Alignment/Margins Practice

Alignment/Margins Slides

These will be shown in class, but are here also for your reference.

Alignment/Margins

Copy Illustrator Template

  1. Go to the Alignment/Margins Template

  2. If you aren't already signed in to Adobe, click "Sign in" in the top right corner.

  3. Click "Copy to Files"

  4. Open the Creative Cloud desktop app.

  5. Rename: Right-click on the file and click "Rename" to add your last name to the start:

    • "Last Name, Alignment Margins"

  6. Open: Right-click and click "Open"

  7. Workspace: Adjust your workspace (go to "Window" > "Workspace" > "Essentials Classic")

1-3: Align Paragraphs

In Illustrator, text is automatically aligned left. In order to align paragraphs differently:

  1. Click on a paragraph, then click on the word "Paragraph:" in the top menu. Or click "Ctrl" + "T" and click on the "Paragraph" tab.

  2. The first row of buttons are different alignment options:

    • Align Left (automatic)

    • Alight Center

    • Alight Right

    • Justify with last line aligned left

    • Justify with last line aligned center

    • Justify with last line aligned right

    • Justify all lines

  3. Complete #1-3 according to how they should be aligned.

4-9: Align Objects

Text, images, paths, and shapes are all objects you can have in your design in Illustrator. In order to align objects:

  1. Open up the "Align" window by going to "Window" > "Align"

  2. Select the objects you want to align together by clicking and dragging over them.

  3. In the "Align" window, under "Align Objects", the first row of buttons are different alignment options:

    • Horizontal Align Left

    • Horizontal Align Center

    • Horizontal Align Right

    • Vertical Align Top

    • Vertical Align Center

    • Vertical Align Bottom

  4. Complete #4-9 according to how they should be aligned.

Rulers and guides

  1. Go to the "View" menu in the top bar and click:

    • "Rulers" > "Show Rulers"

    • "Guides" > "Unlock Guides"

Create Guides

In order to create guides, which can be your margin lines:

  1. Click and drag from the rulers on the left and top to create guides (bright blue lines). These guides are only in Illustrator - meaning they won't save on a PDF or when you export.

  2. You can click on guides (they will turn dark blue) in order to edit them.

  3. Create guides so that you have margins on all four sides of your page.


Note: Guides span across all artboards.

Lock Guides

Go to "Window" > "Guides" > "Lock Guides"

Align Paragraph and Objects

  1. Click on the paragraph and set to "Align Left" in the "Paragraph" window

  2. Select all the text and the line and align the objects by setting to "Align Left" in the "Align" window. Then move over to your margin/guide on the left.

  3. Move the images so that one of their edges is touching one of your margins/guides.

  4. Move the logo so it is in the top right of your page, at the edge/corner of your top and right margins/guides.

Create Your Own

On the blank artboard on the right:

  1. Choose a product that you like (ex: airpods).

  2. Find the following online and copy and paste onto the artboard:

    • 2 photos of the product

    • Logo of the company that produces the product

    • Product name or a single sentence tagline

    • A paragraph of text about the product

  3. Unlock your guides and then create margins for your artboard (remember your top and bottom margins will be there from the last activity since they span all artboards. You will only need to create left and right margins.

  4. Align your paragraph and objects' edges against your margins.

  5. Remember to use hierarchy as well to create an order for your audience to read your design.

Save as .AIC and .PDF

  1. Go to "File" > "Save" to make sure to save your .aic file (if it is grayed out then it is already saved).

  2. Go to "File" > "Save As..."

  3. Choose "On your computer"

  4. Click "Creative Cloud Files" folder on the left menu

  5. Name: "Last Name, Alignment Margins"

  6. Click "Save"

  7. Click "Save PDF"

  8. Once you save as a .pdf, exit out of Illustrator. If you need to edit again and resave, make sure to edit your .aic file and re-save as a .pdf.

Turn in to Canvas

Turn in your .pdf file on Canvas in the "Alignment/Margins Practice" assignment.

"I'm Done"

If you have more time in class, check out the "I'm Done" page.