Course Information

Duration: Two-Day Course
Platform: Windows and Macintosh
Fee: $765 CDN (+HST)

This class is limited to eight people.

*Note: As of February 2011 DPA Communications will offer Adobe Acrobat, InDesign, Photoshop, Illustrator, Fireworks, Premiere, After Effects, Dreamweaver, Flash and Flash Catalyst courses on version CS5 (Creative Suite 5).

If you are currently using previous versions see the CS4 version of this course outline for any differences in training course content. Please contact DPA for more details or to have an instructor contact you.

Course Overview

The Illustrator Introduction course is designed specifically for participants who have very little or no experience using Illustrator, As well this course is a comprehensive overview for people using other drawing programs and who are self taught.

In this course you will get up to speed with the many tools and panels to become comfortable with the interface of the application. You will learn to create a custom graphic as well as edit others. You will learn many techniques for creating and combining the many features of this program.

Course Content

The Illustrator Workspace

• Navigate your way around the work area
  
• Creating a custom workspace
  
• Creating, printing and editing multiple Art boards and using the Art board Panel
  
• Viewing Art boards - using preview or outline modes
  
• Using the zoom tools and zooming shortcuts
  
• Working with rulers, grids and guidelines to aid illustration
  
• Selecting and using tools, controls and panels
  
• Develop a clear understanding of the many selection tools and commands
  
• Working with more than one document window
  
• Working with the Layers panel to manage objects

Creating in Adobe Illustrator

• Drawing and editing of basic shapes
  
• Drawing lines, grids and formatting both colour and size
  
• Mastering the pen tools
  
• Tracing an image/logo creating a trace layer
  
• Using the Pencil, and Smooth tools
  
• Working with the Blob Brush tool
  
• Using the various eraser tools
  
• Using the Stroke Panel
  
• Creating and editing Anchor Points

Transforming and Combining Shapes

• Moving, scaling, shearing, reflecting and rotating objects
  
• Using the Transformation Tools
  
• Using scissors and knife tools and direct selection tool to edit shapes
  
• Using the Pathfinder Panel – to edit shapes
  
• Combining shapes with the shape builder tool
  
• Using the reshaping tools
  
• Distributing and space aligning objects
  
• Create Masks and Compound Paths.

Working with Type

• Formatting character and paragraph attributes
  
• Working with different text tools
  
• Creating Title and Paragraph text
  
• Creating Text Frames and Text on a Path
  
• Incorporating text into shapes
  
• Converting text to anchor points and paths
  
• Placing text from word documents
  
• Creating text columns and setting area options

Working with Colour

• Applying colours to objects
  
• Creating New Colours and using colour swatches
  
• Creating a colour gradient
  
• Saving and using gradients (blends) and gradient swatches
  
• Using the Gradient
  
• Tool on multiple objects
  
• Creating text columns and setting area options