The folks at Adobe have done quite the commendable job on their Illustrator CS5 improvements and additions. There is added flexibility, efficiency, and improved usability that we can all appreciate. With CS5 installed on all Mac Lab computers at school for the fall, I’m hoping some of these great features can catch the eye of some of the more Illustrator-hating, Photoshop-loving students. Here are my favorite features to check out:
1. Perspective Grid
Finally, a way to effectively create accurate depth in Illustrator! You can only have one grid per document (one vanishing point), with several points to adjust as you like. Grids on the planes can also be adjusted and serve as guides to lock your art, like regular grids. You also have the option to save a grid as a preset to use in the future. I love that you also have the option to either draw artwork directly into perspective (by selecting specific panels in the perspective tool widget), or you can map flat artwork to the grid. Awesome!
2. Variable-Width Strokes
My eyes lit up at this feature as I wondered where it has been all these years! Simply select the width tool in your tool panel and click and drag on ANY path! You are not adding anchor points…these are width points that can be dragged around on the path. Two other tips: hold shift to move multiple points together, and hold option if you only want to increase width on one side of the path. Of course, you can save your stroke as a present if you want to use it again, or you can apply it to an entire artwork rather than painstakingly adjusting each width point. This is really a fantastic feature.
3. Bristle Brush
Ooo, real brush stroke simulated in Illustrator! The tool is lactated under the existing brush tool, with options to control bristles, opacity, and stiffness of the bristles. As a bonus, if you use a pen tablet, you can control the rotation of the brush like you are really painting. Quite a fun tool.
Note: This tree is not representative of my design skills. It was quickly drawn to show off the new brush 
4. Shape Builder
Not a fan of the Pathfinder Window? Then this is a tool to get excited over. Just use primitive shapes to throw something together, and instead of using the Pathfinder, select the Shape Builder Tool and click and drag over desired areas of selected shapes to combine them. Tip: When building, use transparent fills to see exactly which paths you are combining. I think this will prove to be a handy little tool.
5. Enhanced Drawing Functions (Draw Behind & Draw Inside Modes)
No need to worry about sending things to the front and back as you build objects anymore. There are now two new options on the bottom of the toolbar – Draw Behind Mode, and Draw Inside Mode (automatically clips paths that wander outside of shape, and even works for photos).
6. Pixel Grid for Web Graphics
To have a better idea of what your web graphics are going to look like, you can now view the pixel grid when in Pixel Preview (View > Pixel Preview). To improve the look of your edges without guessing, you can “Align to Pixel Grid” by going to Window > Transform > and check the box for “Align to Pixel Grid.”
Other Improvements to Get Excited About:
- Command-click to select artwork through other objects
- Copy > Paste in Place is now finally an option!
Of course this is only a quick run-through, so check out lynda.com for more information and training. Stay tuned for Photoshop and InDesign CS5 Awesome Features.
For you: What is your favorite new tool? What do you think Illustrator still needs to add/improve upon?
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