Illustrator essentials

Adobe Illustrator Essentials

Duration: 24 hours

Teaching Methodology: Hands-on

DESCRIPTION

Adobe Illustrator is a software application that allows the user to create vector graphics such as logos, letterheads, banners, posters, illustrations, leaflets, brochures, book covers, etc. The designs may contain complex shapes, images, type effects, etc.

OVERVIEW

Participants who take this course will learn how to use Adobe Illustrator to:

Create, select, and transform shapes
Combine shapes and paths
Use the drawing tools
Use color ton enhance designs
Add and edit text
Work with layers, gradients, and patterns
Use brushes
Use effects and graphic styles
Use Illustrator with other Adobe Applications
Prepare content for the web

PREREQUISITES

Before enrolling in this course, participants should possess basic computer skills including mouse operation, creating folders, creating files and saving files into folders; and some experience with browsing the internet.

Adobe Illustrator Essentials 1

Adobe Illustrator Essentials 2

Adobe Illustrator Essentials 3

Adobe Illustrator Essentials 4

COURSE CONTENTS

00 - A Quick Tour of Adobe Illustrator CC

Getting Started
Creating a new document
Drawing a shape
Rounding the corners of a shape
Applying color
Editing color
Editing strokes
Working with layers
Drawing with the pencil tool
Creating shapes using Shape Builder tool
Creating a blend
Transforming artwork
Drawing with the Shaper tool
Sampling formatting with the Eyedropper tool
Placing an image in Illustrator
Using Image Trace
Creating and editing gradients
Working with type
Aligning artwork
Working with brushes
Working with symbols
Creating a clipping mask
Working with effects
Download WinRAR in case you don't have it.
Download Lesson 00

Illustrator Quick tour

01 - GETTING TO KNOW THE WORK AREA

Introducing Adobe Illustrator
Starting Illustrator and opening a file
Exploring the workspace
Getting to know the Tools panel
Working with the Control panel
Working with panels
Working with panel groups
Resetting and saving your workspace
Using panel menus
Changing the view of artwork
Using view commands
Using the Zoom tool
Scrolling through a document
Viewing artwork
Navigating artboards
Using the Artboards panel
Arranging multiple documents
Finding resources for using Illustrator
Download Lesson 01

Illustrator work area

02 - TECHNIQUES FOR SELECTING ARTWORK

Getting started
Selecting objects
Using the Selection tool
Using the Direct Selection tool
Creating selections with a marquee
Selecting artwork with the Magic Wand tool
Selecting Similar objects
Selecting in outline mode
Aligning objects
Aligning objects to each other
Aligning to a key object
Aligning anchor points
Distributing objects
Aligning to the artboard
Working with groups
Grouping items
Working in Isolation mode
Creating a nested group
Selecting using the Group Selection tool
Exploring object arrangement
Arranging objects
Selecting objects behind
Hiding and locking objects
Download Lesson 02

Illustrator selection techniques

03 - USING SHAPES TO CREATE ARTWORK FOR A POSTCARD

Getting started
Creating a new document
Working with basic shapes
Creating and editing rectangles
Rounding corners
Creating a rounded rectangle
Creating and editing an ellipse
Creating and editing a circle
Creating and editing a polygon
Changing stroke width and alignment
Drawing lines
Creating a star
Working with the Shaper tool
Drawing shapes
Editing shapes with the Shaper tool
Combining Shapes with the Shaper tool
Working with drawing modes
Working with Draw Behind mode
Using the Draw Inside mode
Editing content drawn inside
Using Image Trace
Download Lesson 03

Using Shapes

04 - EDITING AND COMBINING SHAPES AND PATHS

Getting started
Editing paths and shapes
Cutting with the Scissors tool
Joining paths
Cutting with the Knife tool
Using the Eraser tool
Combining shapes
Working with the Shape Builder tool
Working with the Pathfinder panel
Creating a compound path
Using the Width tool
Outlining strokes
Finishing up the illustration
Download Lesson 04

Combining shapes

05 - TRANSFORMING ARTWORK

Getting Started
Working with artboards
Adding artboards to the document
Editing artboards
Renaming artboards
Reordering artboards
Transforming content
Working with rulers and guides
Positioning objects precisely
Scaling objects
Reflecting objects
Distorting objects with effects
Rotating objects
Shearing objects
Transforming with the Free Transform tool
Creating a PDF
Download Lesson 05

Transforming artwork

06 - CREATING AN ILLUSTRATION WITH THE DRAWING TOOLS

Getting started
An intro to drawing with the Pen tool
Selecting paths
Drawing straight lines with the Pen tool
Introducing curves paths
Drawing a curve with the Pen tool
Drawing a series of curves with the Pen tool
Converting smooth points to corner points
Combining curves and straight lines
Creating artwork with the pen tool
Drawing a coffee cup
Drawing with the Curvature tool
Editing curves
Reflecting the spoon shape
Rounding corner points
Editing paths and points
Deleting and adding anchor points
Converting between smooth points and corner points
Working with the Anchor Point tool
Creating a dashed line
Adding arrowheads to a path
Working with the Pencil tool
Drawing freeform paths with the Pencil tool
Drawing straight segments with the Pencil tool
Joining with the Join tool
Download Lesson 06

DRAWING TOOLS

07 - USING COLOR TO ENHANCE SIGNAGE

Getting started
Exploring color modes
Working with color
Applying an existing color
Creating a custom color using the Color panel
Saving a color as a swatch
Creating a copy of a swatch
Editing a swatch
Creating and editing a global swatch
Using the Color Picker to create color
Using Illustrator swatch libraries
Adding a spot color
Creating and saving a tint of a color
Adjusting colors
Copying appearance attributes
Creating a color group
Creative inspiration with the Color Guide panel
Editing a color group in the Edit Color dialog box
Editing colors in artwork
Assigning colors to your artwork
Working with Live paint
Creating a Live Paint group
Painting with the Live Paint Bucket tool
Modifying a Live Paint group
Download Lesson 07

Using color

08 - ADDING TYPE TO A POSTER

Getting started
Adding type to the poster
Adding text at a point
Adding area type
Working with Auto Sizing
Converting between area and point type
Importing a plain-text file
Threading text
Formatting type
Changing font family and font style
Changing font size
Changing font color
Changing additional character formatting
Changing paragraph formatting
Resizing and reshaping type objects
Creating columns of text
Modifying text with the Touch Type tool
Creating and applying text styles
Creating and applying a paragraph style
Editing a paragraph style
Creating and applying a character style
Sampling text formatting
Wrapping text
Warping text
Reshaping text with a preset envelope warp
Editing the envelop warp
Working with type on a path
Creating type on a path
Creating type on a closed path
Creating text outlines
Download Lesson 08

Adding type

09 - ORGANIZING YOUR ARTWORK WITH LAYERS

Understanding layers
Creating layers and sublayers
Editing layers and objects
locating layers
Moving layers
Duplicating layer contents
Merging layers
Pasting layers
Changing layer order
Viewing layers
Applying appearance attributes to layers
Creating a clipping mask
Download Lesson 09

Working with layers

ASSIGNMENT - TRACING IMAGES

Placing the image on a host layer
Locking the layer
Using the Pen tool to trace the image
Coloring

Adding type

10 - GRADIENTS, BLENDS, AND PATTERNS

Getting started
Working with gradients
Applying a linear gradient to a fill
Editing a gradient
Saving a gradient
Adjusting a linear gradient fill
Applying a linear gradient to a stroke
Edit a gradient on a stroke
Applying a radial gradient to artwork
Editing the colors in the radial gradient
Adjusting the radial gradient
Applying gradients to multiple objects
Adding transparency to gradients
Working with blended objects
Creating a blend with specified steps
Modifying a blend
Creating and editing a smooth color blend
Painting with patterns
Applying an existing pattern
Creating your own pattern
Applying your pattern
Editing your pattern
Download Lesson 10

Creating gradients

11 - USING BRUSHES TO CREATE A POSTER

Getting started
Working with brushes
Using Calligraphic brushes
Applying a Calligraphic brush to artwork
Drawing with the Paintbrush tool
Editing paths with the Paintbrush tool
Editing a brush
Removing a brush stroke
Using Art brushes
Applying an existing Art brush
Creating an Art using a raster image
Editing an Art brush
Using Bristle brushes
Changing Bristle brush options
Painting with a Bristle brush
Using Pattern brushes
Creating a Pattern brush
Applying a Pattern brush
Editing the Pattern brush
Working with the Blob Brush tool
Drawing with the Blob Brush tool
Merging paths with the Blob Brush tool
Editing with the Eraser tool
Download Lesson 11

Using brushes

12 - EXPLORING CREATIVE USES OF EFFECTS AND GRAPHIC STYLES

Using the Appearance panel
Adding another stroke and fill
Reordering appearance attributes
Using live effects
Applying an effect
Editing an effect
Styling text with a Warp effect
Applying the Offset Path effect
Applying a Photoshop Effect
Working with 3D effects
Applying a 3D Rotate effect
Using graphic styles
Applying an existing graphic style
Creating and applying a graphic style
Updating a graphic style
Applying a graphic style to a layer
Scaling strokes and effects
Download Lesson 12

Creating effects

13 - CREATING ARTWORK FOR A T-SHIRT

Working with symbols
Using existing Illustrator symbol libraries
Editing a symbol
Working with dynamic symbols
Creating a symbol
Duplicating symbols
Replacing symbols
Breaking a link to a symbol
Working with Creative Cloud libraries
Adding assets to CC Libraries
Using Libraries assets
Updating a library asset
Working with the perspective grid
Using a preset grid
Adjusting the perspective grid
Drawing artwork in perspective
Selecting and transforming objects in perspective
Moving planes and objects together
Drawing artwork with no active grid
Adding and editing text in perspective
Moving objects in a perpendicular direction
Moving a plane to match an object
Bringing content into perspective
Editing symbols in perspective
Finishing up
Download Lesson 13

Creating artwork

14 - USING ILLUSTRATOR CC WITH OTHER ADOBE APPLICATIONS

Combining artwork
Placing image files
Placing an image
Scaling a placed image
Placing a Photoshop image with Show Import Options
Placing multiple images
Applying color edits to an image
Masking images
Applying a simple mask to an image
Editing a clipping path (mask)
Masking an object with text
Creating an opacity mask
Editing an opacity mask
Sampling colors in placed images
Working with image links
Finding link information
Embedding and unembedding images
Replacing a linked image
Packaging a file
Download Lesson 14

Adobe applications

15 - PREPARING CONTENT FOR THE WEB

Saving content for the web
Aligning to the pixel grid
Slicing content
Selecting and editing slices
Using the Save for Web command
Creating CSS code
Setting up your design for generating CSS
Working with character styles and CSS code
Working with graphic styles and CSS code
Copying CSS
Exporting CSS
Saving artwork as SVG
Download Lesson 15

Preparing content for the web