Adobe Illustrator
| Adobe Illustrator
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 Adobe Illustrator CS2018 ( macOS ) |
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| Basic data
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| developer | Adobe Inc. |
| Publishing year | 1987 |
| Current version | Illustrator 2020 (version 24.1.2) (April 27, 2020) |
| operating system | Windows , macOS |
| programming language | C ++ |
| category | Vector graphics program |
| License | proprietary |
| German speaking | Yes |
| www.adobe.com/illustrator | |
Adobe Illustrator ( Ai for short ) is a vector-based graphics and drawing program . It is used to create computer graphics that can be changed in size without any loss of quality - in contrast to pixel-based image processing programs such as B. Photoshop . The name Illustrator indicated the target group from the start: Illustrators , especially from the advertising industry. The program was developed in 1987 by the Californian software company Adobe Inc. for the Apple Macintosh and is still maintained and marketed by Adobe to this day. It runs on the Windows and Apple macOS computer operating systems and has been the standard application in the field of vector graphics for years.
In terms of classification, Illustrator is between technically oriented, also vector-based CAD programs such as AutoCAD and artistically oriented, pixel-based painting and image processing programs such as Painter and Photoshop. Alternatives to Adobe Illustrator include a. Affinity Designer , Corel Draw and Inkscape .
Historically, Illustrator was the first commercial graphics application software that used Bézier curves for the mathematically exact description of geometric shapes. Illustrator saves files in its own format (.ai) based on the protocol language for laser printers , PostScript , established in the mid-1980s . The software was never a true PostScript editor.
The history of development
Adobe Illustrator 1.1 - March 19, 1987 (Macintosh)
The first version of Illustrator only had basic drawing tools. For example, there was no way to create objects with holes. There was also a special preview mode in which the drawing could not be edited.
Adobe Illustrator 88 - 1988 (Macintosh)
Despite a simplified user interface and a few new tools (dissolve, freehand tool, tape measure, tracing pen as well as colors, masks and patterns) it was still not possible to edit drawings in preview mode or to create objects with holes.
Adobe Illustrator 2.0 - 1989 (Windows)
The first version of Illustrator for Windows was not a great success. At that time CorelDRAW was far superior to Illustrator in terms of functionality and ease of use.
Adobe Illustrator 3.0 - 1990 (Macintosh, NeXT, Unix)
In this version, too, editing in the preview mode was still not possible, but compound paths were introduced and thus the possibility of creating objects with holes. Other new functions included diagrams, direct selection tool, group selection tool, magnifying glass, centering, rounded rectangle, ellipse from center point, transform tools and improved path editing. In addition, in this version it was also possible to print on non-postscript printers. The versions for NeXTStep and other Unix platforms were not a great success, as both platforms did not establish themselves in the user area.
Adobe Illustrator 4.0 - 1992 (Windows)
This version did not bring much success for Adobe in the Windows world either, since Corel Draw had already established itself and Illustrator 4.0 was not a further development of version 3.0 for the Macintosh. Still, there were small improvements like editing in preview mode.
Adobe Illustrator 5.0 - 1993 (Macintosh)
Now you could edit your drawings directly in the preview mode on the Macintosh. The user interface has changed and the floating pallets have been introduced. In addition to the enlarged working area, the undo function has been expanded. Many tools still known today (knives, side positioners, calligraphic brushes, paint buckets, color gradients, levels) were added.
Adobe Illustrator 5.5 - 1994 (Macintosh)
This version ran natively on a Power Macintosh and brought improved import / export filters with it. You could now open PDF files and export them directly. Typographical skills have also been greatly improved. So finally there were columns and a tab stop palette.
Adobe Illustrator 4.1 - 1995 (Windows)
Aside from the better support for Windows 95 , there were no notable improvements. All graphics programs for the PC (and also Illustrator for the Mac) had left Illustrator for Windows far behind at that time.
Adobe Illustrator 6.0 - 1996 (Macintosh)
This version offered further improved import filters, which made it possible to place TIFF , PDF , EPS and PSD files. In addition, Photoshop filters are now directly supported and some of them are included. New functions included convert to pixel image , star and polygon tools, spiral tool, swirl tool, alignment palette, color separation, math operations in the palettes and drag-and-drop support. The greatly changed user guidance when editing the path (adapted to Photoshop) prevented many buyers from updating.
Adobe Illustrator 7.0 - 1997 (Macintosh, Windows)
For the first time there was a Windows version that offered the same range of functions as the Macintosh version. The user interface has been further improved (nestable palettes), and the triumphant advance of the WWW also made it possible for the program to work with RGB colors for the first time. Vertical offshoots have been added to the text tool, and the diagram tool has new diagram types. Even the color management has not been neglected by Adobe and Illustrator was created using the Multiple Master , palette the first program that such writings directly without Adobe Type Manager to use and could be modified.
Adobe Illustrator 8.0 - 1998 (Macintosh, Windows)
With each release, Photoshop capabilities came to Illustrator, so Illustrator now included an Actions palette, Navigator palette, and the ability to export layered files to Photoshop. A major innovation was the gradient mesh, which, thanks to PostScript 3 and PDF, enabled resolution-independent, flexible gradients. The magnetic guidelines and the free-distortion tool significantly increased productivity, and the picture and special brushes made additional programs such as Fractal Design Expression partially superfluous. In addition, there were finally adaptable transitions, as other programs had offered for a long time.
Adobe Illustrator 9.0 - 2000 (Macintosh, Windows)
The longer development time compared to previous versions made itself felt in an enormous technological leap. Illustrator 9 was the first vector program that could output transparencies in good quality (and partly independent of the resolution). Corel Draw had had transparencies available for a long time, but these were always converted into pixel images, which often led to exposure problems. Even Macromedia Freehand offered before Illustrator transparencies and campaigned even with being the first program that outputs the transparencies as vector objects. Unlike Illustrator 9, Freehand was severely limited in the combination options. Eight overlaid transparencies were too many to work properly on the document. Illustrator 9 still had some problems with complicated documents, but most of that was fixed in the following version 10. But there were other innovations such as nested layers, effects (live filters), styles and Photoshop-compatible color management. Due to the many complex functions, Illustrator 9 became significantly slower than its predecessors, and many users switched back to version 8.0 after the update.
Adobe Illustrator 10 - 2001 (Macintosh, Mac OS X, Windows)
Adobe increasingly positioned Illustrator as a web graphics application as well, so it made sense that there would be a lot of improvement in this area. The icon palette helped keep Flash files small, and the slice tool made many other applications superfluous. SVG export has also been greatly improved, and the variable palette made Illustrator documents dynamic based on XML files. Distortion envelopes finally found their way into Illustrator, making Illustrator one of the last graphics programs to receive this function. Adobe had even thought of long-lost tools (simple lines, arcs, and grids). Most of the 9.0 problems with the transparencies have been fixed, and the work speed has also increased.
Adobe Illustrator CS (version 11) - 2003 (Mac OS X, Windows)
At the end of December 2003 the German version of Illustrator CS was published. Since this version, Illustrator has been an integrated part of the Adobe Creative Suite , but is still offered separately. Among other things, there are real 3D functions for the first time, which are quite similar to the no longer developed Adobe Dimensions . The frequently requested extrusion function has finally been implemented in Illustrator. The handling of fonts and foreign language texts has been completely revised, and Illustrator now for the first time supports OpenType and Unicode, similar to the functions of Adobe InDesign . In addition, there are now paragraph and character styles. The PDF support has been adapted to the current status ( PDF 1.5, Acrobat 6) and supports PDF layers, crop marks and password protection. Adobe has also thought of a new creative function: the scribble effect makes it possible to make a drawing look like it has been hand-painted with just a few clicks of the mouse. Fixed some issues in the previous version; This means that EPS and PDF files no longer have to be embedded when they come into contact with transparencies. The print function has also been expanded, the scope of the print settings now roughly corresponds to the options offered by Adobe InDesign .
Adobe Illustrator CS2 (version 12) - 2005 (Mac OS X, Windows)
The range of functions has been expanded to include options for interactive tracing ( autotrace ), interactive painting (filling areas enclosed by multiple paths and editing contour segments), extended contour options and colored grayscale raster images. The control palette provides frequently used functions from various palettes in the current processing context.
Adobe Illustrator CS3 (version 13) - June 6, 2007 (Mac OS X 10.4 and higher, Windows XP and Vista)
Integration with previous Macromedia products, especially Flash.
New tools: Crop Area Tool and Vector Eraser
New functions: The isolated editing mode for groups introduced in version CS2 (12) has been revised and extended to the editing of symbols. The Interactive Color function enables several colors already used on objects to be edited, e.g. B. by assigning other color harmonies or locating on the color wheel. Editing the anchor points of a path has been simplified somewhat by adding buttons for functions that are often used and by better highlighting the position of a point.
New control panels (previously palettes): Color Guide, Adobe Labs / Kuler & Know-how (only in the US version)
Adobe Illustrator CS4 (version 14) - September 23, 2008 (Mac OS X 10.4 and higher, Windows XP and Vista)
In Illustrator CS4 several artboards (pages) can be created in different sizes. The processing of gradients has also been improved - these can now also contain transparent gradient colors. In the appearance panel, it is no longer only possible to get an overview, but also to edit the object properties. The blob tool was introduced as a new tool, with which users can "paint" vector objects. Illustrator now also has an internal separation preview.
There have been improvements to clipping masks, magnetic guides, graphic styles and the isolation mode. The user interface has been completely redesigned: u. a. open files can be tabbed.
Adobe Illustrator CS5 (version 15) - April 12, 2010 (Mac OS X 10.5.7 and higher, Windows XP, Vista, and Windows 7)
In version CS5, Illustrator received new tools. The width tool is used to adjust the contour thickness at any point on the path. The Shape Builder tool is used to create shapes. It works in a similar way to interactive painting, but the shapes are created immediately. The newly introduced perspective grid helps to create perspective scenes and objects and also brings its own tools. Another new addition is the bristle brush, a transparent, very natural-looking brush with a watercolor look.
The processing of drawing areas has been improved through the management option in a separate palette and symbols through the introduction of u. a. 9-slice guides for direct use in Illustrator. In addition, transparency has been introduced in gradient meshes, various improvements have been made to arrowheads and dashed contours and to selecting and editing objects that are behind them and have clipping masks.
Adobe Illustrator CS6 (version 16) - April 23, 2012 (Mac OS X 10.6.8 and higher, Windows, XP and 7)
This version supports 64-bit natively on Windows and Mac OS, so Illustrator can use more than the 3 GB of RAM previously possible and processes more complex files better and faster. A revised soft focus module also contributes to the increase in speed. In addition, Illustrator CS6 offers a function that significantly simplifies the creation of tileable patterns, and gradients can be created on contours (over the entire path, across or along the path). The autotrace function has been completely rewritten. The user interface has not only been revised visually, but also in operation, e.g. For example, layer names can be edited directly in the control panel.
Adobe Illustrator CC (version 17 and 17.1) - June 17, 2013 and January 16, 2014 (Windows 7 and higher, Mac OS 10.7 and higher)
In this version, path segments can be edited directly and corners can be individually rounded or flattened or provided with an inner rounding. With the touch-type text tool, certain character attributes can be assigned intuitively directly to the letter by deformation. The corner elements of pattern brushes can be generated automatically using different methods and special, picture and pattern brushes can contain raster graphics. The colored pencil, brush and eraser tools have been completely redesigned. If the horizon or the vanishing points are subsequently changed in a perspective grid, then existing objects adapt. In this version, Illustrator has also received a package function that automatically searches for all associated elements such as images and fonts and saves them in a folder. More detailed information is displayed for linked images and embedded images can be detached from the document and linked. Web designers can read many properties as CSS and save them accordingly. Touch devices can be used under Windows 8, the interface of some tools (free transform, touch type text tool) is already adapted so that they can be used with the fingers. Some functions are based in particular on the connection to the Adobe Creative Cloud : Settings (preferences, own libraries, etc.) can be synchronized between different computers of a user. In addition, Illustrator also has direct access to Typekit fonts.
Adobe Illustrator CC (versions 18 and 18.1) - October 18, 2017 and March 12, 2018 (Windows 7 and higher, Mac OS 10.7 and higher)
In this version, among other things, the properties panel has been revised. It is also now possible to select several artboards at the same time. As of version 18.0, up to 1,000 drawing areas fit into a single element. Texts can now also be managed via the Creative Cloud Libraries. For example, texts can now be exchanged between Illustrator and InDesign . Furthermore, Illustrator supports the TouchBar of the MacBook Pro for the first time . In version 18.1, operation has been made easier by the improved display of controls. It also makes it easier to merge data using the Variables panel. When importing multi-page PDF files, all pages or only a certain area can now be selected. In addition, the synchronization with Dropbox has been improved.
Versions
| Legend: | Older version; no longer supported | Older version; still supported | Current version |
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| version | Code name | publication | platform | Remarks |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1.0 / Picasso | January 1987 | macOS | Initial release |
| 1.1 / Inca | March 19, 1987 | macOS | ||
| 88 | March 1988 | macOS | ||
| 2 | 2.0 / Pinnacle | January 1989 | Windows | First version for Windows |
| 3 | 3.0 / Desert Moose | October 1990 | macOS, NeXT , other Unix platforms | |
| 3.5 | 1991 | IRIX | ||
| 1993 | Solaris | The version for Solaris appeared a year after version 4 for Windows, but had the version number 3.5 | ||
| 4th | 4.0 / kangaroos | May 1992 | Windows | The second version for Windows |
| 4.1 | 1995 | Windows | ||
| 5 | 5.0 / Saturn | June 1993 | macOS | |
| 5.5 / Janus | June 1994 | macOS, Solaris | ||
| 6th | 6.0 / Popeye | February 1996 | macOS | |
| 7th | 7.0 / Simba | May 1997 | macOS, Windows | |
| 8th | 8.0 / Elvis | September 1998 | macOS, Windows | |
| 9 | 9.0 / Matisse | June 2000 | macOS, Windows | |
| 10 | 10.0 / Paloma | November 2001 | macOS, Windows | |
| 11 | CS / Pangea / Sprinkles | October 2003 | macOS, Windows | |
| 12 | CS2 / Zodiac | April 27, 2005 | macOS, Windows | No support since the release of version 14 |
| 13 | CS3 / Jason | June 6, 2007 | macOS, Windows | |
| 14th | CS4 / Sonnet | September 23, 2008 | macOS, Windows | |
| 15th | CS5 / Ajanta | April 12, 2010 | macOS, Windows | |
| 16 | CS6 / Ellora | April 23, 2012 | macOS, Windows | for the first time native 64-bit version for Microsoft Windows and macOS |
| 17th | CC | June. 17.2013 | macOS, Windows | |
| 17.1 | CC | January 16, 2014 | macOS, Windows | |
| 18th | CC (2014) | June 18, 2014 | macOS, Windows | |
| 18.1 | CC (2014.1) | October 6, 2014 | macOS, Windows | |
| 19.0 | CC (2015.0) | June 15, 2015 | macOS, Windows | |
| 19.1.1 | CC (2015.1.1) | 20th October 2015 | macOS, Windows | |
| 19.2.0 | CC (2015.2) | November 30, 2015 | macOS, Windows | |
| 20.0 | CC (2015.3) | 20th June 2016 | macOS, Windows | |
| 20.1 | CC (2015.3.1) | August 10, 2016 | macOS, Windows | |
| 21.0 | CC (2017) | November 2, 2016 | macOS, Windows | |
| 22.0 | CC (2018) | 18th October 2017 | macOS, Windows | |
| 22.1 | CC (2018.1) | March 12, 2018 | macOS, Windows |
Web links
- Adobe Illustrator
- Illustrator Practice Wiki with tutorials, tips and scripts on Illustrator
- Adobe Illustrator new functions New functions with explanations from CC
- Illustrator Features Cheat Sheet New Features with Explanations CS3 through CC
- GUIdebook Illustrator splash screens
- Meet Adobe Illustrator video demo as a manual supplement for Illustrator 1
Individual evidence
- ↑ The Story Behind Adobe Illustrator (Part 1 of 3) _ Adobe Creative Cloud - YouTube . Adobe: " first shipped in 1987 "
- ↑ The Story Behind Adobe Illustrator (Part 1 of 3) _ Adobe Creative Cloud - YouTube . Adobe: " Illustrator, Adobe's first software application, was released in 1987 for the Apple Macintosh. "
- ↑ Fixed issues. In: helpx.adobe.com/de. Retrieved May 1, 2020 .
- ↑ Minimum system requirements for Illustrator. In: helpx.adobe.com/de. Accessed April 30, 2020 .
- ↑ New in Illustrator CC - New window for export. Retrieved September 3, 2018 .
- ↑ Adobe Support Policies: Supported Product Versions. Adobe Systems, Inc., accessed June 24, 2009 .