MyGraphicsLab: Illustrator CS6 - AI01 Presentationtiffany-carpenter.weebly.com/uploads/1/1/0/4/11044519/ai... · 2015-09-24 · Title: MyGraphicsLab: Illustrator CS6 - AI01_Presentation.pdf

Copyright © 2013 MyGraphicsLab / Pearson Education

CREATE SHAPES

MYGRAPHICSLAB: ADOBE ILLUSTRATOR CS6


IN THIS LESSON YOU WILL LEARN:

The role of vector artwork in digital graphic design How to create a document in Illustrator How to choose and define a color mode How to define essential preferences (units of measurement) How to use rulers and grids How to draw shapes How to set and change fill and stroke attributes How to select and move shapes How to arrange objects (front to back) How to save files


THE ROLE OF VECTOR ARTWORK IN DIGITAL GRAPHIC DESIGN

Vector artwork – analogous to drawing with pen or pencil Raster artwork – analogous to dabbing paint on canvas

Each of the three strokes in this slide has the same path – with different strokeattributes applied

Illustrator paths are indicated by thin blue lines


VECTORS AND RASTERS

Two digital graphic technologies: raster (bitmap) and vector Illustrator is mainly a vector program Most other graphic programs, like Photoshop, are raster programs

How do vectors and rasters work? Raster artwork is defined by individual dots Vector artwork is defined by anchors and paths that connect them Paths generated by anchors (vectors) are defined using anchor control

points


VECTOR ART IS DEFINED BY ANCHORS AND PATHS

Controlling a vector path by adjusting an anchor control point


Editing a drawingby moving ananchor in Illustrator

VECTOR ARTWORK HAS THE ADVANTAGES OF BEING…

Scalable – objects can be resized without loss of resolution Smaller in file size – the data required to define an anchor and path is less than

the data required to define thousands of pixels Easier to edit – editable anchors and paths


ILLUSTRATOR PROJECTS ARE GENERALLY SCALABLE

An Illustrator file that is used for abuilding-sized banner has the samedata as one used for a postcard

Illustrator artwork can be infinitelystretched without degrading intopixelation

Even enlarged to 1200% of itsoriginal size, this curve does notdegrade into “jaggies” or pixelationin Illustrator


Effects applied to this Illustrator artwork causeit to pixelate when enlarged 400% — notecontrast to lack of pixelation in previous slide.

ILLUSTRATOR PROJECTS CAN INCLUDE VECTORS AND RASTERS

Vectors are scalable withoutdegrading in resolution

Rasters are not infinitely scalable –the resolution is defined, and finite

Illustrator vectors sometimesinclude resolution-dependent,raster-based effects. Designersmust be conscious of this whenscaling Illustrator projects

Raster effects can make Illustratorfiles much larger

Enlarged raster effects do degradein quality


HOW TO CREATE A DOCUMENT IN ILLUSTRATOR

Illustrator projects are usually integrated with other applications Part of a publication produced in InDesign Part of a website created in Dreamweaver Part of a Flash animation created in Flash Professional


OUTPUT FIRST!

An Illustrator file is defined by the dimensions and otherattributes of its final destination Dimensions (height and width) Units of measurement (inches, pixels) Color mode

Illustrator comes with preset profiles for common outputtargets like print, web, and mobile devices


DEFINE COLOR MODES

Two basic color modes CMYK for print mixes cyan, magenta, yellow and black RGB for digital output mixes red, green, and blue

Other options Spot colors (single color printing) Pantone colors Grayscale (black and white)


Color modes are either combinationsof print inks or digital pixels.

BASIC RULES

Anything destined fordigital output is RGB

For print, check withyour print shop or printer

Color modes are set… When documents are

created In the Color panel

within any document


Adjusting units ofmeasurement in theDocument Setup dialog box

HOW TO DEFINE ESSENTIAL PREFERENCES (UNITS OF MEASUREMENT)

Pixels or inches? Pixels for digital output (often calculated at 72 per inch on computer screens) Inches and centimeters for print output

Points and ems – based on type sizes Defined…

When generating a new document From the Document setup dialog box within a document (File > Document Setup)


SETTING UP A WORK ENVIRONMENT

Alignment and productivity tools Rulers and grids Snap to… Guides Smart Guides User Interface


Exported or printed content is generally defined by theartboard (shown here in white).

THE ILLUSTRATOR WORKSPACE

Welcome Screen Choose a document type Work from templates Access recent files

Artboard and workspaces Artboard is the defined

output area Multiple artboards possible

(we’ll explore that optionlater)


PANELS

Panels Where the power of Illustrator is

hidden Stashed as icons on the right, or

available from the Window menu Control panel

Context sensitive – changesdepending on tool or selection

One-stop shopping for mostcommon attributes

The Tools panel Interactive Tear-offs

Tearing off shape tools


DRAWING SHAPES

The six shape tools are useful in awide range of illustration projects Rectangle, Rounded Rectangle,

Ellipse, Polygon, Star, Flare

To draw a shape interactively Select a tool Click and drag to draw a shape Before releasing mouse button,

rotate clockwise or counterclockwise


GENERATING SHAPES

Several ways to generate shapes Double-click the Rectangle, Rounded Rectangle, Ellipse,

Polygon, or Star tool Click at a location on the artboard Define the shape dimensions in the dialog that opens


SET AND CHANGE FILL AND STROKE ATTRIBUTES

In the Control panel Select a tool, and choose fill color

and stroke color from the pop-upmenus

Select an object, and define a filland/or stroke color

In the Tools panel Select a tool, and choose stroke and

fill color from the Color panel Select an object, and select apply

stroke (or gradient) from the Toolspanel

The Color panel Expands to show a larger palette Accepts web-ready hexadecimal

values


Copying an object while moving it

SELECT AND MOVE SHAPES

Selection tools Selection tool Direct Selection tool

Moving & copying Select, click and drag to move Rely on Smart Guides for quick

alignment Hold down Alt (Windows) or Option

(Mac) to copy while moving


Moving an object to the back of a stack

ARRANGE OBJECTS (FRONT TO BACK)

New drawing tools Default – draw in front of existing

objects New Draw Behind tool – draw

behind existing objects Draw inside

Move a selected object front to back Right-click or Control-click (Mac)

and choose Arrange (and then afront to back option)

Choose Object > Arrange


Rotating an object with the bounding box

ROTATE AND RESIZE WITH BOUNDING BOX

View (or hide) bounding box forselected objects

Click and drag on bounding boxhandles to resize or reshape

Hover over bounding box handleand click and drag to rotate


SAVE OR EXPORT FILES

Editable formats – can be reopened and edited in Illustrator Illustrator, PDF PDFs can be saved with (or without) Illustrator editability

Exported formats – cannot be edited in Illustrator SWF – a web-friendly vector format Raster (bitmap) – JPG, PNG, GIF


WHAT YOU CAN DO NOW

Create a postcard with shapes Design a poster with shapes Prototype (create a mockup for)

a web page


REVIEW: KEY POINTS

Illustrator’s role in the world of digital design For drawing illustrations For generating scalable, easily editable vector files

Defining documents / setting up workspace Define dimensions and units of measurement Set color mode View grids, rulers, guides, and snap-to Define stroke and fill colors

Designing with shapes Draw or generate shapes – in front, behind, or inside other shapes Select and move or copy Reshape and rotate with bounding box

Save or export Saved formats can be made editable with Illustrator Formats exported for web (SWF, GIF, JPG, PNG) cannot

Documents

MyGraphicsLab: Illustrator CS6 - AI01 Presentationtiffany-carpenter.weebly.com/uploads/1/1/0/4/11044519/ai... · 2015-09-24 · Title: MyGraphicsLab: Illustrator CS6 - AI01_Presentation.pdf