Adobe Illustrator Typography and Text Tools Questions and Answers 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: What is the difference between Point Type and Area Type in Illustrator?
- Point Type is for headings only; Area Type is for paragraphs only
- Point Type starts at a click point and extends freely; Area Type is contained within a defined boundary box that controls text flow (Correct answer)
- There is no difference - they are the same
- Area Type only supports vertical text
Correct answer: Point Type starts at a click point and extends freely; Area Type is contained within a defined boundary box that controls text flow
Point Type is created by clicking with the Type tool and grows freely in one direction. Area Type is created by clicking and dragging a text frame, and text wraps within that frame's boundaries.
Point Type: click anywhere with the Type tool (T) to create a text insertion point. Text flows in one line (or wraps if you press Enter) without automatic line breaks. Best for headlines, labels, and single lines. Area Type: click and drag with the Type tool to create a rectangular text frame. Text automatically wraps within the frame boundaries. You can convert between them via Type > Convert to Point Type or Convert to Area Type.
Question 2: How do you thread (link) text between multiple text frames in Illustrator?
- Copy text and paste into each frame manually
- Click the out-port of the first text frame (small square at bottom-right), then click the second text frame to flow overflow text into it (Correct answer)
- Text threading is only available in InDesign
- Group the text frames together
Correct answer: Click the out-port of the first text frame (small square at bottom-right), then click the second text frame to flow overflow text into it
When a text frame contains more text than can display (shown by a red plus icon on the out-port), clicking that out-port and then clicking another frame threads the text to flow between them.
Text frames have in-ports (top-left) and out-ports (bottom-right). When text overflows a frame, the out-port shows a red plus sign. Click this out-port, then click an existing empty text frame or click-drag to create a new one. The overflow text flows into the second frame. You can chain multiple frames. Threaded frames show connecting lines when selected.
Question 3: What does the 'Create Outlines' command do to text?
- It adds an outline stroke around each character
- It converts text characters into editable vector paths, making them no longer editable as text (Correct answer)
- It creates a text box outline for positioning
- It highlights text with an outline color
Correct answer: It converts text characters into editable vector paths, making them no longer editable as text
Type > Create Outlines converts each text character into compound paths (vector shapes). The text can no longer be edited as text but can be manipulated as vector artwork.
Type > Create Outlines (Shift+Ctrl/Cmd+O) converts each character in selected text into vector compound paths. Each letter becomes an editable shape. However, you lose all text editing capabilities: you cannot retype, change the font, or fix spelling. Common reasons to outline text: sending files without fonts to printers, creating logos from type, and ensuring text displays correctly when fonts are unavailable.
Question 4: How do you set text on a curved path in Illustrator?
- Type the text and then apply a Warp effect
- Draw a path, then click on it with the Type on a Path tool (Correct answer)
- Text cannot follow curves in Illustrator
- Convert the text to outlines first, then bend them
Correct answer: Draw a path, then click on it with the Type on a Path tool
The Type on a Path tool (nested under the Type tool) lets you click on any open or closed path to type text that follows the path's curvature.
The Type on a Path tool is in the Type tool flyout. Draw a path first, then select the Type on a Path tool and click on the path. Text flows along the path's shape. You can drag the start, end, and center brackets to adjust text position. To flip text to the other side of the path, drag the center bracket across the path.
Question 5: What is OpenType font support in Illustrator and how do you access OpenType features?
- OpenType is just a font file format with no special features
- OpenType fonts can include ligatures, stylistic alternates, swashes, fractions, and other special glyphs accessible through the OpenType panel or Glyphs panel (Correct answer)
- OpenType features are only available in InDesign
- OpenType replaces TrueType and has the same capabilities
Correct answer: OpenType fonts can include ligatures, stylistic alternates, swashes, fractions, and other special glyphs accessible through the OpenType panel or Glyphs panel
OpenType fonts can contain thousands of glyphs including ligatures, alternates, and special characters. Illustrator's OpenType panel provides toggles for these features.
OpenType fonts can include extensive glyph sets. Illustrator's OpenType panel (Window > Type > OpenType) lets you enable: Standard Ligatures, Contextual Alternates, Discretionary Ligatures, Swash characters, Stylistic Alternates, Titling Alternates, Ordinals, and Fractions. The Glyphs panel shows every glyph in the font. Not all OpenType fonts include all features.
Question 6: How do you adjust the spacing between two specific characters (kerning) in Illustrator?
- Adjust the Tracking value in the Character panel
- Place the cursor between the two characters and adjust the Kerning value in the Character panel or use Alt/Option + arrow keys (Correct answer)
- Kerning is automatic and cannot be manually adjusted
- Use the Free Transform tool on individual letters
Correct answer: Place the cursor between the two characters and adjust the Kerning value in the Character panel or use Alt/Option + arrow keys
Click between two characters with the Type tool, then change the Kerning value in the Character panel, or use Alt/Option + Left/Right arrow keys to decrease/increase the spacing.
Kerning is the adjustment of space between two specific characters (unlike Tracking, which adjusts spacing across a range). Place the text cursor between the two characters. In the Character panel, the Kerning field shows the current value. Options: Metrics (uses the font's built-in kern pairs), Optical (Illustrator calculates optimal spacing), or a manual numeric value. Alt/Option + Left Arrow decreases space, Alt/Option + Right Arrow increases it.
Adobe Illustrator Typography and Text Tools Questions and Answers 2
What is the difference between Point Type and Area Type in Illustrator?