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Issue link: https://digital.macdirectory.com/i/1318513
Illustrator Draws Attention Last year at this time, we all knew that Illustrator was coming to the iPad and even had a vague idea of what it may look like. In fact, after seeing how well the iPad variety of Photoshop turned out, our expectations were quite high. Illustrator on the iPad continues on the theme begun last year with Photoshop. The application is not only more portable, it’s more accessible—much easier to learn and understand than the desktop version. Part of the reason, of course, is that it does not yet have the entire collection of Illustrator features, but there’s far more to it than that. Like Photoshop, it represents a complete reimagining of the interface optimized for touch and stylus and still be recognizable to experienced desktop users. Being the creators of the best user experience design tool on the market (Adobe XD), gives them a lot of power to innovate. With the help of Adobe XD and the support of hundreds of the world’s best artists working with a series of beta versions, they got the balance just right. Most creators will be just as happy with the feature set Illustrator on the iPad is starting out with, as how thoughtfully they are implemented. For example, a single tap on an object selects it, a double-tap puts it in both Direct-select and Isolation modes. A touch-shortcut area for your non-drawing hand takes the place of a keyboard modifier to expand the current tool’s functionality. In the Sky with Photoshop The Photoshop CC team responded by bringing their application a little closer to Illustrator’s side of the street and in a couple of other directions that proved the sky is no longer the limit and reality is still subject to change with and without notice. Drawing with patterns in Photoshop became a lot easier with Pattern Preview, actually a whole toolbox for both creating, editing and previewing repeating patterns based on either shapes or images. Alongside this was another move into Illustrator’s territory: Live Shapes. Finally, shapes created in Photoshop can be managed and modified while preserving their vector-like properties as Smart Objects. Topping that off, there is now a Reset button on all Smart Objects that will instantly return them to their original state. One of the very cool features introduced in the Photoshop Camera app earlier this year is AI-based sky replacement. All photographers know that the days you have great skies and the days you have great foregrounds rarely seem to intersect. Sky replacement will let you grab a sky from your collection (or from some in Photoshop or Adobe Stock) and quickly swap out the boring one in your image. It’s also smart enough to adjust the color toning of the foreground. Unfortunately if that foreground includes a body of water or lots of reflecting windows, it will leave you with some sky-spoofing work of your own. Hair Heuristics Even with the very intelligent Select Subject feature added last year, getting the hair just right can still be… okay, we’ll say it… hairy. Adobe’s Sensei AI can now be called in with a button-press and scan the subject for a complex coiffure to make another pass and