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Top 8 Editing Features for Adobe Illustrator CS4

The new CS4 allows editing on the spot without returning to toolbars. Fill, stroke, or change effects within the panel. Work faster and efficiently.
Top 8! New features with Adobe Illustrator Tools:

1. In-Panel Appearance Editing – Edit object characteristics directly, without opening separate panels.

2. Multiple Artboards – Create files using up to 100 artboards in different sizes, also allow them to overlap, be side by side, or stacked. Select the option to either print the artboards independently or together.

3. Transparency in Gradients – Choose the opacity of any graphic color tone. Make images clearer by revealing shaded or hidden effects, and create a rich color by overlapping multiple layers. Then use color fades to make the image lively.

4. Blob Brush Tool – Outline with a brush that creates a clean shape. Draw using the this tool and use the new Eraser and Smooth tools. Allowing you to correct mistakes and edit the image to look more professional.

5. Refined Graphic Styles – Combine styles for unique effects. Use styles without ruining an object’s existing appearance. Use the ability to view a new thumbnail preview while editing.

6. Gradients Exposed – Set the gradient angle, and position. Add and edit the colors by using sliders.

7. Clipping Masks Demystified – Work with masks by viewing the clipped area of the image while editing. Use the Isolation Mode, and Edit Clipping Path for efficiency.

8. Separations Preview – Do not let your images contain color outputs which surprise you such as those unexpected spot colors, the unwanted overprinting, and white overprinting.

Adobe Illustrator is a vector-based drawing program created to assist any user in editing with greater effects for the image. Similar to Adobe’s Photoshop, Illustrator uses a vector-based program instead of using a bitmap-based program such as Photoshop. Many users do not understand the difference between bitmap and a vector-based program, so here it is. A bitmap image-processing program is ideally used for creating, modifying, and then outputting digital images of any type of photography/ graphic. Though Adobe Photoshop contains many tools and various abilities to create, edit, and output wonderful images, the tools are nothing compared to that of Illustrator’s. Typically, users purchase Adobe Photoshop for digital photography editing while Illustrator is purchased for creating images and graphics. Both can be used for each other’s purposes and will do each other’s job; yet they are specified for their abilities. It is recommended to purchase both instead of using Photoshop for Illustrator’s purposes. Top new features for the CS4 version of Illustrator include the new transparency in gradients. This feature gives the user the ability to reveal underlying objects and create a richer color and texture when mixing multiple layers then covering them up with fades. Following this there is a Blob Brush tool which will allow you to sketch with a brush then allow it to generate a clean vector shape which will even show the overlapping strokes. This will allow a smoother finish towards the end of your project. Refined Graphic styles will allow you to combine styles for unique looks, which will not disturb the object’s current experience. Through this you may use an In-Panel editing tool which will give you access to editing tools directly onto the appearance panel, eliminating the necessity of opening fill in/ stroking/ or other tools which require more RAM (Random Access Memory) for opening. Overall, that feature will give the user the ability to finish quicker and run Illustrator more efficiently.
Click here for the Adobe Illustrator Trial.