108
votes
Accepted
How to change the color of the artboard in Adobe Illustrator?
The easiest way to see white artwork in Illustrator is by opening the View Menu and selecting Show Transparency Grid. This gives your white artwork something to contrast with. You can adjust the color ...
- 2,193
79
votes
Can I reduce the file size of an SVG to be closer to its JPEG equivalent?
As Wrzlprmft has already pointed out, over 50% of your SVG file's size is taken up by an embedded PNG bitmap image used to create a fairly subtle shading effect on the controller. Just getting rid of ...
- 16k
65
votes
Accepted
How can I get a transparent artboard?
The background is transparent. It is just emulating paper so you can not see it. A block of white is different from the white background.
You can enable Photoshop like transparency grid by choosing ...
- 56.6k
54
votes
Accepted
Image looks embossed when converted to SVG
They are called conflation artifacts, if you want to see how different vector engines react see here. If you want to understand the technical reason for some discussion see here. Basically conflation ...
- 56.6k
40
votes
Accepted
Can I reduce the file size of an SVG to be closer to its JPEG equivalent?
Your SVG contains an embedded pixel graphic for the shade in the bottom right of the controller. This is responsible for about ⅔ of the file size. If you remove it, your SVG file is en par with your ...
- 14.4k
37
votes
Accepted
How was this logo constructed?
Simply set the stroke weights the same for an ellipses and a line. Don't use a "rectangle" anywhere.
Then select all and use Object > Expand to create shapes, then use the Shape Builder tool to ...
- 203k
36
votes
Accepted
How to modify the corner radius on rounded rectangle in Illustrator?
In the new Adobe Illustrator CC, you can use 2 easy methods to change the corner radius of a rounded corner rectangle that has already been drawn:
1. By moving the round handles
Simply hold and drag ...
- 13.6k
35
votes
How come my text looks like it is not dead centered?
This is an optical illusion.
The weight of the lower text is pulling your eyes even when not focusing on it. Its a concept called "optical center," which is well documented. The mathematical ...
- 630
34
votes
Accepted
How can I open a PDF in illustrator and convert text with a missing font into outlines
1) First create a new document in Illustrator
2) Go to File -> Place and choose your PDF
3) Make sure the link box is checked and click Place. When the Place dialogue box pops up, click OK.
4) Go ...
- 12.9k
33
votes
Accepted
How do I apply a gradient across multiple objects in Illustrator?
In order to get a single gradient to cover multiple objects, you need to use the Gradient Tool.
Select your objects, then with the Gradient Tool, click and drag from where you want the gradient to ...
- 203k
31
votes
How to make a circle with grid on the outside ring
Draw 2 concentric circles
Draw a connecting line (w. line tool for example)
Enable rotate tool (with line selected) and alt click on the center of circle.
Type in a value in degrees that is a ...
- 56.6k
29
votes
Can I reduce the file size of an SVG to be closer to its JPEG equivalent?
I am a little surprised no-one has mentioned the "Scour" extension. It's bundled with Inkscape (as of v0.47), and does many of the optimisations mentioned by
Ilmari Karonen.
- 291
29
votes
Accepted
How would you create this geometric logo?
This is a blend between the outer circle and the inner ellipse.
Draw both ellipse and circle, both with a stroke colour and no fill.
Align their centers so they overlap.
Select the 'blend' tool.
...
- 25k
28
votes
Accepted
How do I curve Text in Illustrator CS5?
There are several ways to curve text in Illustrator, but the easiest is to select your text (It does not need to be outlined) and go to Effect -> Warp -> Arc... in the main menu.
The harder way (Not ...
- 843
27
votes
Accepted
How can I create this warped circular text?
Type your fonts (in this case I guess and you suggest Times New Roman) and outline it.
Drag it into Brushes. Choose Art Brush and use the default settings.
Create a circle, and while choosing it, ...
- 731
27
votes
How do I create a depth illusion effect with a spots pattern in Illustrator?
This is another method to do the job using Illustrator
Create a circle and select it
Go to Object > Pattern > Make
Adjust the spacing between circles in the pattern options panel and press Done
...
- 5,339
27
votes
Accepted
Perfecting a curve in logo, Illustrator CS6
Keep the number of anchors you place to a minimum, make sure you have placed plenty of guides, and constrain the angle of the Bézier handles vertically by holding down Shift after you begin clicking ...
- 77.9k
26
votes
What does it mean when printers have told me my colour is not a Pantone colour, but in my file it is?
Spot
A Pantone is a Pantone when it's a "spot" color.
Make sure your Pantone swatches have the color type "spot color". Even if you color swatch says Pantone XYZ, it doesn't make ...
- 13.6k
25
votes
Apply a text background color in Adobe Illustrator CS6
Turns out you can do this (sort of) using appearance attributes. The caveat is the lines of text have to be their own text elements rather than a character selection.
How to make the boxes
Open the ...
- 517
25
votes
Accepted
Is there a way to reverse the order of anchors in a path?
Yes there is.
If your path is open:
Select the pen tool (P)
Click the last anchor of the path. The order will be reversed
If your path is closed:
If the path is a compound path, skip to step 4
...
- 8,138
25
votes
Accepted
How are these swirly, line frames made?
There are many ways of approaching this. You're right, a curve does not have to be made out of one piece, it can be built out of several pieces. In fact one curve can be built out of several curves.
...
- 56.6k
24
votes
Illustrator: Resize Artboard With Objects Inside
This can be done in a hacky way.
Create a layer that is a rectangle encompassing the entire artboard you want to scale. Make sure the rectangle snaps to the edges of the current artboard.
Make sure ...
- 678
24
votes
How to align all objects in the center of the artboard using Illustrator?
In CC, press the pop-out menu to enable the additional options. Select "Show Options"
Select the "Align To" button and choose "Align to Artboard."
After that, any objects you select and use "Align ...
- 507
24
votes
Align text in exact center (vertically and horizontally) without creating outlines?
Much of this is determined by the font file itself. Some fonts have extra leading built in which can cause odd vertical alignments.
If you find you've got a font with the odd leading, you can select ...
- 203k
24
votes
Accepted
Illustrator align to object without moving one of them
Once you've selected the objects you want to align, click on the object you want to align relative to again. You'll notice that object gets a thicker outline—it is now the "Key Object". You'll notice ...
- 40.1k
23
votes
How to hide objects outside artboards in Illustrator?
Go to: View > Trim View
Can toggle on and off through menu, or create your own keystroke shortcut.
- 231
22
votes
Merging two anchor points of the same path in Illustrator
The Unite command (Pathfinder panel) works correctly for merging two anchor points.
Select the 2 points
Average
Unite
I think I discovered this accidentally when I was a starter and I tried every ...
- 221
22
votes
Accepted
SVG export from Illustrator CC distorts paths
Change "Decimal places" to 3 in the "SVG Options" dialog appearing when saving as SVG:
- 236
Only top scored, non community-wiki answers of a minimum length are eligible