Tools

Blend Tool 

Use multiple shapes and blend them into one.

Curvature Tool

Use this to draw or trace objects making perfect curves. 

Direct Select>Group Selection Tool

Modify individual objects in a group without having to first ungroup.   

Free Transform Tool

   Distorts text and objects in 3 ways; Free Transform, Perspective Distort and Free Distort

Gradient Tool 

Fade between colors.  Default is two colors but you can add more.

Join Tool  

Join together two paths or remove the excess of two paths that overlap

Knife Tool 

Cut your object and move the pieces apart or delete what is not needed.

Live Paint Bucket

Use "fill" in shapes that have been cut out of another.

Mesh Tool 

Combine the mesh tool and the mesh gradient tool to make 3D objects.

Paint Brush (library) 

Hundreds of pre-made options; borders, dividers, thought bubbles, details etc.

Pen Tool 

Use this to draw as well as to add or delete anchors along a path.

Pucker Tool

Create a pucker in your text or object.  Can look like wrinkle  as if something moved through it 

Shape Builder Tool

Combine shapes or remove a shape from another.

Shear Tool

Choose an object or text and angle it (shear it). set a point to anchor the object and then angle it how you want. Like this shadow. 

Spiral Tool 

Create perfect spirls

Symbol Sprayer 

Use pre-made symbols of all kinds; flowers, maps, communication, sushi and more

Type to Path 

Create any path (line drawing or shape) and you can have text follow it.

Clipping Mask 

Use a picture to cut out (clip) your text.

Pathfinder Tool 

Use with multiple shapes; unite them, cut one from the other(minus), intersect them or extrude them

Saving a Color Swatch if Library is missing 

If your library is missing - watch this video

Crystallize Tool 

Create spikes or crystal like shapes.

Appearance 

Layer your strokes around objects.  

Appearance>fx>Path>Offset Path 

Outline a group of objects.  The outline will move and resize with the grouping.

Blend tool 

Make your shape into a repeating shape giving is a 3D look.

Intertwine  

Have your paths intertwine so they appear all hooked together, not one on top of the other.

Transform Tool 

Move, rotate, reflect, scale, or sheer an object

3D Material> Extrude and Bevel Tool 

Turn 2D shapes into 3D ones.  Example... circle into a cylinder

Blur Tool

Blur your text in 3 different ways- Gaussian, Radial, or Smart 

Distort & Transform> ZigZag Tool 

Puts "spikes" zigzags on edges.  You control the length and number of spikes.

Envelope Distort 

Distort text or shapes using many options

Warp>Arc Tool

Arc your text 

Warp> Arc Lower Tool

Bend and distort text horizontally or vertically 

Warp> Fish Tool

 Makes your text into a fish shape

Warp> Flag and Fish Eye Tools 

Bend text into a waving flag shape or bulge the center like a fish eye

A-Z for Illustrator Beginners 

4 Ways to Cut an Image