With Illustrator on the iPad, design vector art, like icons, to more exacting standards using tools including grids, Smart Guides, alignments, and outline mode.
What you learned: How to set up a grid, align and transform artwork using Smart Guides and alignment options, and work in outline mode
Set up a grid
Enabling and configuring a grid can be useful for aligning and sizing content precisely as you create.
- To turn on the grid, tap the Precision menu on the right. In the menu, you can turn on Snap To Grid to snap content to the hidden grid. To show the grid, turn on the Grid option.
- You can then set options for the grid like style (lines or dots), color, spacing, and subdivisions.
- With Snap To Grid enabled, shapes you draw are snapped to the grid automatically.
Tip: You can convert vector artwork to guides to create your own custom guides.
Select artwork and tap the Object menu in the taskbar on the right and choose Convert To Guide. The artwork is converted to an aqua guide that you can then put where you need it and even lock it in place. To hide any guides you create, tap to show the Precision menu on the right. In that menu you can turn off the Guides option to hide them.
Editing in isolation mode
You can edit artwork precisely in isolation mode.
- With the Selection tool selected, double-tap artwork to enter isolation mode. Other artwork is dimmed and you can’t select it, the Direct Selection tool is selected, and you can edit the individual anchor points, as well as individual rounded corner radii.
- With anchors or the object selected, in the common actions bar, you can smart delete anchors, simplify the path of selected anchors, convert anchors, and more.
- With multiple anchors selected, press the primary touch shortcut and drag to keep the anchors aligned.
Align artwork
Artwork and anchor points can be aligned to the grid, but you can use other alignment methods for more precision.
- Select artwork and tap Align in the taskbar to open the menu. You can align, distribute, and flip artwork here.
- With the Direct Selection tool, select multiple individual anchors by pressing the primary touch shortcut and selecting an align option in the same Align menu in the taskbar.
Edit artwork in Outline mode
To view artwork without appearance options like fill and stroke, you can enter Outline mode.
- Tap the modes icon in the upper-right and select Outline mode.
- The strokes and fills of artwork are removed, making it easier to see and select paths.
