Related assets are easier to manage when each deliverable has a defined area. In Illustrator 2021, artboards can help organise a small set of designs without scattering them across unrelated files.
Name the deliverables first
List the outputs you need, such as a square graphic, a horizontal banner and a print label. Record their dimensions and any required background or margin. Give each artboard a descriptive name rather than relying on a sequence of unnamed rectangles.
Adobe documents creating artboards through the Artboards panel or Artboard tool. The exact panel presentation may differ between releases, but the useful habit is to check each artboard’s dimensions and role before arranging the artwork.
Build a manageable set
- Create an artboard for each intended output.
- Use a consistent naming convention tied to the delivery list.
- Keep shared colours and visual treatments consistent.
- Inspect artwork near the edges of every artboard.
- Export a sample and confirm the resulting dimensions and content.
Review each format independently
A successful square design does not automatically make a successful wide banner. Reconsider the spacing and text hierarchy for each format instead of simply squeezing the same arrangement into a different shape.
For a campaign with several assets, maintain a short output list containing the artboard name, final filename and intended destination. Mark each output as checked only after opening the exported file.
Keep the editable Illustrator document as the source of future changes. Exported delivery files are useful outputs, but they should not become the only record of how the artwork was constructed.
Publisher reference: Adobe: create and add Illustrator artboards.
Check the platform and product information for Illustrator 2021 before preparing your design workstation.