Week #2

April 5 - 10

🛠️Intro to Adobe Illustrator🛠️

Adobe Illustrator is a vector-based Adobe software, so your artwork can scale down for mobile screens and up to billboard size and its quality never changes!

Similar to Ps, when you open a new document, it gives you options for the size and color mode. There are also some available presets that you can choose based on your need!

Interface

Similar to Ps, through Window Menu on top, you can choose different workspaces relevant to your preference! Keep in mind, any missing panels can be found in the Window menu tab!

Control Panel/Bar

Similar to Photoshop Option Bar, the Control panel offers quick access to options related to the objects/tools you select. Options displayed in the Control panel vary depending on the type of object or tool you select. By default, the Control panel is docked at the top of the workspace. If you don't see the Control panel, you can open it from the Window menu!

Basic Commands:

Ctrl/Command + Letter "G" Group paths/shapes

Zoom in - Command/Ctrl + "+" on your keyboard

Zoom out - Command/Ctrl + "-"

Copy - Command/Ctrl + "C" or Select the shape with the Move tool, hold the Alt key, and drag

Paste - Command/Ctrl + "V"

Undo - Command/Ctrl + "Z"

Layer panel

Similar to Ps layers, Think of layers as clear folders that contain artwork. The order of layers affects the visibility of them! you can create folders/groups from multiple layers!

Properties Panel

When no objects are selected in your document and the Selection tool is selected, the Properties panel displays controls related to the artboards, ruler, grids, guides, snapping, and some commonly used preferences. In this state, the Properties panel displays quick action buttons that let you open the Document Setup and Preferences dialog boxes and enter the artboard editing mode.

For any selection, the Properties panel displays two sets of controls:

Transformation and appearance controls: Width, Height, Fill, Stroke, Opacity, etc
Dynamic controls: Additional controls, depending on the contents of your selection, may become available.
Quick Actions: Quick action tasks, depending on the contents of your selection, becomes available.

Align panel

You can find Align in the Properties Panel or as a separate panel. Illustrator shows alignment in the Properties panel when one or more objects are selected, You can also Choose Window > Align to open the Align panel.

you can choose whether you want to align multiple paths according to key objects or according to the artboard.

Change the stacking order/Arrangement

The shape/path at the top of the Layers panel is at the front of the stacking order, while artwork at the bottom of the Layers panel is at the back of the stacking order. To change this order you can select the layer you want and drag to the top or bottom of other layers.

Another easy way to change the stacking order is by using the Arrangement Command:

you can find the Arrangement in the Properties Panel by selecting the shape

To move an object to the top or bottom position in its group or layer, select the object you want to move and choose Object > Arrange > Bring To Front or Object > Arrange > Send To Back.
To move an object by one object to the front or one object to the back of a stack, select the object you want to move, and choose Object > Arrange > Bring Forward or Object > Arrange > Send Backward.

Isolation Mode

Lets you quickly isolate a layer, sublayer, path, or group of objects, from all other art in your document. When in isolation mode, all nonisolated objects in the document appear dimmed and are not selectable or editable. When you have groups of paths, by double click on the selected group of paths, you can enter the Isolation mode where you can modify or delete the isolated path.

Basic Tools

Basic shapes

Basic Shape tools are located in the Tools panel. To show other shape tools, click and hold the Rectangle tool in the Tools panel.

Selection and Direct selection tool

The Selection tool Lets you select objects and groups by clicking or dragging over them.

with Selection Tool selected, you can control basic transforms including Scale and Rotation. Select the shape and you will see the Bounding Box.

by clicking one corner you can freely scale up/down the shape. If you hold Shift Key while scaling up/down the shape, The shape maintains its same width/height proportion. If you want to change the rotation, hover over the mouse to one corner and you will see the rotation icon pop us, then you can rotate the shape.

Tip: If you click on the shape and can't see the Bounding Box, go to View Menu > Show Bounding Box

Direct Selection tool Lets you select individual anchor points or path segments by clicking on them, or select an entire path or group by selecting any other spot on the item. The Direct Selection tool can affect multiple points by holding the Shift key.

Color

In Illustrator you have multiple options to choose or change the color of a path. Select your shape and change color in one of these ways:

From the Control Panel
From the Fill/Stroke in the Tool Bar
From the Fill/Stroke in the Property Panel
Go to Window > Appearance

In the window Menu you will see these options:

Swatches

Swatches are named colors, tints, gradients, and patterns. The swatches associated with a document appear in the Swatches panel. Swatches can appear individually or in groups. Also, In the Swatches panel, click the Swatch Libraries Menu button , and choose a library from the list. Swatches don't automatically save in your document and if you close illustrator you won't see it next time you open it. However, you can save and add swatched to your color library. (search for Adding/Saving Swatches in illustrator)

Color Guide

Use the Color Guide panel as a tool for color inspiration while you create your artwork. The Color Guide panel suggests harmonious colors based on the current color in the Tools panel.

Color theme

The Adobe Color service helps you choose harmonious and appealing color combinations for your design projects. Adobe Color is integrated right within Illustrator and lets you create, save, and access your color themes. You can also explore the many public color themes available on Adobe Color and filter them in several ways: Most Popular, Most Used, Random, themes you've published, or themes you've appreciated in the past. Once you've found a theme that you like; you can edit it and and save it to your themes, or add it to your swatches in Illustrator.

Eyedropper Tool

First, select the path/shape, then with the eyedropper tool(I) you can hover your mouse to the area you want to pick the color and click it. you will see the fill color changes to the color you clicked on.

Gradients

A gradient is a graduated blend of two or more colors or tints of the same color. You can create or modify a gradient using the Gradient tool or the Gradient panel.

In Illustrator, you can create the following three types of gradients:

Linear
Radial
Freeform

Tip:

When you click the Gradient tool to apply a gradient for the first time, the White, Black gradient is applied by default. If you had applied the gradient previously, the last used gradient is applied on the object by default.

To create a gradient, do one of the following:

Gradient panel

Choose Window > Gradient. From the Type option, you can click Linear /Radial/ Freeform to apply the gradient on the object.

Gradient Tool

Click the Gradient tool and then click the object on the canvas. The Gradient Type buttons are displayed in the Control panel or Properties panel. With the object selected, you can click Linear /Radial/ Freeform to apply the gradient on the object.

Tool Bar

Modify or add colors to the gradient:

You can modify the color, origin, opacity, location, and angle of a gradient from the Gradient tool, Gradient panel, Control panel, and Properties panel.

In the Gradient Panel:

To change the color stop: double click on the color stop, change with swatches or pick a with the eyedropper tool.
To add color stops: Place the pointer on the Gradient annotator and when you see a + symbol below the pointer, click the Gradient Annotator. A color stop is added at the point you click.
To delete a color stop, select the color stop and do one of the following: Click on the Trash Bin on the right side of the Gradient Annotator.

In Gradient Tool:

To change the color: double click on the color stop, change with swatches or pick a with the eyedropper tool.
To add color stops: Place the pointer on the Gradient Slider and when you see a + symbol below the pointer, click the Gradient Annotator. A color stop is added at the point you click.
To change the location of color stops and their midpoints: Drag them along the gradient slider.
To rotate the gradient: Hover over the mouse to see the rotation icon next to the gradient annotator on the object and drag it.