Viewing the dimensions of a design piece you have created on your computer is an important step to confirm its size and to make sure everything will print or export properly. The Adobe Illustrator program has several simple functions for viewing dimensions, including grid and ruler tools. Using one or a combination of Illustrator tools ensures all the dimensions of your finished project add up.
Step 1
Open Adobe Illustrator and load a test file.
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Step 2
Click on "View > Show Grid." This is the program's main grid and does not display when printing. The large squares are 1 inch in size and the small squares are each an eighth of an inch.
Step 3
Click "View > Show Rulers." These rulers divide each square inch into 72 parts and also show a display of where your cursor is in relation to them. They extend across the entire page. If you want to change the unit of measurement to inches, centimeters, picas or something else, click on "Edit > Preferences > Unit & Display Performance" and choose the unit of measurement from the general drop-down menu.
Step 4
Select "View > Show Artboard Rulers." These rulers extend only over your workspace and appear directly next to it, instead of at the top of the page. Despite their close proximity, they do not have a marker to show where your cursor is in relation to them. They also divide each inch into 72 pieces.
Step 5
Use the "Info" dialogue by clicking "Window > Info" to see exactly where a piece of your artwork is from the bottom-left corner of the art board. The X value is horizontal and the Y value is vertical.
Step 6
Use the ruler tool to measure distances between specific pieces of your artwork. To use the tool, click the ruler on the toolbar and click where you want to start measuring. Drag the mouse to find the exact distances between two points. The "D" section of the info palette tells you the total distance of your measurement.
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