Adobe Illustrator is the premiere program for graphic and motion designers, and there's more to the menus than you may think.
You probably spend most of your time in Illustrator designing, which makes sense! It’s a design program. But there are many other facets of working in Illustrator that you need to have a good grasp on if you want to avoid any unnecessary headaches.
Ah, the Edit menu. What a wonderful part of my day-to-day workflow. Wait, what? Did you just catch me reminiscing about a drop down menu in Illustrator?
I know it sounds ridiculous to write an article about the edit menu in any context, but trust me, it’s worth a read! There are tons of useful commands in the Edit menu of Illustrator that you might not even know existed. Let’s take a look at some of my favorites:
- Paste In Front/Back/Place
- Auto Spell Checker
- Keyboard Shortcuts Browser
Paste in Front/Back/Place in Adobe Illustrator
Take control of how your copied assets are pasted! Copy something in Illustrator and with an object selected, go to Edit > Paste in Front to paste the object in the exact same spot, in front of the selected object. Paste in Back will paste behind the selected object. And Paste In Place will paste the object at the top of the layer hierarchy, again, in the exact same position you copied it from.
Spelling > Auto Spell Check in Adobe Illustrator
Who knew there was a spell checker built into Illustrator? Probably no one, because it’s not in the Type menu… Just head up to Edit > Spelling > Auto Spell Check to enable it. Now your text layers will have spelling errors highlighted just like any other text editor.
Keyboard Shortcuts in Adobe Illustrator
Ever wondered what all the available keyboard shortcuts are for Illustrator? Well then, just head up to Edit > Keyboard Shortcuts and browse away!
You can even customize the shortcuts through this menu. If there’s a tool, or even menu command, that you wish you could access from the keyboard, you’re going to love this tool.
See? There’s a lot more to the Edit menu than just copying and pasting. Using these lesser-known commands allow you to take control of how Illustrator pastes, helps you avoid those awkward typos, and even lets you customize keyboard shortcuts. Be sure you take a look at the Edit menu yourself and find some more hidden gems!
Ready to learn more?
If this article only roused your appetite for Photoshop knowledge, it seems like you'll need a five-course shmorgesborg to bed it back down. That's why we developed Photoshop & Illustrator Unleashed!
Photoshop and Illustrator are two very essential programs that every Motion Designer needs to know. By the end of this course, you'll be able to create your own artwork from scratch with tools and workflows used by professional designers every day.
Dive into real-time 3D with our Unreal Engine beginner's course by Jonathan Winbush. Master importing assets, world-building, animation, and cinematic sequences to create stunning 3D renders in no time! Perfect for motion designers ready to level up.
Explore this Course ➔
Unlock the secrets of character design in this dynamic course! Explore shape language, anatomy rules, and motifs to craft animation-ready characters. Gain drawing tips, hacks, and Procreate mastery (or any drawing app). Ideal for artists seeking to elevate their craft.
Explore this Course ➔
Elevate your freelance motion design career with our guide to client success. Master a repeatable method for finding, contacting, and landing clients. Learn to identify prospects, nurture leads, and develop a thriving freelance philosophy amidst chaos.
Explore this Course ➔
Rev up your editing skills with After Effects! Learn to use it for everyday needs and craft dynamic templates (Mogrts) for smarter teamwork. You'll master creating animated graphics, removing unwanted elements, tracking graphics, and making customizable templates.
Explore this Course ➔
Stand out with Demo Reel Dash! Learn to spotlight your best work and market your unique brand of magic. By the end, you'll have a brand new demo reel and a custom campaign to showcase yourself to an audience aligned with your career goals.
Explore this Course ➔
Illuminate your 3D skills with Lights, Camera, Render! Dive deep into advanced Cinema 4D techniques with David Ariew. Master core cinematography skills, gain valuable assets, and learn tools and best practices to create stunning work that wows clients.
Explore this Course ➔
Master After Effects at your own pace with Jake Bartlett's beginner course. Perfect for video editors, you'll learn to create stylish animated graphics, remove unwanted elements, and track graphics into shots. By the end, you'll be equipped for everyday AE needs and more.
Explore this Course ➔
Revolutionize your Premiere workflow with customizable AE templates! Master creating dynamic Motion Graphics Templates (Mogrts) in After Effects to speed up your team's work. By the end, you'll craft easily-customizable templates for seamless use in Premiere Pro.
Explore this Course ➔
Not sure where to start?
If you’re a beginner, here are some great courses to help you get started:
After Effects Kickstart
Dive into the fundamentals of motion design with our most popular (and recently updated) After Effects course.
Photoshop + Illustrator Unleashed
Master the basics of Photoshop and Illustrator and gain invaluable insights in this introductory level course.
Design Kickstart
An introduction to the design principles behind all great work.
More Advanced?
If you’re a more advanced student looking to up your game, here are some great options:
Animation Bootcamp
Learn the art and principles of creating beautiful movements in Adobe After Effects.
Design Bootcamp
Learn to design for motion in this intermediate-level, project-based course.
Cinema 4D Basecamp
Learn Cinema 4D from the ground up in this exciting introductory C4D course.
Now is the time to learn the skills you need to advance in your motion design career:
