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Topics Covered in This Illustrator Tutorial:

Working with Type, Text & Character Options, Adding a Drop Cap, Type on a Path, Text Wrap, Filling Text with a Pattern

Exercise Preview

Exercise Overview

Illustrator's sophisticated typography tools make it an excellent choice for creating single-page promotional documents that combine compelling graphics with professional text layout. This comprehensive exercise will teach you to master essential text techniques including path typography, drop cap creation, and advanced text wrapping—skills that remain fundamental to modern graphic design workflows in 2026.

1. In the Illustrator Class folder, open the horse sense.ai file.

   The document opens in Outline mode, which provides clearer visibility of text frame boundaries—particularly useful when working with multiple text elements that might otherwise be difficult to select.

2. Go to File > Document Setup, verify that Units are set to Inches, and click OK. Consistent units prevent measurement errors throughout your layout process.

Creating & Positioning the Text Frame

Professional text layout begins with proper file import and precise positioning. We'll import a legacy text file and establish the foundation for our multi-column layout.

1. Go to File > Place. Select the HorseText.txt file and click Place.

2. This legacy text file requires specific import settings to maintain proper formatting. In the dialog that opens, configure these options for optimal text import:

   • Platform: Change it to Mac (Intel-based)
   • Character Set: ANSI
   • Extra Carriage Returns: Keep both options unchecked
   • Extra Spaces: Keep Replace 3 or More Spaces with a Tab checked

3. Click OK.

4. Click anywhere on the document to place the text.

5. For professional layouts, precise positioning is crucial. We'll use X/Y coordinates to establish exact placement. At the top of the Properties panel, locate the Transform section.

   NOTE: These same options can also be found in the standalone Transform panel (Window > Transform) or if you have a large enough monitor, the Control panel at the top right of the screen.

6. Coordinate systems in Illustrator use reference points for precise positioning. To set the Reference point to the top-left corner, click the square in the top-left corner .

7. Enter X: 0.5 in and Y: 1.75 in and hit Return (Mac) or Enter (Windows). This positions your text frame with professional margins from the document edges.

8. Use the Selection tool to select the text frame, preparing it for typography styling.

9. Professional typography requires careful attention to font selection and spacing. In the Properties panel's Character section, apply these settings:

   Font:	Adobe Garamond Pro Regular
   Size :	11.5 pt
   Leading :	13 pt

10. At the bottom right of the Properties panel's Paragraph section, click the More Options button to reveal advanced paragraph controls essential for professional text formatting.

11. In the Paragraph section, set First-line left indent to 12 pt and press Return (Mac) or Enter (Windows). This traditional indent enhances readability by clearly delineating paragraph beginnings.

    NOTE: The standalone Paragraph panel is found in Window > Type > Paragraph.

12. With the Type tool , highlight the line: 30-DAY MONEY BACK GUARANTEE

13. Transform the selected guarantee text into a prominent call-to-action element:

    Font:	Adobe Garamond Pro Bold (Character section)
    Alignment:	Centered (Paragraph section)
    First-line left indent :	0 (Paragraph section—click More Options to see this)

Setting up the Text Frame & Importing the Text

Creating readable, scannable content requires strategic text frame design. We'll transform our single-column layout into a professional two-column format that significantly improves reader engagement and comprehension.

1. Large, single-column text blocks create visual fatigue and poor readability—a critical issue in promotional materials where reader engagement determines success. Let's resize the text frame and implement a two-column layout. With the text frame still selected (or your cursor still in it), go to Type > Area Type Options.

2. In the dialog that appears, enter the following dimensions and don't click OK until we say so:

   Width:	7.5 in
   Height:	8.8 in

3. Configure the column structure for optimal readability. Under Columns, enter these values:

   Number:	2
   Gutter:	0.3 in

4. Verify that all settings match the reference image below. These specifications follow established design principles for promotional materials and ensure professional results.

   

5. Click OK when done.

Adding a Drop Cap

Unlike dedicated page layout applications such as InDesign and QuarkXPress, Illustrator requires manual drop cap creation. This hands-on approach actually provides greater creative control over the final appearance, allowing for custom styling that automated systems cannot achieve.

1. Zoom in to the start of the first paragraph (which starts with the text After years of handicapping) to ensure precise positioning and clean execution of your drop cap.

2. Delete the first letter, A.

3. In the Properties panel's Paragraph section, click the More Options button .

4. Set the First-line left indent to 0 pt and press Return (Mac) or Enter (Windows). This modification affects only the current paragraph, preparing space for the drop cap integration.

5. Hit Cmd–Shift–A (Mac) or CTRL–Shift–A (Windows) to deselect everything.

6. We'll create the drop cap in the margin area, then position it precisely within the text flow. This method ensures clean text wrapping and professional appearance.

   With the Type tool , drag in the empty space to the left to create a new text frame, sizing it to approximately four lines of text height.

7. Type a capital A in the text frame.

8. Select the A and apply these professional drop cap specifications:

   Font:	Adobe Garamond Pro Regular
   Size :	52 pt
   Alignment:	Left (Paragraph section)

9. If the letter disappears, the text frame requires expansion. Use the Selection tool to resize it to fit tightly around the A.

10. If the text frame exceeds the letter size, use the Selection tool to resize it for a tight fit around the A. Precise frame sizing ensures clean text wrap behavior.

11. Make sure the text frame is still selected.

12. To create professional text flow around the drop cap, go to Object > Text Wrap > Make.

    If a message appears explaining text wrap effects, click OK to proceed.

13. Go to Object > Text Wrap > Text Wrap Options.

14. In the dialog that opens, set the Offset to 0 pt and click OK. This creates a tight wrap without additional spacing.

15. Switch to Preview mode (Cmd–Y (Mac) or CTRL–Y (Windows)) to see the final visual result.

16. Position the A at the beginning of the text as shown below, creating a professional drop cap integration. Fine-tune the frame width to control text proximity and achieve optimal visual balance.

    

Creating the Center Graphic & Finishing the Body Copy

Strategic placement of graphics within text creates visual interest and improves information hierarchy. We'll add a central circular element that demonstrates advanced text wrapping techniques while enhancing the overall design impact.

1. Zoom to the center where the four guides intersect (between the two text columns).

2. Select the Ellipse tool .

3. Position the cursor over the intersection of the two guides.

4. Hold down Option (Mac) or ALT (Windows) and click once to access precise circle creation.

5. In the dialog box, make both the Width and Height 4.25 in and click OK.

6. Ensure the circle has no fill and no stroke—it functions as an invisible text-wrapping element.

7. With the circle still selected, choose Object > Text Wrap > Make.

8. Go to Object > Text Wrap > Text Wrap Options.

9. Set the Offset to 0 pt and click OK.

10. Notice that text spacing appears uneven around the circle due to left-aligned text. To create symmetrical text flow, we'll apply justification to the left column paragraphs.

    With the Type tool , select the two paragraphs to the left of the circle.

11. In the Properties panel's Paragraph section, click the Justify with last line aligned left button .

12. Professional typography requires proper punctuation formatting. Go to Type > Smart Punctuation and configure these settings for enhanced readability:

    

13. Click OK and Illustrator will report the improvements made to your text formatting.

14. Check the bottom of the right column. The red box indicates overset text—content that exceeds the text frame boundaries.

15. We'll address typographic widows (single words occupying their own lines) to improve text flow and eliminate overset issues. Select the second paragraph below the 30-day guarantee (it starts with I'll never forget my first "board" win).

16. In the Properties panel's Character section, enter −10 for Tracking . Notice how the 18–1 text pulls up to the previous line, eliminating the widow.

17. To the right of that, select the paragraph that starts with You can make thousands of dollars also!

18. In the Properties panel's Character section, enter −10 for Tracking .

19. Verify that the overset text indicator has disappeared from the right column. Your text now fits properly within the designated frame.

20. The body text formatting is now complete. Before continuing to the next phase, deselect everything with Cmd–Shift–A (Mac) or CTRL–Shift–A (Windows).

21. Select File > Save As and name your file yourname-horse sense.ai.

22. In the dialog that appears, maintain the default options and click OK.

Adding the Horse in the Center of the Page

Integrating graphic elements requires careful attention to scaling, positioning, and visual hierarchy. We'll import and position a horse illustration that serves as the focal point of our design.

1. Open the Triangles-the-horse.ai file. You'll find a detailed outline illustration of a horse and jockey.

2. This file was last saved in Outline mode. To see the complete visual appearance, switch to Preview mode (Cmd–Y (Mac) or CTRL–Y (Windows)).

   NOTE: We wanted you to experience this common workflow scenario, as you may encounter files saved in different view modes in professional environments.

3. Select and copy (Edit > Copy) the horse and jockey illustration.

4. Close that document without saving changes.

5. Paste (Edit > Paste) the horse into your working document.

6. Double–click the Scale tool to reduce the horse to 35% of its original size, creating appropriate scale for the circular layout area.

7. Switch to Outline mode (Cmd–Y (Mac) or CTRL–Y (Windows)) to facilitate precise positioning.

8. Show the Attributes panel (Window > Attributes).

9. With the horse still selected, go to the Attributes panel and click the Show Center button . (If this option isn't visible, go to the panel menu and choose Show All.)

10. Go to the View menu and verify that Snap to Point is checked. If not, enable this feature for precise alignment.

11. Use the Selection tool to grab the horse by its center point and drag it to the exact center of the page where the guides intersect.

Adding the Circular Type

Type on a path creates dynamic, eye-catching text effects that traditional horizontal typography cannot achieve. We'll create circular text that complements our horse illustration and demonstrates advanced typography techniques.

1. Select the Ellipse tool .

2. Position the cursor in the center of the page where the guides intersect.

3. Option–click (Mac) or ALT–click (Windows) once to bring up numeric input options for precise circle creation.

4. In the dialog box that opens, create a circle 3.1 in wide and high.

5. Professional type-on-path implementation requires two circles: one for the text path and another for background color or effects. Select the inner circle you just created.

6. Copy it.

7. With the circle still selected, go to Edit > Paste in Front to create an identical circle directly above the first.

8. Select the Type on a Path tool . (Click and hold on the Type tool to access it.)

9. With the Type on a Path cursor , click on the