Before diving into any exercises, complete this essential setup process to ensure optimal performance and consistency throughout your learning journey.
Topics Covered in This Illustrator Tutorial:
Setting up Preferences & Workspaces
Core Tutorial Components
Preferences Configuration
Adjust anchor point and handle sizing for better visibility. Configure selection and display settings for optimal workflow.
Workspace Management
Set up Essentials Classic workspace and reset panels to default locations. Optimize interface layout for consistency.
Exercise Overview
Proper configuration is the foundation of efficient design work. This setup exercise isn't optional—skipping these crucial steps will cause compatibility issues and inconsistencies with later exercises. Think of this as calibrating your professional toolkit before embarking on complex projects.
This tutorial has been tested with Illustrator 2020. If you're using an older or newer version, most features should still work the same or similarly.
Pre-Exercise Requirements
Essential files needed for exercises throughout the workbook
Ensure you have a compatible version installed
Found in Illustrator menu on Mac or Edit menu on Windows
Setting Preferences
Download the class files. Refer to the Downloading the Class Files page at the beginning of the workbook for detailed instructions on downloading and installing the required assets.
Launch Adobe Illustrator.
NOTE: This curriculum has been thoroughly tested with Illustrator 2020, though the principles and techniques remain largely consistent across versions. Users of newer versions (including 2024 and 2025 releases) will find the interface nearly identical, while those on older versions may encounter minor variations in menu locations or feature availability.
Navigate to the Illustrator menu (Mac) or the Edit menu (Windows) and select Preferences > Selection & Anchor Display.
Adjust the anchor point size to match the settings shown below:
NOTE: This modification increases the visibility of anchor points and direction handles—critical elements for precise vector editing. Larger anchor points significantly improve selection accuracy and reduce eye strain during detailed work. This preference persists across all future documents, establishing a more comfortable working environment for professional illustration tasks.
Click OK to apply these changes.
Access the View menu and locate Smart Guides. If this option displays a checkmark, click to disable it. Smart Guides, while helpful for alignment, can interfere with precise manual positioning during these foundational exercises.
Selection and Anchor Display Configuration
Access Preferences
Navigate to Illustrator menu on Mac or Edit menu on Windows, then choose Preferences and Selection & Anchor Display
Increase Anchor Size
Adjust the size settings to make anchor points and handles larger for easier selection and visibility
Apply Settings
Click OK to save the preferences, which will remain active for all future files
Increasing anchor point and handle size makes finding and selecting them much easier, especially when working with complex paths and detailed illustrations.
Smart Guides Configuration
Check View Menu
Navigate to the View menu to locate the Smart Guides option
Disable Smart Guides
If Smart Guides is checked, click it to uncheck and disable this feature for cleaner workflow
Cleaning up the Interface
Now that your core preferences are configured, let's establish a consistent workspace that maximizes productivity and matches the examples throughout this course.
Standardize your workspace by navigating to Window > Workspace > Essentials Classic.
NOTE: The Essentials Classic workspace has proven invaluable for both newcomers and seasoned professionals because it prominently displays the Control panel across the top of your screen. This contextual panel provides immediate access to the most relevant tools and settings, creating a unified experience that mirrors the interface philosophy of Photoshop and InDesign. This consistency accelerates learning for designers working across Adobe's Creative Suite.
Complete the setup by selecting Window > Workspace > Reset Essentials Classic. This action returns all panels to their optimized default positions, ensuring your interface matches the screenshots and instructions in upcoming exercises.
Workspace Setup Process
Select Essentials Classic
Go to Window menu, then Workspace, and choose Essentials Classic for optimal panel arrangement
Reset Workspace
Return to Window > Workspace > Reset Essentials Classic to restore panels to their default locations
This workspace displays the Control panel at the top of the screen, showing useful settings and making Illustrator more similar to Photoshop and InDesign interfaces.
Essentials Classic Workspace