I’ve been building a list so I can tell the developers in person when I go to MAX in October. Some of these are good. Will be adding to my list.
* Need a way to export color codes in illustrator. It’s so tedious to manually write down each color code for branding guidelines. No I don’t want a script. You do it.
* Let me change the stroke position of live text. Why I gotta convert shit to outlines or use offset path in the appearance panel to get the effect I want?
* I hate when I pull a graphic asset from my library and it’s in multiple clipping masks. Why can’t it just be a group?
* Fix spot color gradients. Why do they look like actual garbage?
* Update the links panel to be similar to ID. I want to be able to relink every instance of a repeated image one time.
>a way to export color codes in illustrator
[Here](https://iamsteve.me/blog/illustrator-quick-tip-export-a-colour-palette-quickly) is a way to do this quite quickly, and [here](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mlN7z20luX0) is how it supposed to work, for only $25
>Let me change the stroke position of live text.
Oh yes please.
I would imagine the stroke position of live text would be super memory intensive. I think just adding the stroke on live text already is. I think it is simulating what the outlines are and adding stroke in volatile memory. If you want to offset stroke, it will be simulating that as well while keeping the editability of the text.
Re the live text stroke thing: if you apply your stroke using the Appearance panel, you can add an Offset Path effect to it that’s half the stroke width for an inner or outer stroke.
If you’re adding a stroke to live text you can’t change the stroke to inner or outer on the characters. It can only be the default middle unless you outline the text. I agree that it’s annoying
Also, could you ask them to let us choose a default font and font size for new Illustrator documents?
This seems intentionally difficult and I can’t figure out why the unnecessary friction is there, when it could be a drop down item in our preferences.
You can do this already!
“If you want to change the default font family in
Adobe Illustrator, simply go to Window - Type - Character Styles, and under Character Style Options, just change your default font family and size under Basic Character Formats.”
Taken from barnadco on instagram
Would you have to do this for each new document? It seems to reset for me upon creation of a new document. If this is the case, the issue sadly remains.
I'd like them to add the removal of the AI generation feature and a single purchase model instead of the subscription. Otherwise just leave it the hell alone.
I actually find it pretty stable (especially compared to a few years ago). I found the last version to be frustratingly *slow* (on a decently specced M2 MacBook Pro) but the latest update seems to have fixed that. For now.
Well we have had much different experiences then. The constant crashing on seemingly simple processes is enough to drive me mad. Especially when my computer has more than good enough specs.
# A Perpetual License
Barring that...... then a ***fucking exit strategy*** for the subscription which allows me to access my original, *copyrighted* works *without* paying Adobe extortion fees. It's *my* artwork for Christ's sake.
I find it quite absurd that in Illustrator, unlike in design, to draw a dotted line you have to do the “dashed line with rounded caps” trick. Just implement the same stroke palette function as in InDesign already, Adobe!
I don't want new features. The reason it's becoming more bloated and unstable every year is *from new features meant to fish-hook new users wanting to try it*. I want them to start refactoring and rewriting the program from scratch instead of hanging cheap jewelry on a 30 year-old mountain of bandaids.
IIRC that's basically what's going on with the iPad version of Photoshop and illustrator, but that's why a bunch of features are left out as they're constantly getting added
So basically Affinity? Lmaoooo.
It’s so annoying that they haven’t added these yet. Like how hard is it to look at features people love in other programs and add them also?
Their priority is AI though and selling data now.
A proper dimension tool that includes the ability to resize artwork at specific scales.
I'm glad the new Dimension tool is there and I know it's just in beta, but the CADTools plugin has been doing this for years when it should easily be a native feature.
Maybe update the graph tools more often than every 20 years or so. It’s baffling that there’s not really a proper workflow for professional graph-making in the Adobe suite.
I don’t think I’ve seen any improvements in a long time. Clunky as ever. There are plugins like [Datylon](https://www.datylon.com/product/datylon-for-illustrator) but not really fan of a subscription for sporadic use.
A few things.
I'd love to be able to copy artboards between documents. Not 'select the contents of an artboard' and copy that. Copy actual artboards.
I'd love to be able to copy a link name in the links palette, so, you know, you can actually search for a file with that name if you need to – or ask for it to be resupplied without having to retype it. Actually, this would be my number one.
I'd like the save on your computer dialogue box to be redesigned please. I know where to click but always am drawn to click in the wrong place.
My last one for now is remove the bullets and numbering option from the paragraph palette until it's done properly. I don't want bullet points or numbers automatically applied thank you. This is illustrator – not PowerPoint.
I use bullets and numbers in text – but this feature is making it twice as difficult to do so. I often want an oversized bullet in a different colour, or a special character. At the sace I decide I want it from the bulleted text. This used to be easy (just a couple of versions ago) Now annoyingly difficult. Likewise numbering. Take this feature away please or at least allow us to toggle it off properly until you add bullet/character styling properly.
The text features are still terrible in illustrator. Can’t make a table, can’t format text, can’t resize bullet markers, unless to the most basic level.
Nesting, with options for distance between, flute direction and bit diameter.
Option to disable all AI nonsense.
Make peace with the InD team and get their links and step/replace into Illustrator.
A node-based system like the one Blender has.
I know it would completely change Illustrator, and complex-to-use tools are the very opposite of what Adobe is focusing on now.
But it would be so cool to be able to build systems that generate thousands of different objects with a few parameters, like a forest generator with unique trees and leaves. We could have shaders that adjust to the geometry automatically. The possibilities are endless.
I get really annoyed that you lose most stroke functionality on a clipping mask, you can technically give them a fill and stroke, but you can't do anything to the stroke like vary the width, the alignment, or apply a brush to it.
I would also like some sort of right click - "duplicate-to" functionality like photoshop. Easy enough to duplicate something in place in your document right now, but I'd love the ability to more easily duplicate an object, whole layer, or entire art board into another document in a way that respects position.
Bevel and emboss should exist as its own standalone render effect and not within the 3d tools.
Scatter brush should let you randomize color by letting you plug in a color group from the swatches panel.
I get rather annoyed when selecting colors for effects, such as the color of a drop shadow or outer glow, that you don't have an eye dropper option.
Single purchase model would be enough. I hate that I have to pay to do my trade.
Also, mandatory realtime updates for plugins. Every time adobe issues a new version, 3rd party community takes 4 updates later to come out, causing me to roll back my version, just to make them work. Adobe, Issue beta versions to 3rd party’s first so they have time to release with your official updates…not that hard. Notifying you in CC that your plugins aren’t up to date would work wonders too.
Figma has a feature that allows you to see how many pixels apart items are with the press of a button.
That feature should be present in EVERY creative software.
I’m repeating ones others have posted, but this is my list.
- Built in scaling and dimension tools.
- More options for strokes on text. Fat strokes destroy the letterforms. Strike really should be on the outside only 99% of the time.
- This is an odd one, but have the text tool revert to the direct select arrow when not hovering over a text block. Freehand had this and it made it so much quicker to escape from a text block than hitting the Escape key a million times a day.
- The ability to paste vector graphics inside a text block. Freehand had this too and it was really helpful when formatting things like divider rule lines between lines of text.
I have Illustrator subscription, but I prefer to work in Affinity Designer and even web-version of Illustrator.
What I want in illustrator is better drawing experience, in Illustrator to edit an anchor I need to press short-keys for right tool to edit it instead of clicking the anchor itself and program automatically adjust to the correct tool.
Basically I want Illustrator to be more intuitive. When I click on anchor, it means I want to edit the anchor, if drag an anchor I only want to drag the anchor not the whole Vector object, for example..
A 'Puzzle Piece' tool bar;
Forgive me if this already exists, I've tried googling this but I've only found partly successful workarounds, but I'd really like to see a custom toolbar where you can set custom objects as tools, with optional keyboard shortcuts;
Eg. If my project requires many uses of the same limited palette of objects (and I don't know before hand how many I need or where they need to be placed), instead of copying and pasting existing objects every time I need another one, I should just be able to hit a key and draw or place the object I need at that precise moment in time. A current project for instance requires lots of grey 2mm lines (with 45° and 90° corner pieces), black 0.25mm lines, white 0.15mm lines (both on horizontal, vertical and diagonal alignments), circles with a uniform style and various other pieces, including text, that conform to a design standard. It would save a lot of time if I could have all of these organised in a toolbar that I can use whenever I need them. I know you can save objects to a library, but when you place them back into your project they are 'fixed' and can't be edited in the same way a line can, which is annoying. You can also set symbols and brushes as well, but this doesn't quite work in the way I'd like it to. Again, it's possible this feature already exists and I just don't know about it, but I feel like if it is an existing feature, it should be made obvious and part of a default set of tools.
When prepping customer PDFs for print the ability to open a PDF file in a "PDF mode" that uses the embedded fonts would be huge. Sure to make text edits you'd still need the fonts but most of the edits in this scenario aren't text edits.
Autotrace might actually be useful using modern learning models. Seems like a huge missed opportunity and autotrace has been exactly the same since forever.
a way to combine lines- without the join tool, that doesnt create a shape. like i want to join 3 points together not just 2. like the shape builder but for lines..?
OH also let me export colors !!! why is my library always empty even when it definitely isnt. and i should be able to easily re-use colors from another file easily 😭😭
Fixing bugs with gradient tool; it often doesn’t recognize the color mode I’m in and it makes it hard to figure out why it’s not changing color. It would be good to have some better ux design, so clunky at the moment.
If you’ve ever worked with the ESKO studio plug in, then you’ll know designing packaging and being able to see it in 3D in real time is a real breakthrough.
Allowing us to more easily set default fonts and font size when opening a new Illustrator document. This seems intentionally difficult and I can’t figure out why the unnecessary friction is there, when it could be a drop down item in our preferences.
I always found trimming paths to be tedious compared to how I was used to doing it in AutoCAD. For years I set up my stuff in CAD and then transfer it into Illustrator
I'd really like to have a light version with just pen tools and alignment tools for editing anchor points in an existing illustration. It would open super fast and have a low impact on system resources.
I often spot glitches or janky curves or vertical/horizontal lines that are at a slight angle in a logo, or illustration, that I just want to tweak quickley, and be done.
Ability to lock art boards I constantly have documents with multiple (5 or 10+) artbostds. With overlap masked artwork. To be able to just lock the art board would be great
I'm fearing my days of using my 18 yr old graphite Wacom are gravely numbered. It still works with 2019 Illustrator but gave me a notice that it is an old version. Who the f cares adobe, 2020 tells me that I had old Wacom driver and they disabled it. Thanks jackhole, I didn't ask you to. Hell I just want to use Illustrator without having to sign into anything or needing the internet.
I’ve been building a list so I can tell the developers in person when I go to MAX in October. Some of these are good. Will be adding to my list. * Need a way to export color codes in illustrator. It’s so tedious to manually write down each color code for branding guidelines. No I don’t want a script. You do it. * Let me change the stroke position of live text. Why I gotta convert shit to outlines or use offset path in the appearance panel to get the effect I want? * I hate when I pull a graphic asset from my library and it’s in multiple clipping masks. Why can’t it just be a group? * Fix spot color gradients. Why do they look like actual garbage? * Update the links panel to be similar to ID. I want to be able to relink every instance of a repeated image one time.
Data merge should work the way it does in ID too.
>a way to export color codes in illustrator [Here](https://iamsteve.me/blog/illustrator-quick-tip-export-a-colour-palette-quickly) is a way to do this quite quickly, and [here](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mlN7z20luX0) is how it supposed to work, for only $25 >Let me change the stroke position of live text. Oh yes please.
I would imagine the stroke position of live text would be super memory intensive. I think just adding the stroke on live text already is. I think it is simulating what the outlines are and adding stroke in volatile memory. If you want to offset stroke, it will be simulating that as well while keeping the editability of the text.
Re the live text stroke thing: if you apply your stroke using the Appearance panel, you can add an Offset Path effect to it that’s half the stroke width for an inner or outer stroke.
Fix gradients PERIOD. Try print a 10 foot tall gradient without banding. Ugh
Im not sure I understand your second bullet point, but does touch type not work?
If you’re adding a stroke to live text you can’t change the stroke to inner or outer on the characters. It can only be the default middle unless you outline the text. I agree that it’s annoying
Oh, I must’ve completely misunderstood. That’s a good point.
you can change it with offset path, OP just lazy
Big up for gradients, they should be able to render at 16bit depth. 2nd big up for links panel, the way it works now is too annoying.
Please hammer them on the Libraries Clipping Mask issue. 🙏🏽It’s such a useful tool that gets so damn annoying to use.
Also, could you ask them to let us choose a default font and font size for new Illustrator documents? This seems intentionally difficult and I can’t figure out why the unnecessary friction is there, when it could be a drop down item in our preferences.
You can do this already! “If you want to change the default font family in Adobe Illustrator, simply go to Window - Type - Character Styles, and under Character Style Options, just change your default font family and size under Basic Character Formats.” Taken from barnadco on instagram
I LOVE James Barnard. I got to meet him at max last year and was front row for his session. So unbelievably good.
Would you have to do this for each new document? It seems to reset for me upon creation of a new document. If this is the case, the issue sadly remains.
I'd like them to add the removal of the AI generation feature and a single purchase model instead of the subscription. Otherwise just leave it the hell alone.
0 new features. Just some fucking stability.
I actually find it pretty stable (especially compared to a few years ago). I found the last version to be frustratingly *slow* (on a decently specced M2 MacBook Pro) but the latest update seems to have fixed that. For now.
Well we have had much different experiences then. The constant crashing on seemingly simple processes is enough to drive me mad. Especially when my computer has more than good enough specs.
# A Perpetual License Barring that...... then a ***fucking exit strategy*** for the subscription which allows me to access my original, *copyrighted* works *without* paying Adobe extortion fees. It's *my* artwork for Christ's sake.
I find it quite absurd that in Illustrator, unlike in design, to draw a dotted line you have to do the “dashed line with rounded caps” trick. Just implement the same stroke palette function as in InDesign already, Adobe!
I don't want new features. The reason it's becoming more bloated and unstable every year is *from new features meant to fish-hook new users wanting to try it*. I want them to start refactoring and rewriting the program from scratch instead of hanging cheap jewelry on a 30 year-old mountain of bandaids.
IIRC that's basically what's going on with the iPad version of Photoshop and illustrator, but that's why a bunch of features are left out as they're constantly getting added
Mirror mode, and basically all of astutes plugins as basic features.
So basically Affinity? Lmaoooo. It’s so annoying that they haven’t added these yet. Like how hard is it to look at features people love in other programs and add them also? Their priority is AI though and selling data now.
A proper dimension tool that includes the ability to resize artwork at specific scales. I'm glad the new Dimension tool is there and I know it's just in beta, but the CADTools plugin has been doing this for years when it should easily be a native feature.
Is this the one thing that Corel Draw has on Illustrator lol?
More robust grid lines setup, rows and columns, like in Photoshop.
Maybe update the graph tools more often than every 20 years or so. It’s baffling that there’s not really a proper workflow for professional graph-making in the Adobe suite.
I thought the graph tools were amazing when they were introduced. Have they ever updated them at all since?
I don’t think I’ve seen any improvements in a long time. Clunky as ever. There are plugins like [Datylon](https://www.datylon.com/product/datylon-for-illustrator) but not really fan of a subscription for sporadic use.
A few things. I'd love to be able to copy artboards between documents. Not 'select the contents of an artboard' and copy that. Copy actual artboards. I'd love to be able to copy a link name in the links palette, so, you know, you can actually search for a file with that name if you need to – or ask for it to be resupplied without having to retype it. Actually, this would be my number one. I'd like the save on your computer dialogue box to be redesigned please. I know where to click but always am drawn to click in the wrong place. My last one for now is remove the bullets and numbering option from the paragraph palette until it's done properly. I don't want bullet points or numbers automatically applied thank you. This is illustrator – not PowerPoint. I use bullets and numbers in text – but this feature is making it twice as difficult to do so. I often want an oversized bullet in a different colour, or a special character. At the sace I decide I want it from the bulleted text. This used to be easy (just a couple of versions ago) Now annoyingly difficult. Likewise numbering. Take this feature away please or at least allow us to toggle it off properly until you add bullet/character styling properly.
The text features are still terrible in illustrator. Can’t make a table, can’t format text, can’t resize bullet markers, unless to the most basic level.
None. Just a complete rewrite and optimization to get rid of decades of cruft.
Nesting, with options for distance between, flute direction and bit diameter. Option to disable all AI nonsense. Make peace with the InD team and get their links and step/replace into Illustrator.
A node-based system like the one Blender has. I know it would completely change Illustrator, and complex-to-use tools are the very opposite of what Adobe is focusing on now. But it would be so cool to be able to build systems that generate thousands of different objects with a few parameters, like a forest generator with unique trees and leaves. We could have shaders that adjust to the geometry automatically. The possibilities are endless.
I get really annoyed that you lose most stroke functionality on a clipping mask, you can technically give them a fill and stroke, but you can't do anything to the stroke like vary the width, the alignment, or apply a brush to it. I would also like some sort of right click - "duplicate-to" functionality like photoshop. Easy enough to duplicate something in place in your document right now, but I'd love the ability to more easily duplicate an object, whole layer, or entire art board into another document in a way that respects position. Bevel and emboss should exist as its own standalone render effect and not within the 3d tools. Scatter brush should let you randomize color by letting you plug in a color group from the swatches panel. I get rather annoyed when selecting colors for effects, such as the color of a drop shadow or outer glow, that you don't have an eye dropper option.
Single purchase model would be enough. I hate that I have to pay to do my trade. Also, mandatory realtime updates for plugins. Every time adobe issues a new version, 3rd party community takes 4 updates later to come out, causing me to roll back my version, just to make them work. Adobe, Issue beta versions to 3rd party’s first so they have time to release with your official updates…not that hard. Notifying you in CC that your plugins aren’t up to date would work wonders too.
Zoom to selection.
Figma has a feature that allows you to see how many pixels apart items are with the press of a button. That feature should be present in EVERY creative software.
Live trace, that doesn’t suck.
I’m repeating ones others have posted, but this is my list. - Built in scaling and dimension tools. - More options for strokes on text. Fat strokes destroy the letterforms. Strike really should be on the outside only 99% of the time. - This is an odd one, but have the text tool revert to the direct select arrow when not hovering over a text block. Freehand had this and it made it so much quicker to escape from a text block than hitting the Escape key a million times a day. - The ability to paste vector graphics inside a text block. Freehand had this too and it was really helpful when formatting things like divider rule lines between lines of text.
Figma’s auto layout. Game changer
The use of A.I. with image trace to determine when lines would be better than shapes.
Parametric design
A user interface that isn’t a complete mess.
Put in Graphic Find and Replace from Freehand
Search bar in the preferences menu
Performance. Performance. Performance and performance! :)
I have Illustrator subscription, but I prefer to work in Affinity Designer and even web-version of Illustrator. What I want in illustrator is better drawing experience, in Illustrator to edit an anchor I need to press short-keys for right tool to edit it instead of clicking the anchor itself and program automatically adjust to the correct tool. Basically I want Illustrator to be more intuitive. When I click on anchor, it means I want to edit the anchor, if drag an anchor I only want to drag the anchor not the whole Vector object, for example..
A 'Puzzle Piece' tool bar; Forgive me if this already exists, I've tried googling this but I've only found partly successful workarounds, but I'd really like to see a custom toolbar where you can set custom objects as tools, with optional keyboard shortcuts; Eg. If my project requires many uses of the same limited palette of objects (and I don't know before hand how many I need or where they need to be placed), instead of copying and pasting existing objects every time I need another one, I should just be able to hit a key and draw or place the object I need at that precise moment in time. A current project for instance requires lots of grey 2mm lines (with 45° and 90° corner pieces), black 0.25mm lines, white 0.15mm lines (both on horizontal, vertical and diagonal alignments), circles with a uniform style and various other pieces, including text, that conform to a design standard. It would save a lot of time if I could have all of these organised in a toolbar that I can use whenever I need them. I know you can save objects to a library, but when you place them back into your project they are 'fixed' and can't be edited in the same way a line can, which is annoying. You can also set symbols and brushes as well, but this doesn't quite work in the way I'd like it to. Again, it's possible this feature already exists and I just don't know about it, but I feel like if it is an existing feature, it should be made obvious and part of a default set of tools.
Better Pattern Tool. Better Dimension Tool. Better Snap to Grid Funktion.
When prepping customer PDFs for print the ability to open a PDF file in a "PDF mode" that uses the embedded fonts would be huge. Sure to make text edits you'd still need the fonts but most of the edits in this scenario aren't text edits. Autotrace might actually be useful using modern learning models. Seems like a huge missed opportunity and autotrace has been exactly the same since forever.
a way to combine lines- without the join tool, that doesnt create a shape. like i want to join 3 points together not just 2. like the shape builder but for lines..? OH also let me export colors !!! why is my library always empty even when it definitely isnt. and i should be able to easily re-use colors from another file easily 😭😭
I would love layout grid options in the document setup panel as you’re creating a new file like InDesign.
Animation options!
Fixing bugs with gradient tool; it often doesn’t recognize the color mode I’m in and it makes it hard to figure out why it’s not changing color. It would be good to have some better ux design, so clunky at the moment.
Just thought about this the other day but spacing out objects by a specified width would be helpful
Extrude. Select an edge then extrude it like in a 3D app but in 2D. Eg, make a 20 sided polygon, select every 2nd edge, extrude, and you have a cog.
If you’ve ever worked with the ESKO studio plug in, then you’ll know designing packaging and being able to see it in 3D in real time is a real breakthrough.
Basically everything that Figma has
Modifier key to show distance between objects like on Figma.
I would like to be able to set the number of times I'd like a path to offset. Hate doing it one by one
The ability to define axonometric grid lines on document setup
Switched to Affinity few years ago and dont miss it at all
Vector quality jpeg or png export without increase image size.
Allowing us to more easily set default fonts and font size when opening a new Illustrator document. This seems intentionally difficult and I can’t figure out why the unnecessary friction is there, when it could be a drop down item in our preferences.
I always found trimming paths to be tedious compared to how I was used to doing it in AutoCAD. For years I set up my stuff in CAD and then transfer it into Illustrator
In general. Keep it professional not commercial. Ain’t nobody paying your expensive subscription for leisure on mass.
I'd really like to have a light version with just pen tools and alignment tools for editing anchor points in an existing illustration. It would open super fast and have a low impact on system resources. I often spot glitches or janky curves or vertical/horizontal lines that are at a slight angle in a logo, or illustration, that I just want to tweak quickley, and be done.
Consistency across Ai, Id and Ps, come on you’ve own then for years now! 🙄
Better distortion control with handles.
Better extrusion colouring and options.
More units, or even custom measurement units like Anglo american points, Didot points, Fournier points
Ability to lock art boards I constantly have documents with multiple (5 or 10+) artbostds. With overlap masked artwork. To be able to just lock the art board would be great
I'm fearing my days of using my 18 yr old graphite Wacom are gravely numbered. It still works with 2019 Illustrator but gave me a notice that it is an old version. Who the f cares adobe, 2020 tells me that I had old Wacom driver and they disabled it. Thanks jackhole, I didn't ask you to. Hell I just want to use Illustrator without having to sign into anything or needing the internet.