Catalog / Adobe Illustrator Cheatsheet
Adobe Illustrator Cheatsheet
A comprehensive cheat sheet covering essential Adobe Illustrator tools, shortcuts, and techniques for graphic design.
Selection & Transformation
Selection Tools
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Selection Tool (V) |
Selects entire objects or groups. Use to move, resize, and rotate. |
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Direct Selection Tool (A) |
Selects individual anchor points or path segments within an object. |
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Group Selection Tool |
Selects objects within groups, one level at a time. |
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Lasso Tool (Q) |
Selects anchor points or path segments by dragging a freeform selection around them. |
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Magic Wand Tool (Y) |
Selects objects with similar attributes (e.g., fill color, stroke weight). |
Transforming Objects
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Scale Tool (S) |
Resizes objects proportionally or non-proportionally. |
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Rotate Tool (R) |
Rotates objects around a specified point. |
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Reflect Tool (O) |
Mirrors objects across a specified axis. |
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Shear Tool |
Skews objects along a specified axis. |
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Free Transform Tool (E) |
Allows for scaling, rotating, skewing, and perspective distortion. |
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Transform Again (Ctrl/Cmd + D) |
Repeats the last transformation. |
Arranging Objects
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Bring to Front (Ctrl/Cmd + Shift + ]) - Moves selected object to the front. |
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Bring Forward (Ctrl/Cmd + ]) - Moves selected object forward one level. |
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Send Backward (Ctrl/Cmd + [) - Moves selected object backward one level. |
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Send to Back (Ctrl/Cmd + Shift + [) - Moves selected object to the back. |
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Group (Ctrl/Cmd + G) - Groups selected objects. |
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Ungroup (Ctrl/Cmd + Shift + G) - Ungroups selected objects. |
Drawing & Paths
Basic Shape Tools
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Rectangle Tool (M) |
Draws rectangles and squares. |
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Rounded Rectangle Tool |
Draws rectangles with rounded corners. |
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Ellipse Tool (L) |
Draws ellipses and circles. |
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Polygon Tool |
Draws polygons with a specified number of sides. |
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Star Tool |
Draws stars with adjustable points. |
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Flare Tool |
Creates lens flare effects. |
Pen Tool
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Pen Tool (P) |
Draws precise paths with anchor points and handles. |
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Add Anchor Point Tool (+) |
Adds anchor points to existing paths. |
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Delete Anchor Point Tool (-) |
Deletes anchor points from existing paths. |
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Convert Anchor Point Tool (Shift+C) |
Converts between smooth and corner points. |
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Join (Ctrl/Cmd + J) |
Joins two or more open paths. |
Path Operations
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Pathfinder Panel (Window > Pathfinder) - Used for combining, subtracting, intersecting, and excluding overlapping shapes. |
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Shape Builder Tool (Shift + M) - Merges or deletes areas of overlapping shapes. |
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Offset Path (Object > Path > Offset Path) - Creates a new path that is a specified distance from the original. |
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Outline Stroke (Object > Path > Outline Stroke) - Converts a stroke into a filled path. |
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Reverse Path Direction (Object > Path > Reverse Path Direction) - Reverses the direction of a path. |
Type & Color
Type Tools
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Type Tool (T) |
Creates horizontal type. |
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Area Type Tool |
Fills an enclosed path with type. |
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Type on a Path Tool |
Creates type that follows a path. |
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Vertical Type Tool |
Creates vertical type. |
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Touch Type Tool |
Individually transform characters. |
Color & Swatches
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Fill (X) |
Applies color to the inside of an object. |
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Stroke (X) |
Applies color to the outline of an object. |
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Eyedropper Tool (I) |
Samples color from an image or object. |
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Gradient Tool (G) |
Creates gradients within objects. |
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Swatches Panel (Window > Swatches) |
Stores and manages colors, gradients, and patterns. |
Color Modes
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CMYK - Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, Key (Black). Used for print. |
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RGB - Red, Green, Blue. Used for web and screen. |
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HSB - Hue, Saturation, Brightness. An alternative color model. |
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Grayscale - Shades of gray from black to white. |
Effects & Export
Effects
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Stylize (Effect > Stylize) |
Includes effects like Drop Shadow, Feather, and Round Corners. |
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Distort & Transform (Effect > Distort & Transform) |
Offers effects like Free Distort, Pucker & Bloat, and Roughen. |
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Path (Effect > Path) |
Includes effects like Offset Path. |
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Warp (Effect > Warp) |
Includes Arc, Bulge, and Shell effects. |
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3D (Effect > 3D) |
Extrude & Bevel, Revolve, and Rotate. |
Appearance Panel
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Appearance Panel (Window > Appearance) - Manages the attributes of an object, including fills, strokes, and effects. Allows you to modify and reorder these attributes without altering the underlying object. |
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Add New Fill/Stroke - Adds additional fills and strokes to an object. |
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Apply Effects - Applies effects directly to a fill, stroke, or the entire object. |
Exporting
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Save As (Ctrl/Cmd + Shift + S) |
Saves the file in various formats, including AI, PDF, and EPS. |
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Export (File > Export > Export As) |
Exports the artwork in formats like JPEG, PNG, SVG, and TIFF. |
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Save for Web (File > Export > Save for Web (Legacy)) |
Optimizes the artwork for web use, allowing control over image quality and file size. |
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Artboards |
Use artboards to export multiple sizes or versions of your design in a single file. |