Learn how to use Generative Expand to expand your artwork with vector graphics that blend in naturally.
Generative Expand, powered by Adobe Firefly, lets you generate vector graphics to expand your artwork beyond its original bounds. You can expand just the artwork for ideation, or expand the artboard along with the finished artwork to create different layouts. You can also use Generative Expand to fill the print bleed area around an artboard.
Expand your artwork alone or with the artboard.
Select Generative Expand in the Contextual Task Bar. A rectangular frame with handles and widgets appears on the canvas.
You can also access Generative Expand from Object > Generative Expand > Make, the Properties panel, in the Control panel, and the right-click menu.
Drag the handles and widgets of the frame outward to increase the area of the artwork or artboard:
Optionally, add a text prompt. Leave it blank to let Generative Expand expand your artwork naturally based on the existing content.
Select Generate in the Contextual Task Bar. Generative Expand creates a copy of your original artwork and expands it:
Increasing the area alone won't expand the artwork. You must select Generate.
Preview all the variations and select the one that best suits your artwork. Then, select Done in the Contextual Task Bar.
Select Combine in the Contextual Task Bar to merge parts of objects across Expanded Art and Original Art. You get a logical grouping of objects that helps you edit them easily in the future. Once you combine, the artwork is no longer a Generative Object.
The Combine option isn't available if you move the expanded artwork from its original position.
Set up a bleed area for the artboard from File > Document Setup. You'll see the bleed area around the artboard with a red-colored boundary.
Select Print Bleed in the upper-right corner of the bleed boundary. Print Bleed creates a copy of your artwork and generates bleed:
Preview all the variations and select the one that best suits your artwork. Then, select Done in the Contextual Task Bar.
Select Combine in the Contextual Task Bar to merge parts of objects across Expanded Art and Original Art. You get a logical grouping of objects that helps you edit them easily in the future. Once you combine, the artwork is no longer a Generative Object.
The Combine option isn't available if you move the expanded artwork from its original position.
When you select a Generative Object on the canvas, only the set of variations it came from (linked variations) appears in the Variations section of the Properties panel. You can view all the variations generated using Generative Expand in your document in Window > Generated Variations.
Even if you delete a Generative Object from the canvas or its linked variations from the Properties panel, they aren't deleted from the Generated Variations panel. On the other hand, if you delete a variation from the Generated Variations panel, it's no longer available as a linked variation for the Generative Object. You can always undo the deletions by pressing Cmd + Z (macOS) or Ctrl + Z (Windows).
You can run Generative Expand on an already expanded artwork:
Hover over a variation and select More options .
Select Good result or Poor result to rate its quality.
Select Report variation if it's harmful, illegal, or offensive.
If you have a question to ask or an idea to share, come and participate in Adobe Illustrator Community. We would love to hear from you and see your creations.
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