Tutorial: Drawing Workflow Basics Part 4 – Advanced Illustrator Shortcuts
In the previous workflow technique, I explained how using keyboard shortcuts would dramatically improve your efficiency and speed while working. This subconscious action is a valuable skill to have when you work in a pressure cooker environment, or for your own personal benefit if you’re looking to get your jobs done faster. In this post, I am going to expand upon the basic shortcut list with a list of more advanced controls that you will find in Illustrator CS4.
(Commands in brackets indicate the shortcuts for Mac)
Selection Tools
Control (Cmd “command”)
This will access your Selection or Direction Selection tool at any time
Ctrl + Alt + Tab (Cmd + Option + Tab)
This switches between Selection and Direct Selection tools
Alt + Mouse click tool (Option-click tool)
This cycles through the tools behind column tool
Alt (Option)
You can make a copy of your item while dragging
Shift
Adds to your selection
Arrow keys in any direction
Moves your selection
Shift + Arrow key in a direction
Moves your selection 10 pts in the chosen direction
Ctrl + 2 (Cmd + 2)
This locks your selected artwork so you cannot accidentally select and edit it (good for complex layering)
Ctrl + Alt + Shift + 2 (Cmd + Option + Shift + 2)
This locks all your unselected artwork (reverse of prior function)
Ctrl + Alt + 2 (Cmd + Option +2)
This command unlocks all artwork
Ctrl + 3 (Cmd + 3)
This hides your selected artwork
Ctrl + Alt + Shift + 3 (Cmd + Option + Shift + 3)
This hides all your unselected artwork
Ctrl + Alt + 3 (Cmd + Option + 3)
This shows all your hidden artwork
.
Paths
Ctrl + Alt + Shift + J (Cmd + Option + Shift + J)
This command executes the Join and Average functions at same time (for paths)
Alt (Option)
This converts your Pen Tool to the Anchor Point tool while hovering over anchor points
Alt (Option)
By pressing this key, you will switch between the Add Anchor Point and Delete Anchor Point tools
Alt (Option)
With the Scissors tool, you can access the Add Anchor Point tool
Spacebar
This moves the anchor point while you are drawing with the Pen tool
Hold Alt + Release Mouse (Hold Option + Release Mouse)
This one is a bit trickier, but it will create a closed path when you’re using the Pencil or Paintbrush tool
Ctrl + Drag Mouse (Cmd + Drag Mouse)
This will connect to an open (selected) path with the Pencil Tool
.
Paint Tools and Transformations
Alt (Option)
This accesses the Eyedropper tool from Live Paint Bucket tool
Shift
This takes an intermediate sample color from a gradient, picture, etc. with the eyedropper
Alt + Mouse click with Tool (Option + Mouse click with Tool)
This sets a center point and shows dialog
Alt + Drag Mouse (Option + Drag Mouse)
This makes a duplicate and allows you to transform your selection
~ (tilde) + Drag Mouse
This transforms your pattern without transforming object
Shift + Drag object bounding box
This allows you to proportionally scale your object with the selection tool
Alt + Drag object bounding box (Option + Drag object bounding box)
This allows you to scale your object from the center using the selection tool
Shift + Drag Mouse
This will move a mesh point along path when using the Mesh tool
Shift + Click Mouse Button
This will add a mesh point when using the Mesh tool and does so without changing the color
Alt + Click Mouse Button (Option + Click Mouse Button)
This will remove a mesh point when using the Mesh tool
.
Drawing Shapes
Alt (Option)
This will draw your shape from center
Alt + Click Mouse Button (Option + Click Mouse Button)
This will draw your shape from center with a dialog
Shift + Draw/Drag Mouse
This will constrain (maintain) the proportion of your drawn item
Shift + Draw/Drag Mouse
This will constrain (maintain) the orientation of your polygons, stars, spirals from the shape tool
Spacebar
Allows you to move your object while drawing
Up/Down Arrow
This will add or subtract the number of sides, points, spiral segments
Ctrl (Cmd)
This will decrease the inner radius of your shapes
~ (tilde) + Drag Mouse
This will create numerous duplicates following your mouse movement
.
Viewing & Guides
Spacebar
This activates the Hand Tool so you can pull and drag yourself around your viewing area.
To activate the Hand Tool when you are editing type (this one requires timing and practice:
Ctrl + Spacebar, then release Ctrl once the Hand appears and drag your mouse
(Cmd+ Spacebar, then release Cmd once the Hand appears and drag your mouse)
Ctrl + Spacebar (Cmd + Spacebar)
This activates the Zoom In Tool
Ctrl + Alt + Spacebar (Cmd + Option + Spacebar)
This activates the Zoom Out Tool
Ctrl + Spacebar + Drag Mouse (Cmd + Spacebar + Drag Mouse)
This will Zoom In to exact size of your artwork
Tab
This quickly hides or shows all your tools and panels
Shift + Tab
This quickly hides or shows all your panels except the toolbox
Alt + Drag out New Guide (Option + Drag out New Guide)
This will switch between a horizontal and a vertical guide
Shift + Ctrl + Double-Mouse click (Shift + Cmd + Double-Mouse click)
This will release your guide and turn it into a regular path
.
Type Tool Shortcuts
Ctrl + Shift +< (or > to increase) (Cmd + Shift +< (or > to increase))
This will decrease or increase type size
Alt + Arrow Up (or Down to increase)
(Option + Arrow Up (or Down to increase)) -This will decrease or increase leading
Alt + Arrow Left (or Right to increase) (Option + Arrow Left (or Right to increase))
This will decrease or increase kerning/tracking
Ctrl + Alt + Arrow Left (or Right to increase) (Cmd + Option + Arrow Left (or Right to increase))
This will decrease or increase kerning/tracking by 5
Shift + Alt + Arrow Up (or Down to increase)(Shift + Option + Arrow Up (or Down to increase))
This will decrease or increase your baseline shift
Ctrl + Shift + Alt + Arrow Up (or Down to increase) (Cmd + Shift + Option + Arrow Up (or Down to increase))
This will decrease or increase baseline shift by 5
Ctrl + Shift + (L or R or C or J) (Cmd + Shift + (L or R or C or J))
This aligns your type- L = left, R = right, C = center, J = Justify
Ctrl + Shift + F (Cmd + Shift + F)
This will Justify your last line
Ctrl + Shift + X (Cmd + Shift + X)
This will reset horizontal or vertical scale to 100%
Ctrl + Alt + Q (Cmd + Shift + Q)
This will reset your kerning or tracking to zero (0)
.
Palettes and Function Keys
F5
Shows or hides your Brushes Palette
F6
Shows or hides your Color Palette
F7
Shows or hides your Layers Palette
Ctrl + F8 (Cmd + F8)
Shows or hides your Info Palette
Ctrl + F9 (Cmd + F9)
Shows or hides your Gradient Palette
Ctrl + F10 (Cmd + F10)
Shows or hides your Stroke Palette
Ctrl + F11 (Cmd + F11)
Shows or hides your Attributes Palette
F12
This will Revert the file to your last saved state
Shift + F5
Shows or hides your Graphic Styles Palette
Shift + F6
Shows or hides your Appearance Palette
Shift + F7
Shows or hides your Align Palette
Shift + F8
Shows or hides your Transform Palette
Shift + Ctrl + F9 (Shift + Cmd + F9)
Shows or hides your Pathfinder Palette
Shift + Ctrl + F10 (Shift + Cmd + F10)
Shows or hides your Transparency Palette
Shift + Ctrl + F11 (Shift + Cmd + F11)
Shows or hides your Symbols Palette
.
Layers Palette Shortcuts
Ctrl + Mouse click on Eye (Cmd + Mouse click on Eye)
This will toggle your layer between Preview & Outline mode (filled in eye/ outlined eye)
Alt + Mouse click on Eye (Option + Mouse click on Eye)
This will show current layer while turning off all others
Alt + Mouse click on Layer Name
(Option + Mouse click on Layer Name)
This will select all the items on your layer
Alt + Mouse Drag selection square in Layers panel
(Option + Mouse Drag selection square in Layers panel)
This will copy your selected item to a different layer
Ctrl + Mouse click (Cmd + Mouse click)
This creates a new layer at the top of list
Ctrl + Alt + Mouse click (Cmd + Option + Mouse click)
This create a new layer below the selected layer
.
Color Palette Shortcuts
Shift + Drag color slider left or right
This will saturate or desaturate the current color
Shift + Mouse click color bar
This will change your color mode
Ctrl + Mouse click color bar (Cmd + Mouse click color bar)
This will select the complimentary of your current color
.
Swatches Palette Shortcuts
Ctrl + Shift while creating new color
(Cmd + Shift while creating new color)
This will create a your new swatch as a global color
Alt + Mouse drag new swatch over old
(Option + Mouse drag new swatch over old)
This will replace a swatch with another
———-
Now most of these shortcuts can be altered in your options to whatever you prefer. If you have graduated from these advanced ones or just want to set up your working area with custom keyboard shortcuts, you can easily modify them in your preferences/options to suit your particular needs. they can be saved as separate profiles as well.
I don’t even use all of these commands as some of them do not benefit me and the work I do, but there are several here which are absolutely necessary in order to complement the basic shortcuts and make me more efficient during my illustration work. If you need a refresher on the basic commands, check out this blog post and familiarize yourself with them. Or just check it out if you’re new and looking to speed up your working time and turn yourself into a power-user.
With this series on workflow techniques, you’ll be well on your way to efficiently completing tasks and projects in almost half the time. Practice and use each function repeatedly until you commit it to memory – its the best way to learn!
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Tags: Workflow
