To give you illustrator software users to detailed analysis of the pixel level to share the perfect drawing of experience and skills.
As we know, before the CS5 (version number), it is very difficult to achieve pixel-level accuracy with the AI vector tool. Why? Because unlike PS image processing software, a raster based image processing software (that is, directly oriented to pixel processing). And Ai is a vector software, (that is, point, line, and curve, such as digital information based graphics). In the early days, Ai was not perfect for pixel processing. Now AI continues to introduce new, with the latest release of CC, AI has been a lot of improvements. Now Adobe Illustrator is already the perfect image-processing software in the minds of the most demanding pixel-perfect designers.
In order to achieve the perfect pixel level, about the AI settings or use of the article a lot of, but a mixed bag, here to share my method, the test perfect feasible oh.
Before I begin, I need to make sure that you read this article to learn how to create digital media works based on pixels, but not just here. At this point you might say that I use this method when I want to create a design that needs to be displayed on a digital device, but when I design a work that needs to be printed, I use the usual setup method. Not so, in most cases (in some cases, you don't want to use this method: hand-painted works, AI have more flexible curvature), the best design method is based on pixels (in order to fit two media, based on pixel authoring is the best way).
Hypothetical scenario: You are developing a project involving both digital and print media. You might think that I would make two different files, all of which are aligned to the pixel grid (what you need to show the numbers) and another file is full of free dots (something that needs to be printed). That works, but isn't it easier to create them all as digital media?
You may know that the only difference between digital design and print design (in addition to the difference between RGB and CMYK) is the problem of raster quality. In AI you can set the raster effect of the picture by the effect-raster and choose 300ppi or above (compared to below the 72ppi recommended screen)
So you can create a clear design effect and then do some color compensation print out, it's so simple.
Now that I have said what to say, then the question is, in the AI to achieve pixel-level perfection what should we do to prepare?
Step One: Understand the concept of "pixel grid"
You may have heard of "Snap to pixel grids" and something like that, and you might want to know what that means. Each digital display is based on pixels, which means that it has a width and height set to a pixel value. When working with AI, aligning an object to the pixel grid means telling the program that the object will occupy a specific position on the artboard. But more importantly, its definition point (defined form) will be set at the intersection of 4PX (grid line intersection). If it has rounded corners and curves, it is difficult to see whether a pixel is aligned, so it is important to see clearly when the object is very small.
For example, here are two rectangles (the same size). I zoom in to see the pixel grid, you can see the rectangle on the left looks very clear, the right side looks blurry, and looks like it's smoothed out.
What's wrong? There's a problem here.
As you can see, the four corners of the left rectangle are completely aligned to the corners of the grid. The right rectangle tries to align the midpoint of the mesh so that it has a blurry effect.
Obviously, a point or object cannot occupy half a pixel, or it will look sharp and clear without any snapping pixel edges.
As the actual pixel rectangle, each must occupy the entire pixel grid, making it snap, and ultimately sharp and jagged. If you want to print these two rectangles, you won't see any difference, because the printer does not depend on pixels.
What happens if there is a curve? When it comes to curves, AI provides a smoothing process to make it look as clear as other objects that snap to the grid, but you want to make sure that the anchor points that make up the curve need to be aligned to the grid.
The first step we took was to create the work to make it look as clear as possible.
Step two, create a new file
There are three key aspects to creating a perfect file:
Document Dimensions (width and height): You should enter an integer value when setting the artboard size, and you cannot enter a value with a decimal number (for example, a height value of 200.58px)-it is wrong to enter a value with a decimal point. (depending on the value you enter: Height or width) its lower and right sides are toward the inside of the pixel rather than the intersection of different pixels.
Tip: If you accidentally set the value of the document to the wrong setting, you can press the shortcut key Shift+o into the settings page changes, there will be a new page allows you to modify the width and height of the artboard. After you have set the correct value, you need to go into pixel preview mode to make sure that the artboard is properly aligned to the grid, and if you find it misaligned, grab the artboard tool and then click and drag until it snaps.
Unit: Always make sure the unit is "pixel".
Aligns the new objects to the pixel grid check box: The state must be selected.
Tip: Align new objects to the pixel grid only displays options when you create an object to work, and if you copy and paste an object from a file but this action does not have an object selected, it will not be aligned until you set it up to do so.
Step Three: Preferences settings
Here, we will make some basic settings. To get the Preferences Settings window, click Edit-Preferences, and then click General, you can now see a window with some constructed subsets and tags, we will focus on the following:
3.1, the keyboard increment value setting
Most of the times you want to use the arrows to move the graphic, but have you ever considered what the value of the arrow keys represents?
There is a general setting in the Preferences window, and there is a keyboard increment setting in the upper-right corner.
Enter 1px so that we can move the objects 1px so that they are aligned to the pixel grid.
Tip: The keyboard increment uses the PT value instead of PX value, don't worry, this question we will talk about later.
The next important step is to set some unit values in "unit and display performance" to pixels. Navigate to the Units and Display Performance tab (in the Preferences window) and make the right selections from the Drop-down menu.
You may ask, why don't we let the word unit also px? This is because I find that text is often very difficult to align to the grid, and your best practice is to set the text unit to Pt. Also, it's very strange to get the right size, for example, if you do an OS or Android application wireframe, 12px≠12pt.
The grid may be the least interpreted setting, but it is important to interpret the grid correctly.
The grid allows us to put an object in a fixed position, but how does this work? If you are aware of the relevant operations, it is possible to set the distance value of a grid line (vertical and horizontal), but the most important thing is the distance between the grid itself.
To make things easier to understand, for example, if you want to set a grid line per 1000px and align the subdivisions, this means that every 1000px (horizontal and vertical) you will set a line, which will form a square with four small squares, The width and height of each small square is 250px (1000/4=250px). But what's the point of being perfect for our pixels?
Tip: To see the grid, we need to set it through the view-display grid.
Suppose you have a 1000x1000px palette, you create a 250x250 square, the most important thing is that you have alignment to the grid (view-snap grid). If you use the keyboard to move a small square, you will see that it will go in the direction you give, and it will move a mesh grid.
But this is only an ideal situation, on the artboard is a complete square, width and height and grid matching, the most important thing is the blue Square is just a grid size, if they are set to a completely different situation? They must not be, you set the grid to a different situation.
One common solution is to use a complex grid with a secondary split line set to 1 in the Preferences Guide and grid settings, and I guarantee that if you use this setting, each object on your artboard will snap to pixels.
Step 4: Understand the functionality of the snap grid
The most important and useful tool in AI is the ability to align the grid, and when you are in Pixel Preview mode This option is also available, you are based on grid alignment and alignment grid is not the same.
You use it to view-snap grid (shift+ctrl+), which can direct any new object to its fixed anchor point to the nearest grid pixel interaction point. For example, if you don't use this action, whenever you move an object around, it locates itself in a square pixel, which is not what it should be, but if you accidentally move around the object, you have noticed that it is not properly aligned. However, by selecting the object, activating the Snap grid feature, and then moving back, it quickly snaps to the grid.
Step 5: The Magic pixel preview
Pixel preview is very important for making perfect pixel design, you can find it by View-pixel preview (alt+ctrl+y), once you open it, you can enlarge your work to see if it is correctly aligned, I strongly recommend that you use it.
Step 6: Correct usage of measurement tools
As I pointed out in step two, the size of an object must also be the value of an integer, and if a decimal number makes the object not snap to pixels, it will make your design look blurry.
If you accidentally enter a value with a decimal number, you can adjust it in most cases, for example, I created a 60x60.68px small square.
You can see that the bottom edge is not aligned to the grid, the first step we have to do is to disable the link width and height than this function, change the height to an integer value of 60, and then move the object up and down with the keyboard to move it to the same place.
Another example, if you start creating objects with an even number of dimensions (such as 2,4,6), other objects also try to use even, and if you start with odd-numbered (such as 1,3,5) dimensions, the rest of the objects are as odd as possible. Why? Imagine when you create a 20x40px (even) rectangle, and then create a 5x20px (odd-numbered) rectangle, and you want them to align in the center, the following half pixels appear.
Step 7: Process the document from non-pixel alignment
And one of the biggest problems, using a different file, you will find many design without the pixel solution, there is a solution, copy these objects to your work artboard (translator Note: You set up according to this article size, grid-aligned documents), with CTRL + a Select all objects, In the transform panel, tick to the pixel grid.
Well, the above information is small compiled to you illustrator of this software users of the detailed pixel level of the perfect drawing of the experience to analyze the full content of the share, you see the users here, the overall grasp of these skills, You can make your work in a variety of equipment on the display of the effect appears to be more clear and perfect, you guys go to try it on their own.
