How to Make First Letter Big in Illustrator
When working with typography in Adobe Illustrator, creating a visually striking piece often involves highlighting certain letters to make them stand out. One common technique is to make the first letter of a word or a sentence larger than the rest. This can draw attention to the beginning of the text and add a unique touch to your design. In this article, we will guide you through the steps to make the first letter big in Illustrator.
1. Open Illustrator and create a new document or open an existing one.
2. Select the Type Tool (T) from the toolbar on the left side of the screen.
3. Click on the artboard and type the word or sentence you want to work with. Make sure the first letter is the one you want to make big.
4. Once you have entered the text, click on the first letter you want to make big. This will select the letter and its outline, if any.
5. With the letter selected, go to the “Type” menu at the top of the screen and choose “Create Outlines.” This will convert the text into vector shapes, allowing you to manipulate the letter independently.
6. Now, select the Direct Selection Tool (A) from the toolbar. This tool allows you to select and manipulate individual anchor points and segments of the letter.
7. With the Direct Selection Tool, click on the top-left anchor point of the first letter. This anchor point represents the top of the letter’s bounding box.
8. Hold down the Shift key and drag the anchor point upwards to stretch the letter. You can adjust the size of the letter by dragging the anchor point in the desired direction.
9. To maintain the letter’s proportions, hold down the Alt (Option) key while dragging the anchor point. This will keep the aspect ratio of the letter intact.
10. Once you are satisfied with the size of the first letter, you can continue working on the rest of the text or add additional effects and styling.
By following these simple steps, you can easily make the first letter big in Illustrator. Experiment with different letter sizes and positions to create visually appealing designs that capture the attention of your audience.
