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Basic Panels of Adobe Illustrator P2

Basic Panels of Adobe Illustrator

Continuing my previous article you will learn the remaining Basic illustrator Panels of Adobe in this article.

Adobe Illustrator is a versatile software that provides a wide range of features and tools to create stunning digital illustrations and designs. Understanding and utilizing the various panels in Illustrator can significantly enhance your workflow and productivity. In this article, we will explore keywords such as Illustrator panels, basic tools of Adobe Illustrator, panels in Illustrator, Adobe Illustrator panels, panels in Adobe Illustrator, and panels Illustrator. By familiarizing yourself with these essential panels, you can unlock the full potential of Illustrator and streamline your design process.

Illustrator panels are interactive windows that provide access to different functions and tools within the software. They offer quick and convenient access to various features, settings, and resources, making your design workflow more efficient and effective.

The basic tools of Adobe Illustrator are the fundamental components that allow you to create and manipulate objects in your artwork. These tools include the Selection Tool, Direct Selection Tool, Pen Tool, Shape Tools, Type Tool, and many others. By mastering these basic tools, you can efficiently navigate and manipulate elements within your designs.

Understanding the different panels in Illustrator is crucial for maximizing your productivity. The Panels panel, for example, provides access to commonly used panels such as the Layers panel, Swatches panel, and Appearance panel. The Layers panel allows you to organize and manage the various layers within your artwork, while the Swatches panel offers a library of colors and gradients for easy application. The Appearance panel enables you to apply and edit multiple effects, styles, and attributes to your objects.

Adobe Illustrator panels can be customized and arranged according to your preferences. You can dock panels together, create custom panel arrangements, and even save them as workspaces for specific tasks or projects. This flexibility allows you to tailor the workspace to your individual needs, promoting a more personalized and efficient workflow.

By utilizing panels in Adobe Illustrator, you can access advanced features and functionality that can significantly enhance your designs. Panels like the Pathfinder panel, Gradient panel, and Transform panel offer powerful tools for creating complex shapes, applying gradients and blends, and transforming objects with precision and accuracy.

In conclusion, understanding and utilizing the various panels in Adobe Illustrator are essential for maximizing your design capabilities. By familiarizing yourself with the basic tools, organizing panels, and exploring their functionalities, you can unlock the full potential of Illustrator and elevate your design workflow. Experiment with different panel arrangements, explore advanced features, and adapt the workspace to your preferences. Let the panels in Illustrator become your trusted companions as you embark on your creative journey.

As told earlier in the previous article, you can find these basic panels either in the properties panel on the right side of the workspace or under the Window in the Menu Bar.
Let’s Start….
 
      1.      Path Finder Panel
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Don’t assume its function by its name. It does not find a path rather it helps in combining paths to form a compound shape, subtracting shapes, and dividing shapes.
The Pathfinder Panel can be found out in the properties panel on the right side of the workspace. If you don’t see it there then click on Window in the Menu Bar and then enable Pathfinder. In just a few clicks Path Finder Window will be on your screen.
In PathFinder Panel you will see Shapes Modes and Pathfinders. Under Shape Modes comes Unite, Minus Front, Intersect, and Exclude. The below image is an example to understand the use of different Shape Modes-
Basic Panels of Adobe Illustrator
In the above image, I have drawn a rectangle with Rectangle Tool and a circle with the Ellipse Tool. I have placed the circle over the rectangle. Now we will use different Shape Modes and see how it works.
 
·         Unite: ThisShape Mode helps in combining paths to form a compound shape. Select the circle and the rectangle with help of the Selection Tool then click on the Unite button and you will see that the two shapes are united to form a single shape.
·         Minus Front: In this Shape Mode the front shape & the overlapping shape get erased. You can see its result in the above image. Select both the shapes and click on the Minus Front button in the Pathfinder Panel and you will get your result.
·         Intersect: With the use of this Shape Mode only the intersecting/overlapping shape will remain and the other part of the shapes will be erased. (See above image)
Select both the shapes; circle and rectangle; and click on the Intersect button in the Pathfinder Panel. After clicking on the Intersect button you will see that only the intersecting area of the shapes will remain on the artboard and others will be erased.
·         Exclude: This Shape Mode is the opposite of Intersect. With help of this Shape Mode, the overlapping area of the shapes will be erased. Select both the shapes and click on the Exclude button in the Pathfinder Panel. The overlapping/intersecting shape will be erased. If you want the resulting shape to be separated, select the resulting shape, and click on the Ungroup button (you will find it in the Properties Panel).
Now we will understand the use of Pathfinder, which is below Shape Modes in the PathFinder Panel.
 
Divide, Trim, Merge, Crop, Outline, and Minus Back come under Pathfinder. The result of their use has been shown in the below image.
 
Basic Panels of Adobe Illustrator
·        Divide: It helps in dividing the shapes into separate parts. Select the shapes whose paths you want to divide and then click on the Divide button in the Pathfinder Panel. Then Ungroup them and you can select and drag them individually to separate them. (We will use this while learning Sliced Typography)
 
·         Trim: It helps in removing the overlapping part. You can see in the above image that the overlapping part from the rectangle has been removed with the use of the Trim button. Just select the shapes and click on the Trim button and ungroup them. When you will drag them apart you will notice that the overlapping part has been trimmed.
 
·         Merge: With the use of this the overlapping shapes will get merged.
 
·         Crop: It is the same as Intersect but there is a difference. Compare the result of both Intersect and Crop and you will notice the difference. In Intersect, the above layer of the overlapping shape is the result and in Crop, the bottom layer of the overlapping shape is the result.
 
·         Outline: At first it seems the same as Divide but in Outline, only the outline of the shape will be the result. Practice it to understand the difference.
 
·         Minus Back:  It is the opposite of Minus Front.
Hope the functions of Shape Modes and Pathfinders are not confusing for you after such a good explanation with examples. In case, if you are getting confused then I would suggest you please don’t practice them at the same time.
Draw different shapes and give a try to PathFinder Panel.
      2.      Swatches Panel
When you will double-click on a square shape which is near Fill in the Properties Panel, Swatches Panel will appear. You can even enable it from the Window option in the Menu Bar. Click on Window then click on Swatches and the Swatches Panel will be there on your screen.
 
Swatches Panel
 In the above image by seeing the Swatches Panel you must have got an idea about its usage. It helps in selecting the color for Fill & Strokes from available solid colors. If you want to select or change the color of fill click on the fill and then select the color from the swatches and the same you can do with strokes. Gradients and Patterns are also available in swatches.
You can also add a new swatch. When you will click on a new swatch button a window will appear (see the image below)
 
Swatches Panel
With help of this window, you can create a new swatch of your choice by altering the CMYK options. You can even change the color mode from CMYK to RGB, Grayscale, HSB, etc. After making the required changes click on OK. In the same way, you can add a color group also. Select the colors of which you want to create a group and click on Add Color Group then a window will appear. If you wish you can change the name of the color group and then click OK.
To delete a swatch or a color group select them and click on the bin icon. The selected swatch or color group will be deleted.
Try making new swatches and color groups of your choice.
       3.      Color Panel
 
To create new colors or to explore more color options click on Windows in the Menu Bar and enable color. The Color Panel Window will appear. By altering the percentage of CMYK/ RGB/ HSB or whichever color mode you select, you can create a new color of your choice. There is a wide range of color options in Color Guide. This is also available in Window; you can enable it from there.
Color Panel
Now practice the pathfinder by creating different shapes, play with colors by creating new swatches or color groups, and explore the wide range of colors.
With help of my previous articles, you have learned Basic Tools of Adobe Illustrator and now you are familiar with the Basic illustrator Panels which are frequently used while creating artwork.
In the next article, I will provide you with the shortcut keys which will help you in saving your time while working on Adobe Illustrator.
Practice all the Basic illustrator Panels of Adobe and Give your views in the comment section.
Also, share this Basic illustrator Panels article with others.

Author

  • Vivi Designing

    Vivi Designing is a platform for people who are in love with design and are eager to learn for creativity and inspiration. We provide free design resources, articles, tutorials, techniques, and the latest trends in Adobe Illustration and Adobe Photoshop.

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