Adobe Illustrator Review Questions
Name two methods for creating a text area in Adobe Illustrator. - ANSThe following methods
can be used for creating text areas: With the Type tool, click the artboard and start typing
when the cursor appears. A text area is created to accommodate the text.
With the Type tool, drag to create a text area. Type when a cursor appears.
With the Type tool, click a path or closed shape to convert it to text on a path or in a text
area. Alt-clicking (Windows) or Option-clicking (Mac OS) when crossing over the stroke of a
closed path creates text around the shape.
What are two benefits of using an OpenType font? - ANSThe two main benefits of OpenType
fonts are cross-platform compatibility (they work the same on both Windows and Mac OS)
and support of widely expanded character sets and layout features, which provide richer
linguistic support and advanced typographic control.
What is the difference between a character style and a paragraph style? - ANSA character
style can be applied to selected text only. A paragraph style is applied to an entire
paragraph. Paragraph styles are best for indents, margins, and line spacing.
What are the advantages and disadvantages of converting text to outlines? - ANSConverting
type to outlines eliminates the need to send the fonts along with the file when sharing with
others. You can also fill the type with a gradient and create interesting effects on individual
letters. However, when you create outlines from text, you should consider the following: Text
is no longer editable. The content and font cannot be changed for outlined text. It is best to
save a layer with the original text or to use the Outline Object effect.
Bitmap fonts and outline-protected fonts cannot be converted to outlines.
Outlining text that is less than 10 points in size is not recommended. When type is converted
to outlines, the type loses its hints—instructions built into outline fonts to adjust their shape
to display or print optimally at many sizes. When scaling type, adjust its point size before
converting it to outlines.
You must convert all type in a selection to outlines; you cannot convert a single letter within a
string of type. To convert a single letter into an outline, create a separate type area
containing only that letter.
Name two benefits of using layers when creating artwork. - ANSThe benefits of using layers
when creating artwork include: protecting artwork that you don't want to change, hiding
artwork that you aren't working with so that it's not distracting, and controlling what prints.
How do you hide layers? How do you show individual layers? - ANSTo hide a layer, click to
deselect the eye icon to the left of the layer name in the Layers panel. Select the blank,
leftmost column (the Visibility column) to show a layer.
Describe how to reorder layers in a file. - ANSYou reorder layers by selecting a layer name
in the Layers panel and dragging the layer to its new location. The order of layers in the
, Layers panel controls the document's layer order—topmost in the panel is front-most in the
artwork.
What is the purpose of changing the selection color for a layer? - ANSThe selection color
controls how selected anchor points and direction lines are displayed on a layer and helps
you identify the different layers in your document.
What happens if you paste a layered file into another file? Why is the Paste Remembers
Layers option useful? - ANSThe paste commands paste layered files or objects copied from
different layers into the active layer, by default. The Paste Remembers Layers option keeps
the original layers intact when the objects are pasted.
How do you create a layer clipping mask? - ANSCreate a clipping mask on a layer by
selecting the layer and clicking the Make/Release Clipping Mask button in the Layers panel.
The topmost object in the layer becomes the clipping mask.
How do you apply an effect to a layer? How can you edit that effect? - ANSClick the target
icon for the layer to which you want to apply an effect. Then choose an effect from the Effect
menu. To edit the effect, make sure that the layer is selected and then click the name of the
effect in the Appearance panel. The effect's dialog box opens, and you can change the
values.
What is a gradient? - ANSA gradient is a graduated blend of two or more colors or of tints of
the same color. Gradients can be applied to the stroke or fill of an object.
Name two ways to apply a gradient to a selected object. - ANSTo apply a gradient to a
selected object, select an object, and do one of the following: Select the Stroke or Fill box,
and then click the Gradient box in the Tools panel to fill an object with the default
white-to-black gradient or with the last selected gradient.
Change the Fill color or Stroke color in the Control panel to apply a gradient to selected
content.
Select the Stroke or Fill box in the Tools panel, and then click a gradient swatch in the
Swatches panel.
Use the Eyedropper tool to sample a gradient from an object in your artwork, and then apply
it to the selected object.
How do you adjust the blend between colors in a gradient? - ANSTo adjust the blend
between colors in a gradient, with the Gradient tool selected, and the pointer over the
gradient annotator or in the Gradient panel, you can drag the diamond icons or color stops of
the gradient slider.
Name two ways you can add colors to a gradient. - ANSTo add colors to a gradient, in the
Gradient panel, click beneath the gradient slider to add a gradient stop to the gradient. Then
double-click the color stop to edit the color, using the panel that appears to mix a new color
or to apply an existing color swatch. You can select the Gradient tool in the Tools panel,
position the pointer over the gradient-filled object, and then click beneath the gradient slider
that appears in the artwork to add a color stop.
Name two methods for creating a text area in Adobe Illustrator. - ANSThe following methods
can be used for creating text areas: With the Type tool, click the artboard and start typing
when the cursor appears. A text area is created to accommodate the text.
With the Type tool, drag to create a text area. Type when a cursor appears.
With the Type tool, click a path or closed shape to convert it to text on a path or in a text
area. Alt-clicking (Windows) or Option-clicking (Mac OS) when crossing over the stroke of a
closed path creates text around the shape.
What are two benefits of using an OpenType font? - ANSThe two main benefits of OpenType
fonts are cross-platform compatibility (they work the same on both Windows and Mac OS)
and support of widely expanded character sets and layout features, which provide richer
linguistic support and advanced typographic control.
What is the difference between a character style and a paragraph style? - ANSA character
style can be applied to selected text only. A paragraph style is applied to an entire
paragraph. Paragraph styles are best for indents, margins, and line spacing.
What are the advantages and disadvantages of converting text to outlines? - ANSConverting
type to outlines eliminates the need to send the fonts along with the file when sharing with
others. You can also fill the type with a gradient and create interesting effects on individual
letters. However, when you create outlines from text, you should consider the following: Text
is no longer editable. The content and font cannot be changed for outlined text. It is best to
save a layer with the original text or to use the Outline Object effect.
Bitmap fonts and outline-protected fonts cannot be converted to outlines.
Outlining text that is less than 10 points in size is not recommended. When type is converted
to outlines, the type loses its hints—instructions built into outline fonts to adjust their shape
to display or print optimally at many sizes. When scaling type, adjust its point size before
converting it to outlines.
You must convert all type in a selection to outlines; you cannot convert a single letter within a
string of type. To convert a single letter into an outline, create a separate type area
containing only that letter.
Name two benefits of using layers when creating artwork. - ANSThe benefits of using layers
when creating artwork include: protecting artwork that you don't want to change, hiding
artwork that you aren't working with so that it's not distracting, and controlling what prints.
How do you hide layers? How do you show individual layers? - ANSTo hide a layer, click to
deselect the eye icon to the left of the layer name in the Layers panel. Select the blank,
leftmost column (the Visibility column) to show a layer.
Describe how to reorder layers in a file. - ANSYou reorder layers by selecting a layer name
in the Layers panel and dragging the layer to its new location. The order of layers in the
, Layers panel controls the document's layer order—topmost in the panel is front-most in the
artwork.
What is the purpose of changing the selection color for a layer? - ANSThe selection color
controls how selected anchor points and direction lines are displayed on a layer and helps
you identify the different layers in your document.
What happens if you paste a layered file into another file? Why is the Paste Remembers
Layers option useful? - ANSThe paste commands paste layered files or objects copied from
different layers into the active layer, by default. The Paste Remembers Layers option keeps
the original layers intact when the objects are pasted.
How do you create a layer clipping mask? - ANSCreate a clipping mask on a layer by
selecting the layer and clicking the Make/Release Clipping Mask button in the Layers panel.
The topmost object in the layer becomes the clipping mask.
How do you apply an effect to a layer? How can you edit that effect? - ANSClick the target
icon for the layer to which you want to apply an effect. Then choose an effect from the Effect
menu. To edit the effect, make sure that the layer is selected and then click the name of the
effect in the Appearance panel. The effect's dialog box opens, and you can change the
values.
What is a gradient? - ANSA gradient is a graduated blend of two or more colors or of tints of
the same color. Gradients can be applied to the stroke or fill of an object.
Name two ways to apply a gradient to a selected object. - ANSTo apply a gradient to a
selected object, select an object, and do one of the following: Select the Stroke or Fill box,
and then click the Gradient box in the Tools panel to fill an object with the default
white-to-black gradient or with the last selected gradient.
Change the Fill color or Stroke color in the Control panel to apply a gradient to selected
content.
Select the Stroke or Fill box in the Tools panel, and then click a gradient swatch in the
Swatches panel.
Use the Eyedropper tool to sample a gradient from an object in your artwork, and then apply
it to the selected object.
How do you adjust the blend between colors in a gradient? - ANSTo adjust the blend
between colors in a gradient, with the Gradient tool selected, and the pointer over the
gradient annotator or in the Gradient panel, you can drag the diamond icons or color stops of
the gradient slider.
Name two ways you can add colors to a gradient. - ANSTo add colors to a gradient, in the
Gradient panel, click beneath the gradient slider to add a gradient stop to the gradient. Then
double-click the color stop to edit the color, using the panel that appears to mix a new color
or to apply an existing color swatch. You can select the Gradient tool in the Tools panel,
position the pointer over the gradient-filled object, and then click beneath the gradient slider
that appears in the artwork to add a color stop.
