illustrator_tricks.txt

# Change keyboard shortcuts
Edit | Keyboard shortcuts
/Users/nacho/Library/Preferences/Adobe Illustrator CS5.1 Settings/en_US/my_illustrator_shortcuts.kys

# change sRGB to a better color space
/Library/Application Support/Adobe/Color/Settings/Best Workflow CS5.csf
Edit|Color Settings | load | Best Workflow

# Change keyboard increments
Preferences | General | Keyboard Increments

# Select objects by clicking on their path, not their fill (you can also do this with Type)
Preferences | Selection & anchor display | object selection by path only

# Increase layer preview size (this is an illustration level setting)
Layers panel |options | 75 pts

# Add panels
Window | panel

# Toggle hide/show panels
TAB
⇧ + Tab (hide right panels)

# Toggle between Hide tabs/full screen or super full screen (or press windows at bottom of toolbar)
F

# Save a panel arrangement (custom workspace)
Essentials | save custom workspace

# Disable the bounding box (use rotate and scale tools)
View | Show Bounding box

# Useful shortcuts ⌘⌥⇧^
⌘+0 zoom to fit

# Use pathfinder to cookie-cut your illustrations

# add downloaded brushes here
/Users/nacho/Library/Application Support/Adobe/Adobe Illustrator CS5.1/en_US/Brushes/

# duplicate around a point
Select the object
Select Rotate tool
Alt click on the place where you want the origin to be
choose angle
Copy
Cmd+D or Object|Transform|Transform again

# transform each
Object |transform |transform each
cmd+shift+alt+d

# Convert a path into its shape
Object|expand path

# round corners
Effects | stylize | round corners
object |expand appearance

# Knife tool to break a path (useful) =>