2D Program Tips and Shortcuts

Master post - updated as I go. 

Photoshop, InDesign, and Clip Studio Paint tips and shortcuts. 

View on desktop - formatting is bad on mobile :( 

I do not tend to use tool shortcuts and so these are not included - may add later.

 

PHOTOSHOP

Layer Blending Modes:

Darken: hides whites
Lighten: hides black
Overlay: hides 50% Gray
Difference: inverts
Color: affects color

Basic Shortcuts (things I already know):

Save                         ctrl + s
Save As                      ctrl + shift + s
Undo                         ctrl + z
Redo                         ctrl + shift + z
Cut                          ctrl + x
Copy                         ctrl + c
Paste                        ctrl + v
  Paste in Place             ctrl + shift + v
  Paste into                 ctrl + alt + shift + v
Transform                    ctrl + t
Layer                        ctrl + shift + n
Deselect                     ctrl + d

Tools

...

Shortcuts I should get used to using:

Adjustments
  Levels                     ctrl + l
  Curves                     ctrl + m
  Hue/Saturation             ctrl + u
  Color Balance              ctrl + b
Arrange
  Bring to front             ctrl + shift + ]
  Bring forward              ctrl + ]
  Send backward              ctrl + [
  Send to back               ctrl + shift + [

 

INDESIGN 

Many (not all) of the basic PS shortcuts are applicable here, as well as the "arrange" shortcuts.

Export (save as pdf/other)   ctrl + e

Place (insert img)           ctrl + d

Show/Hide Frame Edges        ctrl + h

Show/Hide Guides             ctrl + ;

Lock Guides                  ctrl + alt + ;

Snap to Guides               ctrl + shift + ; 

Present Mode                 shift + w

To place multiple pages in a pdf:

 

Image transform keys

hold shift       to keep frame/img proportions

hold ctrl        to change frame and img size together

hold alt         to resize from centre

 

Preferred Window Layout (right of screen)

Properties - Links - Pages

Layers - Character Styles - Swatches 

Properties: information about the selected object

Links: files that your images/design pieces are linked to

Pages: creating new pages, reordering, navigating, parent pages

Layers: order of objects, groups, "lock" and "hide" toggles

Character Styles: font styles that you can set, save, then select

Swatches: colour palettes

Data Merge

Data Merging is useful for creating a set of cards or anything similar, where you need to input a set of variables into a template. 

My blog post about data merging to create game cards

 

ILLUSTRATOR

Shortcuts

Tools

  Pen                          p

  Anchor Point                 shift + c

Halftones

Effect > Pixelate > Color Halftone...

 

"target" a layer (click the corresponding circle in the Layers window) in order to select an object to edit. 

 

CLIP STUDIO PAINT

(*) indicates a custom shortcut linked to my mouse buttons.

 

 

Delete                       backspace

Delete Outside Selection     shift + backspace

Fill                         alt + backspace

Scale/Rotate                 ctrl + t

Free Transform               ctrl + shift + t

*Switch Main/Sub Color       x

*Switch Drawing/Trans Color  c

Select Layer from Canvas     shift + ctrl + click

 

Hue/Saturation/Luminosity    ctrl + u 

Create Folder + Insert Layer ctrl + g

*Lock Transparent Pixels     l 

Merge with Layer Below       ctrl + e

Merge Selected Layers        ctrl + shift + e

 

Reset Rotation/Inversion     ctrl + r

Flip Horizontal              ctrl + 1 

100% Zoom                    ctrl + alt + 0

Fit to Screen                ctrl + 0