Illustrator 02 – Working with Artboards

Illustrator 02 – Working with Artboards

August 1, 2023

Artboards in Adobe Illustrator are like individual canvas areas within a single document. They allow you to work on multiple designs or variations within the same file. Artboards are particularly useful when creating designs for different screen sizes, multiple pages, or various elements for a project. Here’s a tutorial on how to create, manage, and organize artboards in Illustrator:

Creating a New Artboard:

To create a new artboard in Illustrator, you have several options:

a. Method 1: Click on the “Artboard” tool in the toolbar on the left (usually located with the Slice and Slice Selection tools) and then click on the canvas to create a new artboard.

b. Method 2: Go to “File” > “New” to create a new document. In the New Document dialog box, you can specify the number of artboards, their size, orientation, and spacing.

c. Method 3: Duplicate an existing artboard by selecting it and then clicking “Duplicate Artboard” in the Artboards panel (Window > Artboards). You can then modify the duplicated artboard as needed.

Managing and Organizing Artboards:

Once you have multiple artboards, you can manage and organize them efficiently:

a. To select an artboard, click on it with the Selection Tool (V) or choose it from the Artboards panel.

b. To move an artboard, select the Artboard tool, then click and drag the artboard to a new position.

c. To resize an artboard, select the Artboard tool, click and drag the handles at the edges or corners of the artboard.

d. To delete an artboard, select it and click the “Delete” button in the Artboards panel.

e. To reorder artboards, click and drag an artboard to the desired position in the Artboards panel.

Setting up Documents for Print and Web:

When setting up a new document in Illustrator, it’s essential to choose the appropriate settings based on your intended output, whether it’s for print or web:

a. For Print: – Go to “File” > “New.” – In the New Document dialog box, set the “Profile” to “Print.” – Specify the “Number of Artboards” and their sizes based on your print requirements (e.g., letter size, poster size). – Set the color mode to CMYK (Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, Black) for print documents.

b. For Web: – Go to “File” > “New.” – In the New Document dialog box, set the “Profile” to “Web.” – Specify the “Number of Artboards” and their sizes based on your web design requirements (e.g., desktop, mobile, tablet). – Set the color mode to RGB (Red, Green, Blue) for web documents.

Saving and Exporting Artboards:

After you’ve created and organized your artboards, it’s time to save or export your Illustrator file:

a. To save the entire Illustrator file with all artboards intact, simply go to “File” > “Save” or “Save As” and choose the location where you want to save the file.

b. To export individual artboards as separate files, go to “File” > “Export” > “Export for Screens.” In the Export for Screens dialog box, select the artboards you want to export and choose the desired file format (e.g., PNG, JPEG, SVG) and settings.

Working with artboards in Adobe Illustrator offers great flexibility and organization, allowing you to efficiently manage multiple designs within a single document. By properly setting up your document for print or web, you ensure that your designs will be optimized for their intended output.