard to remove the Perspective Grid with shortcut keys, you can also turn it off just by using the mouse without even touching the keyboard.

1. X-ing OutTo remove the grid, make certain that the “Perspective Grid Tool” is active. You can activate this tool by selecting the “Perspective Grid Tool” icon from the toolbar.

You can also select the tool by using the shortcut “Shift + P.”

After selecting the tool, click on the small “x” on the grid icon. And you’ve successfully removed the Perspective Grid.

1. Hide GridAnother way you can use to remove the “Perspective Grid” is by hiding it through the Menu Bar.

You simply go to ‘View’ on your Menu Bar, then go to the ‘Perspective Grid.’

Then, click on ‘Hide Grid’ to get rid of the Perspective Grid. If you want to turn it ON again, you can simply click on the ‘Show Grid’.

View > Perspective Grid > Hide Grid

Congratulations! You've just learned some quick methods of hiding the Perspective Grid in Illustrator.

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Color is a big factor when it comes to design. It not only changes the appearance but also carries an identity of a design or brand. To make your design stand out, you can apply various techniques of color combinations. And a Gradient is one of them.

In this article, we'll cover how to create a transparent gradient in Illustrator. We can divide this work into two parts:

1. We will create a gradient.
2. We will add a transparent mask to it to make the gradient transparent.

The Panels You Will Use to Create a Transparent Gradient in Illustrator Gradient Panel: In this panel, you can apply the gradient to your artwork and edit or adjust the gradient. To use this panel, you need to enable it from the Window menu. Go to Window and select Gradient. * Transparency Panel: This panel helps you adjust an object's opacity. It also allows you to choose a blending mode from several options. To enable this panel, go to Window and select Transparency*.

Transparency PanelGradient PanelCreating Transparent GradientLet's begin the step-by-step tutorial on how to create a transparent gradient in Adobe Illustrator. I'll use this Azulejo pattern from Vecteezy.

Step 1Place the image or the design object you want to apply the gradient to in your artboard. You cannot add any other design element after adding the gradient. If you have more than one element in your design, you must group them first.

Step 2 After placing the artwork, select the Rectangle Tool and draw a rectangle over the design. While drawing the rectangle, make sure it covers the entire design.

step 3 Click the Gradient Panel while the rectangle is selected and apply a gradient. In this panel, you'll have different gradient options such as linear gradient, radial gradient, and freeform gradient.

Step 4Select the Selection Tool from the left toolbar or use the shortcut key (V) to activate it. Now select the rectangle using the Selection Tool.

Step 5With the rectangle selected, go to Edit from the overhead toolbar and choose Cut. You can also press Ctrl+ X to cut the rectangle.

Step 6Select the image and go to the Transparency Panel. You'll find it on the right side of your screen if you have enabled it from the Window menu.

Step 7Click on Make Mask from the transparency panel. Don't worry about the skeleton figure of your design you see at this point, as this is not permanent.

step 8 Click on the black box in the transparency panel and paste the rectangle here. The gradient is now applied to your design.

Editing the GradientYou can edit the gradient you applied anytime you want. You can also change the type of gradient after applying it. The gradient can be changed using the gradient panel or the gradient tool.

Gradient PanelInside the Gradient Panel are a few types you can choose. There is a gradient slider beneath the stroke and angles fields. Drag the white and black circles to change the shades of black and white. There is another pointer in the middle of the slider that will decide how black and how much white you want in your gradient.

Gradient ToolThe Gradient Tool can be found in the left toolbar, and the shortcut key for this tool is (G). This tool has almost the same function as the gradient panel. The only difference is that this tool will allow you to adjust the gradient directly on the canvas.

A gradient is a fun way to make your design look cool and unique. You can explore various designs using the combination of various gradient styles and your creativity.

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Adding a bleed to your artwork is a must when preparing your artwork for printing. Without a bleed, there's a good chance that your printed copies may not look as you expect them to.

In this article, we'll learn more about bleeds in Illustrator. We'll also learn how to add a bleed in Adobe Illustrator.

What Are Bleeds in Adobe Illustrator?The bleed is part of the artwork that goes beyond the edge of the document where the sheet will be trimmed down without having any unwanted white margin. By adding bleeds, you are extending colors and elements beyond the original dimensions of your artwork.

If your artwork or the document does not have any bleed you may end up having the edges slightly cut off or in some cases, you may have white strips around the edges of the design work.

What is the Purpose of Bleed in Illustrator?The purpose of bleeds is to ensure that no white strip remains or shows at the edge of the print document when it is trimmed down to size. In printing, the design elements are printed on a large sheet. After printing, it is needed to be trimmed down to size. The trimming process is not always 100% precise.

There are slight chances of fault in cutting or misalignment while cutting down to size. If you do not add bleed to your document, your design elements will not reach the edge of the printing sheet.

Adding bleeds makes the design element go off the page/sheet like there is no hard line or boundary on the edge. In a nutshell, bleed helps your document to get printed out without having unwanted white borders around the edges of your printed copy.

Adding Bleeds to a New File/Document Step 1 Go to File, and select New to create a new document.

Step 2 After you click on New, a dialog box will appear named “New Document”. In this window, you'll choose the size of your document, the unit measurement, bleed, color mode for the file, and many other advanced options.

Input the bleed value in the bleed section. The standard bleed value is 0.125 inches. However, if you're sending the document away for printing, follow the instructions of the printer or print lab. They may vary slightly.

Step3 Once you're done with the settings for the new document, click on Create. Your file will be created with the bleed added to it. You can see a red line around the document, which indicates that bleeds have been added to the file.

Adding Bleeds to an Existing FileSometimes it happens that you already designed your document, but you forgot to add bleed to it. Don't worry if this happens to you because you can add bleed to your file anytime you want.

Step 1 Open your artwork first.

Step 2 Go to the top toolbar, select File, and then select Document Setup. You can also open the document setup using the shortcut key Ctrl + Alt + P (PC) or Cmd+Option+P (Mac).

Step 3 After clicking on the document setup, a new window will appear on your screen. Select which unit want to measure the bleed with. Here I have chosen a different unit from the earlier one. I selected Points to measure the bleed. A bleed of 9 points here is equivalent to 0.125 inches.

Step 4Once you put the value in the bleed section, click Ok to save the setup.

Exporting Files with BleedsWhen exporting files as PDFs, you need to follow a different method to add bleed to the document. You'll add the bleed while saving the file as PDF.

Step 1 Go to File from the overhead menu, and select Save As to save the file. You can also use the shortcut key *Shift+ Ctrl+ S (PC) or Shift+Cmd+S* (Mac) to use this function.

Step 2 There will be a Save As window after you select ‘Save As.' Type a name for the file in the File Name box.

Step 3 You need to select the file type as PDF. You can change the file type in the Save As Type box, which is located underneath the File Name option. Clicking on ‘Save As Type' will provide you with a drop-down menu. Select Adobe PDF (*.PDF) from the drop-down menu.

Step 4 Click on Save. A new window will appear on your screen right after you chose to save the file.

Step 5In the new window, select Mark and Bleeds from the left menu. Now in this section, you'll see two parts, Marks and Bleeds.

Step 6 Under the Marks section, click on Trim Marks, and under the Bleeds section, click on Use Document Bleed Settings.

Step 7Click on Save as PDF, and your document will be saved with bleed.

Adding bleeds to your document is a must when it is going for printing. Follow any of the methods mentioned in this, and your file is ready for printing.

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There will be times when you may need to resize or crop the images you're working with. However, images can become distorted if you're not careful. Thankfully, this can be easily avoided using proper ways of resizing images in Adobe Illustrator.

In this article, we'll cover how to resize an image in Illustrator. Before we start with the tutorial, let's look at the tools that we're going to use for resizing images.

The following images from Vecteezy were used in this tutorial: tropical fruit set 1, tropical fruit set 2, and tropical fruit set 3.

Tools for Resizing Images in Illustrator Selection Tool:* This tool is mainly used for moving objects around the artboard. You'll find Selection Tool in the left toolbar. When you select an object, a bounding box will appear around the object. With the Selection Tool activated, dragging the corners of the bounding box will resize the object.

• Scale Tool: This tool is designated to adjust the size of an object. With the help of the Scale Tool, you can reduce or enlarge the size and shape of the object. You'll find this tool in the left toolbar. If you cannot find it there, you can add it from the Edit toolbar menu.

• Transform Panel: The Transform Panel is located on the right side of the interface beside other panels. If you cannot find it, it's probably not enabled yet. To enable the Transform Panel, go to Window and select Transform.

Method 1: Using Illustrator's Selection Tool to Resize Step 1 Select the Selection Tool from the left toolbar or use the shortcut key (V) to activate the Selection Tool.

Step 2 Using the Selection Tool, select the object you want to resize. Clicking on an object with the Selection Tool will select the object, as you would expect.

Step3 When you select an object, you'll see a bounding box around it. Click on one of the corners and drag while holding down the Shift key. You can resize without holding the shift key, but the image will not have the correct aspect ratio, which means the image will seem distorted. Holding down the Shift key helps you keep the image proportional.

Method 2: Using the Scale Tool to ResizeStep 1 Activate the Selection Tool (V).

Step 2 Using the Selection Tool, select the object you want to resize.

Step 3 Select the Scale Tool from the left toolbar. You can also select this tool using the shortcut key (S).

Step 4Now click on an empty space and drag it around to resize the object. Don't forget to hold down the Shift key while resizing the object to prevent distortion.

Method 3: Using the Transform Panel to ResizeStep 1 Activate the Selection Tool (V). Select the object you want to resize using the Selection Tool.

Step 2 Go to the Transform Panel from the right side of your screen. Make sure you have enabled it so you can find it there quickly.

Note: You can also find Transform option inside the Properties Panel.

Step 3 In the Transform Panel, there are four value boxes; X, Y, W, and H. W (width) and H (height) tell you the size of the selected object. Change the value of the width and height according to your preference, and the dimensions of the selected object will be changed.

Note: The tiny chain-like symbol shows the link between the width and height of an object. The object will keep its original proportion if this is selected. However, you can deselect this option if you want to resize the image or object freely.

Method 4: Using the Free Transform ToolThis method comes with a few options. You can choose from perspective distort, free distort, free transform and constrain while resizing an object using Free Transform Tool. Each option will give you a completely different result.

Step 1 Select the object you want to resize using the Selection Tool (V).

Step 2 Select the Free Transform Tool. When you click on this tool, a submenu will appear where you will see four options. Choose which option you want to apply while resizing the object. Here I have chosen only Free Transform.

Step 3 Hover around the object until you see a four-way arrow. Now click and drag the corner to resize the object.

Final Thoughts on Resizing in IllustratorResizing is one of the basic functions we frequently use in Illustrator. Although there are many ways of resizing an image or object in Illustrator, each comes with something new to explore. As you work with Illustrator, you must know all these basic tools.

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Zooming in and out is one of the most frequent functions you'll perform in Illustrator. You may need to zoom in to see the fine details of your work or zoom out to see the entire design.

Adobe Illustrator offers various ways of zooming in and out for you to explore. There are some dedicated tools you can use to zoom in and out, besides some helpful keyboard shortcuts.

In this article, we'll cover five ways to zoom in and out. Let's get started.

Zooming In and Out in IllustratorThere are a few things to keep in mind before we start with the tutorial, which will help you understand the concept easily.

• Zooming Area: No tool in Illustrator will focus on any particular artboard while zooming in. Whenever you use the zoom in or zoom out command using the zoom tool or trackpad, the zooming area will be determined by the cursor's position. This means your zoom-in command will be applied to the area where your cursor is placed.
• Keyboard Shortcut Keys: Sometimes, you want to work fast in Illustrator and select tools from the toolbar, but using them seems to be very time-consuming. And zooming in and out is a feature you must frequently use. To save time, you can use the keyboard shortcuts instead.

Method 1: Using Illustrator's Zoom ToolYou'll find this tool in the left toolbar. The keyboard shortcut is (Z)

Step 1Open your file and the artboard you want to zoom in and out.

Step 2 Go to the left toolbar and click on the zoom tool, which looks like a tiny magnifying glass.

Step 3 With the zoom tool activated, go back to your artboard. Now place the cursor in the area you want to zoom in or out and click on it.

Method 2: Using Illustrator's Hand ToolUsually, the hand tool is used to navigate through the artboard while zooming in and out. Hence, this tool and the zoom tool are used side by side.

Step 1 Select the hand tool from the left toolbar. It's the tiny hand you'll see beside the zoom tool. You can also use the shortcut key (H) to activate the hand tool.

Step 2Bring your cursor to the artboard while you have the hand tool activated.

Step 3Now press and hold on both the spacebar and Alt key together and scroll your mouse upward to zoom in and downward to zoom out.

Method 3: Using the TouchpadIf you're using a laptop, you can use the touchpad or trackpad to zoom in and out. This is unconventional, yet it's possibly the quickest way to zoom in or out.

Step 1Open your file or artboard.

Step 2 Place the mouse cursor where you want to zoom in or out. The cursor's position is essential here because it will determine the zooming area.

Step 3The only thing you have left to do now is pinch. Yes, you heard me right. For zooming out, pinch the trackpad with two fingers and the image or the artboard will be zoomed out. On the contrary, if you do the opposite, which is stretching your fingers away from each other, your artboard will be zoomed in.

So, it's simple. Pinch in to zoom out and pinch out to zoom in. It's the same way we zoom in and out with photos on our mobile phones.

Note: Sometimes, you must hold the Alt key and pinch the trackpad.

Method 4: Using the Keyboard ShortcutThis is another quick way to zoom in and out. You just need to know the combination of keys for this, and you're good to go.

Step 1 Open the artboard that you want to zoom in or out.

Step 2 Now press and hold Control (PC) or Command (Mac) and + to zoom in or – to zoom out.

Method 5: Using the View MenuYou'll manually zoom in and out using the View menu in this method.

Step 1 Open the artwork you want to zoom in and zoom out.

Step 2 Go to the overhead toolbar and choose the view menu.

Step 3You'll get a drop-down menu where you can see zoom in and zoom out options. Click on them to zoom in and out.

Method 6: Using Mouse Scroll/WheelIn this method, we'll use the mouse wheel to zoom in and out. I prefer this method as it does not need any other tools or multiple keys from the keyboard, making it more convenient to use.

Step 1 Place the mouse cursor where you want to zoom in and out.

Step 2 Scroll up the mouse wheel while pressing and holding down the Alt key to zoom in. To zoom out, scroll the wheel down while holding the Alt key. All you need to do is hold the Alt key and scroll.

Final Thoughts on Zooming in IllustratorZooming in and out is one of the most important and repetitive things you'll do in Illustrator. It's always better to learn how to do this type of function quickly and easily. I hope this article helped you know how to zoom in and out more quickly and easily.

Image credits:

• Hand vectors via Vecteezy
• Keys illustrations via Vecteezy
• Sunflower photo via Unsplash

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Sometimes it's advantageous to convert text to a vector shape in Adobe Illustrator. Converting text to a shape is a feature in Illustrator that allows you to work with the text in the same way you would work with other shapes instead of facing the limitations of text.

There are various ways you can convert your text to a shape. In this article, we'll discuss three ways to convert text to a shape in Illustrator.

Method 1: Converting Text to Shape Using the Warp OptionThis method will let you have more fun with your text. Using this method for turning text into a shape, you can get access to 15 default preset warp styles that you can apply to your text to give it a different shape.

Step 1Add your text and make all the necessary changes to it.

Step 2 Select the text using the Selection Tool (keyboard shortcut V).

Step 3 Go to Object in the overhead toolbar, choose Envelop Distort, and select Make with Warp. You can also use the keyboard shortcut for this feature which is Alt+ Shift+ Ctrl+ W.

Step 4After selecting “Make with Warp”, you'll get a new window with the Warp Options. You can customize the shape of the text here.

• Style: There are various presets for warping shapes inside the Style option. You can click each of them to see which fits your text best. you can also choose if you want the shape to be horizontal or vertical
• Bend: This option will let you bend the shape of the text.
• Distortion: In the distortion option, you can determine how to bend the shape vertically or horizontally.

Note: Select the preview option to see the changes in the shape in real time.

Method 2: Using Create OutlineAnother way of converting text to a shape is by creating an outline. This feature assists you in adding a unique touch to your text or font and also converts it into a shape for convenience. By creating an outline of the text, you're actually converting the text into a vector image. This increases flexibility and allows possibilities that don't exist with traditional text.

Note: Once your text is converted to a shape, it is no longer text. This means you won't be able to change the text or make other modifications with the Type Tool. Don't convert text to a shape until you are sure that you don't need to make additional changes.

Step 1Add your text and prepare your text by making all the necessary changes to it before you create outline to your text. Because after selecting create outline, you cannot make any changes to your text as it is no longer text anymore.

Step 2 Using the Selection Tool (V), select the text you want to apply the outline to. When you choose your text, you'll see the text is underlined. Make sure there is no typo or mistake in your text at this point because we will convert our text to shape. Here, I am using only one letter for demonstration.

Step3 Go to Type and select Create Outline. Once you created an outline, the blue underline will be gone. That's because the text is no longer text. It is converted to a shape. You can also select create an outline from the right-click menu or by using the shortcut key Shift+ Ctrl+ O.

Step 4Select the Direct Selection Tool (A) and click on the shape (text shape). Now you can see anchor points around the path (text shape). These anchor points will let you edit and customize the text shape.

Note: It is better if you ungroup the shape so that you can edit each letter separately.

Step 5With the Direct Selection Tool activated, click on any anchor points and drag them around to customize the font or the text. You can freely edit each letter by moving and dragging the anchor points.

Method 3: Using the Type ToolIn this method, you can wrap your text inside any object and convert the text to the shape of that object.

Step 1Select the Rectangle Tool or any shape tool and draw a shape. This will be your text area. You can also import other objects from external sources as a shape for your text.

Step 2 Copy the text you want to give a shape to.

Step 3 Once you place your shape, select Area Type Tool from the left toolbar. You'll find it inside the type tool submenu.

Step 4With the area type tool activated, take the cursor around the edge of the shape, and you'll find a path option. Once you see the path, click on the edge, and your copied text will be pasted here inside the shape.

Converting text to shape is so easy and quick in Illustrator that it will not take much time for you to learn and implement it immediately. I hope you can convert any text to a shape by applying one of the methods in this article.

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For design purposes, we sometimes want round corners instead of sharp corners. We can turn any sharp edges into rounded corners with a few simple steps. This article teaches how to round corners in Adobe Illustrator.

We can use various methods to round corners, but we'll discuss four methods here. We'll use the Rounded Rectangle Tool, the Direct Selection Tool, the Properties Panel, and the Transform Panel.

Method 1: Rounded Rectangle ToolIn this method, you only need to grab a tool and draw a rectangle.

Step 1 Select the Rounded Rectangle Tool from the left toolbar. You'll find it with other shape tools under the Rectangle Tool menu.

Step 2 With the Rounded Rectangle Tool activated, click on the artboard and drag it to make a rectangle. Since it's not a regular rectangle tool, the rectangle you draw will have rounded corners.

Method 2: Direct Selection ToolIn this method, you can click and drag any corner of a rectangle shape to turn it into rounded corners.

Step 1 Select the Direct Selection Tool from the left-side toolbar or use the shortcut key (A) to activate the tool.

Step 2 Using the direct selection tool, click on the object you want to transform into a rounded corner object.

Step 3 Clicking on an object with the Direct Selection Tool will provide anchor points and some live corners widgets around the corners.

Step 4Now click and drag these widgets to round the sharp corners. The corners will get rounder as you keep dragging the widgets down.

Method 3: Properties PanelThis method will allow you to round the corners in just one click.

Step 1 Select the Direct Selection Tool (A).

Step 2 Select an object's anchor point that you want to turn into a rounded corner using the direct selection tool.

Step 3 Go to the Properties Panel. You'll find it on the right toolbar. If you cannot find it there, it's probably because you haven't enabled it yet. To enable the Properties Panel, go to Windows and select Properties. Windows > Properties.

Step 4In the properties panel, there's a Convert section. This will show you two options for your corners; sharp and smooth. Choosing the sharp anchor points will convert the corner into sharp and spiky, and the smooth anchor points will convert the corner into rounded and smooth. You can control the level of roundedness by adjusting the number in the Corners field.

Method 4: Transform PanelIn this method, we'll round the corners by manually putting the values in the Transform Panel.

Step 1 Select the Direct Selection Tool (K) or the Selection Tool.

Step 2 Select the object.

Step 3Now go to the Transform Panel. You'll find it with other panels like the Layer Panel, the Properties Panel, the Artboard Panel, etc. If you cannot find it there, enable it by selecting Transform from the Windows located in the overhead toolbar.

Step 4When you select an object using a Direct Selection Tool, you'll see four corner radius options in the transform panel under the rectangle properties sector. Inputing values to change the radius will transform the sharp corners into rounded corners.

Note: The radius corners are linked together, which means when you input values to one corner, they will be applied to all the corners. However, deselect the Link Corner Radius Value (located in the middle of the four-corner radius) if you want to round only one corner of an object.

Designers often need to draw more than just a simple circle or rectangle. Sometimes we might need to create critical shapes by incorporating different methods with default shapes. I hope this article will help you to round corners in Adobe Illustrator.

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Today I have a simple but important tip when drawing in Illustrator. Have you ever needed two points to be perfectly aligned, but nudging simply won't work? Well, you can align points just like you can align objects. In this example, I'm going to use some outlined text. Let's get started.

Aligning Objects to a Path in IllustratorOk, take a close look at the screenshot above. You'll notice that the line I circled is not perfectly horizontal. You can tell by the steps in the path. Sometimes you can adjust your keyboard nudge increment in the preferences, select one of the points, and nudge it to where it needs to be. But another way to make a perfect alignment between two points is using the Align panel and the Direct Selection Tool, just like you would for two objects. Here's how:

Step 1Open the “Align” palette and make sure you have “Align to Selection” checked.

Step 2Using the Direct Select tool (White Arrow), select both points you want to align. Then click the “Vertical Align Center” button in the Align palette. Now both points will be perfectly aligned and your path will be perfectly straight.

This can come in pretty handy on those paths that you need to be perfect in your graphic design. For example, when designing fonts or cutting out stickers. Hope some of you find it useful

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You can fill your Illustrator art objects using the Live Bucket Tool. This tool is very easy and quick to use. The only thing you need to keep in mind is that your artwork must have closed paths as the live paint bucket only works on closed paths or when the paths have very small gaps.

In this tutorial, we'll learn about the Live Paint Bucket Tool and how to use it. So, let's get started.

What is the Live Paint Bucket in Illustrator?Live Paint Bucket is a tool in Adobe Illustrator that lets you add color to your artwork. Talking about the Live Paint Bucket tool reminds me of my childhood favorite windows app Paint where a bucket-like tool called “fill” added color to my paintings. The use of the Live Bucket Tool is almost similar to that. The only difference is that you cannot use the Live Paint Bucket tool for all types of objects.

Where to Find The Live Paint BucketYou can find the Live Paint Bucket on the left toolbar in Illustrator. The shortcut key for this tool is (K).

Note: Before using the Live Paint Bucket tool, you need to turn your work into live paint groups. You'll find this option on the top toolbar. Object> Live Paint > Make

Why is the Live Paint Bucket Not Working? When you use this tool for the first time, you may face this problem. Your Live Paint Bucket tool is probably not working because you haven't turned the objects you want to fill with color into live paint groups. One of the conditions of using the live paint bucket is that your artwork must be made by paths and turned into live paint groups.

Sometimes it may show a restricted sign because of small gaps between the paths. However, you can solve this problem by closing or reducing the gaps. Go to Object > Live Paint > Gap Options.

In the Gap Options, select the gap direction and change the “paint stops at.” You can change it to small gaps, medium gaps, or large gaps, and you can even customize the gap size.

There's another option below the gap preview option, “Close gaps with paths“. Selecting this option will close the gaps that have been found. Once you are fine with the gap options, click Ok.

Related reading: How to Change the Background Color in Adobe Illustrator

How to Use the Live Paint Bucket Tool The Live Paint Bucket tool is not difficult to use. Just follow these few steps mentioned below.

Step 1 Using the Selection Tool (keyboard shortcut V), select the area or objects that you want to add colors to with the Live Paint Bucket tool.

Step 2 Now turn these objects into live paint groups. Go to Object from the overhead toolbar while the objects are selected. Choose Live Paint and select Make from the extended menu. This will turn the objects into Live Paint Groups.

Step 3 Select the Live Paint Bucket tool from the left toolbar or press the shortcut key (K) to activate the tool.

Step 4 Choose the color you want your artwork to be filled with from the color swatches.

Step 5Now click on the object you want to fill with the color. you will see three blocks of colors each time you click on the object to fill. You can use the arrow key from the keyboard to change the color from the three colors given in the box.

The Live Paint Bucket tool works perfectly on closed-path artworks. However, using the Live Paint Bucket tool, you can also paint on the grids, and for that, you don't need to make the path as live pain groups.

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Saving a file as a JPG or PNG in Adobe Illustrator is different from saving in the default AI file type. To save a file as PNG or JPG, you need to export it rather than save it. In this step, you'll choose how you want your file to be saved, its resolution, and the color type.

In this article, I'll show how to save an Illustrator file as JPG or PNG.

Method 1: Saving an Illustrator File as a JPG Step 1 Go to File, choose Export, and select Export for Screens.

Step 2 You'll get a dialog box divided into two parts. One is where all your artboards are, and the other one has various options regarding export.

Step 3 Check the artboard you want to export from on the left part of the dialog box. You can also choose from the Select option on the right side. Just enter the artboard number you want to export.

Note: you can get the artboard numbers from the Artboard Panel or choose the Artboard Tool, select an artboard, and it will show you the number on top of it.

Step 4The next option is “Export to,” which indicates the file's location. Choose where you want to save the file. There are also some checkboxes. You can check them if you want to save your files in a subfolder and open the folder right after exporting the file. You can also choose the folder to be created by scale or format.

Step 5After choosing the location and folders, we'll determine the file's format. The scale option determines the resolution of the image. The Suffix and Prefix options are where you'll write the file's name.

Finally, you can choose the format from the Format option. Once you finish all the settings, hit the Export Artboard button.

Note: You can also make some changes from the settings. Click on the gear icon on the right side to open the settings.

Method 2: Saving an Illustrator File as a PNGStep 1 Go to File> Export> Export as

Step 2 Write the file name in the File Name box.

Step 3 Select the file format in the Save as Type option. Here we're saving the file in PNG format.

Step 4 Select the Use Artboard check box. If you want to save one particular artboard, enter the number. Otherwise, you can choose all or choose a range of specific artboards.

Step 5 Now click on Export to save the file as a PNG.

Method 3: Saving a File Using “Save for Web Legacy”While using Save for Web Legacy, you can only save one particular artboard at a time.

• Go to File > Export > Save for Web Legacy
• Choose the file format
• Choose the resolution
• Selecting Progressive will allow people to see a low-quality version of the image as they first visit the website, and it will gradually get shaper and become a full image
• You can also choose the image size in the Image Size option
• Click Save once you're done with all the settings

Now you can easily save your Illustrator file as a JPG or PNG using the above-mentioned methods. I hope this article was helpful.

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Texture is an excellent feature of Adobe Illustrator. Adding texture to your design not only makes your design unique but also adds more detail and character. This is an easy yet effective tool to make your design stand out.

There are various ways to add texture. In this article, we'll cover two methods to add texture in Illustrator.

Adding Texture in Illustrator: Method 1Illustrator comes with some default textures. In this method, we'll use those default textures in our design.

Step 1 Select the shapes or objects you want your texture to be applied.

Step 2 Go to Effect and choose Texture and select Texturizer from the dropdown menu.

Step 3You'll find six different textures to select from. Select one of the textures.

Step 4Now you'll have an extended panel on the left, letting you edit and customize the texture. You can select different modes for applying the texture. This panel determines the size, contrast, depth, intensity, and many more.

Texture in Illustrator: Method 2In this method, we'll use images as a texture by overlaying them on a design object. All you need to do will be group, mask, and copy-paste the image, and you are good to go. Let's look at the step-by-step process.

Step 1 Place your image beside your artboard and embed it if necessary. To place or insert an image in Illustrator, go to File> Place and select the image you want to use for your project's texture. For the tutorial, I'll use this smoke image from Mulyadi.

Step 2 Copy your image before proceeding.

Step 3 Select your object. If you have more than one object that you want to apply the texture to, then you have to group the objects first. To group objects, select your objects and select Group from the right-click menu, or you can use the shortcut key Ctrl + G.

Step 4Once you've grouped your objects, open the Transparency Panel. If you cannot find this panel, it's probably not enabled yet. Go to Window and select Transparency.

Step 5From the Transparency Panel, open the side menu and make sure the thumbnail is showing. Now click on mask and click on the black box that appears on the right side of the thumbnail.

Step 6Now paste your image and place it over the object. You can resize or move the image according to your preference for texture.

Step 7The Transparency Panel has a dropdown menu for different modes for your textures. You can choose any mode to darken or lighten the texture.

No Smoking Sign by Blogging GuideTexture in Illustrator: Method 3In this method, we're using one of the effects from the Effect menu as a texture.

Step 1 Place your object on the artboard. Once you are ready with the object, you can start customizing your texture.

Step 2 Select the Rectangle Tool and draw a square. This will be the area for your texture. Go ahead and select a color to fill the shape. You can also use a gradient for a different touch.

Step 3After selecting the shape, go to Effect from the top toolbar and select an effect that goes with your design. Here we're using Pointillize effect from the Pixelate option.

Step 4Once you choose an effect, place it over the object you want your texture to be applied to.

Step 5Now it's time to rasterize the texture. To rasterize it, go to Object and select rasterize.

Step 6When you finish rasterizing, click Image Trace from the top toolbar. You'll find it beside the Crop Image option. After tracing the image, open the Image Trace Panel and select Ignore White.

Step 7When you're happy with the texture, finalize it by selecting Expand.

Step 8Now select the texture and bring it to the front. Go to the Pathfinder panel and select Minus Front from the pathfinder panel.

Final Thoughts on Adding Texture in IllustratorAdding textures in Adobe Illustrator is easy, and you can use your preferred method. I hope you find this article helpful.

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Wrapping text in Illustrator involves wrapping the text around an object. It works as an effective visual aid and makes your text stand out.

There are a few ways to wrap text in Adobe Illustrator. In this article, we'll focus on a few methods.

Method 1: Wrap Text Around an Object in IllustratorIn this method, we will put an object over the text and wrap the text around the object using wrap text. The object can be anything. It could be a triangle, semicircle, or other shapes drawn by shape tools, or you can import any object from another source (like a photo).

Step 1Select the Type Tool from the left toolbar or use the shortcut key (T) to activate the type tool.

Step 2With the Type Tool activated, select an area for your text and input your text there.

Step 3Assemble and arrange your text before you bring the object to wrap your text around it. Select the text and go to the paragraph option, which you can find either in the top toolbar or in the Properties panel on the right-side toolbar. In this case, I'll justify the text.

Step 4Import the object you want your text to wrap around and place it on the artboard. It doesn't matter if you bring the object first or the text, just make sure the object is on top of your text. Otherwise, the text will fail to wrap around the object.

(Photo by Pierre Châtel-Innocenti)

You can use Arrange and Bring to Front to ensure the image is on top of the text.

Step 5Now that you have your object placed over the text, choose the object. Go to the Object menu from the top toolbar and choose Text Wrap and select Make from the extended menu.

Step 6Your text is now wrapped around the text. Now you can move the object and rearrange it to set up the text as you like it. For example, the screenshot below shows how the text wraps around the image if it's brought to the center of the text.

Related reading: How to Curve Text in Illustrator

Method 2: Wrap Text Around a Shape in IllustratorWrapping text around a shape in Illustrator is fun and easy. You can change the layout, shape, size, and even location anytime you want.

Step 1First, Select the Type Tool (T) from the left toolbar to activate the type tool. Select an area for your text using the type tool and input your text there.

Step 2Arrange your text before you bring the object and wrap your text around it. Select the text and go to the paragraph option, which you can find either on the top toolbar or in the Properties panel on the right toolbar.

Step 3Select the Rectangle Tool and draw any shape you want the text to wrap around it. Make sure the shape is on top of the text.

Step 4Now select the shape, go to the Object>Text Wrap>Make. Your text is now wrapped around the shape.

Step 5Once you have wrapped the text, you can move the shape around the artboard and place it wherever you want, and the text will be changed accordingly. You can also resize the shape if you want.

Method 3: Wrap Text Using the Pen ToolSometimes you may have an image, and you want your text to be wrapped in a certain way. The methods above work well but don't give you ultimate control over how the text is wrapped. In this case, we need to make a path and make the text wrap around that path. We'll use Pen Tool to create the path.

Step 1Place the image on the artboard. Go to File, select Place,choose the image you want to use, and embed the image. The embed option appears in the properties panel under the Quick Action option when you select an image.

Note: Make sure the image is arranged properly on the artboard because anything outside the artboard will not be included in the final outcome.

Step 2Select Type Tool (T). Paste your text on the image using the type tool.

Step 3Arrange your text using the elements of the Paragraph panel. I'm going to justify the text.

Step 4Select the Pen Tool from the left toolbar. The shortcut key for the pen tool is (P).

Step 5Now you have to make a path for the text wrap using the pen tool. With the pen tool activated, draw an area where you want to wrap the text. I'll create a path around the books in the image.

(Photo by Chris Lawton)

Step 6Select the path and click the color fill option on the left toolbar. Choose (None), which will make this path transparent.

Step 7Once you're done making the path, go ahead and wrap your text. Go to Object, choose Text Wrap, and from the extended menu of Text Wrap, select Make.

Adjusting the Wrapping AreaYou can adjust the text wrap area from the Text Wrap option. Go to *Object>Text Wrap>Text Wrap Options*. You'll get a dialog box with the title Text Wrap Options.

In this dialog box, you can choose the gap or space between the wrapped text and the object. This gap or space is usually called the wrapping area. Choose how much wrapping area you want by decreasing or increasing the digits in the Offset box.

You can also invert the wrap by checking the small Invert box on the left side. This will wrap the text inside an object or a shape.

Wrapping text in Illustrator is easy when you understand the methods covered in this article. Illustrator also allows you to keep going on with your design of the text in real-time, even after the text is wrapped.

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A Compound Path in Adobe Illustrator is when there are two or more shapes, and they interact with each other in a way that holes appear where they overlap. In other words, a compound path consists of two or more overlapping objects, and where they are overlapping, it's see-through.

How a Compound Path ActsA compound path acts more like a grouped object where two or more paths or objects turn into one path. However, the objects in a compound path cannot be modified individually. You can change the shapes of each object but not how they look. You cannot modify or change the design, effects, or appearance attributes for any individual objects of a compound path as they are confined to one single path.

You can find compound paths in the Layers Panel, and you can see how they appear there. It will show that all the objects of a compound path are in one layer. It does not show different layers for different components of the compound path.

Differences Between Compound Paths and GroupsYou may be wondering if the group and the compound path work exactly the same, then where does the difference lie?

Although compound paths act as grouped objects, you cannot change or modify stroke attributes, appearance attributes, fill, effects, or graphic styles for individual components of the compound path.

Groups, on the other hand, act as a vessel that carries various objects, shapes, and paths. In a nutshell, a compound path merges two or more shapes into a single path, whereas in groups, all the elements are individual objects. Unlike the compound path, all the components of grouped objects are displayed in different layers in the layer panel, so you can change them separately.

How to Make a Compound PathStep 1:Draw two or more shapes. Make sure you draw one shape bigger than the others so you can place the smaller ones on the bigger shape.

Note: You can put an image underneath to mask the image into the shapes.

Step 2:Select both objects (shapes or images if you use any) using the Selection Tool (V).

Step 3:Go to Object, choose Compound Path, and select Make. You can also use the shortcut key Ctrl + 8 Your shapes are turned into a compound path.

Your compound path is see-through or transparent where the shapes overlap.

How to Release a Compound Path Select the compound path you want to release. * Go to Object, choose Compound Path, and select Release. The shortcut key for this option is Alt+ Shift+ Ctrl+ 8*

How to Adjust the Appearance of the Compound PathYou can adjust the appearance of the compound path using the Attribute Panel. In the attribute panel, you'll find two ways, the Non-Zero Winding Fill Rule and the Even-Odd Fill Rule from which you'll choose to make adjustments to the compound path. Both of these ways follow a mathematical rule to determine which areas should be filled and which ones should be transparent or see-through.

• First, use the Selection Tool (V) to select the Compound Path.
• Go to Window and select Attributes.
• Toggle between Non-Zero Winding Fill Rule and the Even-Odd Fill Rule and select whichever you want to apply.

Use of Compound Paths for Clipping Mask When we want to insert an image into a shape, we mask the image into the shape as a clipping mask. Suppose you have more than one shape and want an image masked into those shapes as a clipping mask. In that case, Illustrator randomly chooses one of the top objects or shapes for masking the image, as it cannot choose more than one shape for the clipping mask.

This happens because all the shapes here are separated and individual, and Illustrator only chooses one shape for clipping-mask. Hence, to mask the image into all the shapes, you first must make all the shapes as one single object.

But how to do that? The answer to that question is Compound Paths. Simply turn all the shapes into a compound path.

Landscape Vectors by VecteezyThe compound path turns several paths into one single path. It means when you apply a compound path to all of your shapes, you're actually turning the shapes into one single shape.

When you try to mask the picture into these shapes, all the shapes work as one, and the image will be masked appropriately.

Step 1: Bring the image you want to mask into the shapes and place it on the artboard. Make sure you place it right and embed the image if necessary.

Step 2: Draw your shapes and place them over the image as you like.

Step 3: Now select all shapes and choose Compound Path from the right-click menu.

Step 4: Now all your shapes are turned into a compound path. Select both the compound shape and the image.

Step 5:Go to Object> Clipping Mask> Make. Or you can apply a clipping mask by using the right-click menu.

Now when you click on clipping mask, Illustrator will not randomly choose one shape. Since the shapes are already turned into a compound path, they act as one shape, and the image is now masked into all the shapes.

I hope this article will guide you in using the Compound Path competently.

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When you need to cut a shape in Adobe Illustrator, there are multiple ways to do it. Illustrator comes with various dedicated tools for this task. In this article, we'll learn seven different ways to cut a shape in Illustrator.

Before we start with the tutorial, let's look at the tools we're going to use for cutting shapes in Illustrator.

• Knife Tool
• Scissors Tool
• Eraser Tool
• Clipping Mask Tool
• Crop Tool
• Divide Tool
• Minus Front

Now let's begin our tutorial!

Method 1: Cutting a Shape the Knife ToolThe Knife Tool works just like a real knife. You draw your line over a shape, and it's done.

Step 1Prepare the object you want to cut the shape from. You can use any object here or make shapes using the Rectangle Tool.

Step 2Select the Knife Tool from the left-side toolbar.

Step 3Draw the shape you want to cut over the object. You'll see a split when you've drawn your shape with the Knife.

Step 4Choose the Selection Tool (V) and click outside the object to deselect the object. The split line will seem darker when you deselect the object, and you can easily figure out that the shapes are divided into two parts.

Step 5Now drag one of the sides from the other, and your shape is separated from the object.

Method 2: Cutting a Shape with the Scissors ToolThe Scissors Tool is another useful tool for cutting shapes and is easy to use. You'll find it on the left-side toolbar inside the Eraser Tool.

Step 1 Make a shape you want to cut.

Step 2Select the Scissors Tool from the toolbar or use the shortcut key (C). This will activate the Scissors Tool.

Step 3With the Scissors Tool, click on the edge of the object you want to cut.

Step 4Now click on the other side of the object.

Step 5 You'll not see any visible split or cut, but you can separate your shape now using the selection tool. Select the Selection Tool (V). Now click and drag one of the sides. You'll have your shape separated.

Method 3: Using Illustrator's Eraser ToolThe Eraser Tool works almost like the Knife Tool. It cuts through the surface it's dragged over. However, when you use the eraser tool over an object, the track where the eraser tool is run, disappears completely.

Step 1 Select an object or a shape you want to cut.

Step 2 Select the Eraser Tool from the left side toolbar or use the shortcut key (Shift + E).

Step 3 Make your shape by cutting through the object with the Eraser Tool.

Step 4 When you are done cutting your shape, it's time to separate it from the object. Go to the Layers Panel and select the part you don't want to keep.

Step 5Now that you've selected the part you want to remove, delete it by selecting the Delete option at the bottom right corner of the Layers Panel. This is how you'll delete the layer, and you'll be left with the shape you wanted to keep.

Method 4: Using the Clipping MaskYou'll find the Clipping Mask option in the Object located at the top toolbar. Go to Object>Clipping mask> Make. You can also use the clipping mask from the right-click option or the keyboard shortcut Ctrl +7 (on PC) or CMD+7 (on Mac).

Step 1 First, you need to make two shapes, one on top of the other. With the clipping mask, you'll be able to keep the shape that's on top. So make sure you place the shape you want on the top.

Step 2 Select the Selection Tool (V) and select both objects using the selection tool.

Step 3 Now it's time to use the clipping mask. You can either select the clipping mask from the toolbar manually or select it from the right-click menu. And the easiest way is to press Ctrl +7. Make sure you've selected both objects before selecting the Clipping mask.

Step 4 Once you choose the Clipping Mask, your shape is cut .

The tools we'll discuss below are located in the Pathfinder Panel rather than in the toolbar. If you cannot find the Pathfinder on your screen, that means this panel is not enabled yet. To enable it, go to Window and choose Pathfinder. You can keep the panel in the right-side toolbar with the other panels. It will make your work a lot easier.

Method 5: Cut a Shape with the Crop ToolUnlike other tools, the Crop Tool cannot be found on the toolbar. Go to the Pathfinder panel and select Crop Tool from that panel.

Step 1 Bring the object on the artboard you want to cut a shape from and draw another shape on top of that object.

Step 2Select both shapes using the Selection Tool.

Step 3Now select the Crop Tool from the Pathfinder panel.

Step 5The object is now cropped as you selected the Crop Tool.

Note: To get an opposite effect, you may also use the Minus Front option, which will crop or subtract the front object instead.

Method 6: The Divide ToolThis tool is also found inside the Pathfinder. Go to Pathfinder and find it in the bottom left corner of the panel.

Step 1 First of all, draw a shape that you want to cut.

Step 2 Now draw a line over the shape you just drew. You can draw the line anywhere on the previously drawn shape to achieve your desired shape.

Step 3 Select the line and the shape using the Selection Tool (V).

Step 4Go to the Pathfinder and select Divide from the panel.

Step 5 Now grab the Direct Selection Tool (A) and separate the two sections by dragging one of them. There you have your shape all ready to use.

Method 7: Minus FrontWith this tool, you can cut a shape according to the object's shape on the top. You can find the Minus Front in the Pathfinder Panel.

Step 1 Make two shapes, one on the other. You can make several shapes on top of one object.

Step 2 When you place your shapes, select all of them using the Selection Tool (V).

Step 3 While your shapes are selected, go to pathfinder and select Minus Front from the panel.

Step 4 The object from the back now has the shapes of the front objects cut into it.

Final Thoughts on Cutting Shapes in IllustratorWhile working in Adobe Illustrator, you'll need to cut shapes a lot. Hence, knowing all possible ways of cutting a shape in Illustrator often comes in handy. Try these methods and see which one you like best.

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Fonts play a significant role in graphic design. The fonts and typefaces you choose can make your design stands out.

A good font can lead your design to achieve a strong visual appeal. And a poor choice of fonts may lead to failure in balancing the design, the audience, and the product. It's not always about choosing a beautiful aesthetic font, as readability is also important.

Excellent use of fonts enables the design to connect with viewers. For example, you won't use the same font for a gym or fitness club brand as you would for a high-end salon or spa. Of course, it helps to have access to a large selection of fonts to explore more options.

In this article, we'll learn how to add more fonts in Adobe Illustrator so you can use them in your designs.

Using Pre-Installed Fonts in IllustratorUsually, any font that's installed on your PC is added automatically to Illustrator. So the fonts that you find in Illustrator are already installed in your system. To explore these fonts, follow these three easy steps.

Step 1 Open a new document

Step 2 Select Type Tool. Click on the artboard to type your text using the type tool.

Step 3Go to the character option from the top properties panel you'll see after typing. Here, you'll see a list of the pre-installed fonts that you can use for your text.

Related: How to Curve Text in Illustrator

How to Add Fonts to IllustratorTo add fonts to Illustrator, all you need to do is install fonts on your computer. Adobe Illustrator adds the newly installed fonts automatically.

However, before you download, install and use fonts for professional purposes, be sure to check the license details. Some fonts are free to download, but the license only covers personal use. If you plan to use a font or typeface for commercial use, like client projects, be sure that it's licensed for commercial use. You can find a massive selection of fonts with commercial licenses at Envato Elements.

Step 1 Choose your font from a font website. There are a lot of websites to choose from. Just make sure they are free to use everywhere. Here, I'm using Google Fonts.

Step 2 Now go to Illustrator and check if you already have the font there.

Step 3 Now that you know you don't already have it, go to the website from where you can download it.

Note: Make sure you quit Adobe Illustrator before installing the font.

Step 4After downloading the font, you have to install the file. Now you may get a zip file where you need to unzip the file and extract it before installing it.

Step 5Once you are done extracting the file, open the folder. You'll find a file (usually it will be an otf or ttf file). Here it's a ttf file.

Step 6Right click on the “ttf” file and select install.

Alternatively, you can double click on the font file and it will accomplish the same thing.

Step 7Your font will be installed right away. Now launch Adobe Illustrator and search for the font you've just installed. You should see the font listed, and you can select it to use with your text.

Related: How to Rotate Text in Illustrator

Using Adobe FontsYou can also use fonts from Adobe Fonts, and you don't even need to download or install them. All you need to do is just go choose your font and activate it from the website. Use this wide range of fonts by following a few simple steps.

• Go to the Adobe Fonts website.
• Choose a font by either going to All fonts or by searching fonts of your preference using various search filters such as Language, Tags, Classification, and Properties.
• Once you found your desired font, click on the font.
• Clicking on the font will open a new window. Now click on the Activate font on the right side.
• Now your font is activated, and you can find your font in Illustrator.

Note: You need to have an Adobe subscription to get these premium fonts from Adobe Fonts.

Final Thoughts on Adding Fonts in IllustratorIt's always great to have many fonts in your collection as it gives you more options to explore and experience for your text and design. I hope this article helped you understand how to add fonts to Illustrator.

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In Adobe Illustrator, artboards are the canvas or your workspace where all your design works are done and displayed. Illustrator helps you stay organized by dividing your workspace into multiple artboards.

Artboards in Illustrator can be compared to a piece of paper where we draw objects using pen or pencils. In Illustrator, you can use multiple artboards for your design purpose and save them as individual files.

Working with artboards in Illustrator is very easy and comfortable since they are flexible. In this article, we'll learn all about artboards.

How to Create an Artboard in IllustratorThe first thing you should learn about artboards is how to create them. Creating artboards in is as simple as opening a new document.

1. Go to File and select New.
2. You will get a new document window.
3. When you open a new document, the artboard adopts its size by default.
4. You can change the dimensions and settings from this window.
5. When you're done with the changes, select Create.

How to Add ArtboardsAre you already working on a project and you need to add another artboard? Don't worry!

In Illustrator, you can add artboards anytime you want.

Learning how to add or create an artboard will be very convenient if you're working on a magazine, portfolio, or even social media posts.

Step 1:Go to the Artboard Panel, which you'll find in the left Toolbar.

Step 2:Towards the bottom of the panel, you'll see a small plus icon.

Step 3:If you click on the plus icon, an artboard the same size as the existing one will be created.

There's an alternate way of adding artboards in Adobe Illustrator using the Artboard Tool. We'll discuss this later on in this article.

How to Save Your ArtboardsOnce you're done with your design, you need to save it. To save an artboard, you have to Export it.

• Go to File and select Export for Screens.
• You'll get a dialogue box where you will choose which artboard you want to export, the location, and the file format.
• Once you're done with your selection, click on Export Artboard.

Note: Any work outside an artboard will not be saved when you export or save an artboard.

Using of the Artboard ToolIn Adobe Illustrator, there's a separate tool called the Artboard Tool to manage artboards. The Artboard Tool helps you edit and make changes to your artboards. The uses of the artboard tool are shown below

Moving Artboards To move artboards, select the Artboard Tool from the left toolbar. The keyboard shortcut for this tool is Shift + O. Now click and drag to move your artboards from one place to another.

Adding ArtboardsAdding artboards using the Artboard Tool is similar to creating shapes with Rectangle Tool. Just click and drag the mouse pointer and release when you're happy with the size. You can always change the canvas size later.

You can also add an artboard by using artboard properties. When you select the Artboard Tool, you'll find the properties option for artboards on the right side toolbar beside Layers. Go to the properties and select the plus (+) icon beside the Name of the artboard.

Note: If you cannot find this option, this means the option is not enabled yet. Go to Windows and select Properties to enable it.

Resizing ArtboardsYou can resize an artboard using the presets from the properties panel. You can also resize artboards manually by putting numeric values in the Height and Width boxes. Another way to resize an artboard is by clicking around the bounding box and dragging it until it reaches your desired size.

Duplicating ArtboardsYou can also duplicate an artboard by using the Artboard Tool. Select the artboard you want to duplicate. Now press and hold down the Alt key and drag the artboard to an empty space. Your artboard is duplicated.

What Are Artboards in Illustrator? Final ThoughtsWorking with artboards easily and comfortably is an essential skill for any designer who wants to work with Adobe Illustrator. Now that you have all the basic knowledge about artboards, you can start working with multiple artboards.

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The 1950s were a special era. It was a time when a range of designs were introduced, especially when it comes to typography and commercial designs.

The modern design of the day in the '50s became the retro vibes of the 21st century that are still used today. These 1950s fonts help graphic designers create vintage designs with a genuine, authentic feel.

Unlimited Downloads: Millions of Creative Assets by ###### Fifties

Retro Typeface ###### MidCentury

Modern Retro Typeface ###### Carosello

1950's Marker Font ###### Winter is Coming

Playful '50s Font ###### Mortina

'50s Display Font ###### Surfnik

Vintage Beatnik Font Download Now

Best '50s FontsHere is a strong list of fonts that embody the 50s vibe. A graphic designer can use these in plenty of vintage and retro projects. Take a visual project to the next level with a 1950s design for classic logos and authentic branding projects. Review the list below to find a font that works best for any project needing a retro style that advances design for commercial and personal projects.

Download Unlimited Fonts at Envato Elements
Designers always need fonts. Thanks to Envato Elements, you can download as many professional fonts (and other design resources) as you need for one flat price. They offer millions of fonts, stock photos, illustrations, templates, themes, plugins, and much more, all with simple commercial licensing. It's the #1 resource for designers and creatives. Learn more and try Envato Elements for free.

Fifties TypefaceEnvato Elements is a great resource for beginner and seasoned designers alike. You can kick off with this typeface to add to the many beautiful 1950s fonts available for the graphic designer font library online.

This is a retro serif font that offers all the capabilities. It comes in TrueType, OpenType, and WebFont formats. It includes all the basic options from punctuation, uppercase, lowercase characters, and other extras.

It's an affordable option and has an attractive design that works well not only in vintage designs but in modern designs needing a little throwback.

MidCentury TypefaceThis is a fun and bold style typeface with a bouncy baseline. The letter forms are different and bold, with a retro feel and a modern design style. This is an art deco style reborn with mid-century. This font can be used at any size and has commercial licensing.

MidCentury is a great option for large formatted posters, illustrations, and retro looks on print media. Create commercial projects that stand out in the field. Using these all-caps letters, a designer can create unique designs with the included alternatives. It's a definite must for the font arsenal.

Carosello – 1950s Marker FontThis is a handmade versatile font that works well with professional design products to access the full capabilities of the glyphs. It's a great option for fun personalized projects that need to have a special touch.

Vintage logos are a perfect fit for this bold script typeface. Use this in online graphics for social media titles and banners, or use it in print media for vinyl applications and illustrations.

Winter is Coming – Playful '50s FontThis is a fun vintage font that brings back memories of “I Dream of Genie” or “Jetsons.” It's a great light serif font to use for package designs or shirt designs. It's iconic and classic!

There are two font formats: OTF and TTF. Three variations of this font with a shadow option for versatility. This is an amazing 50s font that you'll want to have in your toolbox.

Mortina – 50s Display FontThis is a sans serif vintage-style typeface. It's used with a strong focus on signage, logo design, and promotional design. It's bold and can be used in virtually any size.

This is a great option for professional design software like Adobe Photoshop and Illustrator in an OpenType font file. The designer can then access a multitude of glyphs to enhance the font as an iconic design.

It has multilingual support and PUA encoding to go along with the standard characters and numerals. This is a must to have in the 50s font library.

Surfnik – Vintage Surf and Beatnik FontThis is an edgy retro display hand-made font that works well for fun projects. It has a chiseled look to the character forms. It's a vintage all-caps font that works well for large signage and promotional projects.

Have a tiki hut or a pool party with an island theme coming up? This is a font to stylize the event, from the poster designs to the fun party favors. It comes in six different weight/line styles that create depth for a unique design. It's affordable and has web options available to design across platforms as well.

Snifter – Retro Party TypefaceThis font is ready for the party with its retro text design. There are icons included with the glyphs panel accessible with the OTF file.

This is a great option for shirt typography design. It's bold and eye-catching. This font is a vector file, so it has no size restriction, and it can work across programs and platforms. It's a playful typeface ideal for bold designs that utilize bright colors and large surface areas where text is the design element.

Les Paul – Layered '50s FontThis is a great vintage font option that has a wide selection. This font comes with eight font files. This includes regular, outline, lined, inline, and extras!

Les Paul can be used as an all-inclusive set for all graphic design needs for a project. There's no need to find icons; they're included and ready to use!

This vector-developed typeface can give a designer a massive impact on logo design and branding projects for a client. Create print and digital media with this beautiful font.

Atomicaboy – 1950s Geometric ScriptThis is a fun script that's bold and unique. With this large display font, there are many options to create fun shirt designs, menus, signage for a company, or logos.

It includes uppercase, lowercase, punctuation, numerals, and stylistic alternates that can be incorporated into any design.

This is an upright script with a geometric design base. Script fonts like this create a unique option to add to the font library. There are two versions of this font, and it can be fully accessed in multiple software programs.

Jaywalker – '50s Display FontThis is a bold all-caps font. It's a classic option for a 50s style design. This font works well for print or digital media. It includes the base characters, numerals, and punctuation along with special characters and alternates.

The OTF file has over 160 glyphs that, with design software, can be accessed and used. This boldly designed font can use colors creatively within each letter to give it that retro feel. There's virtually no limit to the size that this sans-serif can be used with its vector design.

The Big Tickle Font FamilyThis is a family of typefaces that includes over ten options to work with throughout a design. The captivating lettering pulls in many options with layers and colors for a professional design. It's a great option for book designs, party invitations, poster cover, holiday cards, and social media art cards.

Its capabilities allow for print and digital media use alike. This is a fun serif that also has multilingual options. It's a versatile font family that has a fun retro nostalgic element.

Rockabilly Romance – 1950s Script FontWho doesn't know about the 1950s romance bad-boy movies like Crybaby or Bad Boy? There are three styles included with regular, outline, and underline options with this brush script.

This font could work for digital eBook design or print novel design. There are elements to this iconic 1950s typeface that allow for it to remind society of the classic diner or neon signs advertising products or services. It is a must for the 1950s font library, no questions asked.

Milescut – 1950s FontThis cutting-edge nostalgic font was created to mimic hand-cut all-caps lettering from Blue Note in the 1950s and 1960s. This is an amazing option that's affordable for any designer.

Milescut is perfect for typographical designs that rely heavily on text alone. This is an all-caps modern typeface that can be worked into images thanks to the ligatures and extra flourishes. These extras add length to certain tails overlapping and integrating letters with each other.

It's bold and exotic for a vintage font.

CA Weird Stories – Slanted '50s FontThis large italic typeface has a weird extraterrestrial feel to it. This is not a classic typeface, but rather an edgy alternative to the classic vintage options.

Create edgy designs with this retro chiseled feel. This gives an unstable feeling to the design to create a supernatural and eerie feel to any design.

Stack this typeface with color and blocky design to complete a retro feel that's unsettling to evoke emotion off the screen.

Tropika Island Font FamilyThis fun, illustrative '50s font is built with an island theme. The font family includes retro extras with two font styles: a bold serif and a casual script option.

The best part of this vector font is the 3000+ pairs of ligatures! They help to create unique letter combinations for any project that needs a tropical twist with a custom-designed look!

The catch is to access all the great options and glyphs, you must use software (like Adobe Illustrator and Photoshop) that supports OpenType features.

This is a great option for signage or calligraphy-style font projects in cutouts and vinyl applications.

Display Gothic 1958 FontThis is an amazingly affordable desktop font to use for a variety of designs. Create a custom package for a client with this sans-serif. It features international character support with an OTF file.

Display Gothic 1958 is needed from a crucial design aspect in that it's vintage, clean, classic, and bold. Create a bold poster art design with this bold typeface. It's a great option with the basic ligatures included for print design.

Sinzano – Interlocking TypefaceThis typeface is a slender, elegant alternative for a high-fashion-focused design from the vintage era in mid-century America. It's unique in its interlocking design. The all-caps characters work well to interact not only as text but as a visual design element for the graphic designer.

It's multilingual supported and can be used as a WebFont, giving it international pop for the design world. Use on retro projects that need an extra touch of class and elevation for any client.

Burbank – 1950s Script FontThis is a beautiful script with a vintage touch. The beautiful script typeface has an appeal of elegance that allows for sophisticated branding or book cover design.

Create a vintage novel cover with this elegant script that draws on the emotion of the subject matter. With vector design creation of the ligatures, it allows for options from print to digital media packages to advertising across platforms.

The best part is this font stays relevant for your historical work with free updates and feature additions when applicable.

Mister DeVille – Midcentury FontThis is a great mid-century font style. It's a bold, rough sans-serif made with uppercase characters to create a dynamic all-caps modern typeface. It does not work off an even baseline to give it a creative movement on the screen.

Mister DeVille a great option for window lettering or bold promotional design. This is a typeface that works with spooky emotions with vintage design elements. Use this font for poster designs, party designs, or a variety of designs that need a Halloween or spooky feel.

Vintage Wheel – Vintage Script FontThis is a casual script that is ideal for signage and fun textual sayings within promotion or creative product marketing.

This font comes in four files: OTF, TTF, WOFF, and WOFF2. It can be used at any size opening the door for billboard design and screen design. Use this font online and on print for an illustrative brush script font.

Luckiest GuyThis is a bubble-like vintage font that has a comic feel. It's an all-caps font that's bold and catching for title design.

Use this option for a comic Art Deco styling for poster text, movie title text, or vintage novel cover design. It's a great option to use for clothing design as well. Create projects with fun sayings or classic letter cutouts to apply on boards and windows. The applications are endless!

Swung Note Interlocking FontThis is a retro fun option that touches on the psychedelic fonts from the '50s and '60s. It is playful, and the design has adaptable weights that work with the letters based on uppercase and lowercase settings and use.

Swung Note is adaptable and versatile with many different colors and so on. Create custom letter designs for logos and other branding projects. The font itself can be the fanciful element needed to be the focal point of the design.

Transistor – Super Condensed Sans SerifThis super condensed and thin font is an all-caps option that mimics the style of vintage fonts in the mid-century. It's perfect for newscasters to use or designs of car production signage. Transistor is great for the mechanical world for parts, hardware stores, and packaging.

It is a great option for industrial advertisement magazines or business communications. It's clean and direct. The font package is offered at a great price to be used by hobbyists and professionals alike.

El Camio – Throwback Display FontCreative Fabrica offers a great vintage option for a font that works well across platforms and with Cricut software! It's a bold sans-serif font that works well as a display typeface for titles and large projects.

El Camio is a great option for hints of art deco throughout a large schematic or a small text-only design. Installation guides come with downloading the font file for Windows and Mac operating systems.

Use this font on any project that needs a bold title!

Spooktacular – 1950s Beatnik FontIt's not a vintage mid-century font list without the spooky Scooby-Doo-like options! This is an extensive family with 15 variations of the font. It allows for dynamic designs from light fonts to heavy fonts.

Spooktakular is a great retro serif display typeface with a sans-serif option. With the OTF file, there are extras that include thematic icons to incorporate into a design. This leads to options for graphic designers to create their own bonus vintage illustrations within a project.

The font package is broken into two styles: 10 serifs and 5 sans-serif downloads. Enjoy this amazing option with many different levels of licensing available.

Master of PosterUse this amazingly fun sans-serif font with a worry-free license. This all-caps font is unique in how the ligature design for tails on letters tie other letters together in a geometric and box-like form. It comes in three different weights.

This is a simple yet profound vintage option. Create classic logos or sophisticated branding. This is a font for designers that works into a great visual project. Use it for text heavy projects where the text is the artwork.

It gives a great spontaneous vibe and fanciful element for designs you see in advertising, social media creatives, and mainstream magazines. A great, solid option for the font library.

Laguna Vintage CollectionThis font package has it all! This includes a block version, a condensed version, and a casual script. It is an entire package a graphic designer will love. Not only are there in-context ligatures with this great font, but other graphic design extras are included.

It comes in an OpenType file or TrueType file to access in professional and non-professional design programs alike. Create a dynamic logo, book cover, or retro posters for clients. This is an iconic typeface that's pivotal to retro design concepts prevalent in the 1950s.

Spy Royal Font FamilyThis is a classic 1950s and 1960s signage font. It includes variants and Unicode variants. It's a great movie font comic poster option to create a semi-cartoon and animated textual element to the design.

There are multiple levels of licensing, so the designer can pick and choose or download the Cadillac version with all options to use this font across platforms.

Get creative with kerning and letter spacing. Add alternative characters with this OpenType font. It's great to use for alternative designs when a project needs a unique vintage touch.

Tipique – Mid-Century Font RevivalThis amazingly fun and dynamic font comes in OpenType format. It's a great option for professional designers that use products. The mid-century sans-serif font is unique in the tailing of certain character forms giving it a signature look.

Use it in lowercase or vintage all-caps font styling to create book text and book cover designs. It includes all sorts of characters, from multilingual options to pagination symbols. This is an in-depth retro-style vector font that's a must to have. An added bonus is stylized letter sets for alternatives that give it that extra unique touch.

Hucklebuck – 1950s Script FontThis is a true vintage sans serif script. It's primarily used as an OpenType font to utilize all its capabilities. It's offered in TrueType as well, but in OpenType, the multilingual character options can be used.

Hucklebuck is a great option for '50s designs with large-format printing. Think of vintage movie posters, and retro designs will start flowing. Use this font for personal branding or illustration enhancement for graphic artists and book illustrators. It's a great option for a retro comic strip.

ChonkyThis is a fun brush script font. It would be great for large sign advertising and could be utilized by street artists for hand-painted sign lettering projects for the side of buildings of urban artscapes.

It is a relatively new font on the market and is affordable for hobbyists and professionals alike. This font can be used across platforms from desktops to eBooks to web applications. There are licensing options and ways to tailor this font to fit your design needs. It's a great script option for the retro wheelhouse.

Yolanda – 1950s Script FontThis is a very affordable option for a font to add to the library to expand on the retro style. It features a funky design that is fun for sign designs or logos. It is a great vintage option that is compatible with Windows or Mac operating systems. Use this font in any design software.

It also comes ready to use with Cricut or other vinyl cutting machines for fun letter application designs for studios or coffee shop menu boards. This retro typeface includes commercial licensing if needed for a professional project to go big.

Drive-In – Mid-Century TypefaceThis vector-designed mid-century font is clean and classic. It is a great option with all uppercase characters and boasts pseudo lowercase letters built into the font package.

There are two versions included: solid and inline. This gives the font family versatility to be used in different applications.

There are alternative characters for certain letters to give a unique flare to the font. Create nostalgic designs that will blow away the audience with impactful connections to whatever message the client needs to be conveyed.

Why You'll Love Using These 1950s FontsGraphic designers love to create beautiful designs that captivate their audience and embody the client's message. It's important to incorporate different themes in elements from colors to graphics to illustrations to typefaces.

To stay on the most cutting edge with ideas, it's important to have many elements, including vintage elements like the 50s typeface style, to be sure to have dynamic versatility in the toolbox as a designer.

Beautiful 50s fonts like these above are a must for any beginner or advanced graphic designer.

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When you're working in Adobe Illustrator, you may need multiple layers. And when we're talking about having multiple layers, it's easy to confuse layers with artboards. However, duplicating layers and duplicating artboards are not the same. You can have multiple artboards (or canvases) in Illustrator, but you can create multiple layers on a single artboard.

In this tutorial, we'll look at how to duplicate a layer in Illustrator, and we'll show a few different ways you can complete the task. The process is a bit different than merging layers in Illustrator, which is another task that you may need to do at times.

Related reading: How to Move Artboards in Illustrator

Duplicate a Layer in Illustrator, Method 1: Click, Hold, and DragStep 1: Open the Layers Panel from the right toolbar. If you cannot find the Layer Panel, that means it's not enabled yet. Go to Window and select Layers to enable your LayersPanel. Now you can see the Layers panel on your screen.

Step 2: In this Layers Panel, you'll see the layers in your document. Select the layer you want to duplicate.

Step 3: Now, while holding down the Alt key, click on the layer and drag it down to the bottom of the layer list. When you reach the bottom, your mouse pointer will show you a plus icon.

Step 4: Once you see your cursor showing the plus icon, you can release the mouse button and the Alt key. Your layer is duplicated as you release the mouse button.

Related reading: How to Lock Layers in Illustrator

Method 2: Using the Duplicate OptionStep 1: Open the Layers Panel that you can find on the right side toolbar. You can also use the keyboard shortcut F7 to enable the Layers Panel.

Step 2: Now from the Layers Panel, select the layer you want to duplicate. Just click on the layer to select it

Step 3: Click on the Options Menu, located in the top right corner of the Layers Panel, as shown in the screenshot below.

Step 4: From the extended menu, select Duplicate “Layer 1”. Remember, this will show the name of the layer you selected for duplicating. Here, the selected layer's name was “Layer 1”. This is why it showed Duplicate “Layer 1”.

Step 5:Once you click on Duplicate “Layer 1”, your layer will be duplicated.

Method 3: Copy & PasteStep 1: Open the Layers Panel from the right toolbar or use the keyboard shortcut F7.

Step 2: Now you need to create a new layer. To create a new layer, click on the plus icon at the bottom of the panel.

Step 3: After creating the new layer, select the layer you want to copy and press Ctrl + C on PC (or Cmd + C on Mac). This will copy the layer.

Step 4: Now select the new layer and press Ctrl + F on PC (or Cmd + F on Mac). Your selected layer will now be pasted on the newly created layer.

Final Thoughts on Duplicating Layers in Adobe IllustratorDuplicating layers in Illustrator is something you'll need to do from time to time as you work in Illustrator. I hope this article helped you by showing three different ways to duplicate layers.

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Drop shadows add depth and give your designs a unique look. Using a drop shadow effect in Adobe Illustrator will help you refine the details and make your designs pop.

You can add drop shadows to text or any object in Adobe Illustrator. Adding it to your text is a great way to make it stand out from its background.

How to Add a Drop Shadow Using the Effects MenuStep1:Select the object you want to apply the drop shadow.

Step 2:Go to the Effect menu from the top toolbar. Choose the Stylize option and from the extended menu, select Drop Shadow.

Note: While selecting the ‘Stylize' option, make sure you choose the one under the submenu of Illustrator effects, not Photoshop effects

Step 3:When you click on this drop shadow, you'll get a setting options window/box where you can customize your drop shadow. Initially, a default drop shadow setting will be applied to your object, which you can change from the options in the box.

Note: Make sure to turn on the preview option. That way, you'll see the changes you make instantly.

Step 4:In the box, you'll see options such as Mode, Opacity, X Offset, Y Offset, Blur, Color, and Darkness, where you can change the shadow patterns, clarity, blurriness, and also color. When you reach your desired drop shadow in the preview, click OK.

Note: In the color option, you can choose any color for the drop shadow, but in the Darkness option, the shadow will pick the same color as the object.

Adjusting Drop Shadow Settings in Adobe IllustratorModeThis option lets you choose how you want the drop shadow to be applied to your object. When you click on this option, you get a dropdown menu where you'll find a wide range of blending modes for your drop shadow. you can select each of them to see the effect on the preview and finalize the best one that suits your design.

OpacityOpacity determines the visibility of the drop shadow. Not all shadows need to have a 100% opacity. Creating less visibility for your shadow makes it look more realistic.

X Offset/Y OffsetOffsets are used to decide the placement of the drop shadow. Through the X Offset, the shadow moves horizontally, and Y Offset moves it vertically.

Blur This option controls the details of the sharpness or blur. The less blur you choose, the more details it will show. Or, if you like to have a more blended shadow without hard lines, you can increase the blur effect.

Color The color option will let you choose a color for the drop shadow. Usually, the color of the drop shadow is black by default, but you can have some fun by choosing a different color for it. By clicking on the Color option, you will open a color picker box to choose any color you want for your drop shadow.

DarknessUnlike the color option, the Darkness option will not let you choose any color for the drop shadow manually. However, it will automatically pick the fill color of the selected object but more of a darker shade. You can choose the darkness by changing the percentage of it.

How to Edit Your Drop Shadow in Illustrator Select the object you applied the drop shadow * Go to the Window from the toolbar * select the Appearance from the dropdown menu * When you select Appearance, there will be an Appearance menu on the screen. Place the appearance menu on the right toolbar to keep it handy. * In the Appearance* menu, you'll see the Drop Shadow option. Clicking on it will open the drop shadow box. * You can make changes to the drop shadow from this window any time.

How to Delete a Drop Shadow in Adobe Illustrator* You can delete a drop shadow within the same menu titled Appearance. * Select the object you want to remove the shadow from and go to the Appearance menu. * You will find a little trash icon at the bottom of the appearance menu. Click on this and your drop shadow will be removed from the object.

Final Thoughts on Drop Shadows in IllustratorAdding a drop shadow will help your design object or text to be more eye-catching to the viewers. I hope you got all you needed to know about adding a drop shadow in Adobe Illustrator.

For more Illustrator tutorials, please see:

• How to Change the Background Color in Illustrator
• How to Crop in Adobe Illustrator
• How to Curve Text in Illustrator
• How to Make a Grid in Illustrator

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The background plays a significant role in making a design pop. As a designer, changing the background color is something you'll probably do frequently when working in Adobe Illustrator.

There are several ways to change the background color in Illustrator. In this article, we'll learn how to change the background color in Illustrator quickly and easily.

If you're looking for a way to change the background color of Illustrator's interface, please see the last section of this article.

Table of Contents* Method 1. Using the Rectangle Tool * Method 2. Using the Document Setup * Method 3. Using the Layers Panel * Method 4. Changing Background of the Existing File * How to Change the Background Color of Illustrator's Interface * Final Thoughts on Changing the Background Color in Illustrator Method 1. Using the Rectangle ToolThis is probably the easiest and quickest way to change the background color of an artboard in Adobe Illustrator.

Step 1:Choose the Rectangle Tool from the left toolbar. You can also use the keyboard shortcut (M) to select this tool.

Step 2:Draw a rectangle with a similar ratio to your artboard and align it with the artboard. This rectangle is the new background for your design.

Step 3:Now go to the color fill option and change the color of the newly drawn rectangle. As you change the color of the rectangle, the background color of the artboard will change accordingly.

Method 2. Using the Document SetupStep 1: Open your document first.

Step 2: Go to the File menu. You will find it on the top toolbar.

Step 3:From the dropdown menu, select Document Setup. You can also use the keyboard shortcut, which is Alt+ Ctrl+ P. You will see a window titled “Document Setup.”

Step 4:In this window, you will get many options to edit your document. To change the background color, check the Simulate Colored Paper option from the Transparency and Overprint section. Now, on the right side of Simulate Colored Paper, click on the upper color swatch given there.

Step 5: As you click on the box, it will open a color palette. You'll see a list of “basic colors” you can select. You can select a color from here for your background, or you can use the color picker to pick any color of your choice.

Step 6:Click OK or press enter to apply the selected color once you have selected the color for your background.

Step 7:Go to the View menu from the top toolbar. Select Show Transparency Grid or use the keyboard shortcut key (Shift + Ctrl + D) to view the color grid you selected for the background. Now all the elements that were invisible due to the white background are visible on this background.

Method 3. Using the Layers PanelAnother way to change the background color in Illustrator is using the Layers Panel. In this method, you can change the background color by creating layers for the artboard you're working on and filling it in with your desired color.

Step 1:Create a new layer from the Layers panel on the left side of the screen. If you cannot find your layer panel it's because you haven't created a shortcut for it. Go to Window, and from the drop-down menu, select Layer, or simply press F7.

Step 2: Once you created the new layer (which is layer 2) select layer 1.

Step 3:Using the rectangle tool, draw a rectangle of the same size as the artboard.

Step 4:Now you can change the rectangle's color using the color fill option. It is working as the background of the artboard.

Step 5:Lock the layer so that the background is fixed for the artboard.

Method 4. Changing Background of the Existing FileIf you already have a file and now you want to change the color of the background, you can go with this method. It will be less chaotic if your file has many layers.

• Open your file.
• Go to the File menu from the top.
• From the dropdown menu, choose Export.
• Select Save for Web (Legacy)
• Once you select Save for Web, you'll get a window to make a few changes to your file.
• Uncheck the Transparency option (If checked).
• Change the color from the color options you have in this window.

How to Change the Background Color of Illustrator's Interface So far, we've looked at several ways to change the background color of your designs. But maybe you're looking to change the background color of Illustrator's interface instead. Here's how you can do that.

In Adobe Illustrator, the default color of the interface is gray, but you might want to change this color. There are four different colors you can choose from.

• Go to the Edit menu.
• From the drop-down menu, choose Preferences.
• Select User Interface. You will find it towards the end of the list.
• You will get a Preferences window where you can change the user interface.
• Select the color you prefer.

Final Thoughts on Changing the Background Color in IllustratorChanging the background color makes a big difference to your designs. Hopefully, this article has covered all your queries about how to change the background color in Illustrator. Use any of these methods, and you should be able to accomplish the task easily.

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If you've ever downloaded one of my free sets of buttons or web page elements, you might notice that I use a lot of opacity masks in my Illustrator files. I do this for several reasons. The reasons may be obvious, but I would like to clarify how to use these (opacity masks) and why.

An opacity mask is essentially a mixture of a clipping mask and a layer mask. in other words, you can use an opacity mask to control the appearance (transparency of a shape) using, in most cases, a black-to-white gradient.

Because you can't fill an object in Illustrator with a gradient with transparency, we can use a mask to remove all of the areas covered by the black part of the gradient (or gray in some cases). There are many uses, which I'm sure you'll discover rapidly on your own. Soft opacity gives Illustrator a whole other dimension to work with.

Before going through this tutorial, you must be aware of certain terms:

• Offset: Color or offset in contrast to any other shape of the same size and color.
• Opacity: refers to an unclear or partially transparent surface, such as fog. Opacity masks serve to combine different colors in a uniform pattern, so the whole picture appears to be unique and clear.

An “Opacity Mask” refers to a mask in Illustrator that you place over an existing shape that controls its transparency based on the values of black and white in the mask. White is visible, black is transparent, and all shades of gray are in between on the opacity scale.

Opacity mask helps you to apply and orient the different colors according to the background automatically without making any manual effort. It helps you craft the best contrast and overall makeup between the two surfaces. It is a pretty long and interesting process, and I hope you'll love going through it.

But, the condition is that you must do it in the right way. You can create unique series and patterns of colors by using these few simple steps. You should be making slight changes to the colors and customization to find out the way it really works.

Opacity masks serve to mask the surface or layer with different opacity. It's simply a tool to change the opacity of the surface or color or enhance the opacity of a particular surface in various ways. It's a tool to edit the particular enhancement i.e., opacity, and enhance it in various ways.

Opacity masking is the technique in which different colors are substituted for the other color uniformly to create a continuous pattern of colors.

If correct colors are used, and a uniform pattern is made, a lot can be achieved and showcased to the audience. It's common to see such opacity masks on the covers of booklets or advertisements.

Adobe Illustrator helps you use these features to illustrate the things you choose in the best possible way. I hope you'll enjoy this tutorial and learn to master opacity masks in Illustrator.

Make Opacity Masks in Adobe IllustratorLet's look at how to make and use opacity masks in Illustrator. First, make a background shape so you can see the mask work (I used dark brown).

Select your background shape and lock it. You can do this by hitting Command + 2 on Mac, or Control + 2 onPC. Or use the object menu, as shown below.

Next, make a shape on top of your background and fill it with a different color.

Now we need to make a mask for our shape. The easiest way I've found is to use an “Offset Path” because it is more precise than simply making a new shape on top. Keep your top shape selected and go to the Object menu and select Path > Offset Path.

Offset Path Settings: I usually set this to a 2-pixel offset with the Miter setting. (Positive pixels make the new shape bigger, negative pixels make it smaller). I'm not sure what the miter limit is yet, I haven't played with it. I usually leave it at the default value.

Once you click OK, Illustrator will make you a new shape, perfectly aligned with the original, and 2 pixels larger on each side! Like this: (Showing in wireframe view)

The only problem is (from my experience) Illustrator might place the new shape behind the original. Now simply select your new (bigger shape) and bring it to the front.

Now fill your top (mask) shape with a black-to-white gradient.

Once you have your gradient fill, select both of your shapes Like this: (You can simply do this by clicking and dragging since we locked our background)

With BOTH shapes selected, go to your transparency palette, and in the upper right, click on the little arrow. (Palette Options) Select “Make Transparency Mask.”

All areas of the gradient containing white will be opaque. All black will be transparent, and grays are a mixture (the fade). If you don't want to take your shape all the way to transparent, replace your black side of the gradient with a shade of gray.

Tips for Exploring This on Your Own1. This can be applied to ANY shape, so think outside the box. Be aware that it increases file size quite a bit, so keep an eye on file size if you find Illustrator running slower. 2. The gradient is the master. Change the gradient, change the mask, but you must use black and white. 3. Explore your options in the Transparency palette (mask is clipping) For example, you can use a simple shape and have a complex Opacity mask if “Mask is Clipping” is enabled. In other words, take advantage of this feature as not only an opacity mask but a clipping mask at the same time. This gives you greater control over the starting and ending values (opacity) of your gradient. 4. There is no shortcut to apply an Opacity Mask. If you want to backup, you will have to release the mask the same way you applied it; from the Transparency Palette Options, or undo.

Opacity masks in Illustrator can be very useful and powerful. They're pretty easy to use once you understand how the work. Follow the steps in this article and experiment on your own, and you'll master it in no time.

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Cropping images. This may seem like something so simple, but the actual process is a little complicated. But don’t worry, because here I've outlined three of the simplest and most effective methods of cropping images in Adobe Illustrator.

Now the first thing to understand is that two different types of images can be cropped. The first type of image is a normal raster image (jpg, png, etc.), while the other is the vector. The advantage of a vector illustration or image is that it can be edited more easily than a raster image, and it can be scaled to any size without losing sharpness.

Now let's delve into how to crop any of these images in Illustrator. Just follow the steps I've outlined below, and you will be good to go.

Cropping Images Using the Crop Tool in IllustratorStep 1:Start by opening the image you want to work with. The image can now be seen on the main screen of Adobe Illustrator.

Step 2:After that, you need to decide between two things. Do you want to crop the image so that you omit some of the stuff from it? Or do you want to make it smaller to fit it on the screen without removing any of the objects in the image? Let’s assume for now that you want to crop it to omit some of the stuff. In the above image, let’s say you wanted to remove the tree on the left side. To do this, the process is really simple.

The first thing to do is to choose the Direct Selection tool on the left toolbar or simply click the keyboard shortcut Control+A or Command+A. Once that's done, simply click on the picture.

Step 3:Once you've selected the image, you will click ‘Properties’ from the options available at the top right corner of the screen. Then, as shown in the image below, you'll see an option to crop the image at the bottom right corner.

Step 4:Quickly select that option, and you'll see guides at the edges of the image, which will allow you to crop it to your liking.

Step 5:Now, because we wanted to crop or omit the tree on the left, use the adjustments to crop the image by this amount. When you have adjusted it by the amount you like, select apply.

And Voila! That's it. The simplest and easiest method to crop images in Adobe Illustrator.

Cropping an Image using the Clipping Mask Tool This method is a staple for illustrator users. If you want to crop an image without removing the omitted portion, this is the tool for you. If you want to learn how to use this, just follow along because below, I'll outline a few steps to crop vector images or illustrations using the masking tool.

Step 1:The first step is simple. Choose the image or vector illustration you want to crop. Here, for ease of understanding, I've chosen the Volkswagen logo. Then, locate the Rectangle tool on the left toolbar.

Step 2:Next, decide what part of the illustration you want to crop. Here I'll crop the top half of the illustration. For this, draw a rectangle over the bottom half of the logo or the area that you want to keep.

Step 3:Once that is done, simply use the selection tool to select both objects, or use the shortcut Control+A or Command+A. Next, from the options available at the top of the screen, select ‘Object.’ In the dropdown menu, you'll see the option named Clipping Mask. Select that, and then from the final drop-down menu, click ‘Make’ (Object –> Clipping Mask –> Make).

And you’re done! The image is now cropped. The only thing visible is the bottom half of the logo. The best part about this tool? The path can still be observed, ensuring that what you have cropped can be restored. To see the path, simply move your cursor over the image, and the path of the cropped portion of the image will be visible.

To remove or undo this, go back to the ‘Object’ menu. From the drop-down menu, select ‘Clipping Mask’ and finally ‘Release’ (Object –> Clipping Mask –> Release).

Cropping Shapes Using the Pathfinder Tool in IllustratorWant to find a permanent way to omit cropped portions from illustrations. Simply follow the steps outlined below to understand how.

Step 1:Let’s assume you want to crop the edges of the star shown below. For this, select the rectangle tool.

Step 2:Draw a rectangle over the middle of the star, as shown in the image below.

Step 3:Now, from the top of the screen, select the ‘Window’ option. Then locate the Pathfinder Tool and select that. A small pop-up window will appear. Or to access the Pathfinder tool directly with the keyboard shortcut Shift+Control+F9 or Shift+Command+F9.

Step 4:From the pop-up window, select the ‘Crop’ option.

Step 5:Select crop, and there you have it. The remaining object outside the edges of the rectangle is now cropped.

That’s it! Now you also know how to crop images neatly and effectively in Illustrator. Out of all the numerous ways to crop images in Illustrator, these are the three simplest and most effective solutions.

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Taking a vector image and converting it to a raster image is called rasterization. Raster images are made up of pixels, dots, and lines that are combined and displayed together to form an image. Rendering 3D models with rasterization is common, as it is faster than other rendering methods. Likewise, raster images are often used on websites.

Rasterizing converts the image from vector to raster (also called bitmap) format. Now let's focus on answering the question, “What is the purpose of rasterizing our image?”

Raster Images in IllustratorAdobe Illustrator allows us to edit and create a wide range of graphics and images. It's specifically created for vector images that can be scaled and used at any size. For example, you can design a vector logo in Illustrator and use it for a small business card or a massive billboard, and it will remain crisp and clear at any size.

You can also use Illustrator to convert a vector image into a raster image. This may be useful in some cases when you have a very specific purpose for the file and the vector capabilities (unlimited scaling) are not needed. Raster files benefit from some advanced editing possibilities that do not work as well with vectors. Additionally, a raster or bitmap file format may be needed to open the file in another program.

Although there are many different software applications for rasterizing an image, Illustrator has a greater variety of options than most. Adobe Illustrator has a very friendly user interface, and it may create manageable-sized files.

Rasterizing images in Adobe Illustrator is carried out so vectors can be rasterized and opened in applications that do not work with vector images. Now, let's look at the step-by-step way to rasterize an image in Adobe Illustrator.

How to Rasterize in IllustratorWhen you have a vector file (for example, .ai, .eps, or.svg file formats) that you want to rasterize in Illustrator, follow these steps.

Step 1:Use Adobe Illustrator and open the file you'd like to rasterize.

Step 2: After selecting all the objects you want to rasterize, click the “Object” menu.

Step 3:Then click on “Rasterize” in the object menu.

Step 4: After the Rasterize window opens, the color model you want to use can be selected, including CMYK (cyan, magenta, yellow, black) or RGB (red, green, blue). Choose the option that you prefer. Generaly, RGB is appropriate for images that will be viewed on a screen and CMYK is better for files that will be printed.

You can also select the resolution for your image. Remember that you won't be able to increase the resolution without losing clarity after it is rasterized, so be sure to select a resolution that is as large as you may need it.

Choose a background, either white or transparent. If the image may be used on different color backgrounds, choose transparent. For example, if you're creating an icon that may be used on websites with various background colors, you'll want to set a transparent background.

Putting the “anti-aliasing” option to none will give your lines a clean and crisp appearance. Using rasterization would blur the image lines. Finally, click the ”OK” button to rasterize your image permanently.

Related reading: What is Anti-Aliasing in Illustrator and When Should I Use It?

After Rasterizing the VectorWhen you zoom in and view the rasterized image at higher than 100%, you can see the jagged pixelized edges. This is why you want to ensure that you're setting the resolution as higher or higher than you need. You don't want these pixelated edges to be visible in your designs.

Before Rasterizing the VectorBut before rasterizing your image, you cannot see pixels when you zoom in. The edges remain crisp and clear at any size because vector images do not use pixels.

How to UnrasterizeNow, let's look at how to unrasterize in Illustrator. When you rasterize, you cannot undo it unless you save a copy. If you haven't saved the image yet, you can undo whatever you have done with “Ctrl + Z,” but this is only possible if you haven't gone too far. As a result, always be sure to save a vector copy before rasterizing.

If you don't have a vector copy, it's only possible to solve this problem in one way. Image Trace is what we're talking about here. Raster images are converted to vector images using Illustrator's Image Trace functionality.

Image tracing allows you to convert pencil drawings or other raster/bitmap graphics into vector images. Image Trace provides us with specific presets for getting the image we desire. You can unrasterize your image by following these steps

• The first step is to open the image in Illustrator
• On the control panel, select “Image Trace” and then select the objects you wish to trace.
• Choose the “Make” option, which will automatically make Illustrator trace.

Please be aware that this automation function is not perfect. Your raster image traced to create a vector may not be as perfectly clear as you prefer. Again, this is why it's important to always save a vector version before rasterizing.

Final Thoughts on Rasterizing in IllustratorOnce an image is rasterized, it will remain in pixels forever. It's no longer an equation like a vector, but rather a collection of colored squares. Because of this, rasterizing should be considered a commitment.

When you Rasterize any object, you should save a vector copy in case you need it in the future. It's best to keep your object as vector unless you have a specific reason for needing it in vector or bitmap format. Rasterizing in Illustrator is possible when needed, but it's a function that you probably will not use on a regular basis.

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Creating seamless patterns in Adobe Illustrator can be a great way to add some extra flair and personality to your digital design projects. Whether you're creating backgrounds, textures, or just adding an interesting element to the design, learning how to make these repeating patterns will give you a valuable technique you can use over and over again!

In this tutorial, I’ll show you step-by-step how to create beautiful seamless patterns right in Illustrator, so get ready to unlock a world of creative possibilities!

Before we get started with the tutorial, let's brush up on the idea of the pattern. A pattern is a decorative design made by using one or more design elements in a repeated manner. They may be referred to as seamless patterns, tileable patterns, or repeating patterns. In short, a pattern is simply a repeated decorative design.

Using the Default Pre-Installed Patterns in Adobe IllustratorWhere to Find the Default PatternsAdobe Illustrator comes with some default patterns, which is a great way to start making a pattern for beginners. You'll find them on the swatches panel on the right-side tool. If you can't find it there, then go to Window menu and select Swatches. This will add the swatch panel to your Adobe illustrator screen.

How to Use the PatternsNow that you know where to find the default patterns, just grab the pattern you want to work with. Select a shape or any other element you want the pattern to be applied. The pattern you selected now works as fill for the drawn object or shape.

How to Apply the Pattern to Existing Objects?Applying a pattern to an existing object is no different than selecting a color for text or shape in Illustrator. Select your text or the shape to which you want to apply the pattern, then select the pattern as its fill.

Making Patterns from ScratchYou can always make your pattern symbol/elements on your own. You can form a unique design pattern of your own by combining different shapes. Even a few circles can stand out as a unique design if you can be creative with them.

Decide on Your Design:Decide what design you want to turn into a pattern. You can gather inspiration from various sources online, or you can sketch out some of your ideas on paper. Pen and paper can be very useful if you're making patterns from scratch as you have more control over the design, and it also gives a visual presentation of your ideas.

Decide Which Tool to Use to Create Your Design:You can use a single rectangle tool (M) to create your design pattern. You can be more creative with Pen Tool (P) too. This will help you to come up with eccentric and creative designs.

Decide on the Color Palette:When you're happy with the design element you created, decide which color you want to use. Select your design and click on Recolor Artwork on the top toolbar.

Finalize Your Design Element:Now that your design is all set, you can finalize it by using expand or group.

Start Turning Your ‘Design Element' into a Pattern:You can start adding a pattern to the design element simply by copying and pasting them next to each other. When you're happy with the outcome, select your pattern design. Now, go to *Object>Pattern>Make*.

Create Your Own PatternStep 1: Choose the element you want to make a pattern of. You can choose any object depending on what pattern you're aiming to create. For instance, if you want a floral pattern, choose a flower. Bring your object to the artboard. You can drag your object from Symbol, which you can find in the right-side toolbar in Adobe Illustrator.

Step 2:Now that you have your object on your artboard, you can design it as you want. For example, you can change the color or reshape it.

Related reading: How to Move Artboards in Illustrator

Step 3: Once your object is all set, it's time to ‘Group' it. Remember to group it before you go ahead and try to make the patter. Otherwise, the result will be messy. Select your object, go to the Object menu and choose Group.

Related reading: How to Merge and Group Layers in Illustrator

Step 4: Your object is now ready! It's time to turn it into a pattern. Now copy your object by pressing Alt + Shift and dragging it. Now, press Ctrl + D to continue the process for few times. Then select all the copied objects and copy a few rows to fill up the artboard.

Step 5: Select all objects you created and go to the object menu. From the object menu, go to Pattern and choose‘Make.‘ (Object>Pattern>Make)

Step 6: Your pattern is created. You'll have a pattern prompt window where you can make some changes.

In the pattern window, you can choose how your objects should align by choosing different Tile Type and Brick Offset.

You can also change the gap between tiles by changing the Width and Height. Now in Copies, select 9×9 so you can have a bigger pattern.

Step 7: Finalize your pattern by selecting Done on the upper side of the screen. Your pattern is now saved in the swatches panel, which can be found beside the symbol menu. To use the pattern, draw a shape, select it and choose the pattern from the swatches panel.

Note: When you select your pattern from the swatches panel, you might not like the size or scale. In that case, you can select the object, then go to Object>Transform>Scale. Uncheck Scale Strokes & Effects and Transform Object boxes and check the Transform Patterns box. Now you can scale the pattern according to your need.

Related reading: Illustrator Scale Tool: What It Is and How to Use It

How to Make Your Pattern Seamless One of the crucial parts of creating a pattern is making it seamless so it can be tiled endlessly without visible seams. There are various ways to make your pattern seamless.

Step 1: Start with a square artboard. Keep the ratio of the artboard in your mind. You're going to need it later on.

Step 2: Put your design objects/elements on the artboard so that a little bit is outside the edge of the artboard.

Step 3: Now Select the top element and copy-paste it by Copy and Paste in front . Go to the Transform option while selecting the pasted element, in the Y box input +400 pt (here I have followed my artboard size). Select the entire row and do the same as mentioned here.

Step 4: Now that you've covered the right side and left side, we will copy some of the elements on the top edge by holding down the Alt+ click and drag. Align them the way we did in step 2. Select the newly copied elements and copy them by Copy and Paste in front. Go to the Transform option. This time, put +400pt in the X box.

Note: Covering the edges in this way will make your pattern look seamless since there will be no hard lines or grids.

Step 5: After you're done aligning the elements on the sides of the artboard, you can fill up the middle part of the artboard with the elements. When you're satisfied with the look, go ahead and expand the design. Select all the elements and choose Expand from the object menu.

Step 6: In the layer panel, create a new layer and draw a rectangle of the same ratio as the artboard (here, I created a square 400×400) . Toggle off the visibility of the layer where you have your design elements.

Step 7:Make a square with the same ratio as the artboard and align the square with the canvas. Unselect the Fill box. Now toggle on the visibility of the old layer.

Related reading: How to Average Points for Perfect Alignment

Step 8: Select all elements along with the bounding box of the 2nd layer. Go to the Pathfinder menu and select Crop. In the cropped version, you'll see every individual object takes its lead from where it finished on the other side. This will help you in making the pattern look seamless.

Step 9: Click and drag the pattern to the pattern panel. Voila! Your pattern is ready to use.

Hopefully, this article helps you understand the concept of patterns in Illustrator. Now, you can be an expert in unique pattern-making by following these simple steps.

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Curving text in Adobe Illustrator is a useful technique. It can add a visual effect to your text by incorporating shapes into your typography.

In fact, there are many situations and scenarios when you'll want to create curved text. It's a fun and creative way to create unique designs for your text and fonts.

In this article, we'll explore various ways to curve text in Illustrator.

How to Curve Text in IllustratorLike most tasks that you'll perform in Illustrator, there are a few different ways to curve or bend text.

Method 1: Use the Ellipse ToolStep 1: Open a New Document with any size artboard you want to work with.

Step 2:First, we need to make a circle for this method. To make a circle, you need to Select the Ellipse Tool from the left-hand side toolbar, or you can simply use the keyboard shortcut key (L)

Step 3: Now click, hold and drag while holding down the Shift key to make a perfect circle. once you're done making a circle of your choice, let's move on to our next step.

Step 4:When your circle is ready, go to the text option in the left-side toolbar—select Type on a Path Tool from the text menu.

Step 5:Once you have the Type on a Path Tool active, click on the circle. You will see a path for your text is created around the circle.

Tip: You can also press (T), hold ALT, and click on the circle to get the text path.

Step 6: Now that you have your path, you can write the text you want to curve around this circle. You can change the font, color, and size of the text as you wanted. you can also align your text if needed from the align option in the window. You can also resize or reshape your circle as needed.

Method 2: Make with Top ObjectStep 1: First, we need a piece of text on our artboard. Select Type Tool (T). Type the text you want to curve.

Step 2:When your text is ready, select the Ellipse Tool (L). Make a circle using the ellipse tool by clicking, holding, and dragging. Again, hold the shift key to make it a perfect circle.

Step 3:Now that you have your text and shape ready, select both the text and the circle using the Direct Selection Tool.

Step 4:Once you have selected both the text and the circle, align them using Horizontal Align Center and Vertical Align Center from the align menu. You will find this align menu in the window option (Window> Align). You can also bring up the align menu using the keyboard shortcut Shift + F7.

Tip: It's best to bring the align menu on the right toolbar so it will be handy to use.

Step 5:Now that the text and the circle are aligned, make sure the circle is in front of the text. Select both the text and the circle again.

Step 6:Go to the Object option. From the drop-down menu, select Envelope Distort. Then Select Make with Top Object.

Object>Envelope Distort>Make with Top ObjectStep 7:Once you are ok with the text, it's time to finalize the text. To finalize the text, select the text, then go to Object andselect Expand. There you go. Your text is curved inside the circle.

Method 3: Make with MeshUsing Mesh for curving text will allow you to create a unique design and give you more control over the text. So, you can go ahead and give different curvy textures to individual text.

Step 1:First, select the Type Tool. Type the text you want to curve.

Step 2:Select the text. Go to Object>Envelope Distort>Make with Mesh.

Step 3: There will be a new window where you can select the number of Columns and Rows you want for your text. Choose your column and row number and select Ok.

Step 4:You'll get a mesh over your text. There you will get some anchor points all over the mesh. Clicking on those anchor points with Direct Selection Tool will provide you with handles. Click and drag those handles to curve your text. You can make unique curvy text with this method by dragging different handles of different letters.

Method 4: Using the Warp OptionThe Warp option gives you several style options to select from. Let's look at how you can use the Warp option to curve your text.

Step 1: First, you need a piece of text ready to style. Type your text using the Type Tool.

Step 2:Select the text using Selection Tool. And go to Object>Envelope Distort>Make with Warp.

Step 3:When you select Make with Warp, you'll get a window for “Warp Options.” Here you can select which way to curve your text from the *Style* menu.

You can always change the text by double-clicking on the text with Selection Tool.

Curvy texts are great for drawing attention. Curving Text is an easy and simple yet very effective way to make your text more eye-catchy for the readers. And fortunately, there are several ways to curve text in Illustrator.

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Are you looking for a way to create an effective grid system in Adobe Illustrator? If so, then you've come to the right place! This quick tutorial will teach you how to make a comprehensive and visually appealing grid using the popular vector graphics software.

While creating a grid manually can be time-consuming, with this tutorial, it takes only minutes — no matter your level of design experience. Keep reading as we’ll take you through a few simple steps. In just a few minutes, you'll know exactly how to craft beautiful designs with custom grids in no time!

Overview of Illustrator's Grid ToolIllustrator's Grid Tool helps the user to quickly and accurately draw evenly-spaced rows and columns. These grids allow the user to draw artwork and objects precisely and accurately without committing any mistakes. These rulers help you divide a page into thirds, quarters, fifths, sixths, sevenths, and more – with no guesswork.

There are many scenarios when grids will be helpful. For example, if you're designing a simple table.

How to Use Adobe Illustrator's Grid ToolsWe can use two grid tools to create a grid in Illustrator. Those are the Rectangular Grid Tool and Polar Grid Tool. If you want to create rectangular grids in Illustrator, use the Rectangular Grid Tool. If you want to create circular grids in Illustrator, use the Polar Grid Tool.

Simply click and hold the Line Segment Tool or use the keyboard shortcut () to select either of these tools.

If you do not see those tools, you need to go to Window > Toolbars > Advanced. After selecting them, you can see these tools in Illustrator.

How to Make a Rectangular Grid in Adobe IllustratorWe can create a rectangular grid in two steps.

If you want, you can create a freehand grid or input the exact value when you already know how big a grid should be.

Step: 1Select the Rectangular Grid Tool and click on your artboard. Then you can see the Rectangular Grid Tool Options window. In this section, you can input the settings for the grid you create.

You can set the size of your grid using the Width and Height settings. You can set your grid reference point from one of the four points (red arrow below). Or, after selecting the Rectangular Grid Tool, you can just drag on your artboard while pressing the Shift key.

Step: 2If you already know your grid size, set the number of horizontal lines between the top and bottom grid lines using the Number input box in the Horizontal Dividers section.

In the Vertical Dividers section, enter the number of vertical lines between the left-side and right-side grid lines using the Number input box. Then hit the OK button or press Enter on the keyboard.

Also, If you want to use the Skew slider on your grid box, you can do that. From the Skew slider, set how horizontal lines are weighted toward the top or bottom of the grid and how your vertical lines are weighted left or right.

If you want to Fill the Grid box, just check Fill Grid Box. It will be filled with your fill color.

How to make a Polar Grid in Adobe IllustratorStep: 1Creating a polar grid uses the same process shown above for the rectangular grid. Select the Polar Grid Tool and click on your artboard. Now you can see the Polar Grid Tool Options window. In this section, you can apply the settings for the grid you want to create.

You can set the size of your grid using the Width and Height settings. You can set your grid reference point from one of the four points next to the height and width settings.

Alternatively, after selecting Polar Grid Tool, you can just drag on your artboard and pressing the Shift key.

Step: 2If you already know your grid size, set the Number input box in the Concentric Dividers section to add additional concentric circles.

In the Number input box, set the number of straight lines between the center and edge of the grid in the Radial Dividers section.

And an important part of the Polar Grid, Width and Height stay the same.

In the same way, you can change the Skew slider.

In the Concentric Dividers section, use the Skew slider to adjust how your concentric circles are weighted towards the inside or outside.

In the Radial Dividers section, use the Skew slider to adjust the weight of straight lines counterclockwise or clockwise.

If you check the Fill Grid box, your radial grid will be filled with the current fill color.

Final ThoughtsIn this tutorial, you learned how to create a grid in Illustrator. When you know how to use the Grid tool in Adobe Illustrator, you can create an interesting drawing for your artwork and make it more effective. As a result, you can save time while working on many projects.

Related reading:

• How to Change the Canvas Size in Adobe Illustrator
• Illustrator Scale Tool: What It Does and How to Use It
• How to Make a Triangle in Adobe Illustrator

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Are you looking for some of the most unique, groovy, and versatile '70s fonts to use in your graphic design project?

These 37 fonts provide some unique twists on the classic 1970s fonts you've grown to know and love. Incorporate them into your design projects for a look authentic to the era.

Unlimited Downloads: Millions of Creative Assets by ###### Nugia

Modern Vintage ###### Rambors

Retro Font ###### Your Groovy Font

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Modern Classy Font ###### Barshake

Vintage '70s Typeface ###### NT Tonight Show

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Best '70s FontsThis list of fonts was created to compliment your retro, groovy, and stylistic graphic design projects that feature vintage designs. Continue on to find detailed descriptions and links to these fabulous '70s typefaces.

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Nugia VintageNugia Vintage is a retro-style 70s font with a fun stylistic approach featuring bold curves. It provides multilingual support and works with uppercase and lowercase letters. This typeface is the perfect font pairing with groovy lettering styles that will surely make a lasting impression on your audience.

Rambors – 70s Retro FontRambors is a beautiful all-caps font perfect for your next graphic design project. The uppercase letters create a beautiful multiline font suited for headlines, poster design, album covers, flyers, motion graphics, and more.

Your Groovy Font – Retro Psychedelic '70s FontThis font is an outstanding choice for a '70s gig poster, other retro posters, or any bold display needing a groovy font. It hosts a chill vibe with funky stylistic features that make it stand out.

Long Summer – Retro TypefaceLong Summer is a surf-inspired retro typeface. It's an all-caps font, so it's not extremely versatile, but Long Summer is great in the right situation. Use it for posters, flyers, branding, product packaging, labels, signs, and more.

You'll love the stylistic alternates that allow you to create a customized look. It also includes a webfont version.

BarshakeBarshake is a vintage font with 95 stylistic alternates, providing a unique twist for this retro font family. It has a nice flow that captivates the essence of a groovy stylistic typeface. It's perfectly suited for retro poster design, groovy graphic designs, and more!

Lovestruck – 70s Script FontLovestruck is a script font featuring a flowy and carefree personality. Inspired by the Art Nouveau movement, it captures the essence of psychedelic features. Lovestruck will nicely complement your design process for book covers, apparel design, and other projects that need a genuine 1970s feel.

NT Tonight ShowNT Tonight Show features a traditional take on 70s TV designs, especially relating to the graphic design process for intro graphics. This would make an excellent choice for designing classic designs relating to talk shows or game shows. You can even use it for YouTube channels that want a retro style.

The CardilaThe Cardila typeface is a bold retro font with smooth stylistic features. It comes with an extruded and a regular version and provides support for multilingual characters. It will be an excellent complement to visual projects seeking a bold 70s-era design.

Naskle – Groovy Retro FontNaskle is a unique 70s typeface that embodies the nostalgic groovy, hip, and funky vibe that the 70s is often characterized with. It would be an excellent choice for a '70s poster design or '70s displays. If you're looking for a font that captures the essence of a warm summer day in the 1970s, this one is for you!

TangerineTangerine features some beautiful classic aesthetics for '70s-era designs. It's the perfect choice to pair the nostalgia of the '70s with bold curves and unique stylistic features.

At the same time, Tangerine is on-trend and suitable for modern designs. This is an outstanding font choice for fashion and other industries that need an elegant and glamourous look.

Margin – 70s SerifMargin is an adorable, chubby '70s typeface that would make an excellent wedding font. It has a feminine feel that complements invitations, stationery, logo designs, and more. It supports uppercase and lowercase letters with a wide range of multilingual support.

PastaPasta is a unique retro serif font that supports uppercase and lowercase letters. It's somewhat of a hippie font, and it truly works to capture the essence of the '70s. This typeface would make an outstanding choice for unique logo design, stationary, sticker book design, and more.

Superfreak – '70s FontSuperfreak is a uniquely beautiful font perfectly suited for your '70s era designs. It provides you with regular and outline versions, so the versatility here is a huge plus. It's an all-caps font that would make a great addition to your magazine covers or even a collection of stickers.

ManjuManju is an elegant font with a conservative-like aesthetic that will truly complement a '70s design needing a softer approach. This typeface was not created to be bold; instead, its best used in an application requiring femininity and sensitivity. It would be an excellent wedding font or stationary design choice.

The Archies – '70s VibesThe Archies is a vintage 70s font that captures a groovy style and moody vibes. This typeface seemingly represents summery moods or holiday vibes and would nicely complement any project relating to these niches. It would work well as an application for magazine covers, wedding fonts, groovy music posters, signage, and much more.

ReginaRegina is a beautiful modern vintage font that will make an exceptional choice for branding purposes. It hosts a unique sense of elegance and poise that can't be easily replicated. It's a very adaptable serif font due to its simplicity and elegance.

RosebayRosebay is a uniquely beautiful slab serif font with unconventional stylistic variances. It features excellent readability and beautiful arched slabs that will complement your design piece nicely. The typeface supports both uppercase and lowercase letters and beautiful stylistic alternates. Its modern feel yet maintained nostalgia will complete your '70s design styles nicely.

Beauty MagnoliaBeauty Magnolia is a beautiful and playful vintage font with a very strong feminine tone. This typeface, if applied appropriately, will truly capture an essence of feminine playfulness and joy.

The file provides you with 97+ alternate characters and so much more. Use it for magazine covers, sticker book designs, stationery, poster designs, and more.

Sunwish MaverickSunwish Maverick is a playful psychedelic typeface that would be an excellent choice for branding agencies. The typeface provides a plethora of alternative characters and a uniquely dynamic style that works exceptionally well with branding projects.

Chunk BlackChunk Black is a heavyweight font inspired by Cooper Black. The thick letters feature soft, rounded edges and a somewhat subtle vintage style. It comes with OpenType features, including 87 alternate characters that give you plenty of creative freedom.

Tan NimbusNimbus is an unusual font that oozes character. It comes with lowercase and uppercase letters, numbers, and punctuation. Use it for projects that need a stylish retro appearance, including posters, album covers, magazine covers, product packaging, apparel, and more.

MoonlightMoonlight from Tan Type Co., the creators of Nimbus, is another beautiful, original retro typeface. This groovy, funky font is sure to make your designs stand out. It comes with lowercase and uppercase characters, numerals, punctuation, multilingual support, and a webfont license is available.

Nighty – 70s Serif TypefaceNighty uses thick, curvy characters to create an authentic 1970s look. This is an impressive package that includes 95 stylistic alternates and ligatures to give you plenty of options. It's also PUA-encoded so you can use it in any software.

Corduroy – Classic Groovy FontThis bubbly font uses thick letterforms that have an unmistakable 1970s look. Use it for posters, album covers, YouTube thumbnails, social media image, product labels, and more. It comes in OTF, TTF, and WOFF (webfont) formats.

RadnickRadnick is a stylish typeface that can be used for your retro and vintage designs. However, it's also suitable for modern projects like editorial designs, magazines, branding, apparel, and more. You'll love the amazing alternates, ligatures, and swashes that give your text a custom feel.

AshingtonAshington is a lovely cursive font with a vintage feel. It's perfect for branding, signage, clothing and apparel, merchandise, and packaging. The stylistic alternates and ligatures are a lot of fun to experiment with.

PricedownPricedown resembles the font used for the logo of the famous game show The Price is Right. It's an extensive font family with nine weights from ultra light to black. You can use the different weights together (as shown in the preview image).

Retro Lettering – Groovy 1970s FontThis font comes in two varieties: regular and shadow font. It's ideal for many retro-themed designs like posters, flyers, t-shirts, signs, and more. The swashes are perfect for decorating your text. Retro Lettering comes in OpenType and TrueType formats.

Roller Girl – Groovy Retro '70s FontThis '70s-inspired font uses soft bubble letters for a look authentic to the era. It has lowercase and uppercase letters, plus a large collection of ligatures to extend your options. A webfont license is also available.

Gruvilicious – Retro Groovy TypefaceThis funky, psychedelic font is sure to give your design projects a genuine 1970s look. It's an all-caps font and the letters aren't the easiest to read, so it's best for small chunks of text in large font sizes. Use it for poster headlines, branding, product packaging, and more. It includes a webfont version, so you can also use it on websites.

The BeardyThe Beardy is a fun, decorative vintage font. OpenType features like stylistic alternates and ligatures make The Beardy a fun part of your design. Use it for movie titles, posters, book covers, t-shirts, and more.

BriceThis retro sans serif font comes in five weights, giving you plenty of flexibility. It also offers condensed and expanded versions, for even more options. The package includes lowercase letters, uppercase letters, numbers, punctuation, symbols, and a webfont.

AmberlionThis script font is perfect for t-shirts and apparel, merchandise, product packing, branding, and more. The ligatures and alternates make it fun to use Amberlion in your work. It comes in OpenType and TrueType formats. You'll need to use a program like Adobe Illustrator or Photoshop that supports OpenType features if you want to use the ligatures and alternates.

Losta MastaThis unique serif font includes more than 100 stylistic alternates and 40 ligatures that make it easy to create beautiful customized text. It comes in seven weights, from thin to black, making it a versatile option. You'll love featuring Losta Masta in your graphic designs.

La Barokah – Retro FontLa Barokah has a 1970s feel that works well for logos, branding, posters, apparel, and more. It includes uppercase and lowercase characters, numerals, and punctuation. You'll get the font in OTF and TTF formats. Overall, it's one of our favorite display fonts from this era.

Retro Vintage – Groovy FontThis groovy font includes alternate swashes that create beautiful text with a custom-designed look. It comes with lowercase and uppercase letters, numbers, punctuation, and a webfont.

Groovy Day – '70s Retro FontThese soft bubble letters have a strong '70s vibe. This is an all-caps font, so it's not suitable for body copy. But it works well for headlines on posters, book covers, or t-shirts. A webfont version is also included.

You'll Love Using These '70s FontsIf you're working on a design that needs a genuine vintage look, the best '70s fonts are perfect. We've featured many styles in this article, so it's just a matter of choosing the right one for your project.

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In Adobe Illustrator, the canvas on which all our works are displayed is known as the artboard. As we have always given you tutorials consisting of more than one way to do anything in Adobe Illustrator, this article will again guide you through a number of methods on how you can change the canvas size in Adobe Illustrator.

Before we start with our tutorial, let's have a quick introduction to the “canvas” in Illustrator. In Adobe Illustrator, this canvas is known as the artboard. You can compare an artboard to a piece of paper on which you draw something with a brush or pen. In short, an artboard is the work area in Adobe Illustrator.

How to Change the Canvas Size in IllustratorLet's look at three ways to do it.

Method 1: New DocumentWe can control the canvas size from the very beginning of our work. When we start a new project in Illustrator, we open a new document. This is where we can make all the changes to the canvas we will work on.

Step 1:Open a new document. When you choose to open a new document, you will get a window option displaying different sizes of artboards. You can customize your artboard here. You can also open a new document using the keyboard shortcut, Ctrl + N.

Step 2:When you open a new document, there will be a new window for you to select your artboard type. In this window, you'll get some presets for your canvas. You can choose any of those ready-to-use templates, or you can customize your own preferred size for the canvas. The preset details option is on the right side of the screen, where you can select what size canvas you want to work with.

Step 3:Once you choose the canvas size, select Create from the bottom of the New Document window.

And there you have your own customized artboard or canvas!

Method 2: Freehand resizeHave you already started your work on the canvas? Suddenly, did it occur to you that the current canvas size is not what you need? Now you want to change the canvas size in the middle of your work. Well, don’t worry! When working in Illustrator, you can change the canvas size anytime and as many times as you want.

Step 1:For this method, Select the Artboard Tool first. You'll find the artboard tool in the left toolbar. You can also use the keyboard shortcut Shift + O.

Step 2:Once the artboard tool is activated, you'll see your artboard surrounded by dotted lines. It will also show some anchor points around the edges (in the red circles below).

Step 3:You can drag these dotted lines and resize your artboard as you want. Simply click on the dotted lines, drag it, and release it when you reach your desired size of the artboard/canvas. Remember, the width of the artboard will be changed when you click and drag the side of the artboard, whereas the height will be changed when you click and drag the top and bottom of the artboard.

Tip: Clicking and dragging the corners allows you to change the width and height of the artboard simultaneously. Meanwhile, holding the shift key while dragging will keep the aspect ratio of the artboard intact. This means holding the shift key will give you precise control if you aim to keep the ratio of your artboard unchanged.

Method 3: Manually Input the SizeYou can also change your artboard using the keyboard by putting in the numerical value. In this method, you'll have to change the canvas size by applying numerical values manually. And yes, you can use this method in the middle of your work as well.

Step 1:Select the Artboard Tool either from the toolbar or using the keyboard shortcut key Shift + O.

Step 2:Once the artboard tool is active, you'll see the artboard properties on the right side of the screen, where you can edit the details.

You can also edit your artboard from the document setup window, which you can access by pressing Ctrl + Alt + P.

Step 3:Here, in the W and H boxes, you'll input the numerical value you want. Remember, the box with H indicates Height, and the box with W indicates Width. You can also choose which unit of measurement you want to use for your artboard from the unit dropdown box.

Step 4:Once you enter the numerical values, press enter to apply them to your artboard/canvas. your artboard size will be changed immediately.

Changing the artboard or canvas size is one of the basic and crucial steps of Adobe Illustrator. Without a perfect artboard, even good work will fail to exhibit its true aesthetic. Thankfully, it's easy to do with any of the methods covered here.

Related reading:

• How to Move Artboards in Adobe Illustrator
• How to Flip an Object in Adobe Illustrator
• How to Merge and Group Layers in Illustrator

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I love this Photoshop feature so much that I want to ensure you all know about it.

Convert Text to Vector in Adobe PhotoshopFirst, open a new Photoshop file, and use the text tool to type anything you want on the artboard.

Then Control + Click (right click) on that text layer in the layers palette, and select “Convert to Shape.” Your text will now be in vector shape format so that it may be used as a shape, and can be scaled to any size without losing quality. Just Like if you “create outlines” in Illustrator!

I find this especially useful when creating logos in Photoshop or sending a file without fonts. Of course, it's important to only do this if you know the text won't need to be edited or changed in the future. Once the layer is converted to a vector shape, it's no longer text. As a result, you can't change the text (for example, if there is a misspelling).

Vectorization Vectorization involves changing a raster graphic into a vector. Adobe Photoshop supports this action that can edit and produce vector outlines from the text. Adobe software ensures that the vector shape created is perfectly scaleable to any resolution while maintaining sharpness and quality.

Converting your text into vector format allows you to work with it like you would work with any other vector shape or path. You can convert your text into three-dimensional vector form in a short time. You can convert the plain text form into a variety of different stylish and three-dimensional vector forms.

The text can be converted into a variety of different geometrical shapes, and this speeds up the process of designing a poster, advertisement, or something else. You can edit and customize the vector in terms of opacity and density, and you can get an advantage from a lot of other similar tools.

You can use different fonts and then convert them into vector forms. In addition to that, you can also completely transform the text and make additional changes like adding lighting effects to the text.

You can transform each and every small aspect of the text, including borders, stoke, shadow, inner glow, and other such aspects that can help you design a desired text shape and design. You can play with all these features and practice different customizations to achieve the best results on your own.

This feature saves a lot of time for professionals, and you can design text how you want to in a very short time. It is a simple and quick way to convert text into a 3D vector form. It's an interesting aspect of any text editor to vector it and is commonly used by graphic or poster designers in their projects.

Photoshop allows you to vectorize different aspects of a designing, including tet and other online shape forms.

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Many times in the past, I found that I wanted to take a vector path from Adobe Photoshop and somehow get it to Illustrator for further use.

There are many great and free Photoshop custom shapes out there, many of which might be more useful to you in Adobe Illustrator if that's what you prefer. That's what Illustrator is for, right? Vectors.

Transferring different elements of Photoshop to Illustrator may be a bit difficult task, but it's actually simple when you know what to do. The custom shape tool is an overall great tool for creating content for all types of different editing software.

Related reading: Free Photoshop Custom Shapes

Photoshop custom shapes come in vector format, just like drawing with the rectangle tool (or other shapes). Unfortunately, there aren't as many custom shapes available for Illustrator in the form of symbols (at least not that I have encountered).

I want to show you an easy way to get a vector path from Photoshop to Illustrator so you can take advantage of all those custom shapes available out there and possibly save you time drawing in Illustrator.

Export Vector Paths from Photoshop to IllustratorPhotoshop has a nifty option to export a vector path for use in Illustrator (basically, save a path from your Photoshop file as an AI file).

For the longest time, I thought that I either had a buggy version of Photoshop or I just wasn't doing something right. Whenever I opened the Illustrator file that Photoshop output, I saw a blank canvas. Turns out that the path was there; it just had no stroke or fill, rendering it transparent.

There are many reasons you might want to do this, and it's a shame you can't just drag a layer between the two apps. There are also many ways to create vectors in Photoshop, but I want to show you the handy Custom Shape tool. If you were going to draw a vector shape to use in Illustrator, you'd just draw it in Illustrator. We're doing this to save time.

The fact is there are lots more free resources out there available for Photoshop, custom shapes included. A Photoshop custom shape is a vector shape similar to a symbol in Illustrator, but you can draw them instantly by selecting the shape you want (using Photoshop's Custom Shape tool), not unlike a brush. You can also find and download Custom Shapes and install them in your Photoshop presets, just like a brush set.

Open a Photoshop DocumentOpen a new Photoshop document and select the “Custom Shape Tool.” (under the rectangle tool popout menu)

Create a Vector Shape or PathSelect which custom shape you want to create:

If you don't see the shape you're looking for in the dialog, you can load more of Photoshops Default Custom Shape Libraries and look around. Or you can download and install your own, as I mentioned earlier.

The Custom Shape Tool has a few handy options that might help you draw more precisely.

Once you have your shape selected, draw it on the Photoshop canvas.

Exporting from the Photoshop File into IllustratorAlmost done. Now, make sure your vector mask is selected by checking your layers palette.

Then go to File > Export > Paths to Illustrator.

Photoshop is going to save your vector as its own Illustrator file. So, select a filename and location, and verify that you have the right vector mask from the dropdown. Click save.

Move to IllustratorNow go open the AI file in Illustrator that you just saved from Photoshop. You'll probably notice it looks like a blank artboard, but do a quick select all (command + A Mac, Control + A PC), and you'll notice that your shape is there, just without a fill or stroke. Photoshop did exactly what it said it would. It exported the path and nothing more.

There you go! If you find interesting Custom Shapes for Photoshop, don't worry, you can still use them in Illustrator too. It's way faster than drawing them by hand. Now you can manipulate your shape and use it in your Illustrator designs.

In closing, I personally haven't had much luck exporting more than one path at a time. Tips are welcome because this is by no means a refined method. Many users are unaware of the other functions the custom shape tool can perform. It's great when Photoshop and Illustrator play nicely together.

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Making a dotted line or dashed line in Illustrator is easy—you just change it in the stroke palette. Photoshop, on the other hand, is a bit trickier.

There's more than one way to do it, but I want to show you how to quickly make a dotted line in Photoshop. Although, you can create lines manually by repeating the dots. But, Adobe Photoshop makes it quite easier to craft curved or straight dotted lines through the formulated procedure.

If you've ever made a Photoshop mock-up of a website before getting your hands dirty with code, this little trick may come in handy. The brush tool has been used to craft a line that is dotted or dashed. Consequently, you can create continuous spaces between the lines and craft a perfectly straight line.

This is a very simple tutorial that takes a few steps and adjustments to yield the results.

1. Open Your Brushes Palette in Adobe PhotoshopYep, you will be using a brush for this quick trick. Open your brush palette by going to Window > Brushes, or hit F5 on your keyboard. Once open, click on “Brush Tip Shape” within the Brushes palette and select a very small brush, like 1-5px.

2. Uncheck Shape Dynamics and SmoothingYou can adjust each and every aspect properly and exactly to achieve a perfect dotted line according to your own needs and desires.

3. Adjust the “Spacing” to Create the Dotted Line with Brush ToolThis part is up to you and depends on your desired effect. Pay no attention to the waves in the preview. It's the default preview. All you need to be worried about here is the amount of space between the dots. The spacing slider can be used to adjust the spacing between the lines.

4. Choose Your Brush ColorIf you haven't already, choose the brush tool in the tools palette, or hit B on the keyboard. Also, ensure you select a color for your brush, which would be the foreground color. ( I chose black. )

5. Hold Shift and Drag to Draw a LineWith the brush tool, hold shift, drag and bam, perfect dotted line!

A perfectly-centered straight line will be achieved through this procedure. You don't need to use the pen tool, stroke options, or anything else that may be complicated. Now that you know this trick, making dotted lines is easy. You can also easily create a dashed line in Photoshop by selecting a rectangular brush instead of a round brush.

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Grouping and merging layers are very helpful when working in Adobe Illustrator. It saves time and allows you to organize your artwork.

When you merge layers, multiple layers are combined to form a single layer. For example, you may have shapes on two separate layers that you want to combine into one layer.

Illustrator doesn't have a “group layers” function, but there are ways to do it. When we talk about grouping layers, it involves selecting specific objects within different layers and grouping them together, without merging the layers.

Today, I'll explain how to group and merge layers in Illustrator, and you'll get a better understanding of how they work. Let's start…

Related reading: How to Lock Layers in Illustrator

Grouping LayersThere isn't an option to group layers in Illustrator, but objects can be grouped. When you group objects from multiple layers, you may be able to achieve what you're aiming for. We can follow two steps for grouping objects.

Step: 1Select the objects you want to group and go to the overhead menu Object > Group or use the shortcut Ctrl + G

Step: 2When you want to group objects of different layers, open the layer panel overhead menu Window > Layers or use the shortcut F7. Select the layers by clicking the circle and pressing the Shift key, then click another circle and press Ctrl + G

Ungroup ObjectsIf you want to ungroup the objects, then simply go to the overhead menu Object > Ungroup or use the shortcut Shift + Ctrl + G.

Merging LayersSelect the layers you want to merge. Then go to Layers Panel Options, which displays by clicking on the right corner of the panel. Then choose Merge Selected.

Now you're back in the Layers panel. You'll see only one layer instead of multiple layers. Everything has been successfully merged into one.

Unmerging the LayerYou can’t unmerge the layers, which means that you need to be very careful before deciding to merge layers. It's best to merge layers only when you're done working with a design and looking to clean up the file so it's better organized.

Although layers can't be unmerged, you can edit the objects inside the layer. In the Layers Panel, click on the hidden menu and select Release to Layers (Sequence or Build). The objects will be visible on the layer, but then they will be separated into different layers.

That covers how to group or merge layers in Adobe Illustrator. Understanding how layers work and how you can use them will help in all aspects of your work in Illustrator.

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Ready to add the finishing touches to your design in Illustrator? But the objects aren’t properly aligned? Does your design look unprofessional because it isn’t adjusted properly?

Well, worry no more! Because with just a few steps, I'll explain how to use Illustrator's Scale Tool to adjust and align your design perfectly.

How to Scale an Image in Illustrator Basically, the Scale Tool helps adjust, enlarge, or even reduce the shape of an object or design in Adobe Illustrator. To access the Scale Tool, you can either select it from the toolbar at the left, or use the keyboard shortcut “S“.

Now, using the polygon tool from the toolbar at the left, I drew the shape you can see above. Through the options on the right, you can adjust the fill color or the stroke (outline) of the shape according to your preference.

You can use the Scale Tool if you want to increase or reduce its size. Simply select the edge of the shape and drag it outwards to increase the size, or inwards to reduce it.

If you only want to increase the size in the vertical direction, then drag the shape in the vertical direction. To increase the size horizontally, drag the shape outwards in the horizontal direction you want to stretch. Similarly, the cool part about the tool is that you can even flip in laterally.

How to Scale the Object Proportionally Now you may be thinking, you can do all of these things with the selection tool as well. What is so special about the Scale Tool? Well, in most cases, you'll want to increase the shape's size proportionally, and the scale tool allows you to do just that.

To scale an object proportionally, press and hold Shift while aligning the object.

In the above image, you can probably see that when I dragged the shape's edges outwards, the size increased proportionally. That is, the object increased by the same amount on all sides.

Using One Point as a Pivot While Scaling in IllustratorTo do this, you can simply select any point on the object which you want to make the pivot. And then, you can adjust the shape along that point. For example, I can select a point by simply clicking on any corner of the object.

If, for example, you want to flip the object along that point, you can select any corner of the object and drag it across to flip the object laterally along the selected point.

An Alternate Method to Scaling in IllustratorAnother more professional scaling method is to use the pop-up window and specify the amount you want to scale in percentage points. To open the pop-up window, press Alt and click on the screen. You will see a pop-up window appear.

Right now, the scale on the horizontal as well as the vertical plane is 100%. If you want to decrease this by 50% on both planes, then simply adjust the values and make them 50%. Below you can see how the object is adjusted at once.

Another feature is that you can adjust the strokes, effects, or even the corners of the objects. For example, if I want to scale the strokes and corners of the above image proportionally, I will simply select both options under the options section in the pop-up window.

The resulting image will look like this! It's just that simple! Now that you know how to use the scale tool probably, you can easily create those new and innovative designs.

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Are you ready to take your Adobe Illustrator designs to the next level? If you're looking for a way to add unique, eye-catching detail that will make your work stand out from the crowd, then look no further than Illustrator patterns.

Whether you’re an experienced graphic designer or just barely starting out, using patterned elements can breathe life into any design and instantly boost its visual impact.

Here, we'll showcase the best vector patterns for Adobe Illustrator (well over 1,000 patterns). Not only do they lend an eye-catching element of variety to compositions, but using pre-made patterns can also speed up your workflow.

Seamless Vector Patterns* Number of patterns: 100 * Formats: Ai, EPS

Line Patterns for Illustrator* Number of patterns: 100 * Formats: Ai, PNG

Floral Seamless Adobe Illustrator Patterns* Number of patterns: 18 * Formats: EPS, JPG

Vintage Engraved Illustrator Patterns* Number of patterns: 15 * Format: Ai

African Mudcloth Background Patterns* Number of patterns: 20 * Formats: Ai, EPS, JPG, PNG

Garden Flowers Seamless Illustrator Patterns* Number of patterns: 10 * Formats: Ai, EPS, PNG

Art Deco Illustrator Patterns* Number of patterns: 100 * Format: Ai, PAT, PNG, PSD

Art Deco Vector Patterns* Number of patterns: 30 * File formats: Ai, EPS, PDF

Deco Tiles for Adobe Illustrator* Number of patterns: 40 * Format: Ai

Beige Vector Patterns* Number of patterns: 20 * Formats: Ai, EPS, PNG

Decorative Seamless Illustrator Patterns* Number of patterns: 8 * Format: EPS, JPG

Stippled and Seamless Patterns* Number of patterns: 15 * Format: Ai, JPG, PNG

Malina Seamless Vector Patterns* Number of patterns: 36 * Formats: EPS, JPG, PNG

Olivia Morrocan Patterns* Number of patterns: 25 * Formats: Ai, EPS, JPG, PNG, PAT, ASE

Thai Patterns* Number of patterns: 12 * Format: Ai PSD

Batik Patterns for Illustrator* Number of patterns: 10 * File formats: Ai, EPS, PNG

Geometric Illustrator Pattern Collection* Number of patterns: 10 * Formats: Ai, EPS

Geometric Patterns Bundle* Number of patterns: 40 * Formats: Ai, EPS, JPG, PNG

Geometric Seamless Patterns* Number of patterns: 6 * File formats: Ai, EPS, JPG

Geometric Seamless Patterns* Number of patterns: 100 * Formats: Ai, EPS, PSD, JPG, PNG

Geometric Minimalism Patterns* Number of patterns: 60 * Formats: Ai, EPS, JPG, PNG

Geometric Seamless Illustrator PatternsBlack Patterns for Illustrator* Number of patterns: 22 * Formats: Ai, EPS, PNG

Hand-Drawn Seamless Illustrator Patterns* Number of patterns: 65 * Formats: Ai, EPS, PAT, PNG

Sunset Lines Vector Patterns* Number of patterns: 40 * Format: Ai, EPS, JPG, PNG

Lando Abstract Patterns* Number of patterns: 8 * Formats: Ai, EPS, JPG

Topographic Map Vector Patterns* Number of patterns: 5 * Formats: Ai, EPS, PNG

Elegancy Patterns* Number of patterns: 12 * Formats: Ai, EPS, JPG, PNG

Ornamental Vintage Seamless Patterns* Number of patterns: 9 * Formats: Ai, EPS, JPG

Retro Geometric Seamless Patterns* Number of patterns: 90 * Formats: Ai, EPS, SVG, PSD, PAT

Retro Seamless Patterns for Illustrator* Number of patterns: 10 * Format: Ai

Colorful Shapes Vector Patterns* Number of patterns: 10 * Formats: Ai, EPS, PNG

Floral Leaves Patterns* Number of patterns: 20 * Formats: Ai, EPS, SVG, PNG

Subtle Grunge Vector Patterns* Number of patterns: 53 * Formats: Ai, ASE

Mosaic Seamless Patterns for Graphic Design* Number of patterns: 6 * Formats: Ai, EPS, JPG

Damask Patterns for IllustratorSeamless Halftone Patterns for Illustrator* Number of patterns: 12 * Format: EPS

Savannah Sunset Vector PatternsSpeckle Ink Patterns for Adobe Illustrator* Number of patterns: 15 * Formats: Ai, EPS, JPG, PNG

Bold Patterns* Number of patterns: 20 * Formats: Ai, PNG, PSD

Frequently Asked QuestionsCan you download patterns for Illustrator? Yes, you can! Although Illustrator comes with some pre-installed patterns, you can create your own custom patterns or download patterns created by others. These downloaded patterns can be used to speed up your graphic design process.

What file format is used for Illustrator patterns? Patterns can be saved as an .ai file (Adobe Illustrator's proprietary format), .eps, or .svg. They may also use the .ase format, which stands for “Adobe Swatch Exchange.”

Can I use Illustrator patterns in Photoshop? Photoshop will open .ai and .eps files, but they must be rasterized, which means they will no longer maintain the qualities of a vector file.

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Making a custom brush for Illustrator is much easier than you might expect. This tutorial was requested by many of my readers after I posted this free set of 35 Abstract Illustrator Brushes.

The possibilities are endless as far as Illustrator brush-making goes, but I wanted to get you started in the right direction and let you take it from there. (The purpose is to tease you so you want to try it yourself!)

It would be pretty hard to make this tutorial any more detailed because making custom Illustrator brushes honestly couldn't be easier. However, there are a few things you need to know first.

Make a Custom Illustrator Art BrushThere's no doubt that brushes are a time-saver for a professional and really convenient for the newbie. If you can learn and practice the craft of creating custom Adobe Illustrator brushes, then you're ahead of most of your competitors. This is the tutorial around which other tutorials are based.

There are four types of brushes you can create in Illustrator:

1. Calligraphic
2. Art
3. Scatter
4. Pattern

Today we'll go over creating an Art Brush. While we're exploring how to make an art brush, you can experiment with other brush types in the same fashion. The only differences are settings and how the brushes act when applied.

In the world of Illustrator and Photoshop, there are endless possibilities to perform a certain task, and you must be aware of all the available tools and settings that can help you achieve desired results.

Designing tools from scratch may be a lengthy and troublesome process for all designers, especially beginners. But, if you're looking to go completely self-made and creative, then you must go through these tutorials. It's just like programming but in a manual way. There are thousands of custom Illustrator brushes available to download that have been designed with great precision.

Editor's note: If you're looking to find out more about creating custom Illustrator brushes, I've got a handy tutorial on the ‘colorization method.'

How to Make a Shape Into a Brush in IllustratorFirst, open a new Illustrator document and make any shape your heart desires. You can literally make ANY shape into a brush, even a square, if you feel like it. Here's what I made. A couple of bars and some blocks scattered about. No need to worry about shapes at this point because once you try this a few times, you'll get an idea of how the shapes affect your brush.

Illustrator brushes are different from watercolor brushes, and these can be used to construct different tiny geometrical shapes, drawings, or other artwork from scratch. Illustrator brushes can be used to illustrate almost anything in different artworks, such as to illustrate a text or drawing in poster designs.

Select all the shapes you want to be a brush. Then, in your Brushes panel, click on the little arrow in the upper left, and select “New Brush.”

You'll get the option to choose 1 of 4 brush types. Choose “Art Brush” and click OK.

It's also very important to decide the direction of a brush in which it's projecting to achieve the custom stroke you want. You can create several custom brushes so that each brush helps you in your work. Professional designers use several brushes to create a perfect masterpiece for their clients. You can flip the brush horizontally or vertically to flip the stroke that it produces.

Now you should be in the Brush Options.

IMPORTANT: Make sure you select “Tints” as the Colorization Method. This allows you to change the brush's color, just like changing a stroke's color. If you don't select Tints, your brush will always be the color it is when you create it.

There are many other settings you can play with here, including the direction of the brush stroke. Choose your settings and click OK.

You should now see your new Custom Brush in the Brushes palette.

Now create a shape to test your brush. I used a circle, like below:

You can also make a semicircle, triangle, or whatever shape you want to experiment with.

Now make sure you have the stroke selected in the tools palette, and click on your Custom Brush in the Brushes palette to apply it to the circle to see what you get.

Custom Brushes are an easy way to get shapes that would have otherwise taken hours to draw by hand. Now that you have your brush, you can apply it whenever you want. Just adjust the stroke size to get the effect/shapes you want.

In the image below, all I did was use the same brush I just created, duplicated it, overlapped it, and adjusted the scale, colors, and stroke sizes.

How to Make a Brush in Illustrator: Final ThoughtsYou can make multiple brushes to get way more complex, and the more you try, the better you get. Seriously, this took about a minute with one brush (made from simple rectangles!). Imagine what you can do if you spend some time experimenting.

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Are you looking for a triangle tool to make a triangle in Illustrator? We use an ellipse tool to make semicircles or circles and a rectangle tool to make a square or rectangle, but we don’t have a triangle tool to make a triangle in Illustrator.

Well, don’t worry because we don’t need a dedicated triangle tool to make a triangle. We can either use the Pen Tool or other shape tools for that.

The triangle shape is one of the basic and iconic shapes. It's essential for many design projects in Illustrator, so it's important to understand how to create one.

In this tutorial, we'll cover a few methods of making a triangle. An additional lesson on how to make different types of triangles using various techniques will be the cherry on top.

Method 1: Using the Pen ToolStep 1Go to the left-side toolbar and select the Pen Tool or use the keyboard shortcut key (P).

Step 2Now that you have the pen tool active, click on the artboard and connect three anchor points.

Step 3When you connect all three anchor points, it will create a triangle shape.

Tip: Holding down the shift key while using and dragging the pen tool makes the line straight.

Method 2: Using the Rectangle ToolStep 1For this method, you need to make a square. Select the Rectangle Tool. Now hold down the shift key and make a square shape using the rectangle tool.

Step 2Select the Direct Selection Tool and select one of the anchor points.

Step 3Select Remove Selected Anchor Point. You can also use the Delete Anchor Point Tool. Press the keyboard shortcut (-) and click the anchor point you want to remove.

Step 4Once the anchor point is removed, one of the four corners will be deleted, and you'll have a triangle.

Tip: This method is the quickest way to make a right triangle or 90° triangle.

Method 3: Using the Polygon ToolStep 1

First, select the Polygon Tool from the toolbar, which you'll find inside the Rectangle Tool.

Step 2As you click on the artboard while the polygon tool is active, you'll have a window where you find settings for the polygon.

Step 3Here, in this window, set 3 for the sides input. You can change the radius as you want. The radius will change the size of your triangle shape but make sure you must choose three sides for the shape; otherwise, it won't create a triangle.

Step 4When you're done with the setting, click OK to save it. Once you click OK,you'll have a triangle.

Note: Since a polygon has equal sides, making a triangle with a polygon tool will give you an Equilateral Triangle.

How to Make a Rounded Triangle in Illustrator After making a triangle select the Direct Selection Tool*. * Now select the triangle * You will see a tiny circle near each corner of the triangle. * Click on one of the tiny circles and drag it toward the center of the triangle. * The more you drag, the rounder edges you will get.

How to Make a 90° or a Right Triangle Select the Pen Tool * Hold down the shift key while dragging the pen tool to give you more control and make the line straight. * In this way, you can make a 90°* angle by connecting three anchor points.

Making a Scalene Triangle in Illustrator If you want to make a scalene triangle, you need to make sure all three sides of the triangle are different. * You can make a scalene triangle from any type of triangle. Start with a triangle. * Select the Direct Selection Tool*. * Now grab and drag the corners of the triangle one by one to change their size.

Making an Isosceles Triangle in Illustrator Make a triangle. * Select the Selection Tool* first. * Now click and drag one of the edges of the triangle to make the other two sides equal longer than the selected one. * Stop dragging the edge when you reach your desired triangle size.

That's it! Now you know the best ways to make a triangle in Illustrator. I hope you found this article helpful.

The post How to Make a Triangle in Adobe Illustrator appeared first on Bittbox.

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Locking layers is an essential skill that helps ensure vital components remain unchanged throughout the design process. This is especially true when you're working on complex projects where multiple design elements must come together to create one cohesive piece.

We've put together this tutorial to show exactly how to lock layers in Illustrator and get you on your way to creating stunning visuals quickly and easily!

Why Do We Use Layers?The layers panel in Adobe Illustrator is very beneficial. Using a layer panel can save time and make your artwork more organized. This feature helps you edit a specific part of a design without affecting other parts.

How Do I Open the Layers Panel?Go to Windows > Layers to see the layers panel. A check mark will appear when it is selected and active. Alternatively, press F7 on the keyboard to open the layers options.

If you want to select a specific object and change the color, you can do it easily by using the layer panel. By clicking the circle next to the layer, you can select it all, change colors, or move it around.

Is There a Problem When All Layers Are Open?Yes, we can face certain problems when all layers are open. When the top layer overlaps lower layers, we cannot see the lower layers.

How Do I Lock a Layer?Open the layers panel. An empty square box will appear between an eye icon and the layer name. To lock a layer, click on the box. When it's locked, you'll see a lock icon.

Lock Specific Objects on a LayerSometimes, you might want to lock a specific part of the layer instead of locking the whole layer. You can still work on the other selections when you lock the finished objects. After locking the object, you can not select or move the object.

For locking specific objects, go to the object menu, Object > Lock > Selection, or use the shortcut Ctrl + 2.

How to Unlock Layers and Selections? To unlock a layer, just click on the lock icon.

And to unlock specific objects, go to Object > Unlock All, or use the shortcut Alt+Ctrl + 2.

Extra TipsIf you want to hide or turn off a layer, you can do it. Just click on the eye icon to hide a layer. Click on the box to make it visible again. The eye icon will appear, meaning your layer is visible.

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You're a photographer and need a website, but you don't know where to start. You're tired of looking at generic design trends from photography websites. You want to see beautiful and inspiring web designs that will make you say, “Wow!”

The below list is a showcase of great photography sites designed from around the world. These sites have been hand-picked by our team as being among the very best on the web today, showcasing excellent use of color, typography, layout, and photographic content.

Best Photography WebsitesWhen it comes to web design, photography websites are always a great source of inspiration. A photography business website needs to showcase beautiful photos while also providing an easy-to-use user experience. In this article, we've collected some of the best photography website designs.

Whether you're a professional photographer or just starting out, these examples will give you some ideas for your website. Without further ado, let's look at some amazing photography websites!

Many of these sites have been built with our favorite platform, Squarespace. Through these examples, you'll see how amazing a Squarespace website can be. Best of all, it's affordable enough for anyone. Start a free trial and build your website today.

Hailey Pierce PhotographyBuilt with Squarespace

Hailey Pierce is an Atlanta-based travel photographer whose passion is highlighting those unexpected emotions you never saw coming – moments of joy and love frozen forever. The website features image slideshows of her best shots compiled into breathtaking collages.

It's easy to navigate between sections as it has a consistent style and minimalist design.

Grace Gatto PhotographyBuilt with Squarespace

Grace Gatto is a top-tier wedding photographer based in Colorado whose website truly reflects her eye for style. A signature-style logo at the center sets the tone. At the same time, a stunning slideshow on the homepage features some of Grace's best shots and provides visitors with an immediate visual introduction to what she can do.

Soft greyscale imagery blends seamlessly with brighter graphic design to create a balanced, visually appealing space – perfect for showcasing Grace's undeniably polished portfolio.

LostisFound StudioBuilt with Squarespace

Albert is a wedding and elopement photographer based in Massachusetts. His exquisite work can be seen through his stunning photographs on the LostisFound Studio website. His uniquely organized format lets viewers absorb every detail of each image without feeling confused or overwhelmed by various visuals.

Rachel Turner PhotographyBuilt with Squarespace

Rachel Turner is a talented Edmonton-based creative photographer who transports her viewers to timeless moments. Her website design evokes an air of elegance with its soft, graceful lines and font style that dance along the theme's rhythm.

Detailed photos provide a stunning backdrop, luring visitors into dreamy sections brimming with photography services, stories, and memories waiting to be captured by Rachel's lens.

Jamie Siever PhotographyBuilt with Squarespace

Jamie Siever is a passionate and successful photographer who captures the joy and innocence of newborns, babies, and children up to 6 years old. Her website's beautiful design offers an elegant simplicity with clear fonts that make all her beautiful work easily accessible without being overwhelming.

A dynamic slideshow on the homepage gives visitors a captivating glimpse into Jamie's artistry while introducing them to her unique photography style through bold headlines.

Ashley Smith PhotographyBuilt with WordPress

Ashley is an adventurous wedding photographer and elopement photographer living in Salt Lake City, Utah. Her website has a separate section for each category with a refined style and dynamic layout.

The website features a big center logo, uppercase headlines, and large-size buttons against a pale background. The imagery on the site creates an amazing unique feel.

Taylor Gray PhotographyBuilt with Squarespace

If you're looking for a simple, clean, and elegant website design with beautiful photography, you need to check out Taylor Gray's website. Based in Randleman, North Carolina, Taylor is a portrait photographer, and the website showcases her incredible talent.

The white and gray background color scheme is minimalistic and lets the photos speak for themselves. The images are logically arranged to make them easy to navigate and enjoy.

Iron & RyeBuilt with Squarespace

Iron and Rye is a wedding photography company located in Portland and Seattle. The website is full of beautiful photos and detailed descriptions of their work. The various photo arrangements, including collages, dispersed, and slideshow, give the website a feeling of elegance.

The soft, graceful lines and the font styles add to the dreamy atmosphere. The detailed photos provide a stunning backdrop for the centreline menu, inviting visitors into sections full of services, stories, and memories.

Lisa Michele BurnsBuilt with Wix

Lisa Michel Burns is an Australian travel photographer. The website has a signature-style logo on the left and a menu on the right. The website comprises a classic grid-style portfolio gallery featuring landscape, animal, and nature fine art prints, images, and numerous photographs showcasing her talent and body of work.

Cassie Trottier Wedding PhotographyBuilt with Squarespace

Cassie, a wedding photographer in Spokane, Washington, has crafted an elegantly designed website to showcase her talent. With classic greyscale visuals and modern serif fonts perfectly matched with structured content that tells stories of inspiration through the lens – this is one site you don't want to miss!

Lena Hyde PhotographyBuilt with Squarespace

Lena Hyde Photography creates timeless, treasured memories that will last for generations. With stunning website collages of signature photography on light pink backgrounds, visitors can experience the beauty in each picture as they watch them switch and blink right before their eyes.

Nois7Built with Wix

Robert Jahns is one of the world's most well-known contemporary visual artists, photographers, and creative directors. His artwork has unique ties to certain locations, events, and natural occurrences, making it look almost unbelievable.

His website is brightly colored and features his best art photography prints in grid galleries. The static header has a signature logo on the left, with the menu on the right. You'll find beautiful separate galleries of some of the most iconic prints on his website, plus an inclusive framed option for purchase.

Jen Huang BoganBuilt with Squarespace

Jen Huang Bogan's wedding photography has a beautiful and romantic feel. The left-side static menu with categories is arranged vertically, and let her biography and personality style are presented on the homepage.

Each of her works is categorized, so you can easily shop for her work or contact her on her website. Thanks to Jen's highly attractive style and light font, her website has a luxurious appearance that will make you want to keep coming back for more.

Samm Blake Wedding PhotographyBuilt with WordPress

Samm Blake is a world-renowned photographer based in Brooklyn, New York City. Her unique style of documenting weddings around the globe has won acclaim from many renowned publications.

Samm's website offers an engrossing experience to viewers. Its light theme and distinct photo gallery lend it a vibrant charm. At the same time, the simple design naming logo and minimum text draw attention straight away. You can also explore her perfect portfolio, including fine art books and catalogs featuring mediums and fonts she created herself.

Steve Stanton PhotographyBuilt with Squarespace

Steve Stanton captures precious, fleeting moments with thoughtfulness and artistry that transports viewers to the scene. His beautiful website features full-width background images, awe-inspiring photographs, client reviews, and publications, all framed in an elegant small serif font.

Sanz Lena PhotographyBuilt with Format

Sanz Lena is a renowned fashion and beauty photographer based in Toronto and Paris, often exploring the world. His unique style online portfolio speaks about minimalism and sophistication.

A modern website with vertical portraits sliding when scrolling, visitors can also find an understated logo on the center screen with a discrete menu tucked away at its side for additional browsing ease.

Meghan O'Sullivan PhotographyBuilt with Squarespace

Meghan O'Sullivan Photography offers a tranquil experience for couples searching for the perfect wedding and portrait photography. Her serene website design features a centreline logo blended with portraits, small text paragraphs, and buttons to create a minimalistic style. All the components, combined with soft colors, create an atmosphere of peace.

Greg Ross Wedding PhotographyBuilt with WordPress

Greg Ross has captivated couples on their big day for more than nine years. With subtle yet stunning black and white portraits featured prominently throughout the full-width website layout, visitors can easily browse through these beautiful wedding memories in a minimalist fashion.

His official logo, combined with easy navigation tools, make it effortless to find your favorite moments from each nuptial ceremony or celebration of love!

MILKOVIBuilt with Shopify

MILKOVI's San Francisco-based fine art photography illuminates the beauty of light and shadow in stunningly professional works. From its white theme to crisp fonts, his website captivates with a clean design header featuring a text-based logo and a menu button. Simplifying exploration into limited edition prints, it seamlessly guides visitors through four categories.

Kimberly Gray PhotographyBuilt with Squarespace

Kimberly Gray's Virginia Beach professional photography studio is an oasis of creativity. She specializes in capturing the precious moments of maternity, newborns, births, and more.

Her website dazzles with vivid indigo colors that transport visitors to a realm where beauty meets innovation – all set by unique fonts that add sophistication and depth. Every element works together perfectly for one awe-inspiring experience!

Emily Burney Wedding PhotographyBuilt with WordPress

Emily Burney has been capturing weddings, one special moment at a time, since 2012. Her Tulsa-based website radiates grace with its minimalistic design look and portrait portfolio slider on the top, showcasing stunning visuals arranged in true artistry.

Lending to her unique aesthetic is the tranquil color scale and an exquisite calligraphic logo styles perfectly against contrasting sans font – making sure every memory is documented as beautifully as it happened.

Amelia Allen PhotographyBuilt with Format

Amelia Allen brings a vibrant, artistic flair to fashion photography. Her website presents her work in an unconventional vertical arrangement with playful font choices for a unique experience.

With its static italic text logo, visitors can find interesting images that challenge traditional notions about beauty and image presentation.

Amber Garret PhotographyBuilt with Squarespace

Amber Garrett is an enthusiastic wedding and elopement photographer based in Las Vegas, Nevada. An experienced photojournalist, her website has a vibrant editorial photography/magazine feel with stunning images and dynamic graphics to captivate the viewer from start to finish.

Multiple fonts mix well together as each color interacts uniquely – creating a mesmerizing experience for all who visit!

Dani Brewer PhotographyBuilt with Squarespace

Dani Brewer is a photographer who captures the moments that make wedding and family events special. Her website beautifully conveys this message through its combination of eye-catching calligraphy logo, intriguing fonts, and stunning images – all complemented by concise headings which give visitors an instant overview of her work.

Max MontgomeryBuilt with Wix

Max Montgomery is a British commercial photographer based in New York, but his website has taken us back to the '90s. With its bold typeface and retro style layout & images featuring in an eye-catching mosaic grid, this portfolio gives off major vintage vibes – perfect for anyone looking to add some old-school flair!

Final Thoughts on Photography WebsitesIf you're a photographer, it's important to have an online presence. It allows potential clients from all over the world to see your work and contact you for potential bookings or collaborations. Photography websites come in many shapes and sizes. Some use simple layouts with large images, while others opt for more complex designs with multiple pages and smaller thumbnails.

When designing the perfect photography portfolio for a modern photography portfolio, a few elements are more important than the overall aesthetics. It must be eye-catching and unique to stand out from the crowd and draw visitors in.

No matter what style of photography you shoot, there are plenty of ways to showcase your work online. If you're satisfied with how your current website looks but feel like it could use a little more visitors, try implementing some design tricks on your site. With a little hard work and creativity, you can attract new viewers and boost traffic to your portfolio website in no time.

The post 25 Beautiful Photography Websites for Inspiration appeared first on Bittbox.

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Rotating text in Adobe Illustrator sounds easy, but if you're not sure of the specific steps to take, it can be tricky. Sometimes we may confuse rotating text with a rotating text box. Remember, rotating the text box will only rotate the box, not the text, whereas you want your text to be rotated not the box.

Text has a great impact on any illustrator project, whether in making a logo or anything else. Angling the text can be a useful approach for grabbing the attention of your audience. However, to make your text interesting and stylish, you don’t always need to use complicated methods.

You can simply rotate your text in a unique way to make your text stand out in the crowd. And to make your work easier, this tutorial shows four easy ways to rotate your text in Illustrator.

Method 1: The Rotation Arrow/Bounding Box

Step 1: of all the methods, this one is the quickest and easiest. First, select the Type Tool from the left-side toolbar, or just use the keyboard shortcut (T) to add text. Add some text in your text box.

Step 2: Click on the Selection Tool from the toolbar, or you can use the keyboard shortcut, which is (V).

Step 3: Select the text you want to rotate. When you click on the text box using the Selection Tool, you'll see a bounding box around your text. The edges on the bounding box will help you to resize the text box.

Step 4: Now, if you go a little outside of the edges, you'll see a rotation arrow. Click, hold, and drag the arrow. As you drag that pointer, your text will rotate with it.

Metho 2: Using the Rotate Tool

Step 1: Select the text using the Selection Tool (V)

Step 2: Select the Rotate tool from the left-side toolbar menu. Or you can use the keyboard shortcut, which is (Shift + H).

Step 3: Now left-click, hold, and drag your mouse to rotate the text. As you hold and drag, there will be a display of a rotating angle. You can rotate your text in whichever direction, angle, or degree you want.

Step 4: Once you reach your desired rotation angle, you can release the mouse, and your angle will be confirmed.

Method 3: The Free Transform Tool

Step 1: Use the Selection Tool (V) to select the text.

Step 2: After selecting your text, press (E). You will see a Transform Toolbar. Select the Free Transform Tool from the toolbar.

Step 3: Now you take your mouse pointer around the edges of the text box, and you'll find a 4-way curved arrow around your text. This will help you to resize the text box and rotate it.

Metho 4: Using Rotation Function

Step 1: Select the text using the Selection Tool (V).

Step 2: After selecting the text, right-click to open the Options Menu.

Step 3: Now, from the Options Menu, select Transform,and from the extended menu, select Rotate. (Option menu>Transform>Rotate).

Step 4: You'll have a Rotate window where you can set your desired angle for the text.

Step 5: When you're done setting your angle, click OK to apply it.

All of these options work for rotating your text in Adobe Illustrator. It's easy, yet worth trying this technique to give your text a whole new transformation.

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This may seem trivial to a good many of you, but when I first started using Adobe Illustrator, it seemed to present itself as a serious challenge. I want to show you a couple different ways to make your line work a little smoother in Illustrator. With a couple easy tool settings, you'll be making smooth lines in seconds, baby!

Illustrator can be a very intimidating program because of the complexity and wide variety of tools. I know that smooth lines are something we all either need or want at some point or another. At first, I started using the handlebars to try my best to smooth out my paths.

Little did I know, I was wasting a lot of valuable time when all I needed to do was get a little more familiar with Illustrator's tool options. I'll show you two really easy ways to smooth out a line or curve.

What do you mean by smooth lines? Smooth lines do not have sudden breaks, turns and roughness. There is no sudden change in the speed or direction of those lines. To look like a professional graphic designer, you must know all the settings and customization that will help you design perfectly smooth lines. This quick guide will help!

1. Smooth Edges with the Pencil and Paintbrush Tool SettingsDouble Click on the Pencil tool in the tools panel, and you will get the Pencil tool preferences pane. From here you can adjust the amount of smoothness you wish to achieve. I always drag both sliders to the maximum setting when I'm going for smooth. The smoothness option is pretty strait-forward, but the higher the fidelity, the fewer anchor points Illustrator will create. (correct me if I'm wrong about that).

Now click OK and see how smooth you can go. No steady hand necessary. The Paintbrush Tool has the same options, for those of you who like to use the Paintbrush tool instead of the Pencil.

1. Use the Smooth Tool in IllustratorThe second option is to use the Smooth Tool in Illustrator. Click and hold on the Pencil tool to reveal the Smooth tool. Just like the Pencil and Paintbrush, the Smooth tool has fidelity and smoothing options of its own. Just double-click on it to open the Smooth tool preference pane.

You can play around with these settings to get the right amount of smoothing for your liking, but the thing to remember is that the Smooth tool is a great way to smooth out an edge or path that you've already created. I'll show you how it works.

Draw or scribble a rough path with the pencil (or Paintbrush). Now, with your path still selected, select the Smooth tool, click and drag across your selected path to smooth it out.

Repeat until you reach an acceptable result:

Ok, that looks pretty smooth. Done. Notice that the Smooth tool also reduces the number of anchor points in your path.

I was surprised at how long it took me to actually start using these settings, but they can be a serious help and a significant time saver. You have to sacrifice a little accuracy, but if you aren't going for accuracy, the smooth tool and tool options for drawing can come in handy for making those gorgeous, serene, completely smooth lines in Illustrator. I hope it saves you a little bit of time here and there.

One should practice with a different set of customization to draw a perfectly straight line of his own choice. There is a separate tool available to draw a smooth line; thus you can practice with different settings and customization.

Smooth lines appear to be smooth as long as all the settings and customization are set right. This tutorial presents the customization and settings that are necessary for creating perfectly smooth lines so that you can produce a neat and clear image with smooth edges. The pencil and paintbrush tools are popular, and they're used to draw smooth lines.

The post How to Draw Smooth Lines in Illustrator with the Smooth Tool appeared first on Bittbox.

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Swirls and swooshes, or whatever you want to call them, are pretty hard to come by as a freebie (except here on BittBox), and they're even rarer in vector format. Part of the reason is that most people, even avid Illustrator users, don't realize how easy it is to create these shapes with a few simple tricks.

All it takes to create a swirl is a few simple yet not highly utilized Illustrator tips. I'll show you how to easily create your swirls and swooshes in Adobe Illustrator. It's not nearly as difficult as you might think. . .

And to answer all of your questions: Yes, I made all those designs on my own (with a bit of help from Vectips.com and their awesome Adobe Illustrator tutorials). The same goes for every BittBox release. All of my files are hand-made by me, not borrowed.

If this is your first time attempting a tutorial like this, I suggest following it exactly as I have it here, then going back over the process and playing with your options later.

I will outline how to do this, but you should always take my methods and play around with your options, such as stroke sizes or brush shapes. When brushes of different shapes and kinds are applied to the different geometrical figures, it results in geometrical figures of different thickness at different points and styles.

• Swoosh refers to the specific geometrical shapes that are soft and sleek on the edges.
• Swirls refer to the inter-connected pattern of sharp geometrical shapes.
• Curls refer to curved geometric shapes with random and intricate patterns.

In this tutorial, you'll learn to combine geometric shapes and form unique patterns and curls in Illustrator. Designing and combining these swooshes and swirls require a great deal of precision. An experienced designer has practiced his craft with all the different tools available in Photoshop. Adobe software has been designed so that the designer can easily adapt to all kinds of tools and crafts.

Let's Get StartedWe will create a custom brush in Illustrator to help us draw these shapes a lot quicker. The first thing you need to do is use the Ellipse (circle) tool and create a circle on the artboard. Hold down the Shift key while dragging to constrain the circle. The circle shown here is the exact size I used.

Now use the Direct Selection tool (white arrow) to select the point on the right side of that circle and drag it out to the right. Like this:

Select the Convert Anchor Point tool and click on the anchor point you dragged to remove the handlebars and make it a sharp corner.

Select your shape with the Selection tool (black arrow), and in the “Brushes” palette, click on the arrow in the upper right. Select “New Brush.”

You'll get a new brush prompt. Select “New Art Brush” and hit OK.

Now you'll be given some brush options. Make sure your brush direction goes from left to right (Big to Small) like below, and hit OK. You can play with these settings later.

You should now see your new brush in your brushes palette.

You'll learn how to replicate a geometrical shape or create its reflection in the inverse pattern. Swirl refers to the spiral shape, and you'll learn to create a spiral shape of thick stroke. You'll also learn to combine the two geometrical shapes or swirls to appear as a single shape without any overlapping.

You'll learn to overlap two different geometrical figures so that no marks or paths are leftover. You can replicate these geometrical shapes in horizontal or vertical shape. You'll learn to make multiple geometrical shapes to overlap one over the other properly.

You can craft geometrical figures of your own, increase the stroke, fill up them with an appropriate color, combine those shapes properly to create a new geometrical shape, and create wonderful decorations to use in your ongoing projects.

You've Got Bour Brush, Now Make a Swirl or Swoosh:Ok, it's time to make swirls in Illustrator. First, make sure you set your stroke to black, and “none” for fill, in the tools palette. Like this:

Now select the Spiral tool, and click once on the artboard without dragging to bring up the tool options. Below are the settings I used: Radius-50px, Decay-80, Segments-4. Again, play with these settings later.

Click “OK” to create your shape, which should look like this:

Keep your shape selected and apply your custom brush we just made by clicking on it in the “Brushes” Palette.

Your shape should now look like this:

Now adjust your stroke size in the Stroke panel to impact the width.

I rotated my shape a bit:

Combining Multiple SwirlsNow that you have your basic swirl and an easy way to quickly create more, let's combine a couple and make an interesting design. Read this section closely because if you miss a step, you might litter your Illustrator file with leftover paths that you can't see.

Use the Spiral tool to create a second swirl with these settings: Radius-30px, Decay-80, Segments-2 (detailed instructions above). And apply the same custom brush stroke. Your artboard should now look like this:

Reflect your new shape by right-clicking on it and selecting “Transform – Reflect.”

Make sure your reflect axis is Vertical and click OK

Next, Overlap your 2 shapes the way you like them. Keep them selected, go to the “Object” menu and select “Expand Appearance.”

What this does is outline the brush stroke. So now you have your 2 shapes, but they have an outline AND the leftover path from the Spiral tool. We need to eliminate the leftover path so it doesn't get in the way later. Your shape should now look something like this:

Use the Direct Selection tool (white arrow) to select BOTH of your shapes, like below, and drag them away from their current position to expose the leftover spiral paths. Notice that you don't see the paths in the selection before dragging.

Now that you dragged your two filled shapes away from where they were, you can delete the leftover spiral paths.

You won't be able to see these paths, so you can do one of 2 things to find them quickly.

1. Hit Control + A on the keyboard to select everything, and you'll see all your paths on the artboard.
2. Hit Control + Y to view everything in outline mode.

Either way, select the leftover spiral paths and delete them. I used Control + A. Then I deselected my filled shapes by holding down Shift and clicking on them. Then I hit Delete on the keyboard.

Now that you have your fill, outlined swooshes, you can easily combine them into one shape with a single path using the Pathfinder panel. Select both shapes, and click on the first icon in the Pathfinder to combine the shapes.

Important: After combining the path, immediately click the Expand button in the same Pathfinder palette. This gets rid of any overlapping paths!

Here is the result: A single swoosh made from two, with one path!

Tips for Exploring This on Your Own:Now you have harnessed the power of a custom brush, expanding appearance, and Pathfinder to make custom swooshes and swirls. (Wow, I guess this lesson covers a lot more than I thought.) I have a couple of tips to help you speed up your swirl-creating process:

Once you create one swirl design, it's easy to copy and overlap that same design by resizing, reflecting, or rotating, to create a more complex design derived from the original. Like this:

Then combine their paths in the Pathfinder panel (detailed instructions above) by hitting the combine paths icon and Expand button in that order.

Here is the result:

Illustrator quick tip: ALWAYS keep a copy of your original shape untouched on your artboard somewhere, don't rely on “Undo.”

I hope this tutorial helps! It took me a long time to figure all of this out, but once you look at it, all it takes is a few key steps, which individually aren't that advanced even for beginner graphic designers.

Download the file I used for this tutorial.

The post How to Make Swirls, Swooshes, and Curls in Adobe Illustrator appeared first on Bittbox.

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The following steps will show you how to flip an object horizontally or vertically or change the angle in Adobe Illustrator. There are many situations and scenarios where this technique will come in handy. For this tutorial, we're working with a simple shape, but you can use the same steps to flip other objects.

Step 1Choose the Selection Tool (keyboard shortcut V) and select the object you want to flip.

Step 2Select the Rotate Tool (keyboard shortcut O). You'll see an anchor point in the center of the object when the Rotate Tool is active. This point represents where the reflection/flip will occur. If you need to move point, you can do so by clicking and dragging.

Step 3Press the Alt key + click on the object. You'll see the Reflect setting window, where horizontal, vertical, and angle change options are presented. We'll flip this triangle horizontally, so select the horizontal option and then click the ok button.

Of course, you can select “vertical” if you wish to flip the object vertically.

Step 4If you want another flip angle, you can change the Angle value. For example, I put 360 degrees, then click ok.

Tip: You can also use Illustrator's Transform panel, to flip an object in the same way.

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Do you want to make your documents and designs look divine? Angelic fonts are perfect for any religious, spiritual, or heavenly design project. They evoke feelings of purity, love, and serenity.

The best heavenly and angelic fonts are perfect for giving your designs an ethereal feel. From delicate serifs to bold script styles, these typefaces bring a softness and light touch that will add a magical quality to any project.

Angelic fonts can make your writing look like it's come down from the heavens. They will add a sense of beauty and serenity to whatever you create. They can be used for invitations, cards, posters, or any other type of document that needs an extra touch of refinement.

Best Heavenly and Angelic FontsAngelic fonts can be used in various projects. These fonts have become increasingly popular in recent years thanks to their ability to evoke a feeling of grace and beauty.

We've compiled some of the best fonts into this handy list. So we've got you covered whether you're looking for something sweet and innocent or powerful and majestic. Take a look at our favorites below!

Angelic Brush and SVG FontAngelic Brush is a cool and stylish handwritten script font that will make your work look fresh. Its unique characters come from its thick brush strokes and realistic edges, making it perfect for adding a playful touch to your artistic design projects.

Not all brushes are created equal. Some, like ‘Angelic,' have a special quality that makes them stand out and make your design feel more authentic.

AngelThe Angel Script is a beautiful caligraphy-style design developed by Cocodesign. Inspired by the hand-painted lettering of Renaissance manuscripts, the classic script has an elegant, timeless, and classic expression. It's perfect for invitations, cards, logos, and other creative designs.

The font includes extra swashes and ligatures that add a special touch to each letter. The Angel script is easy to read and perfect for digital or print projects. The unique details make it the ideal choice for any creative project.

Angels LoveThe Angels Love Font has an angelic, heavenly feel, perfect for creating beautiful messages of hope and joy. The letters flow gracefully and strongly, giving your writing an elegant and powerful touch.

This cute and playful font is great for branding projects or anything that needs an elegant handwriting style.

Angel Heart Display FontAngel Heart is an elegant, quirky handwritten font with a unique, flowing style. Its tall, slender letterforms create a graceful, ethereal look. The font also has a variety of special characters and swashes to help you customize your design even further.

With its delicate lines and subtle curves, Angel Heart is an ideal choice to add sophistication to any project. Not too thick and heavy, but also varied enough that it won't get boring after one glance at all of its letters.

Wonder Angel FontWonder Angel Script Font is a beautiful and stylish handwritten font. This authoritative and playful typeface will make your messages feel like they've been written in the spur of the moment. With soft curves, Playful Scripts has a smooth vibe, making them perfect for any occasion.

Hello Angel – Kids FontHello Angel Kids Font is a playful and fun display typeface designed especially for children. It features bold letters with rounded letters that help capture the attention of young eyes. It's perfect for encouraging learning with a bit of extra visual flair.

With its fun and friendly look, Hello Angel Kids Font is sure to bring a smile to your little one's face! Make learning time even more fun with this versatile font that can be used for books, posters, webpages, and even classroom materials.

Cutie AngelThe Cutie Angel font is a sweet, modern, and whimsical script with a unique design. It features beautiful curves, a love connection sign, and playful swashes that make your fun moment more memorable.

This font is perfect for adding personality and charm to any environment. Create beautiful quotes, invitations, or letters with this playful font.

Boston AngelBoston Angel features classic serif letterforms and a unique, contemporary design aesthetic. This classy and modern letterform features delicate lines and curves that evoke traditional serifs but also have a modern twist.

Some letters are slightly sloped, and the alternate version has an elegant, hand-drawn feel. Its balance of classic shapes and modern design makes it a great choice for adding old-school style to your display or body copy in print or digital media.

AngeleThe Angele serif font featuring stylish thin curves is the perfect addition to any classic design project. This modern-looking typeface has a unique construction that makes it both crisp and timeless.

This beautiful script will give any design project an instant touch of class and style. Plus, you'll receive 12 hand-drawn illustrations to bring out its style even more so than before.

Heaven & Faith Font DuoHeaven & Faith is a beautiful font duo for creating beautiful, timeless designs. With its graceful curved lines and elegant serifs, this modern classic oozes sophistication and style.

This duo takes traditional lettering and elevates it with modern functionalities and a unique style. The combination of Heaven, a beautiful script typeface, and Faith, an accompanying slab serif font, gives this font duo an instant charm. Perfect for wedding boutiques and other fashion designs.

Angel MaleficentAngel Maleficent is a font designed to evoke feelings of strength and beauty. It has a strong and imposing appearance, with bold characters that make up a powerful, authoritative aesthetic.

The font is based on traditional calligraphy but with an edgy twist that makes it stand out from the other typeface. Its distinct curves represent royalty, majesty, and invitations to branding materials.

Heaven of LoveHeaven of Love is a hybrid font that combines traditional calligraphy with modern serif. This font has beautiful curves and strokes, reminiscent of classic calligraphy, and modern elements such as bold lines and sharp edges.

It also features a variety of ligature characters that can be used to add curiosity and variation. The font is suitable for any design project, from formal documents to web design. With Heaven of Love, you can create stunning visual effects with ease.

AngelicAngelic is a modern serif font that brings an elegant touch to any design work. The font is characterized by its graceful curves and delicate letterforms, creating a refined look. Its thin strokes and strong lines create a bold presence, while its narrow proportions give the font an air of refinement.

Angelic will make your project classic and fantastic. This unique design is perfect for website headlines, product branding, and other short luxury text.

Angelist Heart FontAngelist Heart is a unique and beautiful angelic typeface inspired by traditional calligraphy. It features delicate heart shape curves, swirls, and generous letter spacing that lend itself to an inviting and romantic atmosphere.

Angelist Heart has PUA-encoded characters that dance along the baseline. You can access all of their amazing glyphs with ease. It has a standard condensed spacing option and can be optimized at any size.

Heaven & EarthHeaven and Earth is a beautiful signature-style real handwriting font designed to be smart, trendy, and fashionable. The letters also have distinct flourishes that draw the eye and add visual interest.

This unique and elegant font was designed with special attention to authenticity and style. Its lovely, sweeping curves add characters and charm to invitations, cards, posters, logos, apparel designs, and more.

Heaven ScapeHeaven Scape is a typeface that stands out for its all-caps style. Its bold letterforms, inspired by classic European typography, are designed to be versatile, highly legible, and perfect for any project requiring eye-catching display text.

The variety of alternates, rounded shapes, and bold styles will make your designs shine even more!

Helo AngelHelo Angel is a fashionable calligraphy-style typeface that brings a touch of timelessness, luxury, and romance into any design project. The font features clean lines and bold shapes that draw the eye and provide a strong visual impact without being overly busy or distracting.

Each character dancing along its baseline will leave you feeling like royalty. With its careful balance of serifs, curves, and straight lines, Heaven Scape makes it easy to make a statement without compromising readability.

Why You'll Love Using These Angelic FontsFonts play an important role in how visitors perceive your website or design. By using fonts that are associated with beauty and the divine, you can create a more positive impression for potential customers.

Fonts are often associated with certain qualities, such as being angelic or heavenly. This is because the shapes of the letters can be perceived differently, affecting how we feel. For example, swirls and curves are seen as more feminine and romantic, while blocker font is more masculine and authoritative.

Angelic and heavenly fonts are typestyles that evoke the ethereal beauty of the heavens. If you want to create an angelic or heavenly brand experience, consider using fonts with light and airy characteristics.

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Curving a line? It seems like a pretty simple thing, right?

But in software like Adobe Illustrator, it's a little more complicated than drawing a curved line on paper. Here I'll explain four simple and effective methods to curve a line.

Anchor Point Tool In my opinion, this is one of the easiest methods to curve a line. To use the Anchor Point tool, first, you need to create a line using the Line Segment tool. You can find the anchor point tool in the toolbar to the left and in the dropdown menu for the Pen tool. Similarly, you can also click Shift + C if you prefer keyboard shortcuts.

Once you've selected the tool, all you have to do is click on the path and drag it to create a curve. The good part about this is that you can use the available handles and anchor points to adjust the curve according to your preference.

Moreover, one of my favorite things is that if you click on the anchor point once more, the line will return to what it was previously. Now, you can edit it again.

Curvature Tool in Illustrator This is also available on the toolbar at the left, as shown.

The Curvature tool is different from the Anchor Point tool because it does not have handles. With this tool, you can create several anchor points. And simple as that, by moving the anchor points, you can curve the line as much as you want.

Look at the example above. Creating a replica of the apple logo with the pen tool can be time-consuming. Thus, I'll show you the simplest way to do that with the curvature tool. First, you must hold down the Alt key (in Windows) or Option key (in Mac). This will make sure that the lines drawn are straight.

Then by selecting the first anchor point we made, stretch-out lines between each corner of the logo.

Your logo should look something like this when you are done. But don’t worry. This is not the final outline.

After doing this, you can select any point on the line and drag it upwards or inwards to adjust the curve according to the logo. You can adjust the anchor point according to whatever you need, and you can easily create the perfect designs.

And there it is! The final product will then look like this. Now, even amateur designers can create unique and complicated designs!

Direct Selection Tool The Direct Selection tool is also available on the toolbar at the left. It's next to the Selection tool, but it's special because it allows you to select the anchor points directly. But, with this, you cannot curve a single straight line. Thus, if that's what you are trying to do, you should try the tools explained above.

This tool can be used to curve edges. For example, if there's a rectangle with sharp edges and you want them to be curved, all you have to do is select the line to show the anchor points. The small blue dots near the corner of the shapes are the anchor points.

Once that's done, drag the anchor points inwards, and the edges will curve.

One of the best parts of this tool is that there are direction handles to adjust the shape according to your preference. Because the direction handles can then be used to adjust the curve to your liking, so rather than having to go back and revise your work, you can simply adjust the errors right there and then. For example, if you want to change the oval below to a teardrop, simply follow the steps I have outlined.

Tip: If you want to create sharp-edged curves, you can press the Alt key while moving the handlebar. For example, if you want to change the shape above into a teardrop, then simply click Alt, and move the handlebars.

As you can probably see, the handlebars bent downwards form sharp edges for the curved tear droplet.

Curving a Line Using the Pen Tool in Illustrator This is another handy tool that's commonly used. To access the Pen tool, you can select it from the toolbar on the left, or you can simply click P to quickly select it. Now, I'll show you how to curve lines using this tool.

First and foremost, you need to click Shift and continue holding Shift throughout this process. The purpose of this is to keep the lines straight and ordered. Now click on the screen and drag upwards.

The resulting line will look something like this. Now, while holding Shift, continue the line and create another anchor point across from the first one. And voila, you have your first curve! Notice the handles. These can help adjust the curve according to your preference.

To form a pattern, drag the next line downwards, and select the anchor point on the other side. Continue doing this to form the pattern seen below.

That's it! These are the four simplest and most reliable methods (in my opinion) to curve a line in Illustrator.

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Illustrator is a great tool for creating unique designs and shapes. But, knowing how to merge paths to create the desired design is a crucial skill one should know while designing.

But worry no more because here I'll show you three quick and easy ways to merge the paths of different lines or shapes in Adobe Illustrator.

Keyboard Shortcut for Merging Paths While trying to create a logo or design in illustrator, one of the problems you'll encounter is how to merge two separate lines. The first thought will probably be to drag them over one another. But that's not correct.

This task can be achieved using a few simple steps. I'll explain this using a simple example. As represented in the image below, first, you have to create two lines or paths.

Before you continue with any method, select the lines or paths you want to merge. To do this, you can either choose the Sub-Selection tool, which is at the top left corner of the toolbar, or you can simply click A and access it immediately through the keyboard shortcut.

Now, you're probably thinking, why don’t we just drag the first line over the other? That would be easier, but the problem is that it will not work properly. The resulting image after doing that will look something like this.

Thus, the first step to merge these two paths is to select the two lines and press Ctrl + J in Windows or Command + J on Mac. Immediately you'll see that the paths are now connected. Your paths are now merged.

How to Merge Paths using the Shape Finder Tool Another method for merging paths is the Shape Finder Tool. This tool is the most common and a personal favorite. Now, notice the shapes below. If you want to combine both of them to make one, you can either use the shortcut above or follow the simple steps given below.

The first step is simply selecting both shapes by dragging your cursor over them. Next, select the Shape Builder Tool from the menu or click Shift + M.

Once you have selected the tool, all you have to do is click and drag the cursor across the shape. You'll see a single dotted line as you drag it across the shape.

After you're done, you'll see the shapes are now merged.

Voila! You’re done! Just like that, the shapes are now merged.

Merging Shapes Using the Pathfinder Tool in Illustrator The third and final way to merge paths is by using the Pathfinder Tool. This is one of the older methods, but that doesn't mean it's any less effective.

To use this method, simply select the shapes as you did before. Then go to the Window drop down Menu and select the Pathfinder tool.

A small pop-up window will open up on the side of the screen. After selecting both shapes, go to the pop-up window. The first option is the Unite tool.

When you select this, it immediately merges the path and creates one.

That's it! These are three of the most effective methods to combine shapes or paths in Illustrator.

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Utilizing presets in Photoshop is a great way to speed up the design process. Of course, Photoshop comes with some default presets for things like gradients, patterns, custom shapes, and layer styles, but you can also create your own presets or install presets that you've downloaded.

Today, we're showcasing Photoshop gradients you can download and install. The default gradients that come with Photoshop are fairly limited, but you'll have endless possibilities with the help of the gradients found here.

Photoshop GradientsEverything shown in this collection of gradients is available from Envato Elements. Subscribers get unlimited downloads of millions of design resources, including these gradients that will save you countless hours.

Whether creating a gradient background or applying a gradient map to an image, the resources are surely useful. Each gradient pack includes several presets with specific colors or themes.

Bold Photoshop Gradients25 Tropical Photoshop Gradients – Volume 125 Tropical Photoshop Gradients – Volume 2'80s Gradients – Volume 1'80s Gradients – Volume 2Iridescent GradientsHolographic GradientsPsychedelic GradientsHappy Photoshop GradientsKids' GradientsSunset GradientsPastel GradientsLight GradientsRainbow GradientsSpring GradientsSummer GradientsFall Photoshop GradientsWinter GradientsRetro GradientsVintage GradientsCream GradientsWedding Photoshop GradientsNight GradientsNature Photoshop GradientsFood GradientsSpace GradientsDark GradientsWarm Photoshop GradientsSkin GradientsCoffee GradientsNeon GradientsGold GradientsEarth-Toned GradientsFrequently Asked QuestionsWhat are Photoshop gradients? Photoshop offers many different types of presets, including gradient. When you use the gradient tool, you can set your own custom colors or choose a preset. Photoshop comes with some default gradient presets, but you can also create and save your own, or download and install presets created by others.

How do I install gradient presets in Photoshop? Click on the gear icon in the gradient tool and click on “import gradients.” Now, browse your desktop to find the gradient file you want to import. You'll need to download it first if you're getting the file from a third-party. Gradient preset files will end in .grd.

How do I use Photoshop gradients? Gradients can be used in many ways, including backgrounds and layer overlays. Photoshop comes with default gradient presets, but you can expand your options by downloading and installing third-party gradient packs, or you can create your own.

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When we create a new document in Adobe Illustrator, we usually start with one artboard by default, but sometimes we may include more than just one artboard. Working with multiple artboards helps you to work more efficiently as it allows you to manage all your files in one document.

If we work in Adobe Illustrator daily, arranging and rearranging the artboard becomes a part and parcel of our daily tasks. Especially if we're working on a big project, moving the artboard tends to occur more frequently.

Organizing your artboard may help in boosting productivity as well as creativity. Moreover, it’s always better to find your necessary work in an orderly manner in one place. Thankfully, there are ways to move your artboard. In this tutorial, we are going to learn 2 different ways how you can move artboards in Illustrator.

Method 1: Using the Artboard ToolStep 1: In this method, you must select the Artboard Tool first. The keyboard shortcut to this tool is (Shift+ O).

Step 2: After you're done with selecting your artboard tool, it’s time to select the artboard you want to move or reorder. Click on the artboard you want to select.

Step 3: Now drag the selected artboard to your desired location.

Tip: In the same way, you can duplicate any artboard in three simple steps: 1) click on the artboard, 2) press the Alt key, 3) and drag it.

Method 2: Using the Artboard PanelStep 1: Open the Artboard panel from the right side Toolbar. Now, if you don't have an artboard panel anywhere on your screen, you can manually open it from the Window menu from the toolbar. Drag the panel to your tray. Now you have your artboard panel handy in your tray.

Step 2: In the artboard panel, you'll see the list of your artboards. Here you can customize, reorder, resize, remove, or move your artboards. In a nutshell, you'll get all the tools to edit your artboards in the artboard panel.

Step 3: Select the artboard you want to move from the list of artboards from the artboard panel.

Step 4: After selecting the artboard, use the navigation button (move up or down arrow) to direct artboards up and down wherever you want to put that artboard.

Step 5: When you're done with your desired position of the artboard, you can save the document, and only then can you see the changes you made or the order you implement for the artboards.

Alternatively, you can select, drag, and direct an artboard to the desired position in the artboard panel.

Tip 1: In the same way, you can also remove or delete an artboard by simply selecting an artboard and clicking on the delete icon, which you can find at the bottom left corner of the artboard panel.

Tip 2: Click the Rearrange All Artboards option on the left bottom side of the panel. Here you can modify the order, layout, and appearance of your artboards.

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Among many powerful tools in Adobe Photoshop is the king of kings: the pen tool. This tool is often a source of confusion and frustration if you're not familiar with how to use it.

Although creating paths with the pen tool is difficult at first, the process becomes easier with practice and is well worth the effort for the designer. Every path is vector-based which means you can scale it larger or smaller without any quality loss.

But paths can be very frustrating if you don't know how to use them. In this tutorial, I'd like to cover the process of converting a path into a shape layer using Adobe Photoshop.

In case you didn't already know, shape layers are merely paths that can hold fills & outlines. This also means you can apply layer effects and even filters if you convert the same into a smart object.

Note that a path is merely a series of points like an outline which can become a selection. It's the raw material of shapes but not quite a shape in itself.

Related reading: Free Photoshop Custom Shapes

1. Draw the Path in PhotoshopFirst, create a new document and just draw a path on the canvas. You might draw a crazy random shape, or you might take the time to design a simple icon. I've created a relatively flat checkmark that looks like this:

Note that you need to actually complete the path to create a shape. This means after creating the first anchor point, you should place a few more on the document and bend/twist them as needed.

Bring the shape all the way around back to where you started and click back onto the first anchor point to close the path. The pen icon will have a little circle next to it when you're about to close the path.

Afterward, you'll notice there's a completed path located in the paths panel. By default this is called a Work Path in the Layers Panel, but you can rename it to save the path for later use.

1. Convert a Path to a Shape in PhotoshopWith the working path selected, move up to the menu bar and click Layer -> New Fill Layer. Three new options will appear in a menu which determine how your shape turns out. The best choice is “Solid Color…” because that's the default for every shape in Photoshop.

Even with a solid fill color, you can still achieve a gradient or pattern background using layer effects. But if you want to try out the different methods, feel free to experiment.

Once you click any of these choices (for now, let's do solid color) a New Layer window appears. You might give this shape layer a name, opacity, or blend mode. But all of this stuff can be changed later, so just hit OK, and then you can choose the fill color. It'll default to your foreground color but feel free to change this if needed.

If you want to change the shape layer's fill color at a later point, just double-click on the layer icon in the layers palette. Or you can choose one of the shape tools (doesn't matter which one), and while selecting the newly-created shape layer, just change the fill option directly from the options bar.

1. Adding EffectsOnce you have the shape layer, it's easy to manipulate. You can choose from any layer effects to create details like drop shadows, textures, gradients, or similar options. Since the shape layer is a vector, you can hit CTRL+T and transform the graphic to any size without quality loss. The layer effects will also scale accordingly.

If you right-click on the shape layer and choose “Convert to Smart Object” the shape itself is now editable within a .PSB file. Much like the PSD file format, the PSB (Photoshop Big) contains pixel information that relates to filters, layer effects, graphics, and of course, vector work.

Sometimes you'll find PSBs as separate files, but in this case, the PSB would be saved within the PSD. This allows you to add something called smart filters onto a vector item, typically requiring destructive filters.

Basically, a Smart Object is like a compartmentalized image stored within the main document. No data is lost between the shape layer to smart object conversion, and there are quite a few benefits to using the smart object. It all depends on what you need to do with the shape.

Also, remember that your path should still be available in the paths panel. So if you decide to modify the shape's anchor points but need a different copy, you can always rebuild a new shape layer from the original path by following the steps above.

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In Illustrator, when you draw an object, apply a stroke, then resize that object up or down, you can control whether or not the stroke size gets scaled too, or stays the same. The way you control this feature is from the “Transform” palette (Window > Transform). This can be very useful for things like...

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If you're new to Illustrator, two of the first things you must learn are the tools you're going to use and the basic shapes you can make using them. In today’s tutorial, we focus on how to make a semicircle using a few different methods. Here you'll learn simple and easy ways to draw a...

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When working on design projects, the typeface chosen sets the tone for the entire design. It's important to know the audience, the mood, and the desired outcome for the design piece to help a graphic designer pick the right classy-looking font for a project. The fonts featured here are ideal for clean, modern, and elegant...

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When choosing the right type family for headlines, a graphic designer must focus on elements that draw visual appeal and attention to the text. It's important to work with fonts that are an ideal choice for headlines. Those are fonts that are big and bold. They are fonts that work well with large formats. Headline...

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Do you want to exercise your creativity and impress others with your new and innovative illustrations? Adobe Illustrator is just the software to do it. But, to become a professional, one needs to know how to align text and images properly to create refined images. So, if you are stressing over the minute details that...

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While Adobe Illustrator is one of the best programs for creating vector images, it's undoubtedly one of the most intricate. For an illustrator, the eraser is a crucial tool, and understanding how to change its shape and size is essential for any novice or professional designer to create stellar images. There are two ways to...

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Searching for the perfect neon font? Don't worry; we got you covered. Check out these rad fonts that will make your design pop! Get creative and add some high-voltage style to your designs. When deciding on the perfect neon font, there are many factors to consider. The most crucial factor is the message you want...

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One of the best things about winter is the opportunity to bundle up in cozy, warm clothes. But what about your fonts? As the temperatures drop, your regular fonts might start to look a bit out of place. That's why we've rounded up some of the best winter fonts to keep your designs looking fresh...

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Working with a large font library is imperative for graphic designers who want to harness advanced typography techniques. This article will highlight some of the most beautiful thin fonts and typefaces. These are great options to add to your library. Sometimes the biggest and boldest font on the market is not the right choice. Sometimes...

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Are you looking for sports fonts that'll genuinely blow your competition away? These sports fonts are some of the most popular and high-quality sports-niched fonts you'll find. They'll work to completely revolutionize and bring your work to a new level that the competition won't be able to beat! Unlimited Downloads: Millions of Creative Assets by...

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The video game industry has come a long way from its humble beginnings in the 1970s. Today, the gaming industry is worth billions of dollars and continues to grow yearly. As games become more visually stunning and immersive, typography plays a crucial role in creating a unique aesthetic and enhancing gameplay. Video game fonts are...

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Slab serif fonts are similar to basic serif fonts but are uniquely characterized by thick, blocky serifs. Lund Humphries invented this popular typeface in Britain. However, the typeface wasn't used commercially until many years later when Vincent Figgins first applied it to his work. The appeal of slab serif fonts comes from the fact that...

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Funky fonts are known for their custom and unusual lettering. It works well with creating a mood on screen or in print. Graphic designers need a diverse font library for product design, product packaging, advertisements, movie titles, and more! The following 30+ fonts are distinctly different and create a funky vibe to incorporate into projects....

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Cool dinosaur typefaces are made for fun and bold design. It's important to remember that various TV shows have used fonts like those highlighted below to create a branded look that becomes pulp culture icons for decades. These are great options for print design projects of all kinds. From birthday invites for a rambunxious T-Rex...

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Looking to add a touch of hip-hop to your next design project? Check out the 30 best hip-hop fonts showcased here. From classic graffiti-inspired typefaces to modern, edgy designs, there's something for everyone here. So get creative and give your projects that urban edge they need. Hip-hop has a unique history and style, often celebrated...

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Did you know there's a huge variety of sans serif fonts you can use in your projects? It's quite large, actually. The truth is, it's not easy to learn everything about all the great fonts that exist. Of course, most designers know about popular sans-serif fonts – like Helvetica, for example – but there are...

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Are you tired of using the same fonts to create your designs? We've collected 37 of the best stamp fonts for you to use in your next project. Whether you're making a logo, flyer, or social media post, we've got the perfect font. Good typography can make or break a design. Finding the right font...

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Every graphic designer needs access to several high-quality serif fonts. These versatile typefaces can be used for body copy, headlines, branding, and much more. This collection showcases the best serif fonts worth adding to your toolbox. Some can be used in endless ways, while others are more suited for large text like titles and headlines....

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Looking for beautiful characters to create amazing stylized designs? Then, Victorian vintage style typefaces need to be added to your font library. The pairs of letters create their own artwork for maximized stylistic graphic design expression. Many character options and vector ornaments make this selection of fonts accessible in all sorts of design software. In...

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When it comes to typography and fonts, letters get most of the attention. But numbers are also an essential part of many designs. Whether you're designing an infographic, a calendar, athletic jerseys, or anything else that features numbers, having the right typeface is critical to get the end result you're after. Here, you'll find the...

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Rounded fonts have a friendly and welcoming feel, even if it's subtle. Serif and sans serif typefaces can be rounded, and in this article, we'll showcase the best rounded fonts available. You'll love incorporating them into your designs! The Best Rounded Fonts While all of these fonts feature rounded edges or corners, many different styles...

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Marquee fonts can bring a retro or vintage touch to your designs while creating drama and excitement. The look of your text will resemble lights and signs from theaters and cinemas of the past. With the help of the best marquee fonts, you can recreate the look quickly and easily within any of your designs....

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Racing fonts embody a singular mood of speed and power. This collection of fonts helps designers take their projects to the next level by creating various designs. Look through the list of 30+ race fonts below to find the one that will make your project a powerful design capable of being displayed on the Megatron....

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Using the right fonts will make your retro and vintage designs more genuine and authentic. If you want to create a design that looks and feels like it came from the 1980s, there are many excellent fonts you can use, and you'll find the best options here. Whether you're designing a poster, a movie cover,...

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Military fonts favor bold styles. These fonts embody not just a graphic design element but an idea and presence the artist wants to convey to the audience. Military fonts are often made of heavy strong letterforms. There's a wide variety of fonts out there, and military fonts are useful for design projects like posters, book...

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Curvy fonts bring a friendly appeal to most creative projects. Whether the font emulates handwriting or uses curves to create thick, beautiful letterforms, these curvy fonts will surely find a place within your work. The list below highlights some of the best curvy fonts on the market today to elevate a designer's font library to...

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Creating clean, sharp artwork is within reach using a few mouse clicks to take a base design to an original. Custom shapes are items that work well within Adobe Photoshop to create graphical artwork. Not only are custom shapes preloaded into the program files, but you as the designer can create your own custom shapes...

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When you're designing for print, it's important to make sure that your file uses the CMYK color space so the colors will print accurately. But one of the challenges you may be facing is getting a true black in CMYK. You might end up with something that's more like a dark gray than a pure...

The post True Black in CMYK: How to Get Rich Black for Printing appeared first on Bittbox.

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Psychedelic fonts are in a league of their own. From neon bright colors to patterns to reversed text, this is a font group that brings out another dimension of design for most professional graphic designers. Psychedelic designs were popular in the 1960s and '70s. It was an era of love, peace, and free spirit. Designing...

The post 40 of the Best Psychedelic Fonts for Trippy Designs appeared first on Bittbox.

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There's something nostalgic about the iconic Wild West. There's a rustic, rough character to all things that it embodies, especially in design and typography. Western fonts can be used in a variety of projects that help to enhance an element of depth and diversity. Using these in Adobe Photoshop, Adobe Illustrator, or Adobe InDesign will...

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Photoshop layer styles can be a huge time-saver for designers. With the right layer styles in your arsenal, you can add beautiful effects to text, shapes, and other layers within your design in just a single click. These styles can be used over and over again whenever needed. Here we'll showcase a huge collection of...

The post The Best Photoshop Layer Styles for Your Designs appeared first on Bittbox.