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  1. Illustrator User Guide
  2. Get to know Illustrator
    1. Introduction to Illustrator
      1. What's new in Illustrator
      2. Common questions
      3. Illustrator system requirements
      4. Illustrator for Apple silicon
      5. GPU performance
    2. Workspace
      1. Workspace basics
      2. Create documents
      3. Learn faster with the Illustrator Discover panel
      4. Accelerate workflows using the Contextual Task Bar
      5. Toolbar
      6. Default keyboard shortcuts
      7. Customize keyboard shortcuts
      8. Introduction to artboards
      9. Manage artboards
      10. Customize the workspace
      11. Properties panel
      12. Set preferences
      13. Touch Workspace
      14. Microsoft Surface Dial support in Illustrator
      15. Undo edits and manage design history
      16. Rotate view
      17. Rulers, grids, and guides
      18. Accessibility in Illustrator
      19. View artwork
      20. Use the Touch Bar with Illustrator
      21. Files and templates
    3. Tools in Illustrator
      1. Tools at a glance
      2. Select tools
        1. Selection
        2. Direct Selection
        3. Group Selection
        4. Magic Wand
        5. Lasso
        6. Artboard
      3. Navigate tools
        1. Hand
        2. Rotate View
        3. Zoom
      4. Paint tools
        1. Gradient
        2. Mesh
        3. Shape Builder
      5. Text tools
        1. Type
        2. Type on a Path
        3. Vertical Type
      6. Draw tools
        1. Pen
        2. Add Anchor Point
        3. Delete Anchor Point
        4. Anchor Point
        5. Curvature
        6. Line Segment
        7. Rectangle
        8. Rounded Rectangle
        9. Ellipse
        10. Polygon
        11. Star
        12. Paintbrush
        13. Blob Brush
        14. Pencil
        15. Shaper
        16. Slice
      7. Modify tools
        1. Rotate
        2. Reflect
        3. Scale
        4. Shear
        5. Width
        6. Free Transform
        7. Eyedropper
        8. Blend
        9. Eraser
        10. Scissors
        11. Dimension
    4. Generative AI (not available in mainland China)
      1. Generate scenes, subjects, and icons using text prompts
      2. Generate vector patterns using text prompts
      3. Generate vector shape fills using text prompts
      4. Recolor your artwork using text prompts
    5. Quick actions
      1. Retro text
      2. Neon glow text
      3. Old school text
      4. Recolor
      5. Convert sketch to vector
  3. Illustrator on the web (beta)
    1. Illustrator on the web (beta) overview
    2. Illustrator on the web (beta) FAQ
    3. Troubleshooting issues FAQ
    4. Keyboard shortcuts for Illustrator on the web (beta)
    5. Create and combine shapes on the web
    6. Add and edit text on the web
    7. Apply colors and gradients on the web
    8. Draw and edit paths on the web
    9. Work with cloud documents on the web
    10. Invite collaborators to edit on the web
  4. Illustrator on the iPad
    1. Introduction to Illustrator on the iPad
      1. Illustrator on the iPad overview
      2. Illustrator on the iPad FAQs
      3. System requirements | Illustrator on the iPad
      4. What you can or cannot do on Illustrator on the iPad
    2. Workspace
      1. Illustrator on the iPad workspace
      2. Touch shortcuts and gestures
      3. Keyboard shortcuts for Illustrator on the iPad
      4. Manage your app settings
    3. Documents
      1. Work with documents in Illustrator on the iPad
      2. Import Photoshop and Fresco documents
    4. Select and arrange objects
      1. Create repeat objects
      2. Blend objects
    5. Drawing
      1. Draw and edit paths
      2. Draw and edit shapes
    6. Type
      1. Work with type and fonts
      2. Create text designs along a path
      3. Add your own fonts
    7. Work with images
      1. Vectorize raster images
    8. Color
      1. Apply colors and gradients
  5. Cloud documents
    1. Basics
      1. Work with Illustrator cloud documents
      2. Share and collaborate on Illustrator cloud documents
      3. Share documents for review
      4. Upgrade cloud storage for Adobe Illustrator
      5. Illustrator cloud documents | Common questions
    2. Troubleshooting
      1. Troubleshoot create or save issues for Illustrator cloud documents
      2. Troubleshoot Illustrator cloud documents issues
  6. Add and edit content
    1. Drawing
      1. Drawing basics
      2. Edit paths
      3. Draw pixel-perfect art
      4. Draw with the Pen, Curvature, or Pencil tool
      5. Draw simple lines and shapes
      6. Draw rectangular and polar grids
      7. Draw and edit flares
      8. Trace images
      9. Simplify a path
      10. Symbolism tools and symbol sets
      11. Adjust path segments
      12. Design a flower in 5 easy steps
      13. Create and edit a perspective grid
      14. Draw and modify objects on a perspective grid
      15. Use objects as symbols for repeat use
      16. Draw pixel-aligned paths for web workflows
    2. Measurement
      1. Measure and plot dimensions
    3. 3D objects and materials
      1. About 3D effects in Illustrator
      2. Create 3D graphics
      3. Map artwork over 3D objects
      4. Create 3D Text
      5. Create 3D objects
    4. Color
      1. About color
      2. Select colors
      3. Use and create swatches
      4. Adjust colors
      5. Use the Adobe Color Themes panel
      6. Color groups (harmonies)
      7. Color Themes panel
      8. Recolor your artwork
    5. Painting
      1. About painting
      2. Paint with fills and strokes
      3. Live Paint groups
      4. Gradients
      5. Brushes
      6. Transparency and blending modes
      7. Apply stroke on an object
      8. Create and edit patterns
      9. Meshes
      10. Patterns
    6. Select and arrange objects
      1. Select objects
      2. Layers
      3. Expand, group, and ungroup objects
      4. Move, align, and distribute objects
      5. Align, arrange, and move objects on a path
      6. Snap objects to glyph
      7. Snap objects to Japanese glyph
      8. Stack objects    
      9. Lock, hide, and delete objects
      10. Copy and duplicate objects
      11. Rotate and reflect objects
      12. Intertwine objects
      13. Create realistic art mockups
    7. Reshape objects
      1. Crop images
      2. Transform objects
      3. Combine objects
      4. Cut, divide, and trim objects
      5. Puppet Warp
      6. Scale, shear, and distort objects
      7. Blend objects
      8. Reshape using envelopes
      9. Reshape objects with effects
      10. Build new shapes with Shaper and Shape Builder tools
      11. Work with Live Corners
      12. Enhanced reshape workflows with touch support
      13. Edit clipping masks
      14. Live shapes
      15. Create shapes using the Shape Builder tool
      16. Global editing
    8. Type
      1. Add text and work with type objects
      2. Reflow Viewer
      3. Create bulleted and numbered lists
      4. Manage text area
      5. Fonts and typography
      6. Convert text within images into editable text
      7. Add basic formatting to text
      8. Add advanced formatting to text
      9. Import and export text
      10. Format paragraphs
      11. Special characters
      12. Create type on a path
      13. Character and paragraph styles
      14. Tabs
      15. Find missing fonts (Typekit workflow)
      16. Arabic and Hebrew type
      17. Fonts | FAQ and troubleshooting tips
      18. Creative typography designs
      19. Scale and rotate type
      20. Line and character spacing
      21. Hyphenation and line breaks
      22. Spelling and language dictionaries
      23. Format Asian characters
      24. Composers for Asian scripts
      25. Create text designs with blend objects
      26. Create a text poster using Image Trace
    9. Create special effects
      1. Work with effects
      2. Graphic styles
      3. Appearance attributes
      4. Create sketches and mosaics
      5. Drop shadows, glows, and feathering
      6. Summary of effects
    10. Web graphics
      1. Best practices for creating web graphics
      2. Graphs
      3. SVG
      4. Slices and image maps
  7. Import, export, and save
    1. Import
      1. Place multiple files
      2. Manage linked and embedded files
      3. Links information
      4. Unembed images
      5. Import artwork from Photoshop
      6. Import bitmap images
      7. Import Adobe PDF files
      8. Import EPS, DCS, and AutoCAD files
    2. Creative Cloud Libraries in Illustrator 
      1. Creative Cloud Libraries in Illustrator
    3. Save and export
      1. Save artwork
      2. Export artwork
      3. Create Adobe PDF files
      4. Adobe PDF options
      5. Use Illustrator artwork in Photoshop
      6. Collect assets and export in batches
      7. Package files
      8. Extract CSS | Illustrator CC
      9. Document info panel
  8. Printing
    1. Prepare for printing
      1. Set up documents for printing
      2. Change the page size and orientation
      3. Specify crop marks for trimming or aligning
      4. Get started with large canvas
    2. Printing
      1. Overprint
      2. Print with color management
      3. PostScript printing
      4. Print presets
      5. Printer's marks and bleeds
      6. Print and save transparent artwork
      7. Trapping
      8. Print color separations
      9. Print gradients, meshes, and color blends
      10. White Overprint
  9. Automate tasks
    1. Data merge using the Variables panel
    2. Automation with scripts
    3. Automation with actions
  10. Troubleshooting 
    1. Fixed issues
    2. Known issues
    3. Crash issues
    4. Recover files after crash
    5. Safe mode
    6. File issues
    7. Supported file formats
    8. GPU device driver issues
    9. Wacom device issues
    10. DLL file issues
    11. Memory issues
    12. Preferences file issues
    13. Font issues
    14. Printer issues
    15. Share crash report with Adobe
    16. Improve Illustrator performance

Learn about the Graphic Styles and how to manage the Graphic Styles panel and Graphic Styles libraries.

About Graphic Styles

A graphic style is a set of reusable appearance attributes. Graphic Styles allow you to quickly change the look of an object. You can apply graphic styles to objects, groups, and layers. When you apply a graphic style to a group or layer, every object in the group or layer takes on the attributes of the graphic style. 

Note:

If you apply a graphic style to a group or layer, but the style’s fill color doesn’t appear in the artwork, drag the Fill attribute above the Contents entry in the Appearance panel.

Graphic Styles panel 

Use the Graphic Styles panel (Window > Graphic Styles) to create, name, and apply sets of appearance attributes. The panel lists a default set of graphic styles when you create a document. Graphic styles that are saved with the active document appear in the panel when that document is open and active.

Graphic Styles panel
Graphic Styles panel

A. Graphic Styles Libraries Menu B. Break Link to Graphic Style C. New Graphic Style D. Delete Graphic Style E. Graphic Style panel menu 

To see any style more clearly, or to preview the style on a selected object, right-click (Windows) or Ctrl-click (macOS) the style’s thumbnail in the Graphic Styles panel and view the large pop-up thumbnail that appears.

If a style doesn’t have a fill and stroke (for example, an effect-only style), the thumbnail appears in the shape of the object with a black outline and white fill. In addition, a little red slash appears, indicating the absence of a fill or stroke.

Right-click style thumbnail to view large pop-up thumbnail. Selected style is an effect-only style.
Right-click style thumbnail to view large pop-up thumbnail. Selected style is an effect-only style.

Graphics Style panel menu

Use the Graphic Styles panel menu   to access various options available. 

  • Select a view size option from the panel menu.
  • Select Sort by Name from the panel menu to list the graphic styles in alphabetic or numeric order (Unicode order).
  • Select Square for Preview from the panel menu to view the style on a square or the shape of the object on which it was created.
  • Select Text for Preview from the panel menu to view the style on the letter. This view provides a more accurate visual description for styles applied to text.
Graphic Styles panel menu options
Graphic Styles panel menu options

Graphic style for type using text for the preview
Graphic style for type using text for the preview

Work with graphic styles

You can create a graphic from scratch by applying appearance attributes to an object, or you can base a graphic style on other graphic styles. You can duplicate existing graphic styles or import various graphic styles from other documents.

  • Select New Graphic Style    on the Graphics Styles panel to create a new graphic style.
  • Select Merge Graphic Styles from the panel menu    to create a graphic style based on two or more existing graphic styles. The new graphic style contains all the attributes of the selected graphic styles and is added to the end of the list of graphic styles in the panel.
  • Select Duplicate Graphic Style from the panel menu   to duplicate a graphic style. The new graphic style appears at the bottom of the list in the Graphic Styles panel.
  • To rename a graphic style, choose the Graphic Styles Options from the panel menu   > rename the file > OK.
  • To delete a graphic style, select the graphic style > Delete Graphic Style   in the Graphic Styles panel.
  • To break the link to a graphic style, select the object > Break link to Graphic Style   in the Graphic Styles panel.
  • To replace the graphic style attributes, select the graphic style you want to replace. Then select artwork (or target an item in the Layers panel) that has the attributes you want to use, and select Redefine Graphic Style “Style name” from the Appearance panel menu.

The replaced graphic style keeps its name but takes on new appearance attributes. All occurrences of the graphic style in the Illustrator document are updated to use the new attributes.

  • To import all graphic styles from another document, select Graphics Styles Libraries Menu   > Other Library > Select the file from which you want to import graphic styles > Open.

The graphic styles appear in a Graphic Style library panel (not the Graphic Styles panel).

Apply a graphic style

  1. Select an object or group (or target a layer in the Layers panel).

  2. To apply a single style to an object, select a style form the Styles menu in the Graphic Styles panel or Graphic Style Library.

  3. To merge a style with an object’s existing style attributes, or apply multiple styles to an object,select the object and Alt-click (Windows) or Option-click (macOS) the style in the Graphic Styles panel.

    Note:

    To preserve the color of type when applying a graphic style, deselect Override Character Color in the Graphic Styles panel menu.

Graphic Style Libraries

Graphic style libraries are collections of preset graphic styles. When you open a graphic style library, it appears in a new panel (not the Graphic Styles panel). You select, sort, and view items in a graphic style library the same as you do in the Graphic Styles panel. However, you can’t add items to, delete items from, or edit the items in graphic style libraries.

  • To open it, select Graphic Styles Libraries Menu   on the Graphic Styles panel.
  • To save a new graphic style to the library, select Graphic Styles Libraries Menu   > Save Graphic Style Library > Save. 
  • To move graphic styles from a library to the Graphic Styles panel ,select the graphic styles you want to add, and then select Add to Graphic Styles from the Graphic Styles Libraries panel menu.
Note:

To automatically open a library when you start Illustrator, choose Persistent from the library’s panel menu.

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