Adobe Illustrator CS5 review

It's in a class of its own, but is the vector package moving in the right direction?

Adobe Illustrator CS5
Perspective Grid fits shapes to planes in vanishing point 3D as you draw and scale them

TechRadar Verdict

Some useful new features, but Illustrator doesn't feel comfortable in its own skin just yet

Pros

  • +

    New brushes and Draw Inside

  • +

    Easier shape manipulation

  • +

    Perspective Grid is great for 3D…

Cons

  • -

    …but not as smart as it could be

  • -

    Some inconsistencies

  • -

    Expensive on its own

Why you can trust TechRadar We spend hours testing every product or service we review, so you can be sure you’re buying the best. Find out more about how we test.

As comprehensive as Photoshop has become, it's still a bitmap editing program with extra bits on top. To create scalable logos, complex technical drawings, and text-based layouts with more graphical shenanigans than InDesign can handle, you need vector graphics. And Illustrator is the only serious option.

Perhaps because of the lack of competition, we haven't always been convinced by the attention paid to Illustrator compared to the other Creative Suite apps.

This time, Adobe has certainly made an effort. It's not about doing things that were impossible before, but doing the same things better.

Different strokes

For example, Illustrator provides lots of brushes – now even more, thanks to the same bristle engine introduced in Photoshop CS5 - but what if you want to paint onto a shape?

Previously, you'd have to splodge around the general area, then set the shape as a clipping mask. Now, you can use Draw Inside to paint directly 'inside the lines'.

In the past, there were various ways to generate strokes with varying thickness, but all were somewhat unpredictable. Now, you can add Width nodes, giving far more precise control.

In earlier versions, to combine two or more shapes you would select them, go to the Pathfinder panel and apply an operation such as Unite or Minus Front. Now, you just drag over shapes with the Shape Builder tool.

The old methods are still there if you prefer. The trouble with smart tools is that the results, though quick, might not be ideal. Illustrator now has more options to tweak them, including controls over how patterned strokes fit to paths and around corners.

Multipoint scaling means you can create, say, a button that when stretched to a new size, maintains the proportions of its end caps and text label. Also of interest to user interface designers is the ability to work to a pixel grid, so vector shapes look sharp and precise at a fixed screen size.

Sadly, there's still no joy to be had with some long-standing items on our Illustrator wish list. Take the Graph tool, which hasn't been updated in Miley Cyrus's lifetime. Bringing this up to date would be a big task, but worthwhile.

One brand new feature that stands out is Perspective Grid. This displays wireframe smart guides for vanishing point projections, helping you to construct 3D scenes in the traditional way.

Illustrator cs5

Shapes drawn onto the grid distort and scale to match the plane as you move them, and dragging existing objects using the Perspective Grid tool does the same. This is effective both for drawing from scratch and for comping artwork into photos, having matched the grid to the scene.

Alas, the grid doesn't work with Illustrator 3D objects, such as bevelled lettering; only flat shapes. This and other limitations, including the fact that adjusting the grid doesn't affect artwork already drawn, make Perspective Grid less useful than it first looks.

This is symptomatic of the overall sense of missed opportunities that ultimately knocked half a mark off our rating. While Illustrator remains a superb professional drawing package, such glaringly obvious shortcomings really should be fixed in an update of this magnitude.

Follow TechRadar Reviews on Twitter: http://twitter.com/techradarreview

TOPICS
Latest in Creative Software
Photoshop CC logo on a screen
How to make an image background transparent in Photoshop
Adobe Photoshop
Adobe's Photoshop and Lightroom photo plans get a huge price hike, but there's a way to avoid it
Screenshot showing the adjustment brush in Adobe Photoshop
Adobe Photoshop CC (2024) review: the best photo editor gets even better
Adobe Creative Cloud apps on orange background and price cut sign
Adobe Creative Cloud is 65% off for students - just in time for back to school
Adobe Lightroom Generative Remove tool
Adobe Lightroom's new Generative Remove AI tool makes Content-aware Fill feel basic – and gives you one less reason to use Photoshop
Final Cut Pro update on iPad and Mac
Apple's new Final Cut Pro apps turn the iPad into an impressive live multicam studio
Latest in Reviews
Product shots for the Xiaomi Poco X7 Ultra review
I spent a month testing the Xiaomi Poco F7 Ultra, a top-end mid-ranger that masquerades as a flagship
The Kiwi design K4 Boost Battery strap being worn by Hamish
I test VR headsets for a living, and this affordable headstrap is the first Meta Quest 3 accessory you should buy
Both Kiwi design G4 Pro Performance Controller Grips
I thought VR controller grips were pointless until this Meta Quest 3 accessory proved me wrong
The Kiwi design H4 Boost Halo Battery Strap
Want to upgrade your VR headset? Look no further than my new favorite Meta Quest 3 headstrap
WithSecure Elements EPP and EDR main image
I tested the WithSecure Elements EPP and EDR - read how I rated this Endpoint Protection for small business
The RIG M2 Streamstar.
I wanted to love the new RIG M2 Streamstar, but this pricey gaming microphone fails to deliver