Adobe Illustrator

Intro to Adobe Illustrator

Intro to Illustrator Checklist

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All Worksheet Files: Adobe CC 2018/19

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All Worksheet Files: EPS Versions

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Illustrator...let's start here

What is Illustrator? Bitmap vs Vector Workspace Overview

The Tools
Ai Tools Worksheet Ai Shortcuts

You have been given a copy of the Illustrator Tools Worksheet, also available for download. You will need to complete this sheet before moving on the the activities below. It is always a good idea to get familiar with where various tools are located and what the keyboard shortcuts are. You will be turning this in for a classwork grade. Keep this sheet as a reference for later on.

Tools Overview What are these Panels?

Learning the Pen Tool

Pen tool is the best tool in your Illustrator toolbox. Once you have mastered this tool, it opens up so many different drawing possibilities for you. It allows you to create very simple to very complex shapes. You have used this tool once before in Photoshop, but now we will explore it in greater depth.

Let's start with The Bezier Game, the link is to the right. We will spend 1 hour on this game. When the hour is up, Scoggins will record your score. The game is to help start you off with the fundamentals of creating basic shapes using the pen tool.

Next, download the pentool exercise .Ai file to the right to start this lesson on using the Pen Tool.

You simply follow the numbers and the instructions to complete the exercise. The point you need to aim at in each step is the center of each numbered colored dot. The top layer is the"working layer". This is the layer you'll be working on. Make sure your fill color is empty so you don't block the directions.

There are 3 different colors: blue, red and green.

The BLUE ones don't require any dragging, but involve clicking.
The RED ones, involve dragging, and sometimes a key needs to be pressed as well.
The GREEN ones also involve dragging, but this time dragging one of the handles of the anchor point you've just created, while holding down a key first (alt/option).

Save your file as YourLastName_PenTool and save it to your OneDrive for your class.

Basic Shapes

Now that you have mastered the Pen tool, we will work on how to use the shapes already built into Illustrator. Start with downloading the Basic Shapes.Ai file to the right.

Use the link found to the right called the Fundamentals of Shapes. You will need to create the shapes found in the tutorial on the first Art Board. Follow these directions to show how to use basic shapes to create new ones.

On the second Art Board, create the shapes you find in the file here without a guide, using ONLY other shapes, create the shapes you see here. Create the shapes on Layer 1.
Save this as YourLastName_BasicShapes and save it to your OneDrive for your class.

Shaper Tool

The shaper tool is a much faster and easier way to create complex shapes in Illustrator. Start by downloading the Shaper Tool worksheet on the right and then watch the video to the right. You will use the Shaper tool to recreate the image of the mountain and moon drawing in the video tutorial. Then in the last 2 boxes, you will be creating 2 simple drawings using the shaper tool. You must use a minimum of 5 shapes for each one...think simple ideas, flowers, trees, cloud, etc... Make sure that you are combining shapes and removing at least 1 shape. How will this tool make your life in Illustrator easier?

When you are finished, save your worksheet as lastnameFirstInitial to the OneDrive for your class and upload it to Teams.