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Next: Designing in a Tough Economy
Work Faster Using Essential Illustrator Shortcuts, Part 2
In Part 1 of Essential Illustrator Shortcuts, we explored quick-hit tips involving navigation and tools to help you speed up your projects. In Part 2, we’ll cover shortcuts that will improve your overall workflow.
Next: Designing in a Tough Economy
If you use a PC, remember to use Ctrl instead of Cmd and Alt instead of Opt. 1) Create a New Layer Use Cmd+L to create a new layer above your current active layer. This is a great time saver if you work with many layers simultaneously in your artwork. If you prefer to open the Options dialog at the same time, use Cmd+Opt+L.
2) Make a Copy To make a copy, hold down Opt and drag your object. Your new clone will appear wherever you release the mouse.
If you want to repeat that duplication, press Cmd+D.
Note that Cmd+D will repeat any previous transformation, not just duplications. Experiment with other transformations (rotate, scale, etc.) to get a feel for it. 3) Cut and Paste Manually changing the stacking order of objects becomes increasingly tedious as your artwork develops. Fortunately, learning these cut-and-paste shortcuts will save you the trouble of hunting around in your layers palette. Select the object you want to rearrange, and use Cmd+X to cut it.
To paste it back into place, use Cmd+F or Cmd+B to paste your object in front or in back of the active layer, respectively. Or, if you have an active selection, your object will paste directly in front of or behind that selection.
If you simply want to nudge an object one step up or down without cutting it, use Cmd + [ and Cmd + ] (the left and right bracket keys). 4) Undo your Actions To undo your previous action, use Cmd+Z. (To redo an action, use Shift+Cmd+Z.) Most people already know this shortcut from other applications, but if somehow it’s eluded you, now’s the time to learn it. You can undo an unlimited number of times (even after you save) while your file is open. Be aware that once you close your file, all your history states (and therefore your ability to undo) will be erased. If you want to undo to a previous state without losing your current work, my favorite way is to use the clipboard. Use Cmd+X to cut your work, and then Cmd+Z back as far as you’d like. When you’re done, just paste your work back in place! 5) Save Often As you’re working, periodically use Cmd+S to save your progress. This is another shortcut that many of us already know, but it’s also one that everybody forgets to use on a regular basis. Don’t wait until your computer crashes and you lose a day of work. To get into the habit now, I recommend placing a reminder object somewhere in your line of sight, or tie a string around your finger. Every time you notice it, save your work. Keep this up until frequent saving becomes second nature. Good luck putting these essentials into practice, and have fun discovering new shortcut favorites along the way! |
