Illustrator 2024 Essential Training

Course details

Illustrator can be used to accomplish many different design tasks. For this reason, Illustrator Essential Training teaches core concepts and techniques that can be applied to any workflow for print, the web, or assets that will find their way into other applications. In this course, Adobe Creative Suite Master Tony Harmer explains the elements that make up the artboard, basic shapes, transforming objects and more. Tony discusses vector graphics—paths, strokes, and fills—and shows how to use each of Illustrator's drawing tools. He demonstrates how to combine and clean up paths, and organize them into groups and layers. Tony also covers text editing, working with color, expressive brush drawing, effects, and much more. Exercise files accompany the course.

Concepts

Introduction

Learn the essentials of Adobe Illustrator
Installing Illustrator
Anchor display

Illustrator Environment

Illustrator workspace
Navigation

Selection

Primary Selection Tools
Other selection methods
Saving selections

Shape and Line Tools

Drawing basic shapes
Drawing with the Line tools
Drawing with the Grid tools

Path Drawing

The Pen tools
The Pencil tool
The Brush tool
Eraser tools
Improving paths

Transforms

Transforms and Transform Again
Transform Each
Other essential transform tools

Color

Color models in Illustrator
Swatches and color groups
Global swatches
Spot colors
Using tints
The Color Guide panel
Recoloring artwork

Gradients

Linear gradients
Radial gradients
Freeform gradients
Stroke gradients

Strokes

Stroke attributes
Dashes, dots, and arrowheads
Variable width strokes

Brushes

Using brushes
Making brushes
The Blob Brush

Organizing Content

Aligning objects
Aligning points
Changing the stack order
Using draw modes
Using layers

Groups

Working with groups
Using symbols
Live Paint

Drawing by Construction

Compound shapes and paths
Shape modes and pathfinders
The Shape Builder
Clipping Masks
Intertwine
Using blends
Using repeats

Using Grids and Guides

Using grids and guides
Making guides from objects

Patterns

Creating a pattern
Transforming patterns
Making a Pattern Brush

Appearances

The power of appearances
Illustrator vs. Photoshop effects
Graphic styles

Transparency

Transparency and blend modes
Opacity masks

Type

Using point type
Using area type
The Touch Type tool
Type on a Path
Retype

Using Images

Placing images
Embedding images
Vectors from pixels

Generative Content

About generative AI in Illustrator
Text to vector

Output

Mockup
Export files
Asset Export

Artboards

Working with artboards
Organizing artboards

Conclusion

Continuing with Illustrator