When creating artwork in Adobe Illustrator, it’s important to ensure that the fonts are embedded to prevent any issues with font substitutions or missing text when transferring the file to other users or devices. Font embedding is the process of including font files within the Illustrator document, ensuring that the text appears correctly even if the recipient does not have the specific fonts installed on their system. Here are some important steps to follow to ensure that fonts are embedded in Adobe Illustrator:
1. Choose the Right Fonts: When creating your artwork, it’s crucial to select fonts that allow embedding. Not all fonts are embeddable due to licensing restrictions, so it’s essential to check the font license to determine whether it can be embedded or not. Adobe Typekit fonts are generally safe for embedding, but it’s wise to double-check the license terms before using any font in your Illustrator project.
2. Embed Fonts in the File: Once you have chosen the appropriate fonts, you can embed them in your Illustrator document. To do this, select the text or the entire document and go to the “Type” menu. From there, choose “Create Outlines” or “Create Vector Shapes” to convert the text into shapes. This converts the text into a graphic element and eliminates the need to embed the font in the file.
3. Check the Font Embedding Status: After creating outlines of the text, it’s important to check the font embedding status. You can do this by going to “File” > “Document Setup” > “Fonts” and ensuring that all fonts are marked as “Embedded” or “Embedded Subset”. If any fonts are listed as “Not Embedded”, you may need to revisit the text and convert it to outlines or re-select embeddable fonts.
4. Save the File with Font Embedding: Once you have ensured that all the fonts are embedded, it’s important to save the file correctly to retain the embedded fonts. When saving the Illustrator document, choose the appropriate file format such as PDF or EPS, both of which support embedded fonts. In the save dialog box, make sure to select the option to embed fonts or create a PDF/X compliant file to ensure that the fonts are embedded properly.
By following these steps, you can ensure that the fonts used in your Adobe Illustrator document are embedded properly, allowing your artwork to be viewed and printed as intended, regardless of the recipient’s font availability. Embedding fonts not only prevents potential display issues but also ensures the integrity of your design when sharing or distributing the file to others.
