Intro to Adobe Illustrator CS4 (2010)
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Matteo introduces himself as an instructor for Adobe Illustrator CS4 vector drawing essentials. The 6-day workshop is intended for beginning Illustrator users to learn the core concepts and gain hands-on experience. Topics that will be covered include the Illustrator interface, raster vs vector graphics, basic shapes, layers, color modes, and path manipulations. Students are encouraged to participate actively and have fun learning.
Intro to Adobe Illustrator CS4 (2010)
- 1. Adobe Illustrator CS4 vector drawing essentials your instructor: matteo wyllyamz matteo@mouselinkmedia.com http://mouselink.info
- 2. Adobe Illustrator CS4 Getting started today Quick introductionsQuick introductions » customizing this coursecustomizing this course AdministriviaAdministrivia How to have a great classHow to have a great class Menu of possible topicsMenu of possible topics
- 3. Adobe Illustrator CS4 Quick introductions » customizing this course Who are you and what do you do?Who are you and what do you do? What is your experience with …What is your experience with … » Computers & MS WindowsComputers & MS Windows » Vector-based drawingVector-based drawing » Adobe IllustratorAdobe Illustrator What is something interesting aboutWhat is something interesting about you?you?
- 4. Adobe Illustrator CS4 » matteo wyllyamz Software instructor since 1993, with an emphasis on multimedia, graphic design, and Internet development. Have created courses for Jefferson County Adult Ed, Colorado Christian University, Productivity Point, Colorado Free University, and the Department of Defense. Taught Apple Macintosh classes exclusively for five years, and have been active on the Internet since 1994. Have been using vector-based digital illustrators since 1992. Illustrated a 300+ page book with three illustrations/page with Macromedia Freehand in 1993. Corporate graphic designer / webmaster for two years ('97-'99). TODAY: Managing Partner of Mouselink Media Group, technical and creative instructor and consultant, designer, project manager, artist, amateur photographer, and author. BA in English writing, and have sold three books. » http://mouselink.me
- 5. Adobe Illustrator CS4 Administrivia Workshop scheduleWorkshop schedule » Six DaysSix Days » 1pm – 4pm1pm – 4pm » Two sessions per afternoonTwo sessions per afternoon » Short break (15 mins)Short break (15 mins) around 2:30pmaround 2:30pm Facilities …Facilities … » Bathrooms, vending,Bathrooms, vending, Starbucks …Starbucks …
- 6. Adobe Illustrator CS4 Please set cell phones to silent or turn off.Please set cell phones to silent or turn off. UnderstandUnderstand concentrated computer training:concentrated computer training: » Please sit at the front of the classroom and don’t sit alone. » Be careful with multitasking. » Class is part discussion, part lecture, part hands-on. » PARTICIPATE! Ask questions. Answer questions. Take notes. » Watch the screen, then try it yourself. » This is a cooperative learning environment: We are here to learn from each other. Keep in mind that this class was designed for aKeep in mind that this class was designed for a specific level of student:specific level of student: How to have a great class
- 7. Adobe Illustrator CS4 Keep in mind that this course was designed for aKeep in mind that this course was designed for a specific level of student:specific level of student: Created for » A semi-experienced computer user with a comfortable working knowledge of the Windows environment. » The beginning Adobe Illustrator user who has never or rarely used this specific software. NOT created for » The beginning computer user. » The more intermediate or advanced Illustrator user. most importantly …most importantly … How to have a great class
- 8. Adobe Illustrator CS4 Make it fun!Make it fun! most importantly …most importantly … How to have a great class
- 9. Adobe Illustrator CS4 Menu of possible topics Workshop objectives What is Illustrator? Specific features of CS4 Raster pixels vs. vector objects Overview of the interface Adobe Bridge preview Viewing and navigation Toolbox overview Working with documents Color modes or “spaces” Common image formats Paths, tangents, and the pen tool Drawing basic lines and shapes Snapping and Guides Draw the Tonalpohualli Layers and stacking order Path manipulations Working with colors Fill and stroke essentials Constraining and alignment Grouping Conclusions … and a word about your materials
- 10. Adobe Illustrator CS4 Moving on … ILLUSTRATOR OVERVIEW DAY1
- 11. Adobe Illustrator CS4 Workshop emphases & objectives Learning jargonLearning jargon Mastering core conceptsMastering core concepts Becoming more comfortableBecoming more comfortable Understanding more advanced techniquesUnderstanding more advanced techniques Gaining confidence through immersionGaining confidence through immersion Increasing speed & efficiencyIncreasing speed & efficiency
- 12. Adobe Illustrator CS4 What is Illustrator? » For what can this software application be used? Adobe Illustrator is the industry-standard, market- leader, vector-based object drawing application. Illustrator allows the user to draw through the creation and manipulation of lines and shapes called “paths.” It functions by generating curved paths (Bezier curves) connected by modifiable anchor points. These anchors, with their handles (tangents) are always editable, and never "leave" the structure of the file. Vector-based drawing programs create the various elements of the image as individual vector objects which always retain their characteristics and do not automatically become part of a "bitmap.”
- 13. Adobe Illustrator CS4 Specific features of Illustrator CS3* » Some product enhancements introduced in this version A.K.A. Illustrator 13 Panel-based user interface, consistent within Creative Suite 3 New Document profiles Enhanced color support Advanced Symbols Increased Adobe Flash integration Improved Live Trace * Adobe Creative Suite 3 was announced on March 27, 2007.
- 14. Adobe Illustrator CS4 Adobe Bridge comes standard with CS4 So why use it? Folders tab Thumbnails Thumbnail slider Workspace buttons Metadata
- 15. Adobe Illustrator CS4 Overview of the Illustrator interface Welcome Screen Title bars Status area Menus Primary, contextual, and shortcut Keyboard shortcuts Toolbars & Panels and Docks Changing views and hiding tools Customization and Workspaces Status bar PanelsZoom box Control panelTools panel ArtboardScratch area
- 16. Adobe Illustrator CS4 Viewing and navigation controls Changing magnification » View menu » Keyboard » Magnify tool » Navigator » Shortcuts Scrolling vs. Panning » Tools vs. Shortcuts Changing the Screen Mode and hiding panels Rulers and Guides Switching between documents
- 17. Adobe Illustrator CS4 Raster or pixel-based graphics vs. Vector or object-oriented graphics
- 18. Adobe Illustrator CS4 Toolbox overview Tool sets Hover or mouse-over Nested tools (or “fly-out” menus Keyboard shortcuts Tool options bar
- 19. Adobe Illustrator CS4 Understanding paths and tangents (control handles) Paths in themselves do nothing. It is their *formatting* (stroke and fill) which gives your illustration its visual appearance. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tangent
- 20. Adobe Illustrator CS4 HOMEWORK DUE Axzo workbook Unit 1: “Getting Started” Time: 50 minutes. Moving on … CREATING BASIC SHAPES DAY2
- 21. Adobe Illustrator CS4 The keys to working in Illustrator … Everything you’ve already learned still applies! Always pay close attention to … The tool you have selected. The layer you are in. Learn your modifiers and keyboard shortcuts! Constrain Shift Draw from center Alt Zoom Ctrl + (or) – Center artboard Ctrl 0 Magnifier (Keep your magnification appropriate!) Ctrl spacebar (or) Ctrl Alt spacebar Outlines Ctrl Y Layer outlines Ctrl click Layer visibility Alt click Undo Ctrl Z Selection tool V (A drawing tool is not a selection tool!) Direct Selection tool A Last selection tool (temp) Hold Ctrl Deselect Ctrl Shift A Hide selection Ctrl H Hand tool spacebar Hide toolbars Tab Change view mode F
- 22. Adobe Illustrator CS4 How curved paths align to tangents http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tangent
- 23. Adobe Illustrator CS4 Understanding the infamous Pen Tool Pen clicks & drags plot the anchor points of a path. Clicking vs. clicking-and-dragging (and combinations) Watch carefully for visual clues! Anchor Points » The difference between Corner Points, Smooth Points, and Cusp Points Manipulating anchor points » Moving, adding, deleting, converting » Adjusting control handles Viewing a more precise pen tool (Caps Lock) Pen tool keyboard shortcut P
- 24. Adobe Illustrator CS4 Pencil and Paintbrush More intuitive, but not as precise? The opposite of the pen tool Important preferences Applying brushes to strokes The Eyedropper
- 25. Adobe Illustrator CS4 Snapping and Guides Rulers (Ctrl R) Turning on and off Specifying ruler units Guides (Ctrl ;) Creating, repositioning, locking, deleting, showing, hiding, and layering Grids (Ctrl ”) Smart Guides (Ctrl U) Snapping … … to a guide, the grid, or a point
- 26. Adobe Illustrator CS4 HOMEWORK DUE Axzo workbook Unit 2: “Creating a simple illustration” Topic A: Create a New Document Topic B: Basic Shapes Time: 30 minutes. Moving on … PRECISION DRAWING DAY3
- 27. Adobe Illustrator CS4 Basic drawing What are “paths” and “anchor points” exactly? Drawing shapes Drawing line segments Constraining and manipulating shapes and lines with keyboard strokes: (2-12) Control, Alt, Shift, spacebar, (F)lip, arrow keys … Specifying precision measurements The Selection Tool (V) and Direct Selection Tool (A) Basic Stroke and Fill http://www.logodesignworks.com/blog/what-are-paths-anchor-points-in-adobe-illustrator
- 28. Adobe Illustrator CS4 Layers and stacking order » What’s the difference? Stacking adjustments Send Backward, Send to Back Bring Forward, Bring to Front Or use the Layers palette … How do layers work? Always pay attention to the active layer(s) Add, delete, lock, show, hide, move … Working with outlines or “wire frames” Naming and organizing Opacity adjustments Shift-click to make selections across multiple layers
- 29. Adobe Illustrator CS4 HOMEWORK DUE Axzo workbook Unit 2: “Creating a simple illustration” Topic C: Manipulate Shapes Topic D: Export an Illustration Time: 30 minutes. Moving on … LAYERS & STACKING ORDER DAY4
- 30. Draw the Tonalpohualli http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tonalpohualli Create a Tracing Layer Set Rulers and Guides Draw primary circles Draw primary stars Clone secondary stars Begin coloring Clone secondary circles Draw four major outer squares Rotate/clone four more major outer squares Draw and clone-rotate “eggs” Draw and reflect inner rectangles at a 30° angle Draw and clone-rotate “obscured” minor squares Draw and clone-rotate minor outer squares with ovals* Draw the face Beaded necklace Nose Mouth and tongue Hair and antennae Add all shadows and pattern fill * first minor square from center clockwise is at -15°
- 31. Adobe Illustrator CS4 Path manipulations Always select by the path Basic transformations Using the bounding box … Tools: move, scale, rotate, reflect … Duplication and Cloning Making multiple selections Shift key, marquee, or lasso Alignment and Distribution Group and Ungroup Shape Mode commands Compound shapes Changing the Reference Point
- 32. Adobe Illustrator CS4 Understanding color modes or “spaces” Additive Subtractive
- 33. Adobe Illustrator CS4 RGB light: The more, the brighter (additive). » For on-screen output CMYK ink: The more, the darker (subtractive). » For four-color printing HSB approach HTML hexidecimals Grayscale Black & White “bitmap” Bit depth: number of bits per pixel » 8 bit = 256 values of color » 16 bit = 65,536 “high colors” » 32 bit = 4,294,967,296 “true colors” Understanding color modes or “spaces”
- 34. Adobe Illustrator CS4 HOMEWORK DUE Axzo workbook Unit 3: “Applying Basic Color” Time: 50 minutes. Moving on … CLONE, REFLECT, ROTATE DAY5
- 35. Adobe Illustrator CS4 Working with documents New document settings Deciding on output Paying attention to raster effects Changing the document setup All about Saving and Exporting Save for Web Creating multiple back-ups ARTICLE: Pasting Illustrator documents into InDesign
- 36. Adobe Illustrator CS4 Common image file formats BMP and PCT: simple files, not recommended for use in production AI, PSD, INDD: Adobe proprietary formats TIF and EPS: best formats to place images into print documents JPG: most common file type for photography, including use on the web GIF: transparencies and animation for web PDF: perhaps the most universally exchanged format today PNG: smaller files, better quality, less support RAW or DNG: up-and-coming, unprocessed camera data http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image_file_format http://www.fileformat.info/format/cloud.htm
- 37. Adobe Illustrator CS4 Review from previous weeks Average time to complete: 60 minutes. Utilizes essential skills sets: Basic drawing and cloning, layers and stacking order, working with stroke and fill colors, grouping and reflecting. Instructions: 1) As your Tonalpohualli illustration currently stands, there are still some missing concentric circles. Compare to the tracing image layer to determine how many. 2) Draw or clone these additional circles using the methods you have learned in the last couple classes. Use the Outlines view as you trace. Take special care to make sure you draw them within the existing layers in the correct stacking order. 3) Fill in all your shapes with complimentary colors. 4) Stroke the line weight of all shape paths in the illustration according to the tracing image. (Some lines are thicker than others, and a couple don’t have strokes at all!) 5) Create a new layer on the top of the Circles layer and call it “Outer Squares.” 6) In this layer, draw the top and bottom outermost squares, stacking accordingly. Pay attention to the varying stroke weights. 7) Also, draw the two left and right outermost squares. Make sure the all the paths are precisely aligned so there are no odd variations in line weight or alignment. Hints: Each of these squares is composed of three squares, all stacked one upon another. Once you draw one complete set of squares, GROUP and REFECT that set across the vertical axis, using the Reflect Tool. When you have finished, please see if you can help other students who are still working.
- 38. Adobe Illustrator CS4 HOMEWORK DUE Axzo workbook Unit 5: “Working with Text” Time: 50 minutes. Moving on … MORE COMPLEX SHAPES DAY6
- 39. Adobe Illustrator CS4 The keys to working in Illustrator … Everything you’ve already learned still applies! Always pay close attention to … The tool you have selected. The layer you are in. Learn your modifiers and keyboard shortcuts! Constrain Shift Draw from center Alt Zoom Ctrl + (or) – Center artboard Ctrl 0 Magnifier (Keep your magnification appropriate!) Ctrl spacebar (or) Ctrl Alt spacebar Outlines Ctrl Y Layer outlines Ctrl click Layer visibility Alt click Undo Ctrl Z Selection tool V (A drawing tool is not a selection tool!) Direct Selection tool A Last selection tool (temp) Hold Ctrl Deselect Ctrl Shift A Hide selection Ctrl H Hand tool spacebar Hide toolbars Tab Change view mode F
- 40. Adobe Illustrator CS4 Conclusions … Sincere thanks! You cannot learn the violin in a day or two. Digital illustration is a skill – like any other – that requires gradual & continual practice & improvement. Approach everything on a need-to-know basis, and don't worry about that which you do not yet understand. Stay upbeat! … but if you get frustrated, remember: You can always turn off the machine and walk away. :) Good luck. Best wishes. And get in touch if you need more help!
- 41. Adobe Illustrator CS4 © 2010 by m.wyllyamz© 2010 by m.wyllyamz
- 42. Adobe Illustrator CS4 Review from last week » Resizing, resampling, and saving images A B C Average time to complete: 20 minutes. Utilizes essential skills sets: Manipulating image size & resolution, resampling, and saving multiple versions of the same image. Instructions: 1) Use Adobe Bridge to open the file: C:Program FilesAdobeAdobe Photoshop CS2Samples Sunflower.psd 2) Use the Image Size command and resample down 50%. What is the resulting file size and pixel dimensions of the image? 3) Use the Save for Web command. Create a JPEG set to High-60 quality, and save the image to your desktop. 4) Use the command File: Revert to restore the .psd file to its original size. 5) Use Image Size again. Resize (not resample) the image so that it may be printed at 300dpi. How large will the image appear on a printed page? 6) Use Save As to create a TIFF image and save it to your desktop. 7) Extra credit: Crop the image tightly to show only the sunflower’s petals. Save another version of the image: Sunflower cropped.psd
- 43. Adobe Illustrator CS4 Most popular online resources urls urls
- 44. Adobe Illustrator CS4 Summary of common keyboard shortcuts (Q-1)
Editor's Notes
- #2: Shift back and forth between the playground document to test tools/techniques and the main illustration you are creating. Open paths vs. closed paths Drawing basic shapes Keyboard modifications while drawing lines and shapes (f)lip, spacebar, alt, command, shift, arrows (up, down, left, right). ADDITIONAL TOPICS TO ADD: watch the cursor carefully for visual clues
- #7: Please bring up your flash drive so that your workshop files can be updated!
- #11: introductions and administrivia what is illustrator? rasters vs vectors overview of the interface, including bridge viewing and navigation extremely quick toolbox overview
- #13: http://www.creativepro.com/article/review-adobe-illustrator-cs3
- #15: Have students open file(s): Bedlam.ai Crystal.ai Ruffmouse.ai Hiding tools: tab vs. shift-tab
- #16: Have students open file(s): Bedlam.ai Crystal.ai Ruffmouse.ai Hiding tools: tab vs. shift-tab
- #17: Continue working with open documents
- #18: Content from slides in dreamweaver exists?
- #19: For this slide and the next one, create a “playground” document.
- #20: if you have time, you can move into the pen tool exercises.
- #21: Questions about what we covered last week? working with documents understanding color modes common image file formats basic drawing playground document snapping and guides You want to end each day with something really fun/cool.
- #22: Have students open the .pdf file on their own screens. Use adobe bridge to open a complex illustration from the examples folder. ALSO use a playground document to make examples.
- #24: go back and forth between simple playground experiments and drawing a goal. Pen Tool follow pen tool exercises.ai. make sure to have students save as into their saved work folder so that we can use this later in the path manipulations exercises. AFTER NEXT SLIDE: I like the idea of drawing over something as a tracing image? Ctrl-click to end a path!
- #25: playground: make sure to experiment with brushes and colors. go back to pen tool playground, and practice applying brushes to the different paths created there. Eyedropper: using shift will lift only the active attribute do the tracing image exercise after you do this playground. try london bridge .jpg this london bridge was built in 1831 and moved to arizona in 1968 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/London_bridge#.22New.22_.2819th_century.29_London_Bridge http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/London_Bridge_(Lake_Havasu_City)
- #26: playground document continued Snapping … to a guide: prefer to use smart guides the grid: turn on in view menu or a point: turn on in view menu, and prefer to use smart guides: 1) click on the path you want to snap to. 2) click and hold on the anchor point of the path you want to move. 3) drag to the anchor point you want to snap to.
- #28: playground document
- #29: Besides working with the playground document, open another completed file from the examples folder.
- #30: Questions about what we covered last week? You want to end each day with something really fun/cool.
- #31: Work through the topics in the following slides as we progress through the development of the tonalpohualli illustration. However, you can also work in a playground document at the same time for quick or unrelated experiments. save your work as you go in the “my saved work” folder so that you always have a catch-up document for students who may miss class. 1) open existing file. Observe structure of layers. Zoom in to observe high resolution. Edit: edit colors: convert to grayscale. 2) save for web. Convert to .gif image. Close. 3) open .gif image. Zoom in to observe limited resolution. Label layer and change transparency to 25%. Lock it. SAVE. 4) create x y guides in the exact center. Approx 583px square /2 = 291.5px or approx 292px 5) begin work on basic circles and begin organizing layers. CIRCLES! work from the outside circles and move in, for ease of stacking order. Explain this to students. different methods of drawing circles: the old way vs the new way. Use the smart guides. drawing the circles vs cloning the circles. 6) stars are next. when you finish adding shadows, if you still have more time, just add some text to the document!
- #32: this is the topic that you need to add to and break up, according to the techniques used in creating tony-po Multiple methods, always show: Rotten, good, better, best
- #33: Red is the opposite of cyan Green is the opposite of magenta Blue is the opposite of yellow http://www.burningideas.com/colorspace/lecture.html
- #34: C:\Program Files\Adobe\Adobe Photoshop CS2\Samples \Palm Tree (CMYK).tif
- #35: Questions about what we covered last week? it would be great if you could finish all Tony-Poh outer shapes today You want to end each day with something really fun/cool.
- #36: 1) First create a blank document for web (on-screen) with standard settings either as a playground document or a new simple illustration. 2) For saving, use an existing illustration from the examples folder.
- #38: The difficult part here is getting the circles in the correct order. When drawing new circles, it is best to first determine the circle on top of which you will be drawing, then label that path, then draw the new circle.
- #39: Questions about what we covered last week? today add shadows and then do the face. You want to end each day with something really fun/cool.
- #40: Have students open the .pdf file on their own screens. Use adobe bridge to open a complex illustration from the examples folder. ALSO use a playground document to make examples.
- #43: ASK: When resampling images, you can “upsample” or “downsample.” Which is the one you want to avoid as much as possible?
- #45: Edit: Keyboard Shortcuts …