Illustrator

live trace

• IGNORE WHITE when tracing. go to Menu > Window > Image Trace > Advanced (drop down) and check ignore white so when live trace it will not look at the white isolated background

Isometric in illustrator

• draw cubes / grids
• scale cubes 86.062% exactly
• shear 30%
• rotate -30%

tips

• Save Artboards as Separate Files
• With the image and clipping mask still selected, in the transparency palette select any mode other than 'Normal'. Select Object > Flatten Transparency. Set the Raster/Vector Balance to 100 (Raster). Click 'OK'.

shortcuts

• apple-J to join
• apple-8 to combine compound path
• ctrl-shift-I to make that perspective grid go away

Batch Convert AI to JPG

after poking about i figured out that you can use bridge > tools > photoshop > image processor to export AI to JPG to whatever specifications you want. before finding out this function i tried this: http://automatorworld.com/archives/illustrator-to-jpeg/comment-page-1/#comment-292912

3D Extrude

• Draw Hidden Faces
• Expand Appearance

Scribble

You can apply to Fills - apply multiple ones in opposite direction and get cross hatches

3d rotate

See Also

http://www.theitarticles.com/7-things-you-didnt-know-adobe-illustrator-could-do/295/

• http://www.khulsey.com/demo_1howto.html