From the course: Deke's Techniques (2018-2021)
973 Snapping to a specific letterform in Illustrator
From the course: Deke's Techniques (2018-2021)
973 Snapping to a specific letterform in Illustrator
- Hey gang, this is Deek McClelland. Welcome to Deek's Techniques. Now, as we learned last week, the most recent version of Illustrator allows you to snap graphic objects to the outlines, aka letter forms, of live editable type. Problem is, any given line of type contains a whole bunch of letter forms, all vying for a snap. And so, for example, let's say you drag a graphic object and it keeps snapping to the top of a lowercase H when you want it to snap to the top of the dot on a lower case I. Then, you just need to right click on the I and choose snap to glyph I. Now, it's a tricky feature, and it takes a little time to get used to, but once you do it's one heck of a technique. Here, let me show you exactly how it works. All right, so, notice that the lines associated with cap height, X height, and baseline are solid lines, because those are absolute measurements where any specific font is concerned. Whereas the Ascender and descender lines are dashed because those are a little bit more subjective. And so, let's say what I want to do is move these descender lines so they're aligned with the flat edge at the bottom of the lower case P as opposed to the rounded edge at the bottom of the lowercase Y. In that case you want to right click on the lower case P and you should see this first command reads snap to glyph P. In my case, it's dimmed. And so, what gives? Well, there's three different culprits to look for. The first two are under the view menu. And so, you need to have smart guides turned on, as it is in my case, snap to glyph should be turned on as well. And so, where I'm concerned anyway, I'm good to go. And so, there's one other hidden feature. To get to it, press control K, or command K on the Mac, in order to bring up the preferences dialog box. The K comes from the keyboard increment option which is highlighted the moment you press a keyboard shortcut. Next, you want to switch to smart guides in this left-hand list, and you want to turn on this checkbox, alignment guides. It is on by default, but it's got to be on for this feature to work. At which point I'll click okay. And then, I'll once again, right click on that P. And, as you can see, the first command now reads snap to glyph P. All right, now click on these dash strokes associated with both of the descender lines, both the blue one and the orange one. Also, shift click on the words descender, so all four of these objects are selected. And now, I'll go ahead and zoom in on the bottom of this lowercase P. I'll start off by dragging this line downward while pressing the shift key to constrain the angle of my drag to exactly vertical. And, the reason I'm dragging it down for starters is just so I can get the most accurate results. That way the lines not trying to snap into alignment with itself. And now, I'll drag this guy up while, once again, pressing the shift key, so the angle of my drag is exactly vertical, until I snap into alignment with the bottom of that lowercase letter P. All right, I'll go and zoom out. And now, let's say, I don't want this descender line to align with this top point of the ascender associated with this lower case H. Perhaps I want to align it with the top of the dot associated with the lower case I. In which case I'll right click on that letter I. Notice now the first command is undue move. And that's because those lines are selected. I need them to be deselected. So, I'll escape out of that shortcut menu, and press control shift A, or command shift A on the Mac, in order to de-select the artwork. And then, I'll right click on the letter I and choose snap to glyph I. All right, now I'll select both of those Ascender lines by clicking on one shift, clicking on the other, and that will shift click on the words ascender, like so. And, I'll go ahead and zoom in on the I. I want you to notice how instead of being set against a black background the area around the I is highlighted ever so slightly. And now, I'll go ahead and drag this guy up while pressing the shift key, just so it doesn't accidentally snap into alignment with itself, and now I'll drag down while pressing the shift key until I snap to that glyph bound, as you can see, where that green smart guide is concerned. All right, though, that's not actually accurate. If I wanted to put the Ascender line exactly where it goes it should probably be at this point. So, the second to top anchor point, where the letter H is concerned. And, when I say anchor point, I'm talking about the actual path definition of this character, of the lowercase H, which is built into the font definition, because, after all, this is life editable text. And so, what I'm going to do is press control shift A, or command shift A, in order to de-select my artwork. Right click on any portion of that H and choose snap to glyph H. And now, I'll go ahead and press control Z, or command Z on the Mac, to undo that last movement which also helps to reselect that path outline. And now, I'll drag it down while pressing the shift key until it snaps into alignment with this guy right here, you'll want to snap to that anchor point, at which point your cursor should change to a white arrowhead. And now, I'll just go ahead and release in order to complete that drag. And now, press control shift A, or command shift A on the Mac, in order to de-select my artwork, and I'll press control zero, or commands zero on the Mac, to center my zoom. Now, notice that the H is still slightly highlighted. If you want to release that glyph, so that you don't snap into alignment with it in the future, then just go up here to the horizontal control panel and click on this button, release glyph. Or, another way to work, just in case your control panel isn't up on screen, you can right click on that H and choose release snap to glyph H. And so, if you've ever right clicked on a letter and wondered what in the world that first command is doing, well, now you know. Here inside the most recent version of Adobe Illustrator. Looking forward to next week? Well, just imagine that in addition to snapping to a specific letter form while dragging a path outline you can snap to that letter form while drawing the path outline, either with a shape tool or with the pen. Deek's techniques each and every week. Keep watching.
Practice while you learn with exercise files
Download the files the instructor uses to teach the course. Follow along and learn by watching, listening and practicing.
- 669_custom_QR.zip
- 670_more_QR.zip
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- 673_shade_panels.zip
- 672_more_rectangles.zip
- 674_cafe_wall.zip
- 675_skewed_walls.zip
- 676_magic_checkers.zip
- 677_magic_dots.zip
- 678_reverse_illusion.zip
- 679_illusion_decor.zip
- 680_more_gizmos.zip
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- 682_wifi_symbol.zip
- 683_bluetooth_logo.zip
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- 685_trajan_AIcc.zip
- 686_stylistic_PsCC.zip
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- 688_grad_molecules.zip
- 689_sharper_moles.zip
- 690_smart_cules.zip
- 691_explore_cules.zip
- 692_blend_cules.zip
- 693_high_pass_cules.zip
- 694_cell_pattern.zip
- 695_hemoglobin.zip
- 696_edgy_cells.zip
- 697_springy_cells.zip
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- 699_skew_blends.zip
- 700_cross_blends.zip
- 701_slice_blend.zip
- 702_blend_distort.zip
- 703_dynamic_roughen.zip
- 704_fish_twist.zip
- 705_dynam_bgnd_1.zip
- 706_dynam_bgnd_2.zip
- 707_quieter_art.zip
- 708_disintegration.zip
- 709_more_flakes.zip
- 710_mask_ashes.zip
- 711_flakes_to_ash.zip
- 712_note_tool.zip
- 713_contour_map.zip
- 714_contour_grad.zip
- 715_contour_arb.zip
- 716_contour_riff.zip
- 717_smooth_contour.zip
- 718_contour_cash.zip
- 719_color_of_money.zip
- 720_AI_adjust.zip
- 721_computer_key.zip
- 722_key_type.zip
- 723_faux_hedcut.zip
- 724_hedcut_lines.zip
- 725_color_hedcut.zip
- 726_ET_moon.zip
- 727_ET_trees.zip
- 728_ET_TRex.zip
- 729_global_glow.zip
- 730_content_aware.zip
- 731_space_portal.zip
- 732_enhance_portal.zip
- 733_rushing_stars.zip
- 734_AIcc_puppet.zip
- 735_puppet_tricks.zip
- 736_complex_puppet.zip
- 737_puppet_shortcut.zip
- 738_pentagons.zip
- 739_reinhardt.zip
- 740_kershner.zip
- 741_james_pentagon.zip
- 742_rice_pentagons.zip
- 743_stein_pentagon.zip
- 744_15th_pentagon.zip
- 745_tessellate_15.zip
- 746_pentatiles.zip
- 747_mod_pattern.zip
- 748_complement_tiles.zip
- 749_image_pattern.zip
- 750_pattern_fit.zip
- 751_candy_keeper.zip
- 752_keeper_text.zip
- 753_monster_movie.zip
- 754_mono_halftone.zip
- 755_word_haunted.zip
- 756_cheat_letters.zip
- 757_alt_adjust.zip
- 758_scuba_mono.zip
- 759_backscatter.zip
- 760_sample_outside.zip
- 761_Ps_vector_logo.zip
- 762_trans_shapes.zip
- 763_photo_logo.zip
- 764_high_res_snow.zip
- 765_enhance_snow.zip
- 766_snowflake_bokeh.zip
- 767_mandala_ps.zip
- 768_mandala_pattern.zip
- 769_mandala_dots.zip
- 770_mandala_color.zip
- 771_mandala_final.zip
- 772_AI_trim_view.zip
- 773_AI_presentation.zip
- 774_global_edits.zip
- 775_global_control.zip
- 776_freeform_grads.zip
- 777_freeform_lines.zip
- 778_freeform_gotcha.zip
- 779_great_white.zip
- 780_sharper_shark.zip
- 781_vibrance_sat.zip
- 782_vib_sat_sharp.zip
- 783_hedcut_action.zip
- 784_action_actions.zip
- 785_color_lines.zip
- 786_combine_lines.zip
- 787_clip_to_group.zip
- 788_color_outside.zip
- 789_flip_horizontal.zip
- 790_white_walker.zip
- 791_walker_begins.zip
- 792_digital_shave.zip
- 793_deep_wrinkles.zip
- 794_deep_brows.zip
- 795_pale_lips.zip
- 796_glowing_blue.zip
- 797_lifeless_pupils.zip
- 798_cold_gloomy.zip
- 799_brittle_flakes.zip
- 800_trans_shapes.zip
- 801_range_mask.zip
- 802_flip_photo.zip
- 803_actual_dream.zip
- 804_augment_dream.zip
- 805_smart_distortions.zip
- 806_blend_distortions.zip
- 807_star_negative.zip
- 808_star_pattern.zip
- 809_shaded_stars.zip
- 810_grad_pattern.zip
- 811_pattern_fade.zip
- 813_gobstopper.zip
- 814_gobpattern.zip
- 815_galignment.zip
- 816_etched_lines.zip
- 817_blend_pattern.zip
- 818_cubical_holes.zip
- 819_grad_pattern.zip
- 820_iso_arrows.zip
- 821_position_tips.zip
- 822_fill_gaps.zip
- 823_cartoon_teeth.zip
- 824_triangle_eye.zip
- 825_add_windows.zip
- 826_perfect_tessellate.zip
- 827_triangle_tunnels.zip
- 828_triangles_pattern.zip
- 829_colorful_triangles.zip
- 830_recolor_triangles.zip
- 831_rainbow_blends.zip
- 832_pattern_blends.zip
- 833_imposs_trident.zip
- 834_shade_trident.zip
- 835_opposing_grads.zip
- 836_trident_shadows.zip
- 837_impossible_hex.zip
- 838_impossible_lattice.zip
- 839_Joan_Miro.zip
- 840_watercolor_wash.zip
- 841_Miro_signature.zip
- 842_Photoshop_Miro.zip
- 843_enlarge_Miro.zip
- 844_Miro_Peele.zip
- 845_color_Us.zip
- 846_red_rorschach.zip
- 847_finish_Us.zip
- 848_CAF_fails.zip
- 849_turkey_2019.zip
- 850_trace_hand.zip
- 851_articulated_hand.zip
- 852_colorful_hand.zip
- 853_paint_fingernails.zip
- 854_paint_turkey.zip
- 855_turkey_feathers.zip
- 856_drop_shadow.zip
- 857_Ps_iPad_1.zip
- 858_Ps_iPad_2.zip
- 859_Ps_iPad_3.zip
- 860_iPad_Sidecar.zip
- 861_Adobe_Fresco.zip
- 862_Fresco_halftones.zip
- 863_live_brushes.zip
- 864_oil_paint.zip
- 865_Fresco_masks.zip
- 866_repurpose_mask.zip
- 867_vector_brush.zip
- 868_fresco_ps.zip
- 869_auto_color.zip
- 870_ACR_pano.zip
- 871_correct_pano.zip
- 872_diffusion.zip
- 873_simplify_2020.zip
- 874_fill_gaps.zip
- 875_posterize.zip
- 876_paint_bucket.zip
- 877_nonD_poster.zip
- 878_dynamic_poster.zip
- 879_filmstrip.zip
- 880_awful_awesome.zip
- 881_rembrandt.zip
- 882_recolor_freeform.zip
- 883_recolor_group.zip
- 884_over_under.zip
- 885_dev_over_under.zip
- 886_3D_metal_star.zip
- 887_heavy_metal.zip
- 888_wonder_poster.zip
- 889_wonder_displace.zip
- 890_wonder_woman.zip
- 891_metadata_template.zip
- 892_edit_metadata.zip
- 893_quilt_warp.zip
- 894_warp_object.zip
- 895_gopro_images.zip
- 896_content_aware.zip
- 897_gopro_combo.zip
- 898_blend_vignette.zip
- 899_photo_painting.zip
- 900_cue_ball.zip
- 901_pool_ball.zip
- 902_stripe_ball.zip
- 903_transform_each.zip
- 904_recolor_pool.zip
- 905_pool_cues.zip
- 906_rotate_cues.zip
- 907_repeat_face.zip
- 908_rainbow_faces.zip
- 909_mask_lips.zip
- 910_single_many.zip
- 911_symmetrical_mask.zip
- 912_colorize_grads.zip
- 913_mask_grads.zip
- 914_lantern_type1.zip
- 915_lantern_type2.zip
- 916_lantern_type3.zip
- 917_blend_steps.zip
- 918_blended_blends.zip
- 919_reverse_order.zip
- 920_pattern_colors.zip
- 921_blend_pattern.zip
- 922_polygons.zip
- 923_equil_triangle.zip
- 924_mercedes.zip
- 925_star_ring.zip
- 926_perfect_star.zip
- 927_lets_review.zip
- 928_basic_shapes.zip
- 929_triangle_man.zip
- 930_paint_grads.zip
- 931_adv_grads.zip
- 932_trans_vectors.zip
- 933_free_distort.zip
- 934_dynamic_fx.zip
- 935_cats_eye.zip
- 936_cat_iris.zip
- 937_primitives.zip
- 938_zig_zag.zip
- 939_dynamic_hilight.zip
- 940_reptile_scales.zip
- 941_shade_eye.zip
- 942_variable_shade.zip
- 943_dragon_eye.zip
- 945_single_thumbnail.zip
- 946_ai_home.zip
- 947_unlock_object.zip
- 948_unlock_icon.zip
- 949_line_tool.zip
- 950_broken_candy.zip
- 951_candy_rhino.zip
- 952_wrap_pattern.zip
- 953_ice_shadows.zip
- 954_illustrator_ipad.zip
- 955_pencil_points.zip
- 956_ipad_blob.zip
- 957_ipad_pen.zip
- 958_grads_repeats.zip
- 959_color_grading.zip
- 960_grading_tricks.zip
- 961_blend_balance.zip
- 962_font_height.zip
- 963_camera_profile.zip
- 964_JPEG_raw.zip
- 965_match_detail.zip
- 966_Ps_line_tool.zip
- 967_troubleshoot_line.zip
- 968_blend_vectors.zip
- 969_curve_line.zip
- 970_point_glyphs.zip
- 971_area_glyphs.zip
- 972_snap_glyphs.zip
- 973_snap_letterform.zip
- 974_glyph_shape.zip
- 975_glyph_pen.zip
- 976_playing_cards.zip
- 977_scale_shape.zip
- 978_card_suits.zip
- 979_enhance_path.zip
- 980_power_symbol.zip
- 981_huge_artboard.zip
- 982_new_artboard.zip
- 983_triceratops.zip
- 984_pen_tricks.zip
- 985_round_corner.zip
- 986_draw_round.zip
- 987_reshape_round.zip
- 988_AI_brushed.zip
- 989_AI_rivets.zip
- 990_blend_grad.zip
- 991_binoculars.zip
- 992_blue_halo.zip
- 993_bi_aberrations.zip
- 994_hide_shapes.zip
- 995_subwoofer.zip
- 996_deep_cone.zip
- 997_gradient_frame.zip
- 998_hex_screws.zip
- 999_thats_all.zip
Contents
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954 Introducing Illustrator on the iPad9m 57s
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955 Illustrator on the iPad: The drawing tools13m 7s
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956 Ilustrator on the iPad: The Blob Brush5m 57s
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957 Illustrator on the iPad: The Pen6m 58s
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958 Illustrator on the iPad: Gradients and repeats10m 29s
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959 Color grading in Camera Raw8m 23s
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960 Color grading tips and tricks4m 32s
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961 Color grading: Blending and balance6m 50s
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962 New ways to scale type in Illustrator5m 57s
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963 Camera Matching profiles in Camera Raw/Lightroom7m 46s
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964 Combining the best of JPEG and raw10m 30s
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965 Smoothing out raw detail to match JPEG3m 24s
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966 Drawing arrows in Photoshop 20217m 23s
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967 Troubleshooting Photoshop’s Line tool5m 46s
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968 Blending vectors with a pixel-based photograph10m 29s
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969 Curving a vector-based line segment in Photoshop4m 42s
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970 Aligning to point type in Illustrator6m 27s
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971 Aligning to area type in Illustrator7m 17s
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972 Snapping to letterforms in Illustrator7m 7s
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973 Snapping to a specific letterform in Illustrator6m 7s
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974 Tracing a specific letterform with a shape tool4m 27s
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975 Snapping to a glyph with the Pen tool5m 46s
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976 Rendering your name in playing cards10m 49s
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977 Precisely sizing a vector-based shape layer7m 10s
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978 Tracing an object with the Photoshop Pen tool10m 2s
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979 Enhancing a Photoshop path in Illustrator9m 25s
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980 Drawing a universal power symbol in Illustrator7m 7s
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981 Very large artboards in Adobe Illustrator6m 8s
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982 Creating a new very large artboard5m 18s
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983 Designing an animal logo in Illustrator2m 56s
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984 Illustrator Pen tool tricks11m 8s
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985 Dynamic round corners in Illustrator8m 12s
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986 Drawing organic curves with round corners9m 28s
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987 Reshaping paths that include round corners7m 52s
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988 Creating brushed metal in Illustrator11m 43s
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989 Creating rivets in Illustrator10m 25s
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990 Rotating a gradient inside an object blend5m 3s
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991 Peering thru binoculars in Photoshop8m 39s
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992 Adding colorful halos “inside” your binoculars5m 47s
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993 More extreme binocular aberrations7m 51s
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994 Hiding paths and shape handles in Photoshop6m 44s
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995 Drawing a subwoofer in Illustrator10m 52s
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996 Deep inside the subwoofer with Illustrator10m 37s
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997 Compound shapes vs. compound paths in Illustrator14m 25s
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998 Drawing a whole bunch of hex screws in Illustrator10m 30s
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999 "That’s all Folks!" in Photoshop15m 18s
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