Illustrator CS 4 Inspiration basics tutorial Inspiration By

Illustrator CS 4 Inspiration + basics + tutorial

Inspiration By viewing artworks of artists, we get to know what we can do with techniques and skills. By thinking about other artworks, we get to know what we can do with our own artworks. By discussing other artworks, we get ideas from others to improve our thinking.

Artists and artworks https: //www. adobe. com/designcenter/gallery/swf/index. html #u_s. Content=whitlam https: //www. adobe. com/designcenter/gallery/swf/index. html #u_s. Content=futurefarmers https: //www. adobe. com/designcenter/gallery/swf/index. html #u_s. Content=domanistudios https: //www. adobe. com/designcenter/gallery/swf/index. html #u_s. Content=meomi https: //www. adobe. com/designcenter/gallery/swf/index. html #u_s. Content=addikt https: //www. adobe. com/designcenter/gallery/swf/index. html #u_s. Content=alwayshungry

Textbook Lynda. com (in two weeks) Or http: //tv. adbe. com The wikipedia of learning softwares: help document: (menu) help > (software name) help… For adobe softwares, you can download the help pdfs or use it online. Better search function for the online version

Basics + Tutorial The lecture is composed of a tutorial and some basics. The tutorial is composed of several steps. Every step gets involved with some basics. You should first follow steps, then pay attention to “how-to” basics of every step. You can make your own operations after then, like you want another color, font … etc.

Colorful Abstract Work http: //www. adobe. com/products/illustrator/howto/

Pre step 1: general things For mac and win Win has control, alt, shift Mac has command, control, option (alt), shift Sometimes command in mac serves some functions of ctrl in win. If you want to right-click, better try hold ctrl to do that. What the hell is �? ! ( It seriously bothers me for a long time) Go to the top left corner of your screen to find the small apple; click it and choose system preference; choose keyboard; choose modifier keys. For illustrator (even photoshop maybe) Hotkeys http: //help. adobe. com/en_US/Ill ustrator/14. 0/WS 714 a 382 cdf 7 d 304 e 7 e 07 d 0100196 cbc 5 f 6426 a. html Double click (normally for setting) When using the mouse, hold these function keys will give features: shift, alt, command

Pre step 2: workspace Areas View -> hide/show (menu) Windows : call the functional window you want to see Status bar Control panel overview http: //help. adobe. com/en_US/Il lustrator/14. 0/WS 3021052 C 107 A-42 bd-B 64 ED 658875592 AF. html Knowing most things of your working environment will absolutely boost your efficiency, like knowing where your palette is in real painting.

Step 1: Create a new Illustrator file Help document: Create new documents http: //help. adobe. com /en_US/Illustrator/14. 0/WS 714 a 382 cdf 7 d 3 04 e 7 e 07 d 0100196 cb c 5 f-632 fa. html

Document setting New Document Profile Number of Artboards Size Bleed: http: //en. wikipedia. org/wiki/Bl eed_%28 printing%29

Step 2: Geometrical objects and their color scheme Rectangle tool Pencil tool Ellipse tool Line tool Spiral tool Color and swatches panel Color guide

Rectangle/Ell ipse tool • Click and drag to choose your tool from the list • Double click with the small cross to change the settings for the shape • For rounded rectangle, click UP or DOWN keys for corners when dragging • Drag and hold SHIFT for square or circle

Line/Spiral tool • Drag and choose from the list • http: //help. adobe. com/en_US /Illustrator/14. 0/WS 714 a 382 c df 7 d 304 e 7 e 07 d 0100196 cbc 5 f -625 aa. html

Pen tool • Drag to draw handles of curve • Single click for straight lines • http: //help. adobe. com/en_US /Illustrator/14. 0/WS 55 B 8 A 5 D C-5496 -494 d-ADA 8 FFE 0 FA 5 DAEA 1. html

Pencil tool • freeform drawing • smooth tool (have to select path first) • path eraser tool (have to select path first)

Color and Swatches • stroke • fill

Color guide • Windows -> color guide • http: //help. adobe. com/en_US /Illustrator/14. 0/WS 3 B 0 DBDE D-9 FA 7 -47 e 9 -B 4 BE 0 D 493 E 1034 E 2. html

Step 2 : Compound shapes Pathfinder Direct selection tool

Pathfinder • Window->pathfinder • http: //help. adobe. com/en_US /Illustrator/14. 0/WS 714 a 382 c df 7 d 304 e 7 e 07 d 0100196 cbc 5 f -645 aa. html

Anchor points • Pen tool : (delete point) will automatically close the path • Direct selection tool and delete : will leave the path open

Direct selection tool • edit path • convert anchor point • view -> smart guide

Step 3: Create a new brush First, define a shape Brush list (on top)-> New Brush You can also download brushes

Brush tool • http: //help. adobe. com/en_US/Illustrator/14. 0/WS 714 a 382 cdf 7 d 304 e 7 e 07 d 0100196 cbc 5 f-64 f 8 a. html • Brush panel • Brush libraries http: //help. adobe. com/en_US/Illustrator/14. 0/WS 62 B 429877610 -48 ab-B 16 A-A 270 EBFFDC 3 Aa. html

Blob brush • http: //help. adobe. com/en_US /Illustrator/14. 0/WS 4 E 460 ED 4 -933 D-4214 -97354197 A 55 C 03 D 9. html • Can merge same color paintings

Step 4: Gradient Color http: //help. adobe. com/e n_US/Illustrator/14. 0/W S 714 a 382 cdf 7 d 304 e 7 e 07 d 0100196 cbc 5 f 64 dca. html

Linear Gradient • change colors • change direction, radius and origin • add and delete midpoints

Radical Gradient • change direction in 2 dimensions • Technique for outer shading: • Create a circle. • Duplicate the created circle. Add a Radial Gradient. • Lower the Opacity to something around 50%.

Step 4: Lighting Technique Draw a line with the Line Tool. Duplicate the line, put the stroke color on white and lower the stroke width to the half of what it was. Go to Effect > Blur > Gaussian Blur… The amount of pixels depends on the width of the stroke. Scale the blurred white line and move it a little up or down. Optionally you can lower the Opacity to 75%.

Effect • Gaussian Blur • Effect -> stylize -> drop shadow • Lighting Technique Create a circle. Duplicate the circle, give it a black fill color, place it underneath the original circle and move it a little. Go to Effect > Blur > Gaussian Blur… The amount of pixels depends on the size this time. Lower the Opacity to 50%.

Step 5: inner shading • Create a shape. • Duplicate the shape and switch the fill-color to black. Go to Window > Transparency. Create a mask by clicking the empty spot next to the thumbnail of the shape twice. • Draw a rectangle inside the mask and give it a black to white gradient. Click back on the thumbnail of the shape and lower the opacity.

Step 6: Blend Create two lines with a different width. Use the Blend Tool. Press enter while the blended lines and the Blend Tool are selected, so that you can change the preferences. Choose Specified Steps for the Spacing, and put the number on around 20. Draw a circle on top of the blended lines. Select the circle and the Blend, go to Object > Clipping Mask > Make. Or press Command + 7. Press the Clipping Mask path and change its color.

Blend • http: //help. adobe. com/en_US /Illustrator/14. 0/WS 714 a 382 c df 7 d 304 e 7 e 07 d 0100196 cbc 5 f -643 ea. html

Clipping mask • http: //help. adobe. com/en_US /Illustrator/14. 0/WS 714 a 382 c df 7 d 304 e 7 e 07 d 0100196 cbc 5 f -644 aa. html

Step 7: work with imported picture (menu) File -> place Live trace: convert bitmap to vector Settings: threshold expand Live paint (live paint tool) Gap expand

Step 8: work with text Effect > 3 d Area text, point text, path text

Other highlights Transform: Rotate (flip) Scale Free transformation Layer panel Isolate Object>path Transparency panel Blending mode http: //help. adobe. com/en_US/Ill ustrator/14. 0/WS 714 a 382 cdf 7 d 304 e 7 e 07 d 0100196 cbc 5 f 64 e 0 a. html View > smart guide Appearance panel http: //help. adobe. com/en_US/Illus trator/14. 0/WS 714 a 382 cdf 7 d 304 e 7 e 07 d 0100196 cbc 5 f-61 f 9 a. html

Assignment 1 1. Choose 1 to read on this website: http: //www. adobe. com/products/illustrator/howto/ The important thing about this reading is not about how to use some specific tool. It is about how to combine your idea/theory with skill/technique. For an example, in “Blue mirror” (one of your choices), the artist mentions how can a specific brush helps him achieve the German expressionists’ effect. So the important thing for you is what kind of idea/theory ( like expressionism ) you want to achieve and which tools are important for you to practice to achieve your idea/theory. 2. Using Illustrator to create your own artwork. ( 3. During critique class, you are required to talk about the part

How to combine computer technique with traditional art skills http: //vector. tutsplus. com/articles/theory/c ore-art-skills-part-5 -traditional-mediatechniques/

Resource • Recommended Tutorials: (on http: //vector. tutsplus. com/tutorials/illustration) • http: //vector. tutsplus. com/articles/theory/core-art-skills-part-1 -welcome-to- the-course/ • http: //vector. tutsplus. com/tutorials/illustration/how-to-create-colorful- abstract-artwork-in-illustrator/ ( Lecture refers to this one ) • http: //vector. tutsplus. com/tutorials/illustration/from-sketch-to-vector-simple- illustration-thats-not-so-simple/ • Help documents: • http: //help. adobe. com/en_US/Illustrator/14. 0/

Resource • Videos: • http: //help. adobe. com/en_US/Illustrator/14. 0/WSA 062795 C-1 C 55 -4549 - 8 F 48 -CA 796 D 1800 C 4. html • http: //tv. adobe. com/show/learn-illustrator-cs 4/ • Artworks: • http: //www. adobe. com/designcenter/gallery/ • Readings: • http: //www. adobe. com/products/illustrator/howto/ • http: //www. adobe. com/designcenter/thinktank/