© 2010 delmar, cengage learning chapter 1 getting started with illustrator

© 2010 Delmar, Cengage Learning

Chapter 1

Getting Started with Illustrator

Objectives

• Create a new document• Explore the Illustrator window• Create basic shapes• Apply fill and stroke colors to objects• Select, move, and align objects• Transform objects• Make direct selections

© 2010 Delmar Cengage Learning

Create a New Document

• To create a new document in Illustrator, you begin in the New Document dialog box.– Choose document size, number of artboards,

page orientation, and unit of measure for rulers


Creating a New Document

• Choosing color modes and document size– CMYK Color is color mode used for print

projects– RGB Color is used for projects going to

screen such as TV or Web



• Choosing color modes and document size– New Document Profile menu in New Document dialog

box allows you to choose • Print• Web• Mobile and devices• Video and film• Basic CMYK• Basic RGB



• Choosing a unit of measure– Many designers choose points and picas

• Point is 1/72 inch• Pica is 12 points or 1/6 inch



• To set preferences for units of measure• Click Edit on Application bar• Point to Preferences • Click Units and Display Performance• Click General, Stroke, and Type list arrows


Creating a New Document Document name

Size list arrow

Units list arrow

Color Mode list arrowNew Document dialog box (Windows)

Landscape

Portrait

Expand/Collapse button

Number of Artboards setting



QUICKTIP

If you are using a Macintosh, you will find the Preferences command on the Illustrator menu.


Exploring the Illustrator Window

• The arrangement of windows and panels that you see on your monitor is called the workspace.

• Illustrator CS4 offers a number of predefined workspaces that are customized for different types of tasks.



• The default workspace is called Essentials.

• The workspace includes the– Application bar– Document tab– Artboard– Pasteboard– Panels– Tools panel



• The Application bar includes menus, the Go to Bridge button, the Arrange Documents list arrow, the workspace switcher, and the Minimize, Maximize, and Close buttons.

• The document tab contains the name of your document, magnification level, and color mode.



• The artboard is the area, bound by a solid line, in which you create your artwork; the size of the artboard can be set as large as 227" × 227".

• The pasteboard is the area outside the artboard where you can store objects before placing them on the artboard.



• The Tools panel contains tools that let you create, select, and manipulate objects in Illustrator.

• Panels are windows containing features for modifying and manipulating Illustrator objects.

• Panels are arranged in groups on the right side of the workspace.



• Other areas of the workspace include the status bar and the zoom text box.

• The status bar contains the zoom text box, the zoom menu, the Artboard Navigation menu, and Next and Previous buttons.




Panels

Application bar

Tools panel

Pasteboard

Artboard

Status bar

Document tab

Zoom text box


• Quick keys are commands essential for performing basic and complex operations– When available, quick key is listed beside

command in menu– Best place to start memorizing quick keys is with

commands on File, Edit, and Object menus


Create Basic Shapes

• Basic geometric shapes are the foundation of Illustrator


Create Basic Shapes

• Bitmap Images – created using square or rectangle grid of colored squares called pixels.

• All scanned images composed of pixels• All digital images composed of pixels

• Number of pixels in a given inch referred to as image’s resolution.


Create Basic Shapes

• Bitmap images termed resolution-dependent– Resizing larger means negative impact on

image quality


Create Basic Shapes

Bitmap image

Pixels


Create Basic Shapes

• Graphics created in Illustrator are vector graphics

• Created with lines and curves• Defined by mathematical objects called

vectors


Create Basic Shapes

• Vector graphics consist of anchor points and line segments, together referred to as paths– Can be scaled to any size

• Termed resolution-independent


Create Basic Shapes

Vector graphic


Apply Fill and Stroke Colors to Objects

• Click the Fill or Stroke button on the Tools panel

Stroke button

Swap Fill and Stroke buttonFill

button

Default Fill and Stroke button



• Swatches panel is central to color management in application

• Simple resource for applying fills and strokes to objects



• When object selected, click swatch in panel applies color as fill or stroke, depending on which is activated.

• Dragging swatch to unselected object will change color of its fill or stroke, depending on which is activated.



47 Pre-set colors, gradients, patterns,and shades of gray


Select, Move, and Align Objects

• To move or modify object, select it with a selection tool, menu item, or command key– Two basic ways to move objects

• Click and drag• Use arrow keys

• Pressing [Alt](Win) or [option](Mac) when dragging creates copy of object



• Grouping objects allows them to be selected with one click of Selection tool– To group:

• Click objects• Click Object on Application bar• Click Group



• Marquee selection – dotted rectangle that is created when you drag the Selection tool around an object or objects– Any object marquee touches before mouse is

released will be selected– Marquee selections very useful for quick and

precise selections



• Smart Guides are temporary guides turned on and off on the View menu– help move and align objects in relation to other

objects• Smart Guides use words to identify visible or

invisible objects, page boundaries, intersections, anchor points, paths, and center points


Transform Objects

• Transforming objects– Fundamental transformation tools:

• Scale tool: resize objects• Rotate tool: rotate objects• Reflect tool: flip objects over an imaginary

axis


Transform Objects

• Transform an object using desired tool or its dialog box

• Enter precise numbers to execute transformation on selected object


Transform Objects

• Repeating transformations– Powerful command is Transform Again, found

on Object menu• When you transform an object, Transform

Again repeats transformation


Transform Objects

• Repeating transformations– Power comes in combination with copying

transformations• Very handy for creating complex geometric

shapes from basic objects


Transform ObjectsScale dialog box

Options for scaling an object

Copy button


Transform Objects

Reflected text examples


Make Direct Selections

• Use the Direct Selection tool to select individual anchor points or single paths of an object

• Use [Shift] to select multiple anchor points or multiple paths

• Select multiple paths or anchor points by dragging a direct selection marquee



• Clicking center of object with Direct Selection tool selects entire object

• Click edge to select path only



• Adding anchor points– Add Anchor Points command creates new anchor

points without distorting object– To add anchor point:

• Click Object on the Application bar• Point to Path• Click Add Anchor Points



Direct Selection tool selects single objects within groups

Direct Selection tool selects anchor points and paths

Using the Direct Selection tool



• Turning Objects into Guides– Any object you create can be turned into

guide• Select object• Click View on the Application bar• Point to Guides, then click Make Guides


• When object becomes guide, it loses its attributes, such as fill, stroke, and stroke weight

• Illustrator remembers original attributes • To transform guide back into object, click

View on the Application bar, point to Guides, then click Release Guides