Upcoming Dates

Cost

Description

In this three-day class taught by an Adobe Certified Instructor, you will learn how to work efficiently and creatively with the industry-standard illustration tool. Master all of the essential concepts and techniques, including understanding bitmap vs vector graphics and file formats, the best ways to navigate, how to work with color, use the drawing and selection tools, manipulate objects, work in layers, and use the powerful Pen tool to create graceful curves and complex paths correctly and that can be easily edited later. You will also learn how to use Live Trace, Live Paint and Live Color, as well as how to create and apply color gradients to objects. You will also learn how to work with type, type on a path and vertical type, and how to convert type to outlines, as well as how to create and apply masks.

Prerequisites

This class is designed for people with good mousing skills, but no Adobe Illustrator or graphics experience is required.

Outline

Application Overview
- understand bitmap vs. vector
- overview of the Workspace, toolbox & panels
- templates and creating a new document
- multiple artboards and the new Artboard panel
- set prefs, save files, choose file formats
Navigation
- view images using the Navigator panel
- zoom and use the Hand tool
- custom views
- view images in Preview mode and Artwork mode
Colors
- choose and apply fills and strokes
- the Swatches panel & saving groups
- load custom color libraries
Using Tools
- ellipse, rectangle, star and polygon tools
- line and shaper tools
- selection, direct selection and group selection tools
- lasso and magic wand tools
Working with Objects
- select multiple objects
- save selections / select by item
- group and ungroup / isolation mode
- work with compound paths
- pathfinder and the align tool
- drawing modes, shape builder tool, stroke alignment
- scale, rotate, distort, and free transform tools
- guides and grids
Working with Layers
- use layers to organize your artwork
- add layers and move art between layers
Mastering the Pen Tool
- create curves and straight lines
- trace objects with the Pen tool
- modify pen paths
- basic key commands
- trace bitmap images
- work with compound paths
- the Pencil and Eraser tools
- use the Width Tool to customize strokes
- cut and join paths
- the PathFinder Panel
- the ShapeBuilder tool
Live Trace and Live Paint
- trace images and logos into vector shapes
Live Color
- dynamically remap colors
Blends
- use the blend command and blend tool
- apply smooth and stepped blends
Gradients
- create gradients
- adjusting opacity and gradient colors
Using the Text Tools
- area type and type on a path
- vertical type
- touch type
- convert type to outlines
Typography
- OpenType and glyphs
- import and thread type
- paragraph and character styles
- character setting adjustments
- justification controls
- use envelope with type
- text warp
Masking
- clipping masks
- opacity masks
- use blending modes
- draw inside
Appearance Panel
- use multiple fills, strokes and effects
- save graphic styles
- save a user library

Printable Course Description