5 Super Useful Shortcuts for Illustrator Users

I'm a Graphic Designer, which means I use Illustrator a lot.

In an attempt to help my fellow budding Graphic Designers, here is a short list of 5 super useful shortcuts.

1)  Do you click on the General Selection Tool when you want to deselect something?  Why bother?  Hit Alt-Ctrl-A instead and you will magically deselect everything.

2)  Maybe you need to select the stroke on an entire line of expanded text.  You could click on every stroke, or you could move up to your toolbar and hit Select > Same.  You can choose to select all objects with the same fill, stroke, stroke weight, etc.  Super time saver.  Seriously.

3)  Relating to the Select > Same function is the Hide command.  Suppose you want to select all objects that are filled with red, except for one lowly graphic outside the art board.  Select the offender and mash Ctrl-3.  Voila, the object disappears.  When you're ready for it to reappear, just push Alt-Ctrl-3.

4)  Perhaps you have some text you want to edit on top of a shape.  If you try to drag the selection tool you will select the background shape and the text.  Solution?  Select the shape and push Ctrl-2.  Your selection will lock, which means it can't be selected until it's unlocked.  You unlock it by smacking Alt-Ctrl-2.

5)  If you want to copy a shape, rather than selecting copy and paste, just hold Alt while you drag the object.

There you go.  5 useful shortcuts.  Enjoy!