Illustrator Mcp Server

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Illustrator MCP Server

[](https://www.npmjs.com/package/illustrator-mcp-server) [](LICENSE) []() [](https://www.adobe.com/products/illustrator.html) [](https://modelcontextprotocol.io/) [](https://ko-fi.com/cyocun)

An MCP (Model Context Protocol) server for reading, manipulating, and exporting Adobe Illustrator design data — with 63 built-in tools.

Control Illustrator directly from AI assistants like Claude — extract design information for web implementation, verify print-ready data, and export assets.

[](https://glama.ai/mcp/servers/ie3jp/illustrator-mcp-server)

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🎨 Gallery

All artwork below was created entirely by Claude through natural language conversation — no manual Illustrator operation involved.

Event Poster Logo Concepts

Business Card Twilight Geometry

> See [detailed breakdowns](#example-smpte-test-pattern) below for prompts, tool usage, and artboard structure.

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> [!TIP] > Developing and maintaining this tool takes time and resources. > If it helps your workflow, your support means a lot — ☕ buy me a coffee!

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🚀 Quick Start

🛠️ Claude Code

Requires Node.js 20+.

claude mcp add illustrator-mcp -- npx illustrator-mcp-server

🖥️ Claude Desktop

1. Download illustrator-mcp-server.mcpb from GitHub Releases
2. Open Claude Desktop → Settings → Extensions
3. Drag and drop the .mcpb file into the Extensions panel
4. Click the Install button

Alternative: manual config (always up to date via npx)

> [!NOTE] > The .mcpb extension does not auto-update. To update, download the new version and reinstall. If you prefer automatic updates, use the npx method below instead.

Requires Node.js 20+. Open the config file and add the connection settings.

1. Open the config file

From the Claude Desktop menu bar:

Claude → Settings... → Developer (in the left sidebar) → Click the Edit Config button

2. Add the settings

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "illustrator": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": ["illustrator-mcp-server"]
    }
  }
}

> [!NOTE] > If you installed Node.js via a version manager (nvm, mise, fnm, etc.), Claude Desktop may not find npx. In that case, use the full path: > ``json > "command": "/full/path/to/npx" > ` > Run which npx` in your terminal to find the path.

3. Save and restart

1. Save the file and close the text editor
2. Fully quit Claude Desktop (⌘Q / Ctrl+Q) and reopen it

> [!CAUTION] > AI can make mistakes. Do not over-rely on the output — always have a human perform the final check on submission data. The user is responsible for the results.

> [!NOTE] > macOS: On first run, allow automation access in System Settings > Privacy & Security > Automation.

> [!NOTE] > Modify and export tools will bring Illustrator to the foreground during execution.

Multiple Illustrator Versions

If you have multiple versions of Illustrator installed, you can tell Claude which version to use during conversation. Just say something like "Use Illustrator 2024" and the set_illustrator_version tool will target that version.

> [!NOTE] > If Illustrator is already running, the server connects to the running instance regardless of the version setting. The version is only used to launch the correct version when Illustrator is not yet running.

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🎬 What You Can Do

You:    Show me all the text information in this document
Claude:  → list_text_frames → get_text_frame_detail
         There are 12 text frames in the document.
         The heading "My Design" uses Noto Sans JP Bold 48px, color #333333 ...

You:    Run a pre-press preflight check
Claude:  → preflight_check
         ⚠ 2 warnings:
         - Low resolution image: image_01.jpg (150dpi) — 300dpi or higher recommended
         - Non-outlined fonts: 3 text frames

You:    Check text for inconsistencies
Claude:  → check_text_consistency
         📝 Consistency Report:
         ⚠ "Contact Us" vs "Contact us" — capitalization mismatch
         ❌ "Lorem ipsum" (2 places) — placeholder text remaining

You:    Create banner size variations from this A4 flyer
Claude:  → get_document_info → resize_for_variation
         Created 3 size variations:
         - 728×90 / 300×250 / 160×600

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📖 Recipes

Extract colors and fonts for CSS

You:    Summarize the colors and typography in this design

Claude:  → get_colors → list_text_frames → get_text_frame_detail

         ■ Color Palette
         - Primary: #1A73E8 (CMYK: 85,50,0,0)
         - Secondary: #34A853
         - Text: #202124
         - Background: #FFFFFF

         ■ Typography
         - Headings: Noto Sans JP Bold / 32px
         - Body: Noto Sans JP Regular / 16px / line-height: 1.75
         - Captions: Noto Sans JP Medium / 12px

Export artboards as SVG / PNG

You:    Export all artboards as SVG with outlined text

Claude:  → get_artboards → convert_to_outlines → export (repeated)

         Exported 4 artboards:
         - /output/header.svg
         - /output/hero.svg
         - /output/feature.svg
         - /output/footer.svg

Check PDF/X-1a compliance before submission

You:    Check if this document is PDF/X-1a compliant

Claude:  → preflight_check (target_pdf_profile: "x1a")

         ❌ PDF/X-1a compliance errors:
         - Transparency on 3 objects (X-1a prohibits transparency)
         - RGB colors found in 2 places (X-1a requires CMYK/spot only)

         ⚠ Warnings:
         - 5 non-outlined fonts (embedding recommended)
         - Image "photo_02.jpg" at 150dpi (300dpi recommended)

Check image quality for print

You:    Check placed image quality for print

Claude:  → get_images (include_print_info: true)

         ■ Image Quality Report:
         ✅ hero.psd — CMYK, 350dpi, scale 98%
         ⚠ icon_set.png — RGB (mismatch with CMYK document), 300dpi, scale 100%
         ❌ photo_bg.jpg — CMYK, 72dpi, scale 400% (over-enlarged)
           → Replace with a 300dpi+ image at actual size

Check WCAG color contrast ratios

You:    Check text contrast ratios

Claude:  → check_contrast (auto_detect: true)

         ■ WCAG Contrast Report:
         ❌ "Caption" on "light gray" — 2.8:1 (AA fail)
         ⚠ "Subheading" on "white" — 4.2:1 (AA Large OK, AA Normal fail)
         ✅ "Body text" on "white" — 12.1:1 (AAA pass)

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Workflow Templates

Pre-built workflow templates available in the Claude Desktop prompt picker.

| Template | Description | |----------|-------------| | quick-layout | Paste text content and Claude arranges it on the artboard as headings, body, and captions | | print-preflight-workflow | Comprehensive 7-step pre-press check (document → preflight → overprint → separations → images → colors → text) |

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Tool Reference

Read Tools (21)

Click to expand

| Tool | Description | |---|---| | get_document_info | Document metadata (dimensions, color mode, profile, etc.) | | get_artboards | Artboard information (position, size, orientation) | | get_layers | Layer structure as a tree | | get_document_structure | Full tree: layers → groups → objects in one call | | list_text_frames | List of text frames (font, size, style name) | | get_text_frame_detail | All attributes of a specific text frame (kerning, paragraph settings, etc.) | | get_colors | Color information in use (swatches, gradients, spot colors). include_diagnostics for print analysis | | get_path_items | Path/shape data (fill, stroke, anchor points) | | get_groups | Groups, clipping masks, and compound path structure | | get_effects | Effects and appearance info (opacity, blend mode) | | get_images | Embedded/linked image info (resolution, broken link detection). include_print_info for color space mismatch & scale factor | | get_symbols | Symbol definitions and instances | | get_guidelines | Guide information | | get_overprint_info | Overprint settings + K100/rich black detection & intent classification | | get_separation_info | Color separation info (CMYK process plates + spot color plates with usage counts) | | get_selection | Details of currently selected objects | | find_objects | Search by criteria (name, type, color, font, etc.) | | check_contrast | WCAG color contrast ratio check (manual or auto-detect overlapping pairs) | | extract_design_tokens | Extract design tokens as CSS custom properties, JSON, or Tailwind config | | list_fonts | List fonts available in Illustrator (no document required) | | convert_coordinate | Convert points between artboard and document coordinate systems |

Modify Tools (39)

Click to expand

| Tool | Description | |---|---| | create_rectangle | Create a rectangle (supports rounded corners) | | create_ellipse | Create an ellipse | | create_line | Create a line | | create_text_frame | Create a text frame (point or area type) | | create_path | Create a custom path (with Bezier handles) | | place_image | Place a raster/PDF image file as linked or embedded (SVG is rejected — use import_svg_as_editable) | | import_svg_as_editable | Import an SVG file as editable Illustrator paths/text/groups (not as a linked image) | | modify_object | Modify properties of an existing object | | convert_to_outlines | Convert text to outlines | | assign_color_profile | Assign (tag) a color profile (does not convert color values) | | create_document | Create a new document (size, color mode) | | close_document | Close the active document | | resize_for_variation | Create size variations from a source artboard (proportional scaling) | | align_objects | Align and distribute multiple objects | | replace_color | Find and replace colors across document (with tolerance) | | manage_layers | Add, rename, show/hide, lock/unlock, reorder, or delete layers | | place_color_chips | Extract unique colors and place color chip swatches outside artboard | | save_document | Save or save-as the active document | | open_document | Open a document from file path | | group_objects | Group objects (supports clipping masks) | | ungroup_objects | Ungroup a group, releasing children | | duplicate_objects | Duplicate objects with optional offset | | set_z_order | Change stacking order (front/back) | | move_to_layer | Move objects to a different layer | | manage_artboards | Add, remove, resize, rename, rearrange artboards | | manage_swatches | Add, update, or delete swatches | | manage_linked_images | Relink or embed placed images | | manage_datasets | List/apply/create datasets, import/export variables | | apply_graphic_style | Apply a graphic style to objects | | list_graphic_styles | List all graphic styles in the document | | apply_text_style | Apply character or paragraph style to text | | list_text_styles | List all character and paragraph styles | | create_gradient | Create gradients and apply to objects | | create_path_text | Create text along a path | | place_symbol | Place or replace symbol instances | | select_objects | Select objects by UUID (multi-select supported) | | create_crop_marks | Create crop marks (trim marks) with locale-based style auto-detection (Japanese double-line / Western single-line) | | place_style_guide | Place a visual style guide outside the artboard (colors, fonts, spacing, margins, guide gaps) | | undo | Undo/redo operations (multi-step) |

Export Tools (2)

Click to expand

| Tool | Description | |---|---| | export | SVG / PNG / JPG export (by artboard, selection, or UUID) | | export_pdf | Print-ready PDF export (crop marks, bleed, selective downsampling, output intent) |

Utility (3)

Click to expand

| Tool | Description | |---|---| | preflight_check | Pre-press check (RGB mixing, broken links, low resolution, white overprint, transparency+overprint interaction, PDF/X compliance, etc.) | | check_text_consistency | Text consistency check (placeholder detection, notation variation patterns, full text listing for LLM analysis) | | set_workflow | Set workflow mode (web/print) to override auto-detected coordinate system |

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Coordinate System

The server automatically detects the coordinate system from the document:

| Document type | Coordinate system | Origin | Y axis | |---|---|---|---| | CMYK / Print | document | Bottom-left | Up | | RGB / Web | artboard-web | Top-left of artboard | Down |

• CMYK documents use Illustrator's native coordinate system, matching what print designers expect
• RGB documents use a web-style coordinate system that is easier for AI to work with
• Use set_workflow to override the auto-detected coordinate system if needed
• All tool responses include a coordinateSystem field indicating which system is active

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Example: SMPTE Test Pattern

A 1920×1080 SMPTE color bar test pattern, created entirely through natural language instructions to Claude.

Prompt:

> Make a 1920x1080 video test pattern

Result:

Artboard structure (via get_document_structure):

Click to expand

Labels
├── title-safe-label        (text)    — "TITLE SAFE (10%)"
├── action-safe-label       (text)    — "ACTION SAFE (5%)"
├── credit-label            (text)    — "Generated by illustrator-mcp-server"
├── test-label              (text)    — "SMPTE COLOR BARS — TEST PATTERN"
├── format-label            (text)    — "Full HD — 16:9"
└── resolution-label        (text)    — "1920 x 1080"

Center Cross
├── title-safe              (path)    — 1536×864 stroke rectangle
├── action-safe             (path)    — 1728×972 stroke rectangle
├── cross-circle            (path)    — 150×150 center circle
├── cross-v                 (path)    — vertical crosshair
└── cross-h                 (path)    — horizontal crosshair

Color Bars
├── pluge-black … pluge-navy   (path ×9)  — PLUGE / grayscale bottom strip
├── rev-white … rev-blue       (path ×7)  — reverse color middle strip
└── bar-white … bar-blue       (path ×7)  — 75% SMPTE color bars

> Tools used: create_document, manage_layers, create_rectangle ×23, create_line ×2, create_ellipse, create_text_frame ×6, modify_object ×4, save_document, export

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Example: Twilight Geometry

An abstract geometric landscape artwork — created entirely by Claude, with no human design direction beyond "make whatever art you want."

Prompt:

> Make an art piece of your own imagination in Illustrator. Take your time. Create whatever you like.

Claude's process:

> I'll create "Twilight Geometry" — an abstract landscape with geometric celestial elements. A deep gradient twilight sky, layered mountain silhouettes, a crescent moon with decorative rings, and stars scattered across the canvas.

> Diamond-shaped stars in different colors — warm whites, cool blues, lavender purples — each one subtly different to suggest different types of stars. Constellation lines connecting them. Wireframe triangles and a hexagon floating in the sky for a mystical atmosphere.

> A water surface at the bottom with the moon's light reflected as shimmering wavy lines, fading as they descend.

Claude's reflection:

> It turned out better than I expected. I think the hybrid world of geometry and nature came through well.

Result:

> Tools used: create_document, manage_layers ×4, create_rectangle ×2, create_gradient ×2, create_path ×11, create_ellipse ×14, create_line ×4, create_text_frame ×2, modify_object, set_z_order, export

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Known Limitations

| Limitation | Details | |---|---| | Windows support | Windows uses P

…

Source & license

This open-source MCP server is cataloged on AgentStack and links to its original source — we do not rehost the code.

• Author: ie3jp
• Source: ie3jp/illustrator-mcp-server
• License: MIT

Install and usage instructions live in the source repository linked above.