Playbill Template Illustrator Software
Hello designers! Renee here with a new Illustrator tutorial. We’ll be creating a playbill poster advertising a performance of Romeo & Juliet. We’ll use lots of fun fonts and ornaments, plus we’ll get a look at using Illustrator’s text wrap option. You can also enjoy a fantastic sample.
Adobe Illustrator is hugely popular software tool for making vector graphics, but it's undeniably expensive. Thankfully, there are alternatives available for designers on a budget, and some of the best are available free.
Unlike raster graphics, vector graphics use mathematical expressions to draw the lines, shapes and colours. This means they’re infinitely scalable, so you can blow them up to the size of a billboard with no unsightly pixellation.
Vector graphics are the best choice for a number of design and illustration tasks, such as creating icons, logos, diagrams, charts, posters and website graphics. In the latter case, the current standard is Scalable Vector Graphics format (SVG).
Adobe Illustrator is the industry standard tool for vector graphics, but it's undeniably expensive
Programs like CorelDRAW, Sketch or Affinity Designer are popular alternatives, but if your needs are relatively simple, then you can save even more money by trying out alternatives to Illustrator that are totally free – and there are some brilliant options to choose from.
Example vector files designed by Freepik
1. Inkscape
A feature-packed editor that's a true substitute for Illustrator
Open source vector graphics package Inkscape is staggeringly powerful, and is the best free alternative to Adobe Illustrator for pro and semi-pro illustrators, graphic designers and web designers.
As well as the standard drawing and shape tools, Inkscape boasts a special spirals tool, a tool to create patterns and arrangements of clones, advanced object manipulation options, multiple filters (including bevels, textures, overlays and more), and some nifty fill settings. In short, there’s very little Illustrator can do that Inkscape can’t.
Because it's open source, it’s not only free to use but if you have the technical know-how you can even edit it and incorporate it into other software. And new features are being added all the time; the latest version brings mesh gradients, improved SVG2 and CSS3 support and new path effects to the party.
So what’s the catch? Some users have complained that it performs slowly, although that does seem to depend on what device and operating system you’re using. The best thing to do is just download it and give it a quick try; there's nothing to lose.
2. BoxySVG
A browser-based vector editor that's as powerful as a desktop app
Boxy SVG is a free tool for creating scalable vector graphic files that runs as an extension in Google Chrome. It comes with a good range of basic tools, including pens, bezier curves, text, basic shapes, stroke and fill, layers, ability to add type, groups, transforms and paths.
The main selling point for Boxy SVG is the utter simplicity of its UI. It makes a virtue of paring down the experience of creating vector graphics to a fairly minimal set of options. These essentially restrict you to the kind of things that the SVG format is good at. As a result, it’s fast, easier to pick up than Illustrator, and the files it creates are clean and efficient.
As well as importing and exporting files in SVG and SVGZ format, you can also use Boxy SVG to import and export JPEGs and PNGs. Wonderfully convenient.
3. Vecteezy
A sharp looking in-browser Illustrator alternative for stylish designs
Vecteezy is another free in-browser Illustrator alternative (the developer earns a crust selling premium illustrations, and its customers include the BBC, Amazon, McDonald's and Dell).
You can import and edit SVG files, or create your own designs from scratch. There's a selection of shapes and ready-made clipart to choose from, and a huge array of typefaces for text-based designs.
Vecteezy also includes a pen tool for drawing freehand shapes and editing existing paths, plus a simple color-picker. It's all refreshingly simple to use, and even brand new users will grasp the fundamentals within a few minutes.
There are just a couple of points to be aware of: you'll need to create an account or log in using Facebook in order to save your work, and if you open a particularly large file, Vecteezy warns you that doing so might cause your browser to freeze. This is a risk with any similar web app though, and we appreciate Vecteezy being so up-front about it.
4. Vectr
A slimline vector editor available for your browser or desktop
Vectr is a free cross-platform program that you can use used to create and edit vector graphics, either on your desktop (versions are available for Windows, Mac, Linux and ChromeOS), or in any modern browser.
Vectr is intuitive to use, with a shallow learning curve. “Design software shouldn’t bring people a sense of struggle, yet that’s exactly how the troublesome design software we grew up on made us feel,” says its developer, who has created this pared-back vector editor with accessibility in mind.
While it lacks many of the advanced features of Illustrator, then, it’s got all the tools you need for basic vector editing - shapes, text, multiple layers and like - and what it does, it does very well. You can save all work you create in Vectr online, or export it in PNG, JPG, or SVG file formats.
Vectr is a great choice for beginners, or just anyone needing to create a simple graphic with the minimum of fuss.
5. SVG-Edit
A straightforward Illustrator alternative for web developers
If your prime reason for wanting a vector graphics editor is to create SVG files for websites, then SVG-Edit may be all you need. You can use this free vector software within your web browser to create SVG images and edit existing ones.
SVG-Edit works in any modern browser, and offers a basic set of vector editing features including hand-drawing tools, shape tools, text tools and path tools. The tool is open source, which means that new features are being added all the time by contributing developers.
It’s built on HTML5, CSS3 and JavaScript with no server-side functionality, so if you wish you can download and modify the code to make your own version.
- Check out our guide to the best free photo editors
You don’t have to create artwork from scratch in AdobeIllustrator—you can import both vector drawings and bitmap imagesfrom files created in other applications. Illustrator recognizesall common graphic file formats. Tight integration between Adobeproducts and support for a wide variety of file formats, makes it easyto move art from one application to another by importing, exporting,or copying and pasting.
When you place agraphic, you will see a screen-resolution version of the file in thelayout, so that you can view and position it, but the actual graphicfile may be either linked or embedded.
Linked artwork is connected to, but remains independentof, the document, resulting in a smaller document. You can modifylinked artwork using transformation tools and effects; however,you cannot select and edit individual components in the artwork.You can use the linked graphic many times without significantlyincreasing the size of the document; you can also update all linksat once. When you export or print, the original graphic is retrieved, creatingthe final output from the full resolution of the originals.
Embedded artwork is copied into the document at full resolution,resulting in a larger document. You can update the document wheneveryou like; as long as the artwork is embedded, your document is self-sufficient.
To determine if artwork is linked or embedded, or change its status from one to the other, use the Links panel.
If the embedded artwork contains multiple components, you can edit them discretely. For example, if the artwork contains vector data, Illustrator converts it to paths, which you can then modify using Illustrator tools and commands. Illustrator also preserves the object hierarchy (such as groups and layers) in artwork embedded from certain file formats.
Playbill Template Photoshop
The Place command isthe primary method of importing, because it provides the highestlevel of support for file formats, placement options, andcolor. After you place a file, use the Links panel to identify,select, monitor, and update it.
Open the Illustrator document into which you want toplace the artwork.
Choose File > Place, and select the text file you want to place.
Select Link to create a link to the file, or deselect Linkto embed the artwork in the Illustrator document.
Ifyou place a PDF file with multiple pages, you can choose which pageyou want to place and how to crop the artwork.
If you embed an Adobe® Photoshop® file, you can choose howto convert layers. If the file contains layer comps, you can alsochoose which version of the image to import.
Place text from a supported file right inside an object, such as a shape. You can place text from files in the .txt or .rtf formats, or files from word processing applications. For example, you can place text from a .rtf file into a polygonal shape.
Create a path/shape using any drawing tool, such as the Rectangle tool, Shaper tool, or the Pen tool. You'll place the text file within this shape.
Choose File > Place and select the file you want to place.
After the text file is loaded in the place gun, click the path of the shape.
The text is placed inside the shape. You can now apply the desired styles and effects to it.
Place the text from a text file into a polygonal path/ container.
Youuse the Links panel to see and manage all linked or embedded artwork.The panel displays a small thumbnail of the artwork and uses iconsto indicate artwork’s status.
A. Transparency interaction B. Missingartwork C. Embedded artwork D. Modifiedartwork E. Linked artwork
A linked file can appear in the Links panel inany of the following ways:
An up-to-date file displays only the file’s name and (inAdobe® InDesign®) its page in the document.
A modified file is one for which the version of the fileon disk is more recent than the version in your document. This wouldoccur, for example, when someone modifies a Photoshop graphic thatyou have already placed into Illustrator.
A missing file is one for which the graphic is no longerin the location from which it was imported, although it may stillexist somewhere. This can happen if someone moves the original fileto a different folder or server after it’s been imported into adocument. You can’t know whether a missing file is up to date untilits original is located. If you print or export a document whenthis icon is displayed, the file may not print or export at fullresolution.
Playbill Template Pdf
Embedding the contents of a linked file suspends management operationsfor that link.
To display the panel, choose Window >Links. Each linked file and embedded file is identified by name.
To select and view a linked graphic, select a link and thenclick the Go To Link button , orchoose Go To Link in the Links panel menu. The displayis centered around the selected graphic.
To change the size of the thumbnails, select panel Optionsfrom the Links panel menu, and select an option for displaying thumbnails.
To sort links in a different order, choose the desired Sortcommand in the panel menu.
To hide thumbnails, select panel Options from the Links panelmenu, and choose None.
To view DCS Transparency information, select panel Optionsfrom the Links panel menu, and choose Show DCS Transparency Interactions.
If a linked or embedded file contains metadata,you can view the metadata using the Links panel. You cannot editor replace metadata associated with a linked file; however, youcan save a copy of the metadata in a template and apply it to other files.
Select a file in the Links panel and choose Link FileInfo from the panel menu.
To save the metadata as a template, choose Save MetadataTemplate in the pop‑up menu at the top of the dialog box showingthe metadata.
View file information about linkedor embedded artwork
Double-clickthe link in the Links panel. Alternatively, select the link and selectLink Information from the panel menu.
note: Don’t confuse “Linkinformation” with “Link File Info” in theLinks panel menu; “File Info” refers to metadata.
Select the linked artwork in the illustration window. Inthe Control panel, click the file name and choose Link Information.
Note:
To locate linked or embedded artwork in the documentwindow, select a link and click the Go To Link button. Alternatively,select Go To Link from the panel menu.
Toupdate specific links, in the Links panel select one or more modified links , andthen click the Update Link button orchoose Update Link from the Links panel menu.
To update specific links, select the linked artwork in theillustration window. In the Control panel, click the filename, andthen choose Update Link.
Note:
Bydefault, Illustrator prompts you to update a link if the sourcefile changes. To specify that you want to update links automaticallyor manually, choose Edit > Preferences >File Handling & Clipboard (Windows) or Illustrator >Preferences > File Handling & Clipboard (Mac OS),and set the Update Links option.
Restore a single missing link or replace a link with a different source file
You can restore or replace a missing link—one that showsthe missing-link icon inthe Links panel—or any linked file with a different source file.
Select the linked artwork on the page, or select a linkname in the Links panel.
In the Links panel, click the Relink button , orchoose Relink from the panel menu.
Click the linked filename in the Control panel, and thenchoose Relink. (To access this option, you must select the imagein the artwork.)
In the dialog box that appears, do one of the following:
Locate and select a replacement file.
Type the first, or first few, letters of the name of thedesired replacement file to locate the file.
Note:
If all of a document’s missing links are located in the samefolder, you can restore all of them at once. In the Links panel,select all of the missing links, and then restore one of them; thePlace dialog box stays open for you to reselect each one.
Selectthe linked artwork in the illustration window. In the Control panel, clickthe filename and choose Placement Options.
In the Links panel, select the link and choose PlacementOptions from the panel menu.
Select an option for Preserve.
If you select an optionother than Transforms or Bounds, you can select a point on the Alignmenticon from which you want to align the artwork, relative to the boundingbox. If you want to keep the artwork from overlapping the boundingbox, select Clip To Bounding Box.
Ratherthan linking to a file that you’ve placed in a document, you canembed (or store) the file within the document. When you embed afile, you break the link to the original. Without the link, theLinks panel doesn’t alert you when the original has changed, andyou cannot update the file automatically.
Keep in mind that embedding a file, rather than linking to theoriginal, increases the document file size.
Select a file in the Links panel, and choose Embed Imagefrom the panel menu.
Select the linked artwork in the illustration window. Inthe Control panel, click the Embed button.
The file remains in the Links panel marked with the embedded-linkicon .
Select one or more embedded files in the Linkspanel.
Click the Relink button orselect Relink in the Links panel menu, locate and select the originalfile, and click Place.
The Edit Original command lets you open most graphics inthe application in which you created them so that you can modifythem as necessary. Once you save the original file, the documentin which you linked it is updated with the new version.
In the Links panel, select the link andclick the Edit Original button . Alternatively,choose Edit Original from the panel menu.
Select the linked artwork on the page, and choose Edit >Edit Original.
Select the linked artwork on the page, and click the EditOriginal button in the Control panel.
After making changes in the original application, save thefile.
Playbill Template Design
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