How to Outline Text in Adobe Illustrator

Adobe Illustrator is a vector-based program that uses mathematical formulas to produce precise, clear lines and shapes. This makes it perfect for creating designs like logos, and icons. So, in today’s tutorial, we will teach you how to outline text, fonts, and images in Illustrator. Not only that, but we also explain how to fill outline in Illustrator. Lets’s begin!

How to Outline Text in Adobe Illustrator

How to Outline Text in Adobe Illustrator

Designed and distributed by Adobe Inc., Adobe Illustrator is a vector graphics editor and design tool. It was initially created for the Apple Macintosh, but it is now accessible on both Windows and macOS. In addition to making web graphics, it is frequently used to make digital art or scale artwork to any size without losing quality.

You can outline the text in Adobe Illustrator to convert them into shapes and reshape the individual letters to create more imaginative text. Let’s see how to do that:

1. Open the Adobe Illustrator app on your PC/laptop.

Note: If already not, Sign in with your Adobe ID.

2. Then, click on New file from the Home menu.

click on New file from the Home menu | How to Outline Text in Adobe Illustrator

3. Select the desired preset and click on Create.

Select the desired preset and click on Create

4. Now, click on the Type tool from the left pane toolbar.

click on the Type tool from the left pane toolbar

5. Type the desired text and click on the Selection tool from the left pane.

Type the desired text and click on the Selection tool from the left pane

6. Right-click on the typed text and select the Create Outlines option.

Right-click on the typed text and select the Create Outlines option | How to Outline Text in Adobe Illustrator

7. Now, select the Direct selection tool from the toolbar and select the outlined text with the help of the mouse cursor. You will see the outline points on each letter.

Note: You can use the Zoom tool from the toolbar to get the bigger text for better editing.

select the Direct selection tool from the toolbar and select the outlined text with three help of the mouse cursor

8. Click and drag the anchor points of the letters to reshape them.

Click and drag the anchor points of the letters to reshape them

9. Then, select and right-click on the entire text with the cursor.

10. Click on the Ungroup option from the context menu.

select and right-click on the entire text - Ungroup | How to Outline Text in Adobe Illustrator

11. Select the individual letters from the text and drag them to change the position of any desired letter.

Select the individual letters from the text and drag them to change the position

Also Read: How to Create a Shadow Effect in Canva

How to Outline Fonts or Text in Adobe Illustrator?

Outlining fonts in Adobe Illustrator helps to

  • ensure that the text appears on the page as intended, as the font you’re using might not be available to the printer or other devices to which the file is being sent.
  • reduce file size, which reduces the time it takes to upload or download the file.

You can follow the steps mentioned above to outline fonts in Adobe Illustrator. You can create the outline and then use the anchor point(s) to edit the individual letters, like changing the routes’ curvature and adding or removing anchor points.

How to Outline Image in Illustrator?

The file size can be decreased by outlining photos, which cuts down the download and upload times. Also, since outlines are constant across all devices, outlining photos can help to lessen the likelihood of text reflowing when the image is viewed on different devices.

1. Launch Adobe Illustrator on your PC.

2. Click on New file > desired template > Create to create a new document.

3. Click on the File option from the menu at the top of the screen.

4. From the dropdown menu, select the Place… option.

File - Place...

5. Choose the desired picture that you wish to use with a border.

6. Drag the picture to the project’s desired location.

7. Press the Ctrl key on your keyboard and drag the picture from the anchor point to change the size.

Press the Ctrl key on your keyboard and drag the picture from the anchor point to change the size | How to Outline Text in Adobe Illustrator

8. Now, select the picture with the Direct selection tool.

9. From the Appearance panel on the right side of the screen, click on the three-dotted icon > hamburger icon.

10. Then, click on Add New Stroke.

select the picture - Appearance - three-dotted icon - hamburger icon - Add New Stroke

11. Select the stroke color and weight from the respective option fields.

Select the stroke color and weight from the respective option fields

12. Now, click on the Effect option from the menu at the top of the screen.

13. Click on Path > Outline Object.

Effect - Path - Outline Object | How to Outline Text in Adobe Illustrator

14. The picture will be outlined with the desired color.

The picture will be outlined with the desired color

Also Read: How to Curve Text in Photoshop

How to Fill an Outline Font in Illustrator?

A wonderful method to give your creations a distinctive, artistic touch is to create an outlined font in Illustrator. You may vary the degree of contrast between the font and backdrop by filling an outline font with a color, which can assist in drawing attention to the text. An outline font can also be filled with an image, pattern, or gradient to produce a distinctive appearance.

1. First, select the object using the Selection tool or the Direct Selection tool.

2. Then, click on the Fill and Stroke tool from the left pane toolbar.

select object - click on the Fill and Stroke tool from the left pane toolbar

3. From the popup, select the Fill box and select the desired color.

Note: You can also press the X key from your keyboard to switch between the Fill and Stroke boxes.

select the Fill box and select the desired color | How to Outline Text in Adobe Illustrator

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Q1. Why do you need to outline text in Illustrator?

Ans. To guarantee that the text appears clear and readable at any size or resolution, text must be created in Adobe Illustrator. Additionally, it makes sure that the text is still editable despite the absence of font files. As it makes the text look like it was written with the Pen tool.

Q2. Which tool is best to outline a figure Illustrator?

Ans. With Illustrator, the Pen tool works best for outlining figures. This feature of the Pen tool makes it ideal for outlining figures since it enables you to accurately construct and edit anchor points to form routes.

Q3. Which pencil is used for outline?

Ans. A 2B or HB pencil is the pencil of choice for outlining. The medium hardness of this pencil enables the creation of a neat, even line without smudging or excessive pressure. Since they have a strength in between HB and 2B, F pencils are also occasionally used for highlighting.

Q4. Is outline a type of drawing?

Ans. Yes, Outlines are a type of drawing. Outline drawing is a drawing technique that focuses on the outlines of a subject and is frequently used to capture the subject’s basic shape and form.

Q5. When to Outline Fonts in Illustrator?

Ans. When fonts are to be printed, they should be outlined in Adobe Illustrator.

  • Outlining fonts convert them into a vector graphic, ensuring that the font displays correctly when printed.
  • Outlining fonts also keeps other users from editing or changing them.
  • Outlined fonts can also be saved as PDF or EPS files, making them easier to send and share with other users.

Recommended: Which to Use Adobe Photoshop vs Illustrator?

The aesthetic and clarity of your designs can be improved by simply outlining text in Illustrator. We hope we were able to help you understand how to outline text or image in illustrator. You can drop your queries and topic suggestions for future articles in the comments section below.

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