03/22/2016
Designer Tip: Adobe Illustrator
When you have a need to modify several illustrations in the same fashion, with the same settings, it makes sense to use a template. Take that one step father and use a template in Illustrator that has multiple artboards. It's easy to set up, and you can see all of the connected illustrations in one document.
Bonus: when you need to export your illustrations, you can check the Use Artboards check box to export all of the illustrations at once, using the same settings.
To set up the multi-artboard template:
1. Select File | New.
2. Set the size of your artboards, color mode, etc.
3. Increase the number of artboards from 1 to whatever you desire (a good rule of thumb is to use an even number to create a grid of artboards).
4. Select whether the artboards will form a grid right to left or up and down (you can even change to right to left), or will be a chain stretching to the right or down the document space.
5. Set the spacing between the artboards and choose the number of columns (use this and the number of artboards to make a grid you like).
6. Click OK.
7. Create your Object Styles, Paragraph Styles, and other settings you use commonly.
8. Select File | Save.
9. In the dialog box, select Save As Type, Illustrator Template (*.ait).
When you want to use your new template, choose File | New from Template. That's all there is to it!
