How to Create Outlines in Illustrator | A Simple Step-by-Step Guide

Last-minute changes can be frustrating, especially when your text is already outlined and no longer editable as regular text. However, with Adobe Illustrator's versatile editing options, you can create outlines and manipulate them as if they were any other shape.

In this article, you'll find a simple step-by-step guide on how to create outlines in Illustrator that help you turn your text into scalable vectors.

Overview of creating outlines in Adobe Illustrator

To create outlines in Illustrator, you convert text or shapes into paths, which makes them as editable as any other vector object. This is helpful when you want to modify specific parts of your design or ensure fonts are displayed correctly when shared with others. With straightforward steps, you can easily convert text and shapes into outlines for more flexibility in your projects.

The best use cases of text outlines

Here are the scenarios where outlining text is especially useful:

• Gradient outline combos
• When gradients are added to text outlines, they create smooth transitions between colors, which give the text a visually appealing effect. This technique enhances depth and makes the text look more dynamic.
• Layered text effects
• Outlined text can be duplicated and stacked in layers to create shadow effects, highlights, or even give the appearance of 3D text. This layering technique makes the text stand out by adding depth and a sense of movement.
• Textured outlines
• Using textures like patterns, brush strokes, or grainy effects on text outlines creates a unique, handcrafted style. This enhances the character and richness of the text to make it more attention-grabbing in creative projects.
• Image-text blending
• You can use outlines to integrate images within the text. It makes the letters look like they are filled with photos, illustrations, or patterns.
• 3D outline illusions
• Manipulating outlined text to simulate three-dimensional shapes creates the illusion of depth and volume. This technique gives the text a realistic, popping-off-the-page effect for achieving bold, attention-grabbing designs.

How to outline a shape in Adobe Illustrator with the simple steps

Outlining in Adobe Illustrator adds a new dimension to your designs by converting strokes into fully editable shapes. This provides more flexibility in styling and enhancing your artwork. Here's how to create outlines on a shape in Illustrator:

Step
1. Select the line
2. Start by drawing a shape or selecting an existing one in your design. Use the "Selection" tool (V) to highlight the shape you want to outline.
3. 

   

Step
4. Apply an outline stroke
5. Go to the top menu and select "Object" > "Path" > "Outline Stroke." This converts the stroke of your shape into an editable outline. It effectively transforms the stroke into a closed shape that you can modify further.
6. 

   

Step
7. Adjust the stroke properties
8. To refine the look, go to the right panel as shown in the screen shot below. Here, you can adjust the weight (thickness), color, and alignment of your outline to get the desired effect. You can also tweak corner styles (Miter, Round, Bevel) to change the appearance of the outline edges.
9. 

   

How to create an outline around a text in Adobe Illustrator

Creating an outline around text in Adobe Illustrator is a straightforward process that enhances the adaptability and professionalism of your design work. Whether you’re preparing graphics for print, web, or any other media, understanding this technique is essential for maintaining the integrity and versatility of your designs.

Here's how to create outlines in Adobe Illustrator:

Step
1. Select the text
2. Begin by using the "Type" tool to write your text. Adjust the font and size and select the text using the "Selection" tool (V).
3. 

   

Step
4. Convert the text to outlines
5. Go to the top menu and click on "Type" > "Create Outlines" or use the shortcut Shift + Ctrl + O (Windows) or Shift + Command + O (Mac). This will convert the text into editable vector shapes. Now, each letter is an independent shape that can no longer be edited as text.
6. 

   

Step
7. Modify the outline
8. With the text selected, you can now modify it using the "Direct Selection Tool" (A) to adjust individual anchor points, change the stroke color, or apply effects. For more creative effects, you can use "Object" > "Path" > "Offset Path" to create additional layers of outlines around the text.
9. 

   

Best practices for creating outlines in Adobe Illustrator

Here are five key points to help you create outlines in Illustrator effectively:

1. Start with high-contrast colors
2. Opt for colors that stand out against each other to ensure your outlines are visible. This approach makes it easier to see the effects of your adjustments as you work.
3. Utilize the stroke panel
4. Access the stroke panel to fine-tune the width and style of your outlines. It enables precise control over settings like thickness, dash lines, and cap options.
5. Experiment with layering
6. Manage your outlined objects by placing them on separate layers. This method helps keep your workflow organized and flexible for easy application of changes without affecting other parts of your design.
7. Apply effects for added flair
8. Explore the effects menu in Illustrator to add special enhancements like shadows or glows. These effects can significantly enhance the depth and texture of your graphics.
9. Preview changes in real-time
10. Always enable the preview option while making adjustments. Seeing changes in real-time helps in making more informed decisions about the design.

An alternative way to create outlined texts: CapCut desktop

If you find a learning curve in Adobe Illustrator and need a simpler alternative, the CapCut desktop video editor is an excellent choice. Known for its ease of use, CapCut lets you add outlined text to your videos and improves the visibility and impact of your text across various backgrounds. Moreover, its customization options let you adjust the text outline's thickness and color, which ensures your content remains visually striking and easy to read.



Key features

• Produce outlined text with AI (AI font generator)
• The AI font generator in CapCut helps you create unique outlined texts automatically, which saves your time and lets you enhance your videos with professional-looking typography.
• Multiple text styles are available
• CapCut's wide variety of text styles, each with different designs, fits the overall theme of your video so that it conveys a specific emotion.
• Outline animation options
• CapCut enables you to animate the text outlines that add dynamic movement to enhance readability while adding visual interest.
• Text stroke customization
• This feature in CapCut has the potential to modify how thick or thin the border around your text is, which ensures that your text can be easily seen against different backgrounds.
• Apply dynamic text effects
• Adding dynamic text effects in CapCut empowers you to add a professional touch to your captions, titles, or any text overlays to make the text elements aesthetically pleasing.

How to create text outlines in CapCut

If you are using CapCut for the first time, click the "Download" button below and follow the instructions to run the installer.

Step
1. Upload the video
2. Open CapCut and go to the editing interface. Select "Import" to upload the video from your device. Recently CapCut introduced a new feature that enables you to upload media from your mobile device.
3. 

   

Step
4. Create the text outline effect
5. Navigate to the "Text" tab and choose the "Default text" option. Type or paste your desired text. On the right side panel, customize the font and adjust the size to your preference. Next, turn on the "Stroke" option, choose your color, and modify the thickness. To enhance the sharpness, adjust the blurriness, opacity, distance, and other settings under the "Shadow" feature. Moreover, you can apply preset effects to outline your text as needed.
6. 

   

Step
7. Export and share
8. Once you have created the text outline effect, click the "Export" button. Here you can adjust settings such as frame rate, resolution, and codec to ensure optimal video quality. Afterward, save your project and, if desired, share the final video directly to platforms like YouTube or TikTok.
9. 

   

Conclusion

To sum up, the ability to create outlines in Illustrator is one of the most popular features for producing detailed graphic designs. The step-by-step techniques explained in this guide are designed to enhance users' ability to manipulate vector graphics with precision.

For those wanting to apply similar effects to video projects, the CapCut desktop video editor provides powerful and intuitive tools for adding outlined text and shapes. This makes CapCut an excellent all-in-one solution for both graphic and video design needs.

FAQs

1. Why make text outlines in videos?
2. Creating text outlines in videos is a valuable technique for enhancing the clarity and visibility of text against various backgrounds. This approach helps to ensure that text is easily readable no matter what lies behind it. For this purpose, consider using the CapCut desktop video editor, which provides intuitive tools for creating standout text outlines that can enhance your video content significantly.
3. How to convert text to outline in Illustrator?
4. To convert text to outlines in Adobe Illustrator, begin by using the "Selection" tool to choose the text you want to outline. Then, go to the "Type" menu in the top bar and select "Create Outlines." This action transforms your text into a vector shape, which provides greater flexibility for manipulation. For those involved in video editing and looking to integrate such graphics, the CapCut desktop video editor provides powerful tools to incorporate these vector shapes into your video projects smoothly.
5. What is the shortcut to create outlines in Illustrator?
6. The keyboard shortcut to create outlines from text in Adobe Illustrator is Shift + Ctrl + O on Windows and Shift + Command + O on Mac. This shortcut quickly converts your selected text into vector shapes. However, if you prefer an intuitive approach, then CapCut desktop video editor's user-friendly interface is the best straightforward tool for video editing without the need for complex shortcuts.