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Draw rectangular and polar grids

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Illustrator

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  1. Illustrator User Guide
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    1. Introduction to Illustrator
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    2. Workspace
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      2. Create documents
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    3. Tools in Illustrator
      1. Tools at a glance
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      6. Draw tools
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    4. Generative AI (not available in mainland China)
      1. Generate scenes, subjects, and icons using text prompts
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  3. Illustrator on the web (beta)
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    5. Create and combine shapes on the web
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    1. Introduction to Illustrator on the iPad
      1. Illustrator on the iPad overview
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    2. Workspace
      1. Illustrator on the iPad workspace
      2. Touch shortcuts and gestures
      3. Keyboard shortcuts for Illustrator on the iPad
      4. Manage your app settings
    3. Documents
      1. Work with documents in Illustrator on the iPad
      2. Import Photoshop and Fresco documents
    4. Select and arrange objects
      1. Create repeat objects
      2. Blend objects
    5. Drawing
      1. Draw and edit paths
      2. Draw and edit shapes
    6. Type
      1. Work with type and fonts
      2. Create text designs along a path
      3. Add your own fonts
    7. Work with images
      1. Vectorize raster images
    8. Color
      1. Apply colors and gradients
  5. Cloud documents
    1. Basics
      1. Work with Illustrator cloud documents
      2. Share and collaborate on Illustrator cloud documents
      3. Share documents for review
      4. Upgrade cloud storage for Adobe Illustrator
      5. Illustrator cloud documents | Common questions
    2. Troubleshooting
      1. Troubleshoot create or save issues for Illustrator cloud documents
      2. Troubleshoot Illustrator cloud documents issues
  6. Add and edit content
    1. Drawing
      1. Drawing basics
      2. Edit paths
      3. Draw pixel-perfect art
      4. Draw with the Pen, Curvature, or Pencil tool
      5. Draw simple lines and shapes
      6. Draw rectangular and polar grids
      7. Draw and edit flares
      8. Trace images
      9. Simplify a path
      10. Symbolism tools and symbol sets
      11. Adjust path segments
      12. Design a flower in 5 easy steps
      13. Create and edit a perspective grid
      14. Draw and modify objects on a perspective grid
      15. Use objects as symbols for repeat use
      16. Draw pixel-aligned paths for web workflows
    2. Measurement
      1. Measure and plot dimensions
    3. 3D objects and materials
      1. About 3D effects in Illustrator
      2. Create 3D graphics
      3. Map artwork over 3D objects
      4. Create 3D Text
      5. Create 3D objects
    4. Color
      1. About color
      2. Select colors
      3. Use and create swatches
      4. Adjust colors
      5. Use the Adobe Color Themes panel
      6. Color groups (harmonies)
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      8. Recolor your artwork
    5. Painting
      1. About painting
      2. Paint with fills and strokes
      3. Live Paint groups
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      7. Apply stroke on an object
      8. Create and edit patterns
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    6. Select and arrange objects
      1. Select objects
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      6. Snap objects to glyph
      7. Snap objects to Japanese glyph
      8. Stack objects    
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      11. Rotate and reflect objects
      12. Intertwine objects
      13. Create realistic art mockups
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      1. Crop images
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      13. Edit clipping masks
      14. Live shapes
      15. Create shapes using the Shape Builder tool
      16. Global editing
    8. Type
      1. Add text and work with type objects
      2. Reflow Viewer
      3. Create bulleted and numbered lists
      4. Manage text area
      5. Fonts and typography
      6. Convert text within images into editable text
      7. Add basic formatting to text
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      9. Import and export text
      10. Format paragraphs
      11. Special characters
      12. Create type on a path
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      14. Tabs
      15. Find missing fonts (Typekit workflow)
      16. Arabic and Hebrew type
      17. Fonts | FAQ and troubleshooting tips
      18. Creative typography designs
      19. Scale and rotate type
      20. Line and character spacing
      21. Hyphenation and line breaks
      22. Spelling and language dictionaries
      23. Format Asian characters
      24. Composers for Asian scripts
      25. Create text designs with blend objects
      26. Create a text poster using Image Trace
    9. Create special effects
      1. Work with effects
      2. Graphic styles
      3. Appearance attributes
      4. Create sketches and mosaics
      5. Drop shadows, glows, and feathering
      6. Summary of effects
    10. Web graphics
      1. Best practices for creating web graphics
      2. Graphs
      3. SVG
      4. Slices and image maps
  7. Import, export, and save
    1. Import
      1. Place multiple files
      2. Manage linked and embedded files
      3. Links information
      4. Unembed images
      5. Import artwork from Photoshop
      6. Import bitmap images
      7. Import Adobe PDF files
      8. Import EPS, DCS, and AutoCAD files
    2. Creative Cloud Libraries in Illustrator 
      1. Creative Cloud Libraries in Illustrator
    3. Save and export
      1. Save artwork
      2. Export artwork
      3. Create Adobe PDF files
      4. Adobe PDF options
      5. Use Illustrator artwork in Photoshop
      6. Collect assets and export in batches
      7. Package files
      8. Extract CSS | Illustrator CC
      9. Document info panel
  8. Printing
    1. Prepare for printing
      1. Set up documents for printing
      2. Change the page size and orientation
      3. Specify crop marks for trimming or aligning
      4. Get started with large canvas
    2. Printing
      1. Overprint
      2. Print with color management
      3. PostScript printing
      4. Print presets
      5. Printer's marks and bleeds
      6. Print and save transparent artwork
      7. Trapping
      8. Print color separations
      9. Print gradients, meshes, and color blends
      10. White Overprint
  9. Automate tasks
    1. Data merge using the Variables panel
    2. Automation with scripts
    3. Automation with actions
  10. Troubleshooting 
    1. Fixed issues
    2. Known issues
    3. Crash issues
    4. Recover files after crash
    5. Safe mode
    6. File issues
    7. Supported file formats
    8. GPU device driver issues
    9. Wacom device issues
    10. DLL file issues
    11. Memory issues
    12. Preferences file issues
    13. Font issues
    14. Printer issues
    15. Share crash report with Adobe
    16. Improve Illustrator performance

Learn how to create precise layouts with rectangular grids and stunning circular designs with polar grids.

The grid tools help you draw rectangular and polar grids with ease. Use the Rectangular Grid tool to create rectangular grids of a specified size with a specified number of dividers. Use the Polar Grid tool to create concentric circles of a specified size and a specified number of dividers.

Draw grids

  

Select the Rectangular Grid tool and drag on the canvas to draw a rectangular grid.


Select the Polar Grid tool and drag on the canvas to draw a polar grid.

Draw grids using advanced options

Draw rectangular grid

  1. Select the Rectangular Grid  tool.

  2. Click on the canvas to set the grid’s reference point. In the Rectangular Grid Tool Options dialog box, select a square on the reference point locator  to determine the direction in which the grid is drawn. Then, set the following options:

    • Default Size: Specify the width and height of the entire grid.
    • Horizontal Dividers: Specify the number of horizontal dividers you want to appear between the top and bottom of the grid. The Skew value determines how the horizontal dividers are weighted toward the top or bottom of the grid.
    • Vertical Dividers: Specify the number of dividers you want to appear between the left and right sides of the grid. The Skew value determines how the vertical dividers are weighted to the left or right side.
    • Use Outside Rectangle As Frame: Replace the top, bottom, left, and right segments with a separate rectangular object.
    • Fill Grid: Fill the grid with the current fill color.
    Rectangular Grid Tool Options dialog with options to specify settings for Default Size, Horizontal Dividers, and Vertical Dividers.
    Use the Rectangular Grid Tool Options dialog to create rectangular grids.

Draw circular (polar) grids

  1. Select the Polar Grid  tool.

  2. Click on the canvas to set the grid’s reference point. In the Polar Grid Tool Options dialog box, select a square on the reference point locator  to determine the direction in which the grid is drawn. Then, set the following options:

    • Default Size: Specify the width and height of the entire grid.
    • Concentric Dividers: Specify the number of circular concentric dividers you want to appear in the grid. The Skew value determines how the concentric dividers are weighted toward the inside or outside of the grid.
    • Radial Dividers: Specify the number of radial dividers you want to appear between the center and the circumference of the grid. The Skew value determines how the radial dividers are weighted counterclockwise or clockwise on the grid.
    • Create Compound Path From Ellipses: Convert the concentric circles into separate compound paths and fill every other circle.
    • Fill Grid: Fill the grid with the current fill color.
    polar Grid Tool Options dialog with options to specify settings for Default Size, Concentric Dividers, and Radial Dividers.
    Use the Polar Grid Tool Options dialog to create polar grids.

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