5 Time-Saving Tricks for Adobe Illustrator
Adobe illustrator is one of the media designers use to get the best out of their creativity. Adobe illustrators give you the flexibility to harness your creativity extensively. However, as you develop your skills and creativity with Adobe illustrators, it is also essential to learn how to work within reasonable periods.
It is not a limitation if you are a beginner to adobe illustrators, or you are already a pro, ensuring a fast workflow while still retaining creativity is a vital skill to have. Every second count; therefore, every little trick you learn can help you save time while working with adobe illustrators. Time-saving tricks will help you improve productivity, reduce work time, and assist with your creativity.
Many designers are used to Photoshop select layers, but some other tricks can save a significant amount of time while working on adobe illustrator. Below are five practical, time-saving tricks for adobe illustrators.
Choose Similar Layers
Adobe Illustrator offers several impressive features that make design easy and less time-consuming. One of these features is the Photoshop select layer feature. Choosing a similar layer means you can use the appearance of layers as criteria for selecting.
This feature allows you to easily work on shapes or other elements within the document with similar layers or color fill. For instance, if you are working with different shapes, you can use the same layer for all of them. So, it would be easier for you to select all the shapes with similar layers.
Therefore, if you intend to select all the shapes in a document, it will be easier to have the same layer or color. In this case, simply click on select on the menu bar, then tap the same and choose Color Fill.
This procedure will automatically select all the shapes or layers with similar color fill; thus, saving you from manually selecting them one after the next.
Shut Out Layers You Don’t Intend to Use
One of the most prevalent time-wasting occurrences while working with adobe illustrator is accidentally selecting a layer you don’t intend to use. Locking off these layers is not something like the Photoshop select layer. It only will prevent you from accidentally selecting an unwanted layer while trying to add a new feature or artwork.
There are two approaches to locking off layers. You can either do it manually or with a control key. The manual approach will involve clicking the lock icon and selecting the ones you intend to use actively and the ones you want to use. However, this approach’s limitation is keeping the list organized once you have locked out many layers.
Alternatively, you can hold down on the ALT key (or option on Mac) then select the only layer you want active. This process will automatically lock off other layers while retaining their arrangement and organization.
Keep Your Tools at Proximity
Like most other design apps, you cannot always keep all your tools on the toolbar. While it is arguable that you can get used to these tools’ positioning over time, looking for them each time you need them can be time-consuming.
However, if you are working on certain tasks, you can keep all the tools you would be using close to your reach by making them visible on the toolbar or home screen for a short time. In adobe illustrator, you have the luxury of keeping these tools on the home screen or make them visible on the toolbar as long as you want them.
All you need to do is click the small arrow right to the drop-down to pop down all the tools and create a little window for them. This step will pop out all the tools hidden behind the toolbar, and you will be able to choose the ones you need. These tools will remain there as long as you want them there, and they will still retain their spots in their original position too.
Use Your Erasing Tool on a Straight Line
One of the basic time-saving features on adobe illustrators is erasing in a straight line. While so many designers do not know about this feature, others overlook it. To erase in a straight line, all you need to do is hold down the shift key as you move the mouse vertically or horizontally across the artboard.
This process will save you the rigor of adjusting erasing path lines by creating only neat negative space lines inside objects. This feature will also enhance the precision of erasing and save you the time of excessive adjustments.
Utilize the Blob Brush
You can save enormous time by creating solid vector shapes instead of just creating strokes. Blob brush works like your regular paintbrush, and it helps you to create solid vector shapes instead of creating mere strokes.
The blob brush features are hidden beneath the regular paintbrush tool. You can do this by using direct control by pressing Shift + B. This feature is useful to create imperfect solid shapes and to fill areas with colors. This feature is also flexible by allowing you to adjust angle, smoothness, and brush size by double-clicking the blob brush icon.
Conclusion
While developing your design skills with adobe illustrator, it is equally essential to work on your productivity. And productivity starts by ensuring the maximum use of time. Aside from the Photoshop select layer, there are other ways you can reduce your work time on designs. The tips above will help you save time while equally improving your productivity while working with adobe illustrators. Check this amazing deal on Pixelo design bundles to grab the best AI resurces.
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