How to Scale in Illustrator

In the following tutorial, you will learn how to scale in Illustrator, how to keep the proportions when scaling in Illustrator, and how to scale from the center in Illustrator. Besides this, you will learn how to scale strokes, patterns, and images in Illustrator.

Once you’ve learned how to scale in Illustrator, you can head over to Envato Elements, where you can get unlimited downloads of stock videos, music, graphics, photos, fonts, and more.

What You’ll Learn in This Illustrator Tutorial

  • How to scale in Illustrator
  • How to keep the proportions when scaling in Illustrator
  • How to scale from the center in Illustrator
  • How to scale strokes in Illustrator
  • How to scale a pattern in Illustrator
  • How to scale images in Illustrator

1. How to Scale in Illustrator

Step 1

There are several methods that you can use to resize an object in Illustrator.

Select your object using the Selection Tool (V), hover your cursor over the corner of the bounding box, and simply click and drag to scale your selection. If you can’t see the bounding box, you need to go to View > Show Bounding Box (Shift-Control-B).

illustrator scale bounding boxillustrator scale bounding boxillustrator scale bounding box

Step 2

Make sure that your shape is selected, pick the Scale Tool (S) from your toolbar, and simply click and drag across your selection to scale it.

illustrator scale toolillustrator scale toolillustrator scale tool

Step 3

Make sure that your shape is selected and focus on the Control panel (Window > Control). Adjust the Width and Height values to resize your selection.

illustrator scale control panelillustrator scale control panelillustrator scale control panel

Step 4

Make sure that your shape is selected and go to Object > Transform > Scale. Check the Uniform box if you want to do proportional scaling in Illustrator. Once you’re done, click the OK button to scale your selection.

illutrator transform scaleillutrator transform scaleillutrator transform scale

Step 5

Make sure that your shape is selected, and go to Effect > Distort & Transform > Transform. Play with those Scale sliders to resize your selection. Use identical values to perform proportional scaling in Illustrator. Once you’re done, click the OK button to scale your selection.

illutrator transform effect scaleillutrator transform effect scaleillutrator transform effect scale

2. How to Keep Proportions When Scaling in Illustrator

Step 1

As with scaling, there are several techniques that you can use to perform proportional scaling in Illustrator.

Using the Selection Tool (V), hold down the Shift key as you click and drag to constrain the proportions of your selection.

illustrator proportions scaling bounding boxillustrator proportions scaling bounding boxillustrator proportions scaling bounding box

Step 2

Using the Scale Tool (S), hold down the Shift key as you click and drag to constrain the proportions of your selection.

illustrator proportional scaling scale toolillustrator proportional scaling scale toolillustrator proportional scaling scale tool

Step 3

Select your shape and focus on the Control panel (Window > Control). Make sure that the Constrain Width and Height Proportions button is checked before you adjust the Width or the Height values.

illustrator constrain width heightillustrator constrain width heightillustrator constrain width height

3. How to Scale From the Center in Illustrator

Step 1

There are several methods that you can use to scale from the center in Illustrator.

Using the Selection Tool (V), hold down the Alt key as you click and drag to scale your selection from the center. Holding down the Alt and Shift keys will scale from the center while constraining the proportions.

illustrator scale center bounding boxillustrator scale center bounding boxillustrator scale center bounding box

Step 2

Pick the Scale Tool (S) and make sure that the reference point lies in the center of your selection, and then simply click and drag to scale your shape from the center.

illustrator scale tool centerillustrator scale tool centerillustrator scale tool center

Step 3

Select your shape and focus on the reference point’s Control panel (Window > Control). Make sure that the central point is checked, and when you adjust the Width and Height values, your selection will scale from the center.

illustrator scale reference pointillustrator scale reference pointillustrator scale reference point

Step 4

Select your shape and go to Effect > Distort & Transform > Transform.

Again, focus on the reference points and make sure that the central point is checked. Adjust those Scale sliders, and your selection will scale from the center.

illustrator transform effect reference pointillustrator transform effect reference pointillustrator transform effect reference point

4. How to Scale a Stroke in Illustrator

Let’s say that you scale a shape that has a stroke applied and notice that the stroke doesn’t change its Weight as you scale the shape.

If you want that stroke to scale along with the shape, go to Edit > Preferences > General (Control-K) and check the Scale Strokes & Effects box.

illustrator scale strokeillustrator scale strokeillustrator scale stroke

5. How to Scale a Pattern in Illustrator

Step 1

The same rule applies for pattern-filled shapes. If you want a pattern fill to scale along with the shape, go to Edit > Preferences > General (Control-K) and check the Transform Pattern Tiles box.

illustrator scale patternillustrator scale patternillustrator scale pattern

Step 2

Alternatively, you can go to Effect > Distort & Transform > Transform. Disable the Transform Objects box and make sure that the Transform Patterns box remains selected, and then adjust the Scale sliders to only scale that applied pattern.

illustrator scale pattern transform effectillustrator scale pattern transform effectillustrator scale pattern transform effect

6. How to Scale Images in Illustrator

The same rules apply whenever you need to scale an image in Illustrator. Select your image using the Selection Tool (V) and use the bounding box to scale it, or feel free to try one of the other methods mentioned in the previous steps.

illustrator scale imageillustrator scale imageillustrator scale image

Congratulations! You’re Done!

Now that you’ve learned to resize objects in Illustrator, feel free to use these techniques in your future projects.

You can find some great sources of inspiration at Envato Elements, with interesting solutions to improve your design portfolio.

Want to Learn More?

We have loads of tutorials on Envato Tuts+, from beginner to intermediate level. Take a look!


This content originally appeared on Envato Tuts+ Tutorials and was authored by Andrei Marius

In the following tutorial, you will learn how to scale in Illustrator, how to keep the proportions when scaling in Illustrator, and how to scale from the center in Illustrator. Besides this, you will learn how to scale strokes, patterns, and images in Illustrator.

Once you've learned how to scale in Illustrator, you can head over to Envato Elements, where you can get unlimited downloads of stock videos, music, graphics, photos, fonts, and more.

What You'll Learn in This Illustrator Tutorial

  • How to scale in Illustrator
  • How to keep the proportions when scaling in Illustrator
  • How to scale from the center in Illustrator
  • How to scale strokes in Illustrator
  • How to scale a pattern in Illustrator
  • How to scale images in Illustrator

1. How to Scale in Illustrator

Step 1

There are several methods that you can use to resize an object in Illustrator.

Select your object using the Selection Tool (V), hover your cursor over the corner of the bounding box, and simply click and drag to scale your selection. If you can't see the bounding box, you need to go to View > Show Bounding Box (Shift-Control-B).

illustrator scale bounding boxillustrator scale bounding boxillustrator scale bounding box

Step 2

Make sure that your shape is selected, pick the Scale Tool (S) from your toolbar, and simply click and drag across your selection to scale it.

illustrator scale toolillustrator scale toolillustrator scale tool

Step 3

Make sure that your shape is selected and focus on the Control panel (Window > Control). Adjust the Width and Height values to resize your selection.

illustrator scale control panelillustrator scale control panelillustrator scale control panel

Step 4

Make sure that your shape is selected and go to Object > Transform > Scale. Check the Uniform box if you want to do proportional scaling in Illustrator. Once you're done, click the OK button to scale your selection.

illutrator transform scaleillutrator transform scaleillutrator transform scale

Step 5

Make sure that your shape is selected, and go to Effect > Distort & Transform > Transform. Play with those Scale sliders to resize your selection. Use identical values to perform proportional scaling in Illustrator. Once you're done, click the OK button to scale your selection.

illutrator transform effect scaleillutrator transform effect scaleillutrator transform effect scale

2. How to Keep Proportions When Scaling in Illustrator

Step 1

As with scaling, there are several techniques that you can use to perform proportional scaling in Illustrator.

Using the Selection Tool (V), hold down the Shift key as you click and drag to constrain the proportions of your selection.

illustrator proportions scaling bounding boxillustrator proportions scaling bounding boxillustrator proportions scaling bounding box

Step 2

Using the Scale Tool (S), hold down the Shift key as you click and drag to constrain the proportions of your selection.

illustrator proportional scaling scale toolillustrator proportional scaling scale toolillustrator proportional scaling scale tool

Step 3

Select your shape and focus on the Control panel (Window > Control). Make sure that the Constrain Width and Height Proportions button is checked before you adjust the Width or the Height values.

illustrator constrain width heightillustrator constrain width heightillustrator constrain width height

3. How to Scale From the Center in Illustrator

Step 1

There are several methods that you can use to scale from the center in Illustrator.

Using the Selection Tool (V), hold down the Alt key as you click and drag to scale your selection from the center. Holding down the Alt and Shift keys will scale from the center while constraining the proportions.

illustrator scale center bounding boxillustrator scale center bounding boxillustrator scale center bounding box

Step 2

Pick the Scale Tool (S) and make sure that the reference point lies in the center of your selection, and then simply click and drag to scale your shape from the center.

illustrator scale tool centerillustrator scale tool centerillustrator scale tool center

Step 3

Select your shape and focus on the reference point's Control panel (Window > Control). Make sure that the central point is checked, and when you adjust the Width and Height values, your selection will scale from the center.

illustrator scale reference pointillustrator scale reference pointillustrator scale reference point

Step 4

Select your shape and go to Effect > Distort & Transform > Transform.

Again, focus on the reference points and make sure that the central point is checked. Adjust those Scale sliders, and your selection will scale from the center.

illustrator transform effect reference pointillustrator transform effect reference pointillustrator transform effect reference point

4. How to Scale a Stroke in Illustrator

Let's say that you scale a shape that has a stroke applied and notice that the stroke doesn't change its Weight as you scale the shape.

If you want that stroke to scale along with the shape, go to Edit > Preferences > General (Control-K) and check the Scale Strokes & Effects box.

illustrator scale strokeillustrator scale strokeillustrator scale stroke

5. How to Scale a Pattern in Illustrator

Step 1

The same rule applies for pattern-filled shapes. If you want a pattern fill to scale along with the shape, go to Edit > Preferences > General (Control-K) and check the Transform Pattern Tiles box.

illustrator scale patternillustrator scale patternillustrator scale pattern

Step 2

Alternatively, you can go to Effect > Distort & Transform > Transform. Disable the Transform Objects box and make sure that the Transform Patterns box remains selected, and then adjust the Scale sliders to only scale that applied pattern.

illustrator scale pattern transform effectillustrator scale pattern transform effectillustrator scale pattern transform effect

6. How to Scale Images in Illustrator

The same rules apply whenever you need to scale an image in Illustrator. Select your image using the Selection Tool (V) and use the bounding box to scale it, or feel free to try one of the other methods mentioned in the previous steps.

illustrator scale imageillustrator scale imageillustrator scale image

Congratulations! You're Done!

Now that you've learned to resize objects in Illustrator, feel free to use these techniques in your future projects.

You can find some great sources of inspiration at Envato Elements, with interesting solutions to improve your design portfolio.

Want to Learn More?

We have loads of tutorials on Envato Tuts+, from beginner to intermediate level. Take a look!


This content originally appeared on Envato Tuts+ Tutorials and was authored by Andrei Marius


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