Adobe Illustrator: Edit the Shapes You Draw with Handy Tools

Adobe Illustrator features several tools that allow you to edit the shapes you draw. Here's how to get started.

Using the selection tool (black arrow in the top row left column of the tool box) will invoke what is known as the bounding box. The bounding box outlines the sides of the shape and shows the points used to draw the shape. Generally wherever there is a corner you will find a point. When dealing with an elliptical shape there will be four points, one at each of the extreme edges. If for some reason you do not see the bounding box when using the selection tool you can choose view from the menu bar at the top of the screen and then show bounding box. The bounding box allows you to transform items "on the fly"; this means you can change it without choosing a palette and inserting specific values.

When an item is selected, it is eligible for modification. The corners of the bounding box will show as white squares. Running the cursor over these points will change it to a double-sided arrow indicating it is now a transformation tool. Hold the left mouse button to maintain this tool. By holding and dragging you can change the size and/or dimension of the shape. Holding the shift key while doing this will keep the dimension the same but still change the size.

As with everything Adobe there is more than one way to perform the same task. In this case there is a scale tool in the sixth row of the left column of the toolbox. You must use the selection tool to choose the shape you would like to edit before the tool can be activated. Choose the selection tool then click your object, the bounding box should appear, now choose the scale tool. You can still use the click and drag method of editing or you can double click on the scale tool and a dialogue box will appear on the screen allowing you to input values for a specific scale.

The options that appear are uniform, non-uniform, and scale stroke and effects. The uniform option will maintain the dimensions of your object allowing only the size to change based on the percentage you input. Non-uniform allows you to scale length and width separately by entering percentage values for each. As for the stroke and effects I choose to scale them with the shape otherwise you end up with a 5" border on a 1" square. At this time you can also choose to make a copy of your item. This will allow you to retain the original item in its original form. I often use this option to make multiple variations because it affords me the option to return to another version should the need arise.

By choosing the direct select tool, the white arrow in the top row right column of the toolbox, you can invoke the bounding box by clicking on the area of the item you would like to transform. By clicking on one of the points of the bounding box with the direct selection tool you will be able to move that point by itself and thereby change the shape of your object. You can either left click hold-and-drag to do this or once you have clicked the point and it is solid you can use the arrow keys to move it one measure at a time.

Under the scale tool, left click and hold on the scale tool and other tool options will show up in a tool bar to the right, you will find the shear tool. This tool will transform your shape with respect to a specific plane. You need to use the selection tool again to choose the object you are going to transform. Once you've done that you can choose the shear tool and the bounding box becomes solid indicating it's ready to be adjusted. Left click hold-and-drag anywhere on the canvases and the shape will move with you. I find it helps to click and hold close to or on top of the item you are transforming so you can see where it is going. As with the scale tool holding the shift key will constrain your figure.

It is also possible to choose the point it will shear from. After selecting the shape you can change over to the shear tool and click once on a point of the bounding box. A target with cross hairs will appear over this point indicating that is now stationary. When you click and drag with this point in place the shape will pull away from it.

There are also specific options for the shear tool. Again after selecting the object you wish to edit you can double click on the shear tool and it will give you a set of options in a dialogue box where you can input a specific degree of angle to shear on as well as telling it which axis you would like the shear to follow. As with the scale tool you will also have the option to make a copy.