Adobe Illustrator Tools and Shortcuts

Vocabulary flashcards covering core concepts, workspace layout, tools, and keyboard shortcuts in Adobe Illustrator.

Artboard

The white rectangle layout area in the workspace.

Command S

Keyboard shortcut used to save a file after performing Save As once.

Shape Tool Shortcut (M)

Keyboard shortcut to select the shape tool, allowing creation of rectangles, rounded rectangles, ellipses, polygons, stars, and flares.

Option + Drag

Action used to duplicate or copy an element by holding down Option while clicking and dragging.

Selection Tool (V)

Tool used to select, move, resize, and rotate objects.

Direct Selection Tool (A)

Tool used to select and manipulate individual anchor points and round corners.

Anchor Points

Represented by blue squares, these points define the paths and corners of objects.

Fill

The inside color of an object.

Stroke

The outline color of an object.

White box with red line

Indicates that a fill or stroke is transparent.

Eyedropper Tool (I)

Tool used to sample colors or attributes, activated with key 'I'.

Command [

Keyboard shortcut to send an object backward in layer order.

Command ]

Keyboard shortcut to send an object forward in layer order.

Pen Tool (P)

Tool used to draw custom vector paths and anchor points.

Command J

Keyboard shortcut used to join paths together.

Gradient Tool (G)

Tool used to create linear, radial, or freeform color gradients.

Command G

Keyboard shortcut to group multiple selected shapes.

Command Shift G

Keyboard shortcut to ungroup selected grouped objects.

Command 2

Keyboard shortcut used to lock a selected object.

Shift O

Keyboard shortcut used to access or edit the Artboard.

Command Z

Keyboard shortcut used to undo the previous action.