Adobe Illustrator: Working with Artboards

by Sally Cox  

I create all my graphics for my eLearning courses in Adobe Illustrator. I try to draw everything myself but also refine stock vector art when I am in a rush. My Illustrator files have a lot of artboards and they can get out of order easily. Let me show you how to rearrange your Artboards to help keep you sane and organized.

 

When you create a New Document in Illustrator, there is an option to add more than one Artboard. Two or more Artboards gives you more options.

 

Next to the number of Artboards are four icons and an arrow. The four icons give you options to arrange your Artboards. I usually leave it on the first option, which will arrange them from left to right and add rows going down. I also recommend adding to the Spacing (area between Artboards).

 

 

Artboard Tool

 

When you want to edit or add new Artboards, use the Artboard Tool (Shift O).

 

Here's an example of what one of my files looks like. Okay, I admit I haphazardly add Artboards and they do get out of order.

When you choose the Artboard Tool, the current Artboard gets a bold dashed line around it.

 

 

The Artboard I currently have selected with the Artboard Tool is highlighted with a bold dashed border.

Drag the handles to resize the Artboard, select the Trash Can on the options (at the top of your screen) to delete an Artboard. There are icons to add new or rename Artboards, change x and y positioning, and adjust width and height, among others. Hover over the icon to learn its function.

 

 

One final step with Artboards is the Artboard Panel (which provides an easy way to reorder and rename Artboards). You will find the Artboards Panel in the Windows menu.

 

  

 

In the image above I am renaming my Artboards to make it easier to navigate through them.