Learning Outcomes:

Lesson 1 - Getting to Know the Work Area

• Working with the Tools Panel
• The Control Panel
• Working with Panels and Panel Menus
• Saving Your Workspace
• Viewing Artwork
• Navigating Multiple Artboards
• Arranging Documents
• Using the Navigator Panel
• Finding Resources for Using Illustrator
• Checking for Updates

Lesson 2 - Selecting and Aligning

• Using the Selection Tool
• Using the Direct Selection Tool
• Selections with the Magic Wand
• Grouping Items
• Aligning Objects
• Applying Selection Techniques

Lesson 3 - Creating Basic Shapes

• Using Basic Shape Tools
• Outlining Strokes
• Working with Line Segments
• Joining Paths
• Working with Shape Modes
• Using Live Trace to Create Shapes

Lesson 4 - Transforming Objects

• Scaling Objects
• Reflecting Objects
• Distorting Objects
• Shearing Objects
• Positioning Objects Precisely
• Changing the Perspective
• Making Multiple Transformations

Lesson 5 - Drawing with the Pen Tool

• Creating Straight Lines
• Creating Curved Paths
• Building a Curve
• Curves and Corner Anchor Points
• Selecting and Manipulating Curves

Lesson 6 - Color and painting

• Color Modes
• Understanding the Color Controls
• Color Fundamentals
• Copying Attributes
• Using the Appearance Panel
• Building and Saving Your Own Custom Color
• Using Illustrator swatch libraries
• Creating a Spot Color
• Creating Color Groups
• Editing Color with Live Color
• Creating a Color Group with Live Color
• Assign Colors to Your Artwork
• Using Patterns
• Creating Your Own Pattern
• Working with Live Paint
• Create a PDF from your artwork

Lesson7 - Working with Type

• Importing a Text File
• Creating Columns of Text
• Understanding Text Flow
• Working with Overflow Text
• Threading Text
• Working with Font Size and Color
• Paragraph Attributes
• Saving and Using Styles
• Creating Character Styles
• Sampling Text
• Creating Text on Paths and Shapes
• Creating Text Outlines

Lesson8 - Working with Layers

• Creating Layers
• Moving Objects and Layers
• Locking Layers
• Viewing Layers
• Pasting Layers
• Creating Clipping Masks
• Merging Layers
• Applying Appearance Attributes to Layers
• Isolating Layers

Lesson9 - Blending Shapes and Colors

Go to top

• Working with Gradients
• Creating and Applying a Linear Gradient
• Adjusting the Direction and Angle of a Gradient
• Creating a Radial Gradient
• Changing Colors and Adjusting the Gradient
• Applying Gradients to Multiple Objects
• Adding Transparency to Gradients
• Working with Blended Objects
• Creating a Blend with Specified Steps
• Modifying the Blend
• Creating Smooth Color Blends

Lesson10 - Applying Attributes and Graphic Styles

• Using Appearance Attributes
• Adding an Additional Stroke and Fill
• Using Graphic Styles
• Applying Graphic Styles to Objects and Layers
• Adding to an Existing Graphic Style
• Applying an Appearance to a Layer
• Copying, Applying, and Removing Graphic Styles

Lesson11 - Working with Symbols

• Using Illustrator Symbol Libraries
• Editing Symbols
• Creating Symbols
• Applying a Symbol Instance
• Using the Symbolism Tools
• Updating a Symbol
• Breaking a Link to a Symbol

Lesson12 - Overview of Printing and Color Separations

• Learning about Printing Devices
• Halftone Screens
• Output Device Resolution
• The RGB Color Model
• The CMYK Color Model
• Spot Colors
• Synchronizing Color Using Adobe Bridge
• Separations Preview
• Specifying the Bleed Area
• Saving in the EPS Format
• Exporting and Importing Flattening Settings
• Saving as Adobe PDF

Lesson13 - Setting up your page

• Making your moves Easier
• Manipulating Windows and Panels
• Workspaces
• Objects
• Bezier-Editing Tools
• Align Panel
• Joining and Averaging
• Transformation
• Saving as PDF
• Image Formats
• Actions
• Bridge

Lesson14 - Zen of Illustration

• Building houses
• Grids and Lines
• Zen Scaling and Rotation
• Power Keys
• Pen tool

Lesson15 - Drawing and Coloring

• Stroke and Fill
• Color Panels
• Two-in-One Eyedropper
• Free Transform and Liquify tools
• Path Simplify
• Custom Coloring
• Gudies for Arcs, Isometric System, and Distorting Views
• Intricate Patterns
• Color Guidance

Lesson16 - Isolation Mode

• Compound Paths and Shapes
• The Blob Brush
• Live Trace
• Live Paint
• Coloring Sketches
• Trace Techniques

Lesson17 - Brushes and Symbols

• Symbols vs. Scatter Brush
• Pattern Brush
• Symbol Libraries
• Nature's Brushes

Lesson18 - Layers and Appearances

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• Layer Options
• Appearance Panel
• Digitizing a Logo
• Organizing and Nesting Layers
• Establishing Perspective

Lesson19 - Artboards and Type

• Working with Multiple Artboards
• Eight Type Panels
• Three types of Type
• Threaded Text
• Wrapping Area Type around Objects
• Character and Paragraph Styles
• Advantage of OpenType
• Glyphs Panel
• Converting Type to Outlines
• Masking Words
• Making a typeface
• Brush your Type
• Antiquing Type

Lesson20 - Blends, Gradients, and Mesh

• Simplest Mesh
• Contouring Mesh
• Shaping Blends
• Warping Blends
• Unified Gradients
• Molding Mesh

Lesson21 - Transparency

• Opacity Mask
• Transparent Color
• Adding Highlights
• Floating Type
• Glass and Chrome
• Tinting a Scan
• Blending Elements

Lesson22 - Live Color

• Recoloring Artwork
• Live Color, not Magic Color
• Fashionable Colors
• Night into Day
• Reducing Color

Lesson23 - Live Effects and Graphic Styles

• Effect Menu
• Raster Effects
• Scribble, Warps and Enveloping
• Graphic Styles
• Scrathboard Art

Lesson24 - Live 3D Effects

• Extruding, Revolving and Rotating an Object
• Surface Shading
• Mapping art onto an Object
• 3D with a 2D Twist
• 3D Effects

Lesson25 - Advanced Techniques

• Clipping Masks
• Simple Masking
• Masking Details
• Glowing Starshine

Lesson26 - Web and Animation

• Web Design Basics
• Create an Animation
• Illustrator to Flash
• Slicing
• Layering Frames
• Flash Animation

Lesson27 - Illustrator and Other Programs

• Placing Artwork in Illustrator
• Illustrator, Photoshop, InDesign, Acrobat
• Illustrator and 3D Programs