Learning Adobe Illustrator CS4

Module 1: Illustrator CS4 Basics

Module 2: Illustrator CS4 Advanced Exercises

The tutorials can be used onscreen next to the software package, from a tablet or printed, and Assignments are provided at the end of each chapter.

Module 1

Introduces the different components of the Illustrator screen, drawing simple shapes, using the Ruler and Grid, entering and formatting text, copying and moving objects, using the Paintbrush, Pencil and Blob Brush Tools, using Live Paint, applying Fill and Gradient effects, creating 3D shapes, using images and symbols, applying distorting effects on shapes and using layers.

Module 2

Covers using the Pen Tool, applying the Mesh Tool, displaying shapes in envelopes, Live Tracing, creating Masks, applying blends, adjusting Paths, creating realistic 3D shapes, using multiple Artboards in documents, using the Artboard Tool, creating accurate designs, saving images for the web, drawing graphs, applying Photoshop effects and applying Graphic Styles.

Module 1 Chapter Descriptions

Chapter 1: Introduction to Adobe Illustrator

This chapter introduces the Adobe Illustrator screen ad its basic tools for drawing lines, arcs, rectangles, ovals, polygons, stars, etc, and how these shapes can be edited.

Chapter 2: Entering Text

This chapter demonstrates some of the Type tools that Illustrator provides. This includes selecting fonts, font sizes, font styles and font colours, entering vertical text, entering text along a path, wrapping text around a shape and rotating text.

Chapter 3: Combining Objects into Designs

This chapter demonstrates how to combine text and shapes to produce more complex designs. It covers grouping objects, duplicating objects, adding 3D effects, using Rulers and grids, etc.

Chapter 4: Drawing and Painting Tools

This chapter introduces the Pencil tool, the Smooth tool, the Eraser tool, the Width tool, the Paintbrush tool and the Live Paint Bucket, and demonstrates how to use them to create artwork.

Chapter 5: Using the Blob Brush Tool

This chapter demonstrates how to use the Blob Brush tool to enhance the creation of artwork. It covers painting shapes, combining shapes into the one shape and adjusting text.

Chapter 6: Fills, Gradients and Effects

Demonstrates how to apply fills and strokes to shapes, how to use the Gradient panel and the Gradient tool to apply different types of gradient fills, how to apply style effects on shapes and how to use the Rotate tool to create circular shapes. The assignment gets students to design alloy wheels for a car.

Chapter 7: Creating 3D Shapes

Demonstrates how to extrude 2D shapes into 3D shapes, for example creating cylinders from circles and boxes from rectangles. The Revolve command is also used to create 3D shapes such as spheres.

Chapter 8: Images and Symbols

Demonstrates how to place images and symbols on the Artboard, how to edit images, how to open the Symbol Libraries and how to use the symbol tools - Symbol sprayer, Symbol Shifter, Symbol Scruncher, Symbol Sizer, Symbol Spinner, Symbol Stainer, Symbol Screener and Symbol Styler.

Chapter 9: Distorting Images

Demonstrates how to distort images and text using the Free Transform tool and the Liquify tools.

Chapter 10: Using Layers

Introduces the Layers panel and how to create designs using layers. It includes how to create a new layer, rename a layer, layer option, locking layers, turning the visibility of layers on or off and deleting layers. A sketch of a house is created with separate layers for the structure, doors, windows, etc.

Module 2 Chapter Descriptions

Chapter 11: The Pen Tool

Demonstrates how to use the Pen tool to create straight lines and curved lines, how to adjust anchor points on a line, how to add and delete anchor points, how to position anchor points as they are drawn and how to trace an object.

Chapter 12: The Mesh Tool

Demonstrates how to use the Mesh tool to creating realistic fill effects on shapes. Single and multiple meshes are applied to create a sphere and to improve the traced object created in the previous chapter.

Chapter 13: Using Envelopes

Demonstrates how to display images and sketches within other shapes (envelopes). It includes creating envelopes, distorting photographs, envelope warps and applying meshes to envelopes.

Chapter 14: Image Tracing

This chapter covers how to use the Live Trace command to trace scanned hand-drawn sketches or images. It covers tracing the scan, applying thresholds and blurs to improve the trace, expanding the result into an Illustrator object, applying Live Paint, checking for Gaps and adding backgrounds to the trace. How to use Live Trace with photos is also covered.

Chapter 15: Creating Masks

This chapter demonstrates how to create Opacity Masks and Clipping Masks so that part of a sketch is viewed within a shape.

Chapter 16: Blends and Paths

This chapter demonstrates how to use the Blend tool to blend shapes, colours, effects and symbols, how to use the Shape Builder tool to combine shapes together and how to use the Pathfinder panel to create and edit shapes.

Chapter 17: Creating Realistic 3D Shapes

This chapter demonstrates how to create realistic 3D shapes and how to add content to the visible sides. Shadows and a background are also added to the shapes.

Chapter 18: Multiple Artboard Documents

This chapter demonstrates how to create documents that have multiple Artboards (pages). A two-page publicity document for a house for sale is created. It includes using the Artboard tool to add or delete Artboards, create Artboards of different sizes, duplicating Artboards and laying out Artboards to create six-sided pamphlets.

Chapter 19: Accurate Designs

The CAD capabilities of Illustrator are used to created scaled diagram of a Conference Room. The scale is determined at the start and content accurately drawn and positioned. It includes the use of layers, Rulers, grids, placing objects and the Measurement tool.

Chapter 20: Useful Tools

To complete the module some of Illustrator's handy tools are demonstrated, including saving images for the web, saving in other formats, drawling graphs, adding arrowheads to lines, using Photoshop effects and saving styles.

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