In Illustrator, what does the term "artboard" refer to?

The term "artboard" in Illustrator refers specifically to the printable area for designing a project. It is the space where you create your designs, and everything that is within the bounds of the artboard will be included when you print or export your work. Each artboard can have its own dimensions and can serve different purposes, such as different pages for a booklet or various versions of a design.

This concept is central to understanding how to organize your design projects, as it allows designers to visualize the final output. The artboard can be considered as a canvas where all design elements reside before being finalized for output.

In contrast, the area where vector graphics can be edited encompasses the entire workspace of Illustrator, which includes the artboard as well as other areas such as the side panels and menus. The workspace settings of the document refer to preferences and configurations that impact how the design tools are displayed and utilized, rather than specifically the design area itself. Lastly, the area where all layers are displayed relates to the Layers panel, which manages the stacking order of different elements in the design but does not define the space where designs are created or printed. Understanding the role of the artboard helps in effectively organizing and exporting your artwork within Adobe Illustrator.