Lecture 2.1 & 2.2: Grouping & Layering in Illustrator
Grouping Objects:
● Use the Selection tool to drag across and select objects.
● Go to Object > Group to group objects together.
● Resize the group by dragging a corner; all objects resize together.
● Double-click a group with the Selection tool to edit individual objects. Press Escape to exit
editing and regroup.
About Layers:
● Layers are transparent folders for managing content in the Layers panel (Window > Layers).
● Each layer holds images, text, or artwork in a stacked order.
● Layers help you move, edit, hide, lock, and organize content independently.
Create and Edit Layers:
● Open the Layers panel via Window > Layers (or find it on the right side).
● New documents start with one layer (Layer 1).
● Double-click a layer name to rename it.
● Click the Create New Layer button to add a new layer.
● Reorder layers by dragging them up or down in the Layers panel.
Organizing Content with Layers:
● Move content between layers by selecting and dragging the color box to a new layer.
● Use "Locate Object" to find specific artwork in the Layers panel.
● Hide objects by clicking the eye icon next to the object or layer name.
Aligning Objects:
● Select multiple objects and align them using the Align To option in the Properties panel.
● Choose Align To Selection to align objects to each other.
● Align to the artboard by selecting a single object, opening the Align panel (Window > Align),
and choosing Align To Artboard.
● Align to a key object by selecting it as the specific alignment point.
Grouping Objects:
● Use the Selection tool to drag across and select objects.
● Go to Object > Group to group objects together.
● Resize the group by dragging a corner; all objects resize together.
● Double-click a group with the Selection tool to edit individual objects. Press Escape to exit
editing and regroup.
About Layers:
● Layers are transparent folders for managing content in the Layers panel (Window > Layers).
● Each layer holds images, text, or artwork in a stacked order.
● Layers help you move, edit, hide, lock, and organize content independently.
Create and Edit Layers:
● Open the Layers panel via Window > Layers (or find it on the right side).
● New documents start with one layer (Layer 1).
● Double-click a layer name to rename it.
● Click the Create New Layer button to add a new layer.
● Reorder layers by dragging them up or down in the Layers panel.
Organizing Content with Layers:
● Move content between layers by selecting and dragging the color box to a new layer.
● Use "Locate Object" to find specific artwork in the Layers panel.
● Hide objects by clicking the eye icon next to the object or layer name.
Aligning Objects:
● Select multiple objects and align them using the Align To option in the Properties panel.
● Choose Align To Selection to align objects to each other.
● Align to the artboard by selecting a single object, opening the Align panel (Window > Align),
and choosing Align To Artboard.
● Align to a key object by selecting it as the specific alignment point.
