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Illustrator on the iPad workspace

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Illustrator

Illustrator

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  1. Illustrator User Guide
  2. Get to know Illustrator
    1. Introduction to Illustrator
      1. What's new in Illustrator
      2. Latest performance enhancements
      3. Illustrator release notes
      4. Common questions
      5. Illustrator system requirements
      6. Illustrator for Apple silicon
      7. GPU performance
    2. Workspace
      1. Workspace basics
      2. Create documents
      3. Learn faster with the Illustrator Discover panel
      4. Accelerate workflows using the Contextual Task Bar
      5. Toolbar
      6. Default keyboard shortcuts
      7. Customize keyboard shortcuts
      8. Introduction to artboards
      9. Manage artboards
      10. Customize the workspace
      11. Properties panel
      12. Set preferences
      13. Touch Workspace
      14. Microsoft Surface Dial support in Illustrator
      15. Undo edits and manage design history
      16. Rotate view
      17. Rulers, grids, and guides
      18. Accessibility in Illustrator
      19. View artwork
      20. Use the Touch Bar with Illustrator
      21. Files and templates
    3. Tools in Illustrator
      1. Tools at a glance
      2. Select tools
        1. Selection
        2. Direct Selection
        3. Group Selection
        4. Magic Wand
        5. Lasso
        6. Artboard
      3. Navigate tools
        1. Hand
        2. Rotate View
        3. Zoom
      4. Paint tools
        1. Gradient
        2. Mesh
        3. Shape Builder
      5. Text tools
        1. Type
        2. Type on a Path
        3. Vertical Type
      6. Draw tools
        1. Pen
        2. Add Anchor Point
        3. Delete Anchor Point
        4. Anchor Point
        5. Curvature
        6. Line Segment
        7. Rectangle
        8. Rounded Rectangle
        9. Ellipse
        10. Polygon
        11. Star
        12. Paintbrush
        13. Blob Brush
        14. Pencil
        15. Shaper
        16. Slice
      7. Modify tools
        1. Rotate
        2. Reflect
        3. Scale
        4. Shear
        5. Width
        6. Free Transform
        7. Eyedropper
        8. Blend
        9. Eraser
        10. Scissors
        11. Dimension
    4. Generative AI (not available in mainland China)
      1. Illustrator generative AI FAQs
      2. Generate scenes, subjects, and icons using text prompts
      3. Generate vector patterns using text prompts
      4. Generate vector shape fills using text prompts
      5. Recolor your artwork using text prompts
    5. Quick actions
      1. Retro text
      2. Neon glow text
      3. Old school text
      4. Recolor
      5. Convert sketch to vector
  3. Illustrator on the iPad
    1. Introduction to Illustrator on the iPad
      1. Illustrator on the iPad overview
      2. Illustrator on the iPad FAQs
      3. System requirements | Illustrator on the iPad
      4. What you can or cannot do on Illustrator on the iPad
    2. Workspace
      1. Illustrator on the iPad workspace
      2. Touch shortcuts and gestures
      3. Keyboard shortcuts for Illustrator on the iPad
      4. Manage your app settings
    3. Documents
      1. Work with documents in Illustrator on the iPad
      2. Import Photoshop and Fresco documents
    4. Select and arrange objects
      1. Create repeat objects
      2. Blend objects
    5. Drawing
      1. Draw and edit paths
      2. Draw and edit shapes
    6. Type
      1. Work with type and fonts
      2. Create text designs along a path
      3. Add your own fonts
    7. Work with images
      1. Vectorize raster images
    8. Color
      1. Apply colors and gradients
  4. Cloud documents
    1. Basics
      1. Work with Illustrator cloud documents
      2. Share and collaborate on Illustrator cloud documents
      3. Share documents for review
      4. Upgrade cloud storage for Adobe Illustrator
      5. Illustrator cloud documents | Common questions
    2. Troubleshooting
      1. Troubleshoot create or save issues for Illustrator cloud documents
      2. Troubleshoot Illustrator cloud documents issues
  5. Add and edit content
    1. Drawing
      1. Drawing basics
      2. Edit paths
      3. Draw pixel-perfect art
      4. Draw with the Pen, Curvature, or Pencil tool
      5. Draw simple lines and shapes
      6. Draw rectangular and polar grids
      7. Draw and edit flares
      8. Trace images
      9. Simplify a path
      10. Symbolism tools and symbol sets
      11. Adjust path segments
      12. Design a flower in 5 easy steps
      13. Create and edit a perspective grid
      14. Draw and modify objects on a perspective grid
      15. Use objects as symbols for repeat use
      16. Draw pixel-aligned paths for web workflows
    2. Measurement
      1. Measure distance and area
      2. Measure and plot dimensions
    3. 3D objects and materials
      1. About 3D effects in Illustrator
      2. Create 3D graphics
      3. Map artwork over 3D objects
      4. Create 3D Text
      5. Create 3D objects
    4. Color
      1. About color
      2. Select colors
      3. Use and create swatches
      4. Adjust colors
      5. Use the Adobe Color Themes panel
      6. Color groups (harmonies)
      7. Color Themes panel
      8. Recolor your artwork
    5. Painting
      1. About painting
      2. Paint with fills and strokes
      3. Live Paint groups
      4. Gradients
      5. Brushes
      6. Transparency and blending modes
      7. Apply stroke on an object
      8. Create and edit patterns
      9. Meshes
      10. Patterns
    6. Select and arrange objects
      1. Select objects
      2. Layers
      3. Expand, group, and ungroup objects
      4. Move, align, and distribute objects
      5. Align, arrange, and move objects on a path
      6. Snap objects to glyph
      7. Snap objects to Japanese glyph
      8. Stack objects    
      9. Lock, hide, and delete objects
      10. Copy and duplicate objects
      11. Rotate and reflect objects
      12. Intertwine objects
      13. Create realistic mockups
    7. Reshape objects
      1. Crop images
      2. Transform objects
      3. Combine objects
      4. Cut, divide, and trim objects
      5. Puppet Warp
      6. Scale, shear, and distort objects
      7. Blend objects
      8. Reshape using envelopes
      9. Reshape objects with effects
      10. Build new shapes with Shaper and Shape Builder tools
      11. Work with Live Corners
      12. Enhanced reshape workflows with touch support
      13. Edit clipping masks
      14. Live shapes
      15. Create shapes using the Shape Builder tool
      16. Global editing
    8. Type
      1. Add text and work with type objects
      2. Reflow Viewer
      3. Create bulleted and numbered lists
      4. Manage text area
      5. Fonts and typography
      6. Identify the fonts used in images and outlined text
      7. Add basic formatting to text
      8. Add advanced formatting to text
      9. Import and export text
      10. Format paragraphs
      11. Special characters
      12. Create type on a path
      13. Character and paragraph styles
      14. Tabs
      15. Preview, add, or replace missing fonts
      16. Arabic and Hebrew type
      17. Fonts | FAQ and troubleshooting tips
      18. Creative typography designs
      19. Scale and rotate type
      20. Line and character spacing
      21. Hyphenation and line breaks
      22. Spelling and language dictionaries
      23. Format Asian characters
      24. Composers for Asian scripts
      25. Create text designs with blend objects
      26. Create a text poster using Image Trace
    9. Create special effects
      1. Work with effects
      2. Graphic styles
      3. Appearance attributes
      4. Create sketches and mosaics
      5. Drop shadows, glows, and feathering
      6. Summary of effects
    10. Web graphics
      1. Best practices for creating web graphics
      2. Graphs
      3. SVG
      4. Slices and image maps
  6. Import, export, and save
    1. Import
      1. Place multiple files
      2. Manage linked and embedded files
      3. Links information
      4. Unembed images
      5. Import artwork from Photoshop
      6. Import bitmap images
      7. Import Adobe PDF files
      8. Import EPS, DCS, and AutoCAD files
    2. Creative Cloud Libraries in Illustrator 
      1. Creative Cloud Libraries in Illustrator
    3. Save and export
      1. Save artwork
      2. Export artwork
      3. Create Adobe PDF files
      4. Adobe PDF options
      5. Use Illustrator artwork in Photoshop
      6. Collect assets and export in batches
      7. Package files
      8. Extract CSS | Illustrator CC
      9. Document info panel
  7. Printing
    1. Prepare for printing
      1. Set up documents for printing
      2. Change the page size and orientation
      3. Specify crop marks for trimming or aligning
      4. Get started with large canvas
    2. Printing
      1. Overprint
      2. Print with color management
      3. PostScript printing
      4. Print presets
      5. Printer's marks and bleeds
      6. Print and save transparent artwork
      7. Trapping
      8. Print color separations
      9. Print gradients, meshes, and color blends
      10. White Overprint
  8. Automate tasks
    1. Data merge using the Variables panel
    2. Automation with scripts
    3. Automation with actions
  9. Troubleshooting 
    1. Fixed issues
    2. Known issues
    3. Crash issues
    4. Recover files after crash
    5. Safe mode
    6. File issues
    7. Supported file formats
    8. GPU device driver issues
    9. Wacom device issues
    10. DLL file issues
    11. Memory issues
    12. Preferences file issues
    13. Font issues
    14. Printer issues
    15. Share crash report with Adobe
    16. Improve Illustrator performance

Take a quick tour of the Illustrator on the iPad workspace and learn where your favorite tools and features are available.

Get started with Home screen

Illustrator workspace on the iPad is simple and intuitive so that you can focus on your creative work. Home screen is the first window that appears when you launch Illustrator on the iPad and a gateway to your document workspace. See the table below to learn what all you can do in the Home screen.

Home screen

Files

View a list of all the documents that you can open in Illustrator: 

  • Tap Your files tab to open and work with Illustrator cloud documents.
  • Tap Shared with you to view or open and work with files shared with you by others.
  • Tap Deleted to view the list of all deleted documents. You can choose to restore the documents or permanently delete them. In case you accidentally delete a file, you can restore them easily.

Learn 

Tap to view the interactive app tour, tutorials, and videos to explore and understand the unique workflows and features of Illustrator on the iPad.

The content is tailored based on your Creative Cloud membership plan and your familiarity with the Illustrator app.

Discover

Tap to watch the livestreams from famous creatives from within Illustrator. View the magnificent work done by the Illustrator design community and get inspired! 

Create New

Tap to create a new document on the iPad. By default, all the documents you create using Illustrator on the iPad are saved as cloud documents and get autosaved at regular intervals. No  loss of unsaved work!

Import and open

Tap to quickly open existing Illustrator documents or documents from different apps (Adobe Photoshop, Adobe Fresco) in Illustrator on the iPad. 

Recent

Tap to access all the documents you worked on recently. 

What's coming to Illustrator

Tap to view the list of features we're working on. You can also suggest features that you'd like to see in Illustrator. We value your suggestions and feedback.

App settings 

Tap to manage the app settings (preferences) for Illustrator on the iPad. To learn more, see  see Manage your app settings.

Cloud sync errors 

Tap to check whether you're online or offline, and the save status of your cloud documents.

Home

Tap to return to the default Home screen anytime.

Know your document workspace

After you open a document, you enter into the document or edit workspace where you can work on your creative designs. This workspace is self intuitive and display on-canvas controls only when you need them.

Illustrator on iPad

A. Navigation bar B. Toolbar C. Touch shortcut D. Task bar 





A. Undo Tap to cancel the most recent action made to the document.
B. Redo Tap to restore the actions that you canceled using the Undo operation.
C. Publish and export Tap to choose a format in which you want to publish or export the documents. For your ease, a quick list of most frequently used formats (.ai, png) is also provided. In addition, you can also choose to livestream your work using the Start livestream option.
D. Help Tap to view the Help information, touch gestures, and keyboard shortcuts.
E. App settings Tap to manage the app settings or preferences.
F. View mode Tap to set the view mode as preview (default) or outlines.

Toolbar on the left

A. Selection Tap to use the Selection tool to select an object.
B. Path Tap to use the Path tool to add, delete, or modify anchor points to change the path shape. 
C. Pen Tap to select the Pen tool to create paths.
D. Pencil  Tap to select the Pencil, Paint Brush or Blob Brush tool. You can increase the smoothness of the Pencil using the slider displayed at the bottom of the toolbar. 
E. Eraser Tap to use the Eraser tool. Set the eraser smoothness using the slider povided at the botton of the toolbar.
F. Shape Tap to draw a shape: Rectangle (default), Circle, Triangle, and Star.
G. Text Tap to add text in horizontal or vertical directions and perform text-related operations.
H. Artboard  Tap to select the Artboard tool and perform artboard operations. You can also choose an artboard preset to create a new artboard.
I. Import  Tap to capture a picture using iPad's camera and place directly into Illustrator. In addition, choose to import an image from your photos, files, Creative Cloud libraries, or directly import a cloud document from Adobe Photoshop and Adobe Fresco. See also: Import a document.
J. Color Tap to set a solid color or a gradient for the selected object. Choose a color from the Color wheel, Color dropper, Swatches (color books).

 To view the options for a tool, double-tap or long-press the tool icon. All tools do not have tool options.

Taskbar on the right

A. Layers Tap to view and manage layers.
B. Properties Tap to view the Properties panel for the selected object.
C. Precision
  • Select the Snap to grid or Smart guides checkbox to set the grid color and spacing.
  • Rulers: Enable Rulers to measure and place design elements.
  • Guides: Enable Guides to align text and graphic objects on the artboard. 
    • Drag from the ruler to create guides on the artboard.
    • Color: Select and add a color to your guide.
    • Add guide: Create horizontal or vertical guides and drag the guide to place it on a specific location.
    • All guides: By default, guides are unlocked so that you can move, modify, or delete. Tap to lock all the guides on the artboard. See below for tips.
D. Combine shape Tap to create or edit the shape using Combine shape panel (Combine all, Minus front, Intersect, Exclude overlap), Shape Buidler, Divide all, and Convert to path.
E. Edit appearance Tap to copy and paste appearance of the objects.
F. Align and distribute Tap to align, distribute, and flip objects.
G. Object Tap to Expand, Group, Make clipping mask, Create stroke outline, Convert to guide, Make compound path.
H. Type Tap to style your text using the Outline text, Type on path, and Edit path options.
I. Path Tap to create or edit paths using the following options: Cut path, Convert to corner, Convert to curve, Join path, Simplify path, Smart Delete, Delete.
J. Repeat Tap to create a pattern using the Radial Repeat, Grid Repeat, Mirror Repeat options. For details, see Repeat artwork.


  • When you select a guide, a widget with controls display on the canvas. Use the controls to move, copy, or delete the guide.
  • Slide the outer edge of the touch shortcut icon and hold. Drag to select the guides and objects.

Touch shortcut

Use the touch shortcut to quickly access alternate actions of a selected tool in Illustrator on the iPad.

To learn how to use primary and secondary touch shortcuts, see Touch shortcuts and gestures.

Touch shortcuts for Brush tool
Left: Primary touch shortcut. Right: Secondary touch shortcut.

Context menu widget

When you select an object, a context-sensitive widget for the selected object is displayed on the canvas. You can use the options in this widget to quickly perform actions directly through the canvas.

contextual widget

Above is an example of on-canvas contextual widget that appears when you select the Pen tool and then select the path object. It includes options to edit or delete paths.

Related topics

Watch this 5-minute video to get a feel for Illustrator on the iPad workspace, tools, and features.

Tour the reimagined Illustrator workspace on the iPad. Learn the differences between desktop Illustrator and iPad and see what is new for Illustrator users.

Got a question or an idea?

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If you have a question to ask or an idea to share, come and participate in the Adobe Illustrator Community. We'd love to hear from you.

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