Working with objects and smart guides
Resizing objects – individual pieces of artwork that you create in illustrator, such as squares, text, and
lines. All objects you create in illustrator are composed of paths and anchor points. When you select an
object, its paths and anchor points become highlighted.
Bounding box – Select any object or multiple objects then click show bounding box on the VIEW MENU.
Eight handles appear around the selected object. Click and drag the handles to change the shape and
size of an object.
Shift + drag a corner handle – Object is resized in proportion; it’s shape does not change
Option + Shift-drag a handle – Resize the object from its center an in proportion.
Copying objects – When you paste, the object is pasted at the center of the artboard – regardless of the
position of the original. When designing, you’ll often find it more desirable for the copy to be pasted in
the exact same location as the original. The edit menu offers three commands to achieve this goal. The
paste in front command pastes the copy directly in front of the original. The paste in back command
pastes the copy directly behind the original. Both have quick keys that are easy to remember: for Paste
in front (Command[f]) and paste in back (Command[B]).
In addition you have the paste in place command in the edit menu. The past in place command
functions identically to the paste in front command; it pastes the copy in the same location in front of
the original.
When dragging objects press and hold the option key, then drag to create a copy of the object. This is
known as the drag and drop a copy.
Hide, lock, group, and ungroup commands on the object menu are essential for working effectively with
layouts, especially complex layouts with many objects. Hide objects to get them out of your way. They
won’t print, and nothing you do will change the location of them as long as they’re hidden. Lock an
object to make it immovable – yo9u will not even be able to select it.
Lock your object when you have them in a specific location and you don’t want them accidently moved
or deleted.
You group multiple objects with the GROUP command under the object menu. Grouping objects is a
mart and important strategy for protecting the relationships between multiple objects. When you click
on grouped objects with the selection tool, all objects are selected. Thus, you can’t accidently select a
single object or move it or otherwise alter it independently from the group. However you can select
individual objects within a group using the direct selection tool.
Working with smart guides
When aligning objects, you will find smart guides to be really effective and really smart. When the smart
guides feature is activated, smart guides appear automatically when you move objects in the document.
You enable smart guide options as a preference. You use the view menu to turn them on and off.
Setting essential Preferences
1. Click edit or illustrator on the menu bar, point to preferences, then click smart guides. Select a
color you want, check the first three boxes. ( Alignment guides, Object Highlighting, anchor/path
labels)
Resize Objects
1. Draw a rectangle, circle, and star separate from each other. Fill the rectangle pink, fill the circle
green, fill the star orange. Click file> save as> objects>desktop.
2. Click view on the menu bar, then verify that the bounding box command says show bounding
box.
3. Click the selection tool, then click the pink square next to it. Notice the anchor points, paths, and
center point.
4. Press and hold the shift key on the top left handle to the left edge of the document. The object
is resized proportionally.
5. Undo the move
6. Click the green circle and select it.
7. Click file on the menu bar, click revert, then click revert when you are prompted to confirm.
Reverting a file returns it to its status when you last saved it.
Copy and duplicate objects
1. Click view on the menu bar, then click hide bounding box.
2. Select the star, then copy it, using the command + C or ctrl + C on PC
3. Click edit on the menu bar, then click paste. The copy of the star is placed at the center of the
artboard.
4. Undo the paste.
5. Click edit on the menu bar, then click paste in front.
6. Press[i] on your keypad to switch to the eyedropper tool, then click the pink square. The star
takes on the same fill and stroke colors as the square.
7. Press  on your keyboard ten times
8. Deselect all, click edit on the menu bar then click paste in back.
9. Click the eyedropper tool on the green circle
10. Press and hold the [shift] then press  on your keypad one time
11. Press and hold command so that your cursor switches from temporarily from the eyedropper
tool to the selection tool, then click the artboard with the selection tool to select all. (pressing
command is a quick way to switch to the selection tool.
12. Select the green circle
13. Press and hold down option then drag a copy of the circle to the center of the square.
14. Save your work close the file.