Adobe Illustrator

Duration: 2 Days
Times: 9.30am - 5pm (Arrive 09.15)

Adobe Illustrator is a comprehensive vector graphics environment that invites you to explore more efficient ways to design. It is a standard illustration software package used in the design profession. It is a powerful tool to use in the creation of print media and web graphics.
Our courses are hands-on and provide you with the practical skills and knowledge required to design and create digital artwork.

Pre-requisites
Basic working knowledge of Windows or Macintosh operating systems, but not essential.

Course includes
A set of reference notes covering your course, follow-up telephone support. Certificate of Attendance.

Basic concepts, overview and tools
Vector and Bitmap images
Using Panels. Customising the workspace

The Illustrator toolbox: paths and points selection;
drawing simple shapes and selecting objects

Using multiple artboards
Transformation tools and the Free Transform tool; Using online help
Managing files with Adobe Bridge

Drawing
The pen tool; controlling curves, creating and amending paths;
splitting paths, manipulating anchor points

Using Templates, Pencil, Erase, Smooth and Brush
Using the LiveTrace tool to convert Bitmaps to vectors
Adding and deleting anchor points
Splitting cutting and erasing paths
Drawing with the Blob Brush tool

Colours and fills
Fills and strokes on objects and paths
Process, Pantone and Registration colour
Gradients, patterns
Applying gradient transparency
Editing gradients directly on an object
Livepaint and objects; Live Colour

Brush effects
Calligraphic, art, scatter & pattern brushes
Editing existing and creating new brushes
Scribble Effect; using the brush libraries

Typography
Basic typography; the type tool; type on and in a path; type as outlines
Character and paragraph styles

Text work
Linking text boxes and using using circular text; text wrap around objects
Typographic control including kerning, indents and baseline shift

Arranging your work
Send to back/Bring to front
Group/Ungroup and group selections
Working in Group Isolation Mode
Cut/copy/paste & paste infront/ behind
Working with Rulers, Guides and Smart Guides
Getting the best from Layers
Using multiple artboards
Editing the artboard size
Positioning elements
Aligning and distributing artwork

Working with layers
Creating layers
Using layers effectively

Modifications and special effects
Transformations - blending shapes
Gradient Mesh tool
Pathfinder panel and compound paths
Using the Shape Builder tool
Effects, graphic styles and masks

The Flare and Distort tools, including the
warp and liquify tools, envelope distort and envelope mesh

Using Live Paint to modify images

3D Toolset
Rotate
Revolve
Bevel
Extrude

Working with patterns
Simple patterns and artwork patterns
Converting logos to symbols for reuse
Using the symbol spray to instance symbols around page
Update symbols, manipulate symbols

Using Illustrator to present data
Graphs and graph types
Graph styles such as pies and bars
Representing qualities graphically

The Actions panel
Using existing actions
Using Custom actions for automation

Web Work
Optimising for the web; flexible web vector export; converting to Flash format
Slicing and CSS layer support to create entire web pages