Adobe Illustrator CS6 Book

Section 1

Setting Preferences: Do This Exercise First!

• Setting Up Preferences and Workspaces

Straight Lines

• Using the Pen Tool
• Adjusting the Workspace
• Arranging Objects
• Color Fills

Curves

• Drawing Curves (Pen Tool)
• Anchor Points and Direction Points
• Default Fill and Stroke

Corners and Curves

• Drawing Corners and Curves (Pen Tool)
• Adjusting Anchor Points

Section 2

No Smoking Sign

• Fill and Stroke
• Basic Shape Tools
• Grouping Objects
• Layers Panel
• Working with Templates
• Saving Illustrator Files: Options

Super Hero

• Live Trace and Live Paint
• Tracing Hand-Drawn Images
• Coloring Live Paint Objects
• Brushes
• Flare Tool

Section 3

What’s Behind the Green Door?

• Compound Paths
• Group Selection Tool

Mask Till You Drop

• Clipping Masks (Shapes)
• Blob Brush Tool
• Eraser Tool
• Reflect Tool

Masking with Type

• Type Tool
• Clipping Masks (Editable Type)
• Filling Text with a Photo
• Placing Linked Images

3D Shape: Milk Duds Box

• 3D Extrude & Bevel
• Creating Symbols from Artwork
• Mapping Symbols onto 3D Objects
• Lighting and Shadows for 3D Objects

Section 4

Will It Blend?

• Blend Tool
• Blending Options

Wavy Line Blend

• Blending Lines
• Reflect Tool
• Rotate Tool

Juggling Colors and Gradients

• Dashed Lines and Stroke Options
• Saving Colors as Swatches
• Blending Modes
• Gradient Tool
• Saving Gradient Swatches

Combining Shapes with the Pathfinder

• Merging Paths (Pathfinder)
• Transparency Options
• Grouping Objects

Section 5

Patterns

• Creating and Applying Pattern Swatches
• Scaling and Rotating Patterns
• Working with Layers
• Align Panel

One-Page Advertisement

• Working with Type
• Text and Character Options
• Adding a Drop Cap
• Type on a Path
• Text Wrap
• Fill Text with a Pattern

Stylin’ Effects

• Using the Appearance Panel
• Transparency
• Blending Modes
• Drop Shadows
• Arrowheads

Appearance and Graphic Styles

• Graphic Styles
• Appearance Panel
• Multiple Fills
• Auto-sizing Text Boxes

Section 6

Illustrating a Shirt Design

• Using Photoshop and Illustrator Together
• Creating/Editing Clipping Masks
• Compound Paths

Layers, Artboards & Recoloring Artwork

• Adding and Removing Layers
• Creating and Using Multiple Artboards
• Recoloring Artwork
• Converting CMYK Art to Spot Colors

Bonus Exercises

AT&T Logotype and Symbol

• Recreating a Logo Graphic and Text
• Drawing from a Scanned Template

Computerizing a Company Logo

• Placing Templates
• Converting Text to Outlines
• Subtract from Shape Area (Pathfinder)

Reference Material

Quick Reference for Drawing Paths

Blending Modes

Web File Formats: JPEG vs. GIF vs. PNG

Web Color Palettes

Useful Keyboard Shortcuts: Windows

Useful Keyboard Shortcuts: Mac