Adobe Illustrator & Photoshop Basics - 2019-2020
Landscape Orientation
A page format in which the correct reading or viewing orientation is horizontal; the width of the page is greater than its height.
Portrait Orientation
A page format in which the correct reading or viewing orientation is vertical; the height of the page is greater than its width.
Type Tool
A tool used to add text.
.ai
Adobe Illustrator native editable file extension.
.psd
Adobe Photoshop native editable file extension.
Fill
The interior color of a graphic.
A file format which embedded text and images. It is the most common file format for sharing designs via email or to a client.
Gradient
A gradual blend of color which can be considered as an even gradation from low to high values; another name for this is 'color progression'.
Vector Graphic
A graphic created with calculated anchor points and paths. It can be easily scaled to any size and retain clarity.
.TIFF
A high resolution file format which supports transparency in a picture or graphic.
Adobe Illustrator
A vector based program used to create illustrations and graphics like logos.
Type on a Path
Adding test to an anchor point path; can be straight or curved
T
Text Tool
Artboard
The area that a graphic or illustration is created on, like a page, in Adobe Illustrator.
Stroke
The exterior color of a graphic.
Hue and Saturation Adjustment Layer
Used in Photoshop to change the color or vibrancy of a photo.
Mask Tool
Used in Photoshop to create a transparent background behind a subject.
Quick Selection Tool
Used in Photoshop to select an area of a picture, resulting in 'marching ants.'
Selection Tool
Used to move entire objects.
Direct Selection Tool
Used to move individual anchor points.
Artboard Orientation
Whether or not a page is landscape (horizontal) or portrait (vertical)
CMD +
Zoom In
CMD -
Zoom Out
Live Paint Bucket
Allows color to be easily filled into enclosed areas of a vector graphic, for example when using the blob brush.
Raster Graphic
An image created with pixels on a bitmap. When set to a low resolution and scaled too large, the pixels become visible and the image looks blurry.
W
Blend Tool
Blend Tool
Blends repeating lines and shapes to form intricate graphics.
Blend Mode
Blends the colors of overlapping images or graphics.
Shift b
Blob Brush
Anchor Point Tool
Changes or converts the angle of a path connected to an anchor point.
Pathfinder
Combines, divides, and knocks out shapes.
CMD c
Copy
CMD Shift o
Create Outlines (Anchor Points on Text)
Color Guide
Creates color schemes based on a single swatch.
Handle Bars
Directional handles that originate from the center of an anchor point that are used to change the angle of a vector path.
CMD d
Duplicate Last Action
Option > drag with mouse
Duplicate Object
Shift e
Eraser
Swatches
Library where color samples can be saved and organized.
K
Live Paint Bucket
]
Makes brush stroke bigger.
[
Makes brush stroke smaller.
Tool Bar
Normally located on the left-hand side of the Illustrator interface. This holds various tools such as the Pen Tool and Selection Tool.
Panels
Normally located on the right-hand side of the Illustrator and InDesign interface. Hidden items can be located under 'Window'.
Layers
Organizes information in a document making is easy to select, hide, lock, and change the appearance attributes of artwork
CMD v
Paste
P
Pen Tool
N
Pencil Tool
Pen Tool
Plots anchor points in the creation of vector graphics.
Anchor Point
Points that define a path and eventually become a graphic object.
M
Rectangle Tool
CMD s
Save
