Last Updated: May 5, 2026
ARTBOARD SETUP & PANEL MIGRATION
OVERVIEW
In this video I set all of the garment symbol panels on the artboard, aligning them from the top collar down using the existing labels, guides, and spacer values for consistent gaps. I edit the artboard in Illustrator, move the fabric and padding up, then adjust the padding height to be minus one inch from the fabric width, keeping width at 30 inches and padding at 29 inches, with length around 107.8074. I unlock and lock headers as needed, align collars to the correct axes, then duplicate and repeat for each size grade. I then save, version the file, export PDFs with the set preferences, and delete the guides at the end. No viewer action was requested.
STEP-by-STep guide
1. Set up the panel stack on the artboard 0:00
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After the panels are assigned to the correct symbols (
base,cut,sew), place all panels on the artboard. -
Different styles may have different numbers of panels, so expect variation by garment and size.
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Start by aligning everything from the top guide, usually the top collar area.
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Use Select All and align from the top reference point.
2. Rename or adjust panel labels if needed 1:12
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Panel labels are available in the label list.
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If a panel needs to be changed, you can rename items like:
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collar
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collar inner
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front
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back
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Most common panels stay the same, but you may need to add or remove some depending on the style.
3. Use spacers to keep panel gaps consistent 1:57
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The workflow uses spacer elements to keep spacing consistent between panel symbols.
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There are two spacer versions:
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Spacer 1: thinner, with little or no padding
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Spacer 2: main spacer used to maintain the standard gap
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Move the guide and labels up/down through the stack so each panel aligns consistently to the next one.
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Use Align Center when needed to correct any shifting caused by moving the artboard.
4. Unlock and resize the fabric/background area 3:47
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Unlock the background/fabric layer when you reach the resizing stage.
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Adjust the fabric height and padding so the padding is 1 inch smaller than the fabric.
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Make sure constraint is turned off.
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Example sizing mentioned:
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fabric width: 30 in
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padding width: 29 in
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fabric length: 107.8074
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padding length: 106.8074
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Center the fabric after resizing.
5. Edit the artboard and lock the resized layers 4:39
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Go to Document Setup > Edit Artboard so the artboard becomes editable.
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Drag the artboard until it locks onto the guide.
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Reposition the artboard carefully so it stays aligned with the layout.
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Lock the padding and fabric once they are in the correct position.
6. Build the top spacing and lock the header elements 5:24
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Create a spacer for the top/header area, using the needed spacing value (mentioned as 76).
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Some header elements may be locked unexpectedly, so unlock them first if needed.
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Move the top section into place.
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This only needs to be done for the first instance; after that, the process can be duplicated.
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Once aligned, lock those elements again.
7. Align the collar and front panels for grading 7:08
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For the collar, align it to the top or bottom depending on the size setup.
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In this example, the collar is aligned so all collars sit on the same bottom axis.
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Make sure the collar is centered.
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Then select the front panels and align them to the correct side reference.
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Use the largest size first (noted as Adult 3XL) so the grading can flow from that reference.
8. Duplicate the alignment pattern across sizes 10:26
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After the largest size is aligned, move through the smaller sizes.
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Duplicate the guide/spacer setup across the remaining sizes.
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Align the guides to the bottom of the front panel.
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Continue the same up/down alignment pattern for labels and panel spacing.
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The goal is to keep the layout clean and consistent across all sizes.
9. Repeat the process for sleeves and tighter layouts 19:32
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For smaller sizes, try to fit multiple panels into the available space when possible.
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If space is tight, sleeves may be placed in the remaining area.
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Unlock or unhide the sleeve section as needed.
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The objective is to save paper/material by packing the layout more efficiently.
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Align the sleeve label to the center of the sleeve when using a centered placement.
10. Move the artboards and fabric up for the next section 23:13
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Once the panels are placed, edit the artboards again and move them upward.
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Work one task at a time:
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move the fabric up
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adjust padding size
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adjust the artboard size
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Be careful not to accidentally move the artboard during the wrong step.
11. Reduce padding by one inch and re-center 26:51
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After the artboard is adjusted, reduce the fabric padding by 1 inch.
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Copy the current value, paste it into the field, and subtract one.
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Re-center the object after the size change.
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This small adjustment helps keep the layout tight and efficient.
12. Save, version, and clean up the file 30:05
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Save the file normally.
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Update the version ID and save as the next version, noted as Version 06.
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Use the save settings shown in the transcript:
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embed fonts for preview
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create PDF compatible file
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use ICC profiles
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use compression
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keep Save Each Artboard as Separate Files turned off
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Delete guides and spacers when finished.
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Lock the padding and fabric, then save again to finish the workflow.