Adobe Illustrator CS4: Introduction

Course Description:

This is a comprehensive two day Adobe authorised introduction to Adobe Illustrator. The course has been designed to teach new users how to produce professional graphics, designs and illustrations using Illustrator CS4.

The course covers Illustrator's sophisticated drawing and text controls, creating complex shapes and using painterly effects allowing you to dramatically increase levels of productivity and creativity.

Throughout the two days the emphasis is on practical, hands-on learning including a series of exercises designed to consolidate new skills and build confidence. If you wish to tailor this outline to your exact requirements, please call or email.

This course includes the following modules:

Getting started in Illustrator

• Opening illustrations
• Using templates
• Creating new illustrations
• Tabbed document views
• Using document profiles
• Exploring panels and workspaces
• Navigating your illustrations

Artwork components

• Outline vs Preview mode
• Using multiple artboards in CS4
• Rulers, guides and grids
• Intuitive Smart Guides
• Paths, point and handles
• Grouping objects
• Group isolation mode
• Introduction to layers

Creating shapes

• Creating primitive shapes
• Creating polygons, stars and spirals
• Drawing lines, grids and arcs
• Snapping and aligning shapes

Working with colour

• Colour models
• Applying colour to objects
• Spot vs process colour
• Process and global process colours
• Managing swatches
• Creating colour groups
• Introduction to gradients
• Loading swatch libraries
• Sharing colour swatches across applications

Drawing in Illustrator

• Working with paths, points and direction handles
• Drawing freehand paths
• Tips for drawing curves
• Editing, manipulating and modifying paths
• Using the cutting tools
• Using the Average and Join commands
• Using the Eraser tool

Using LiveTrace

• Automatically tracing artwork
• Adjusting LiveTrace results
• Converting LiveTrace objects

Painting in Illustrator

• Manipulating stroke options
• Painting with the Paintbrush
• Introducing blends
• Introducing the Gradient mesh
• Creating multiple fills and strokes on a single object
• Introducing symbols

Introducing LivePaint

• Creating LivePaint groups
• Painting LivePaint objects
• Detecting gaps
• Path editing with LivePaint

Organising your artwork

• Editing the artboard size
• Using guides and smart guides
• Creating custom guides
• Positioning elements
• Using the Align palette
• Using layers
• Creating template layers

Transforming objects

• Using the Transform tools
• The Reshape tool
• Using the Transform panel
• Introducing the Liquify tools
• Basic Envelope distortions

Placing imported graphics

• Photoshop import options

Creating complex shapes

• Creating compound shapes
• Creating compound paths
• Expanding compound shapes

Working with type

• The type tools
• Using the Character panel
• Using the Paragraph panel
• Creating outlines from text
• Type on a path

Saving and exporting

• Saving Illustrator files
• Creating Adobe PDF files
• Exporting files from Illustrator