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Illustrator

Adobe® Illustrator® software provides a comprehensive set of tools for working with vector graphics in an environment that supports transparency in gradients and multiple artboards for even more efficient ways to design.

Illustrator

Essentials

Course Objectives

In this course, you’ll start by drawing and manipulating simple shapes to create logos combining colour and text elements.

Duration

2 Days

Cost

£575 (ex VAT)

Schedule

Course Dates

Prerequisites

Before taking this course, students should be familiar with the basic functions of their computer’s operating system

Additional Notes

Courses can be run on Windows and Macintosh platforms and tailored to meet customers’ requirements. Courses run in Edinburgh, Glasgow and at client sites throughout the UK.

Exams

Adobe® Illustrator® CS4 Exam – (PDF)

Illustrator Essentials

Getting to Know the Work Area

  • Understanding the Workspace
  • Working with Panels
  • Using Panel Menus
  • Resetting and Saving your Workspace
  • Viewing Artwork
  • Using the View Commands
  • Using the Zoom Tool
  • Navigating Multiple Artboards
  • Arranging Documents
  • Document Groups
  • Using the Navigator Panel

Selecting and Aligning

  • Using the Selection Tool
  • Using the Direct Selection Tool
  • Creating Selections with a Marquee
  • Using the Magic Wand Tool
  • Grouping Items
  • Working in Isolation Mode
  • Selecting Similar Objects
  • Aligning Objects
  • Distributing Objects

Creating and Editing Shapes

  • Creating a Document with Multiple Artboards
  • Working with Basic Shapes
  • Outlining Strokes
  • Working with Line Segments
  • Joining Paths
  • Using Live Trace to Create Shapes

Transforming Objects

  • Transforming Content
  • Working with Rulers and Guides
  • Scaling Objects
  • Reflecting Objects
  • Rotating Objects
  • Distorting Objects

Drawing with the Pen and Pencil Tools

  • Creating Straight Lines
  • Creating Curved Paths
  • Building a Curve
  • Converting Curved Points to Corner Points
  • Splitting a Path
  • Drawing Curves
  • Converting between Smooth Points and Corner Points
  • Editing Curves
  • Deleting and adding Anchor Points
  • Drawing with the Pencil Tool

Colour and Painting

  • Understanding Colour
  • Colour Modes
  • Understanding the Colour Controls
  • Building and Saving Custom Colour
  • Editing a Swatch
  • Creating a Spot Colour
  • Using the Colour Picker
  • Creating and Saving a Tint of a Colour

Working with Type

  • Working with Type
  • Formatting Type
  • Changing Font Size
  • Changing Paragraph Attributes
  • Saving and using Styles
  • Creating Text on Paths and Shapes
  • Creating Text Outlines

Working with Layers

  • Creating Layers
  • Moving Objects and Layers
  • Locking Layers
  • Viewing Layers
  • Pasting Layers
  • Creating Clipping Masks

Understanding the Printing Process

  • Understanding Printing Devices
  • Halftone Screens
  • Screen Frequency
  • Output Device Resolution
  • About Colour
  • RGB Colour Model
  • CMYK Colour Model
  • Spot colours
  • Colour Separations
  • Previewing Colour Separations
  • Printing Colour Separations
  • Specifying the Bleed Areas
  • Saving as Adobe PDF

Advanced

Course Objectives

In this course, you will create complex illustrations using advanced Illustrator tools and techniques.

Duration

1 Day

Cost

£395 (ex VAT)

Schedule

Course Dates

Prerequisites

Before taking this course, delegates should have a completed the Adobe Illustrator CS4 – Essentials course or have equivalent knowledge of Illustrator

Additional Notes

Courses can be run on Windows and Macintosh platforms and tailored to meet customers’ requirements. Courses run in Edinburgh, Glasgow and at client sites throughout the UK.

Exams

Adobe® Illustrator® CS4 Exam – (PDF)

Illustrator Advanced

Blending Shapes and Colours

  • Working with Gradients
  • Creating and Applying a Linear Gradient
  • Adjusting the Direction and Angle of a Gradient blend
  • Creating a Radial Gradient
  • Changing Colours and Adjusting a Gradient
  • Applying Gradients to Multiple Objects
  • Adding Transparency to Gradients
  • Working with Blended Objects
  • Creating a Blend with Specified Steps
  • Modifying the Blend
  • Creating Smooth Colour Blends

Working with Brushes

  • Working with the Blob Brush Tool
  • Drawing with the Blob Brush Tool
  • Editing with the Blob Brush and Eraser Tools
  • Merge Paths with the Blob Brush Tool
  • Working with Brushes
  • Using Art Brushes
  • Drawing with the Paintbrush Tool
  • Editing Paths with the Paintbrush Tool
  • Using Scatter Brushes
  • Changing Brush Options
  • Applying a Scatter Brush to Paths
  • Changing the Colour Attributes of Brushes
  • Changing the Brush Colour using Hue Shift Colorization
  • Changing the Brush Colour using Tints Colorization
  • Using a Fill Colour with Brushes
  • Using Calligraphic Brushes
  • Using Pattern Brushes
  • Creating Brushes
  • Creating Swatches for a Pattern Brush
  • Creating a Pattern Brush from Swatches
  • Painting with the Pattern Brush
  • Applying the Scribble Effect

Applying Effects

  • Using Live Effects
  • Applying an Effect
  • Editing an Effect
  • Creating a Banner Logo with the Warp Effect
  • Creating the Logotype
  • Stylizing the Banner and Logotype
  • Creating the 3D Cylinder
  • Using the 3D Extrude & Bevel Effect
  • Applying a Symbol as Mapped Artwork
  • Creating a Revolved Object
  • Changing the Lighting
  • Mapping a Photoshop Image

Applying Appearance Attributes and Graphic Styles

  • Using Appearance Attributes
  • Editing and Adding Appearance Attributes
  • Reordering Appearance Attributes
  • Adding an Additional Stroke and Fill
  • Using Graphic Styles
  • Creating and Saving a Graphic style
  • Applying a Graphic Style to an Object
  • Applying a Graphic Style to a Layer
  • Applying Existing Graphic Styles
  • Adding to an Existing Graphic Styles
  • Applying an Appearance to a Layer
  • Copying, Applying and Removing Graphic Styles

Working with Symbols

  • Working with Symbols
  • Using Illustrator Symbol Libraries
  • Creating Symbols
  • Spraying Symbol Instances
  • Editing Symbol Sets using the Symbolism Tools
  • Editing Symbols
  • Updating a Symbol
  • Breaking a Link to a Symbol
  • Replacing Symbols
  • Storing and Retrieving Artwork in the Symbols Panel
  • Mapping a Symbol to 3D Artwork
  • Symbols and Flash Integration

Combining Illustrator CS4 Graphics with other Adobe Applications

  • Working with Adobe Bridge
  • Combining Artwork
  • Vector versus Bitmap Graphics
  • Editing the Artboard
  • Placing an Adobe Photoshop File
  • About Layer Comps
  • Editing and Duplicating a Placed image
  • Applying Colour Edits to a Placed Image
  • Masking an Image
  • Applying a Clipping Mask to an Image
  • Creating Compound Paths and Opacity Masks
  • Editing an Imported Mask
  • Sampling Colours in Placed Images
  • Replacing a Placed Image
  • Exporting a Layered File to Adobe Photoshop
  • Placing Illustrator Files Adobe InDesign
  • Integrating Illustrator and Adobe Flash


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