Can You Duplicate An Artboard In Illustrator?
Wondering Can You Duplicate An Artboard In Illustrator?
Yes — You can duplicate an artboard in Illustrator and you can do that in a few different ways. Not only can you add a new artboard, but you can also copy the exact same design of the original artboard.
In this article, you’ll learn everything you need to know about duplicating an artboard in Adobe Illustrator. How do you know this is the best, most complete guide?
I’ve been a graphic designer since 2005 and used Adobe Illustrator for years, and I can assure you that Illustrator is a go-to platform for creating any designs, be it vectorized, rasterized designs or typography.
How Illustrator artboards work makes your design process smoother and faster 100X than many other vector design programs.
So, are you ready to master the art of duplicating artboards in Illustrator? Let’s dive in!
Can You Duplicate An Artboard In Illustrator?
What Is An Adobe Illustrator Artboard?
In the Adobe Illustrator ecosystem, artboards function like a blank canvas for your design elements. This canvas is either a rectangular or square shaped area for you to design your content.
The artboards panel is exceptionally useful for managing different sizes of canvases within a single Illustrator project, whether you’re working on a business card or a massive banner.
You can hide artboards to only show what you want to see, crop artboards to your designs and change the artboard color if you like.
Why You Might Need to Duplicate an Artboard
There could be several reasons why duplicating an artboard is necessary in the design process:
Consistency: When a project requires uniformity across various design elements.
Efficiency: Duplicating an artboard via the artboard tool saves much time; you don’t need to start from scratch.
Versioning: If you’re working on different versions of a project, it’s best to duplicate existing artboards.
Can You Duplicate An Artboard In Illustrator?
How To Duplicate An Artboard?
The best and quickest way to duplicate an Illustrator artboard is to first click on the artboard you want to duplicate, then use the keyboard shortcut by pressing Alt + Shift + Command + O on Mac.
Or Alt + Shift + Ctrl + O on Windows.
Here are the different ways and steps to duplicate an artboard:
1. Using The Artboard Tool And Keyboard Shortcut
You can duplicate an artboard via the Artboard Tool. Here’s how:
Select the Artboard Tool: It’s located in the tools panel or simply press Shift + O.
Click on the Selected Artboard: The one you want to duplicate. Press Option/Alt +
Drag: Hold down the Option key on a Mac or Alt key on a Windows PC and drag to create a copy of the artboard and its artboard contents.
2. Using the Artboard Panel
The Artboards Panel offers another easy way to duplicate:
Open Artboards Panel: Navigate to Window > Artboard.
Artboard: Artboards are listed in the Artboards Panel under the name of the artboard. Select the artboard you want to duplicate by clicking on it once.
Duplicate: Click on the Options button in the top right-hand corner of the Artboards Panel and select Duplicate in the drop-down menu.
3. Copy And Paste
The other way to duplicate an Illustrator artboard is by selecting the Artboard Tool first. Then do the following:
Select Artboard: Click on the artboard you want to duplicate.
Copy Artboard: Press Command + C
Or Ctrl + C on Windows.
Paste Artboard: Press Command + V on a Mac
Or Ctrl + V on Windows.
Can You Duplicate An Artboard In Illustrator?
Managing Duplicated Artboards
Using the Control Panel and Properties Panel
To rename your duplicated artboards, you can use the control panel or the properties panel. Correct artboard names are part of best practices in any Illustrator course.
Moving Artboard Contents
To move artwork from one artboard to another, use the selection tool, then drag and drop.
Common Mistakes and Best Practices
Not Selecting the Right Artboard: Always ensure the correct artboard is selected in the artboard panel before duplication.
Ignoring Artboard Limits: Adobe Illustrator has a maximum limit for the number of artboards.
Can You Duplicate An Artboard In Illustrator?
Final Thoughts: Duplicating Illustrator Artboard
Mastering the duplication of artboards in an Illustrator document can significantly enhance your design process. Whether you prefer using the Artboard Tool, Layers Panel, or keyboard shortcuts like Alt + Shift + Ctrl + O, understanding the multiple methods and incorporating best practices will ensure you work smarter, not harder.
The tips and tricks in this guide aim to offer you the most comprehensive look into this often-overlooked aspect of Adobe Illustrator. Ready to double the fun with duplicated artboards?
Can You Duplicate An Artboard In Illustrator?
Duplicate An Artboard In Illustrator: FAQs
How Will You Duplicate A Selected Artboard In Illustrator?
You can easily duplicate a selected artboard in Illustrator through several methods. The simplest way is to use the Artboard Tool, found in the tools panel or accessed by pressing Shift + O.
After selecting this tool, click on the artboard you wish to duplicate to make it the selected artboard. Hold down the Option key (Mac) or Alt key (Windows) and drag the selected artboard to create a copy along with its contents.
If you want to add a layer of organization, rename the new artboard using the control panel or properties panel.
How Do You Duplicate An Artboard Multiple Times In Illustrator?
Duplicating an artboard multiple times is almost as straightforward as duplicating it once. After selecting your desired artboard with the Artboard Tool (Shift + O), hold down the Option key (Mac) or Alt key (Windows).
Now, instead of dragging to create just one copy, press the Cmd + D (Mac) or Ctrl + D (Windows) keyboard shortcuts multiple times to replicate the duplication process. This will create multiple copies of the selected artboard.
You can also use the Layers Panel to right-click on the name of the artboard and select ‘Duplicate [Artboard’s name]’ as many times as you need.
How Do You Duplicate An Artboard In Illustrator Script?
If you’re looking for a more automated process to duplicate artboards, Illustrator’s scripting feature is the answer. You can write a custom JavaScript script to automate the artboard duplication process.
Here’s a simple example script that duplicates the first artboard:
var doc = app.activeDocument;
var artboard = doc.artboards[0];
var artboardRect = artboard.artboardRect;
var newRect = [artboardRect[0], artboardRect[1], artboardRect[2], artboardRect[3]];
doc.artboards.add(newRect);
Save this code in a .jsx file and run it via Illustrator’s File > Scripts > Other Script option, or save it in Illustrator’s script directory to access it directly from the File > Scripts menu.
How Do I Add The Same Artboard In Illustrator?
Adding a similar artboard in Illustrator is a piece of cake. One straightforward way to do this is by selecting the artboard you’d like to duplicate using the Artboard Tool, which you can find in the tools panel or by hitting Shift + O.
Once the artboard is selected, simply right-click and choose the “New Artboard” option from the menu that appears. This will add a new artboard with the same dimensions and settings as the selected one.
Remember to rename the new artboard using the control panel or the properties panel to keep things organized.
How Do You Duplicate An Artboard And Everything On It?
If you’re aiming to create a duplicate of an artboard along with all its design elements and layers, Illustrator makes it a breeze. First, select the artboard you want to duplicate using the Artboard Tool (Shift + O). Then, hold down the Option key if you’re on a Mac or the Alt key on Windows, and drag your selected artboard to a new location.
This action will duplicate the artboard along with everything on it—design elements, layers, and all. This method is a major time-saver as it retains all the intricacies of your existing artboard, giving you an exact replica to work on.
How Do I Copy And Paste To All Artboards In Illustrator?
Sometimes you may need to copy a design element or set of layers to all artboards in a single Illustrator project. Here’s how you do it:
- First, select the item or items you wish to copy using the Selection Tool (
V). - Hit
Cmd + C(Mac) orCtrl + C(Windows) to copy the selected artwork. - Go to
Edit > Paste on All Artboards.
Voila! The selected artwork is now copied onto every artboard within your Illustrator document. If you’ve organized your design elements into layers on the original artboard, this action will also copy the layer organization to all the other artboards.
What Is The Shortcut For Duplicating Artboards In Illustrator?
The quickest way to duplicate an artboard in Illustrator is to use a keyboard shortcut. While Adobe Illustrator doesn’t offer a specific one-click shortcut for this action, you can still use a combination of keys to make the process faster.
First, make sure your desired artboard is selected using the Artboard Tool (Shift + O). Hold down the Option key on a Mac or the Alt key on a Windows PC, then click and drag the artboard to its new location.
Alternatively, after selecting the artboard, you can use Alt + Shift + Ctrl + O to duplicate the artboard. This is one of those keyboard shortcut commands that can save you much time during the design process.
Can You Select All Artboards In Illustrator?
In Adobe Illustrator, there isn’t a direct method to select all artboards at once through the interface or a keyboard shortcut. However, you can select all objects across all artboards by hitting Ctrl + A (Windows) or Cmd + A (Mac).
This will select all design elements but won’t affect the artboards themselves. If you want to apply changes to all artboards, you typically need to do it individually or use a script to automate the process.
For many actions, such as applying a background color, you can use the ‘Paste on All Artboards’ option to affect all artboards simultaneously.
How Do I Make All Artboards The Same Size In Illustrator?
To make all your artboards the same size in Illustrator, you’ll need to manually adjust them one by one, as the software doesn’t have a built-in feature for resizing multiple artboards simultaneously.
To resize an artboard, select it using the Artboard Tool (Shift + O). Then, in the Properties Panel or the Control Panel, you can input the desired dimensions into the width and height fields.
If you have a large number of artboards and want them all to be the same size, it may be efficient to use a script to automate the process. Custom JavaScript scripts can be written to loop through all artboards and set them to the same size.
How Do I Resize An Artboard In Illustrator Without Distorting It?
Here’s how you resize an artboard in Illustrator without distorting its contents:
First, select the Artboard Tool from the Tools Panel or by pressing Shift + O. Click on the artboard you wish to resize. A bounding box will appear around the selected artboard.
In the Properties Panel or the Control Panel, you can then manually enter the new dimensions in the width and height fields. Make sure to unlock the link between the width and height dimensions if you want to change them independently.
This will resize the artboard, but not the artboard contents. If you want to resize the artboard and its contents together, you’ll need to select both the artboard and the objects before resizing.
Why Use Multiple Artboards In Illustrator?
Multiple artboards can be a game-changer for your Illustrator workflow for several compelling reasons:
- Project Organization: Multiple artboards allow you to work on different elements of a single project within one Illustrator document, making it easier to manage and keep track of your design elements.
- Efficiency: Rather than opening numerous Illustrator files for each design variant, like business cards, banners, and flyers, you can work on them all in one file. This saves much time and computing resources.
- Consistency: Having all design elements in one file can help maintain design consistency, such as color schemes and typography.
- Batch Exporting: Illustrator offers options to export multiple artboards to different file formats all at once, further streamlining your design process.
How Do I Export The Exact Artboard Size In Illustrator?
To export your artboard at its exact dimensions, follow these steps:
- Select Artboard: First, select the artboard you wish to export.
- Navigate to Export: Go to
File>Export>Export As.... - Choose File Format: Select the file format you want to export your artboard to.
- Specify Settings: In the dialog box that appears, make sure to uncheck the ‘Use Artboards’ option if you’re exporting to a format like PNG or JPEG. If you’re exporting as a PDF, you can select the ‘Fit to Artboard’ option under the ‘Artboard Options’ dialog box.
- Export: Click on the Export or Save button to proceed.
By following these steps, Illustrator will export the selected artboard to the exact dimensions, without adding any white spaces or margins.
How Do I Export A Specific Artboard In Illustrator?
Here’s how you export a specific artboard in Illustrator:
- Navigate to Export: Go to
File>Export>Export As.... - Choose File Format: In the dialog box, select the file format you wish to export your artboard to, such as PNG, JPEG, or PDF.
- Specify Artboard: Crucially, check the ‘Use Artboards’ option. Here, you can specify the range and enter the number of the artboard you want to export.
- Export: Click the ‘Export’ or ‘Save’ button to proceed.
Why Is My Artboard Exporting A Different Size?
If your artboard is exporting at a different size than what you expected, there are a few potential reasons:
- Settings Mismatch: In the export settings, make sure you’ve selected the right options, like the DPI or PPI values and any scaling options.
- Artboard Options: In some export settings, there’s an option to include ‘bleed’ or margins, which may alter the size of the exported file.
- File Format: Different file formats may have different size limitations or automatically resize the artboard to fit certain criteria.
- Software Update: Sometimes, updates or software glitches can cause this issue. Make sure your Illustrator is updated to the latest version.
Always double-check your export settings to ensure the dimensions are as you intend.
How Do I Export A Single Artboard In Illustrator?
To export a single artboard, follow these steps:
- Select the Artboard: Use the Artboard Tool (
Shift + O) to select the artboard you want to export. - Go to Export: Navigate to
File>Export>Export As.... - Choose File Format: Select your desired file format from the dialog box.
- Specify Artboard: Tick the ‘Use Artboards’ checkbox. You’ll be prompted to specify the range; here, type the number corresponding to the artboard you wish to export.
- Export: Click on ‘Export’ or ‘Save’ to complete the process.
By doing this, you’ll export only the selected artboard, leaving others in your Illustrator document untouched.
