How to Master Adobe Illustrator CS6: Tips, Tricks, and Tutorials
Key Adobe Illustrator CS6
Adobe Illustrator is one of the most popular and powerful vector graphics software in the world. It allows you to create stunning logos, icons, illustrations, typography, and more for print, web, video, and mobile. Whether you are a beginner or a professional, Adobe Illustrator can help you unleash your creativity and turn your ideas into reality.
Key adobe illustrator cs6
But with so many versions of Adobe Illustrator available, how do you know which one is right for you? In this article, we will focus on one of the most widely used versions: Adobe Illustrator CS6. We will explore its key features, compare it with newer versions, and provide some tips and resources for learning it. By the end of this article, you will have a better understanding of what Adobe Illustrator CS6 can do for you and how to get started with it.
Key features of Adobe Illustrator CS6
Adobe Illustrator CS6 was released in 2012 as part of the Creative Suite 6 (CS6) package. It introduced many new features and enhancements that made it faster, easier, and more fun to use. Here are some of the key features of Adobe Illustrator CS6 that you should know:
64-bit support and performance enhancements
One of the biggest improvements in Adobe Illustrator CS6 was the support for 64-bit architecture. This means that it can take advantage of more RAM and CPU power, resulting in faster performance and better stability. You can work with larger and more complex files without worrying about crashes or slowdowns. You can also apply more effects and filters without compromising quality or speed.
Another performance enhancement in Adobe Illustrator CS6 was the Mercury Performance System. This system optimizes the performance of various tools and functions, such as zooming, panning, scrolling, saving, opening, exporting, and printing. You can also adjust the GPU acceleration settings to suit your preferences and system capabilities.
New user interface and panel improvements
Adobe Illustrator CS6 also introduced a new user interface that was more modern, sleek, and customizable. You can adjust the brightness of the interface to match your environment or mood. You can also dock or undock hidden tools, panels, and menus to create your own workspace layout.
Some of the panels that were improved in Adobe Illustrator CS6 include:
The Color panel: It now features a larger color ramp and a hexadecimal field for working with web colors.
The Type panel: It now allows you to access more font options, such as OpenType features, ligatures, alternates, fractions, ordinals, etc.
The Transform panel: It now lets you apply transformations to multiple objects at once, such as scaling, rotating, reflecting, shearing, etc.
The Transparency panel: It now enables you to apply opacity masks to multiple objects at once.
The Control panel: It now displays more relevant options depending on the tool or object you are working with.
New pattern creation and image tracing tools
Another exciting feature that was added in Adobe Illustrator CS6 was the ability to create seamless patterns with ease. You can use the new Pattern Options panel to adjust various parameters of your pattern, such as tile type, size, spacing, overlap, offset, etc. You can also preview your pattern in real time and edit it as you go. You can save your patterns as swatches and apply them to any object or shape.
Another new tool that was introduced in Adobe Illustrator CS6 was the Image Trace tool. This tool allows you to convert raster images into vector graphics with just a few clicks. You can use the Image Trace panel to choose from various presets or customize your own settings, such as mode, color, paths, corners, noise, etc. You can also refine your traced image with the Expand and Simplify commands.
Gradients on strokes and variable-width strokes
Adobe Illustrator CS6 also made it possible to apply gradients to strokes, not just fills. You can use the Gradient panel or the Gradient tool to adjust the gradient type, angle, colors, opacity, and location. You can also choose how the gradient is applied to the stroke: within the stroke, along the stroke, or across the stroke.
Another way to enhance your strokes in Adobe Illustrator CS6 is to use the variable-width strokes feature. This feature lets you change the width of your strokes at any point using the Width tool. You can also use the Width panel to select from various width profiles or create your own. You can apply variable-width strokes to any path or shape, including brushes and patterns.
Enhanced vector tools and effects
Adobe Illustrator CS6 also improved some of the existing vector tools and effects, making them more versatile and user-friendly. Some of these enhancements include:
The Shape Builder tool: It now allows you to create complex shapes by adding, subtracting, or intersecting multiple shapes with ease. You can also use the Shape Builder tool to apply different colors or gradients to different parts of a shape.
The Bristle Brush tool: It now gives you more control over the appearance and behavior of your brush strokes. You can use the Bristle Brush Options panel to adjust various parameters, such as size, length, stiffness, density, opacity, color variation, etc.
The Perspective Grid tool: It now enables you to draw in perspective with more accuracy and flexibility. You can use the Perspective Grid panel to change the number of vanishing points, grid size, grid color, grid visibility, etc. You can also use the Perspective Selection tool to move, scale, rotate, or shear objects in perspective.
The 3D effects: They now offer more options and settings for creating realistic 3D graphics. You can use the 3D Extrude & Bevel, 3D Revolve, and 3D Rotate effects to transform your 2D objects into 3D shapes. You can also use the 3D options panel to adjust various aspects of your 3D graphics, such as lighting, shading, surface, mapping, etc.
Adobe Illustrator CS6 vs newer versions
Adobe Illustrator CS6 was the last version of Adobe Illustrator that was sold as a standalone product. Since then, Adobe has switched to a subscription-based model called Creative Cloud (CC), which offers access to all the latest versions of Adobe software and services for a monthly or annual fee.
So how does Adobe Illustrator CS6 compare with the newer versions of Adobe Illustrator CC? What are the main differences between them? And which one should you choose for your needs? Here are some of the factors that you should consider:
Features and updates
One of the main advantages of Adobe Illustrator CC is that it offers more features and updates than Adobe Illustrator CS6. Some of the features that are exclusive to Adobe Illustrator CC include:
The Freeform Gradient tool: This tool allows you to create smooth and natural gradients by placing color points anywhere on your object or shape.
The Global Edit tool: This tool lets you edit multiple instances of a symbol or graphic style at once.
The Puppet Warp tool: This tool enables you to distort and transform your objects by placing pins and dragging them around.
The Properties panel: This panel displays the most relevant options and settings for your selected object or tool.
The Artboards panel: This panel allows you to manage and organize your artboards more easily.
The Export for Screens feature: This feature helps you export multiple assets or artboards in different sizes and formats with one click.
The Live Corners feature: This feature lets you modify the corners of your shapes with different styles and sizes.
The Touch Type tool: This tool allows you to manipulate individual characters of your text with touch gestures.
In addition to these features, Adobe Illustrator CC also receives regular updates that fix bugs, improve performance, and add new functionalities. For example, some of the latest updates in Adobe Illustrator CC include the Recolor Artwork feature, the Align to Pixel Grid feature, the Content-Aware Crop feature, and the Cloud Documents feature.
On the other hand, Adobe Illustrator CS6 does not receive any more updates or support from Adobe. It has fewer features and functionalities than Adobe Illustrator CC, and it may not be compatible with some newer formats or devices. However, it still has all the essential tools and effects that you need to create amazing vector graphics.
Price and availability
Another major difference between Adobe Illustrator CS6 and Adobe Illustrator CC is the price and availability. As mentioned earlier, Adobe Illustrator CS6 was sold as a standalone product that you could buy once and use forever. The price of Adobe Illustrator CS6 was around $600 for a single license, or $250 for an upgrade from a previous version.
However, Adobe Illustrator CS6 is no longer available for purchase from Adobe or any authorized resellers. You can only get it if you already have a license or if you find a second-hand copy from a trusted source. You also need to activate your license online before you can use it.
Adobe Illustrator CC, on the other hand, is only available as part of the Creative Cloud subscription service. You cannot buy it as a standalone product or use it offline. The price of Adobe Illustrator CC depends on the plan that you choose. There are three main plans that include Adobe Illustrator CC:
The Single App plan: This plan gives you access to Adobe Illustrator CC and 100 GB of cloud storage for $20.99 per month.
The All Apps plan: This plan gives you access to Adobe Illustrator CC and all the other Creative Cloud apps and services, such as Photoshop, InDesign, Premiere Pro, After Effects, etc., plus 100 GB of cloud storage for $52.99 per month.
The All Apps + Adobe Stock plan: This plan gives you access to Adobe Illustrator CC and all the other Creative Cloud apps and services, plus 10 free images from Adobe Stock per month and 100 GB of cloud storage for $82.98 per month.
You can also get discounts if you are a student, a teacher, a business, or a non-profit organization. You can also cancel your subscription at any time without any penalty.
Compatibility and integration
A third factor that you should consider when comparing Adobe Illustrator CS6 and Adobe Illustrator CC is the compatibility and integration with other software and devices. Generally speaking, Adobe Illustrator CC has better compatibility and integration than Adobe Illustrator CS6, because it supports more formats, standards, and platforms.
For example, Adobe Illustrator CC supports more file formats for importing and exporting your graphics, such as SVG, PDF/X-4, EPS 10, etc. It also supports more color modes and profiles, such as CMYK, RGB, Lab, etc. It also supports more fonts and languages, such as variable fonts, OpenType fonts, Arabic, Hebrew, etc.
Moreover, Adobe Illustrator CC integrates better with other Creative Cloud apps and services, such as Photoshop, InDesign, Premiere Pro, After Effects, etc. You can easily switch between different apps and share your files and assets using the Creative Cloud Libraries or the Cloud Documents features. You can also access more resources and tools from the Creative Cloud website or app, such as fonts from Adobe Fonts, Adobe Illustrator CC.
FAQs
Here are some of the frequently asked questions about Adobe Illustrator CS6 and Adobe Illustrator CC:
How much does Adobe Illustrator CS6 cost?
Adobe Illustrator CS6 was sold as a standalone product that cost around $600 for a single license, or $250 for an upgrade from a previous version. However, it is no longer available for purchase or supported by Adobe. You can only get it if you already have a license or if you find a second-hand copy from a trusted source.
How can I get a free trial of Adobe Illustrator CS6?
You can get a free trial of Adobe Illustrator CS6 from the official website of Adobe. However, you will need to create an Adobe account and activate your license online before you can use it. The free trial lasts for 30 days, after which you will need to buy a license or uninstall the software.
What are the system requirements for Adobe Illustrator CS6?
The minimum system requirements for Adobe Illustrator CS6 are as follows:
Operating systemWindowsMac OS
ProcessorIntel Pentium 4 or AMD Athlon 64Intel Core 2 Duo or later
RAM1 GB (3 GB recommended)2 GB (8 GB recommended)
Hard disk space2 GB2 GB
Display resolution1024 x 768 (1280 x 800 recommended)1024 x 768 (1280 x 800 recommended)
Graphics cardOpenGL 2.0 compatible with 256 MB VRAM (512 MB recommended)OpenGL 2.0 compatible with 256 MB VRAM (512 MB recommended)
DVD-ROM driveRequired for installationRequired for installation
Internet connectionRequired for activation and updatesRequired for activation and updates
How can I update Adobe Illustrator CS6 to the latest version?
You can update Adobe Illustrator CS6 to the latest version by using the Adobe Application Manager or the Help menu in the software. However, the latest version of Adobe Illustrator CS6 is 16.0.5, which was released in 2015. There are no more updates or support for Adobe Illustrator CS6 from Adobe.
Where can I find more tutorials and guides for Adobe Illustrator CS6?
You can find more tutorials and guides for Adobe Illustrator CS6 from various sources online, such as:
[Adobe TV]: This is the official video channel of Adobe that features various tutorials and tips for different versions of Adobe Illustrator.
[VectorTuts+]: This is an online learning platform that offers hundreds of tutorials and courses on vector graphics, including Adobe Illustrator CS6.
[Creative Bloq]: This is an online magazine that covers various topics on design and creativity, including Adobe Illustrator CS6.
[Design Tuts+]: This is another online learning platform that offers thousands of tutorials and courses on design, including Adobe Illustrator CS6.
[Smashing Magazine]: This is another online magazine that covers various topics on web design and development, including Adobe Illustrator CS6.
I hope this article has helped you learn more about Adobe Illustrator CS6 and how to use it effectively. If you have any questions or feedback, please feel free to leave a comment below. Thank you for reading! dcd2dc6462