Adobe Illustrator is a powerful design /drawing software program. Anyone, regardless of artistic or computer ability, can use Adobe illustrator to draw shapes and lines, create text, or import graphics and pictures. Students will learn to create “drawn” graphics, integrating content from other CS6 domains (such as photo-oriented graphics from Photoshop).
This course is designed to teach you everything you need to know to make full use of Adobe Illustrator.
This course is intended for designers, publishers, pre-press professionals, marketing communications professionals, or people switching to a design job or taking on design responsibilities and who need to use Illustrator to create illustrations, logos, advertisements, or other graphic documents.
The course will be negotiated to meet learners’ needs and can include the following:
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Introduction |
Interface – window/palettes/menus Bitmap vs vector Resolution/print theory Locating help |
Editing |
Grouping/locking/visibility Isolation mode Edit colours throughout a graphic |
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Drawing basics |
New documents – document setup Basic shapes – rectangles/ellipses Viewing – preview/outline Object stacking order Selecting & modifying shapes Colour – fills & strokes |
Type |
Type Characteristics – size/leading/tracking Point & area type tools Importing type Threading text boxes Textwrap Outlining type – pros and cons Touch type tool – adjust individual letters |
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Selections |
Selection & direct select tools MagicWand and lasso selections |
Layers |
Introduction to layers Controlling layers Exporting layers |
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Simple drawing |
Shaper tool – ‘predictive drawing’ Pencil tool – freehand drawing Paintbrush & blob brush tools Eraser/scissors/knife Curvature tool – simple, smooth, more accurate shapes |
Saving & file formats |
Saving – files types – ai. eps. pdf… Exporting files types Share on behance – online showcase |
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Drawing – pen tool |
Drawing with the pen tool Modify shapes – cut, join, align Alignment/smart guides Drawing using guides Drawing over a template |
Preferences |
Configuring preferences – units, increments, grids/guides, interface… |
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Transformations |
Free transformation tool Cutting/joining paths |
New artboards |
Artboard tool – rotating/moving/resizing |
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Fills & textures |
Colour theory – RGB/CMYK Colours – creating, editing, sharing spot colours – Pantone™ Creating patterns & gradients Libraries |
Styling |
Brushes – art/scatter/calligraphic/bristle/pattern Effects – applying editable effects as bitmap or vector |
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Transformations |
Scale, rotate, reflect &shear tools Repeating transformations |
Symbols |
Updateable graphics Modifying symbols |
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Clipping Masks |
Masking objects – draw inside & clipping masks |
Tracing |
Live trace – vectorising bitmaps images Live paint – quicker painting for areas |
Who can join the course?
This course will not require you to have previous experience in any particular area.
What equipment is required?
Adobe Illustrator CC / CS6 (recommended). No books will be required.
Students interested can download the free trial version of Adobe Illustrator CC for this course.
Teaching and learning methods
The class will be taught by a qualified tutor with some independent study and skills practice required.
Upcoming Courses
Please get in touch to find out about our upcoming courses.
Contact us
Opening Hours
Mon-Fri: 8:00-17:00
Sat-Sun: Closed