Setting up an illustrator document

About layers

Using the line tool

Using the shape tools

Modifying your shapes

Duplicating shapes

Adding colour

Create

Setting up an illustrator document

Create a new document, File/New from the above menu that is





Be sure to select CMYK as your colour mode. We are choosing to use CMYK as this stands for the colours Cyan, Magenta, Yellow and Black, the colours used for print design. RGB red, green and blue are used for digital files, which will become important if you import illustrator files in to Flash or Photoshop. Give your file a name and hit ok. Go to File/Save and save your file.

About layers

Before we start drawing it is good practice to organise your workspace. Go to Window/Layers to bring up the layers pallet.



At the base of the layer pallet is an icon that looks like which will create a new layer when clicked. Alternately you can click on the arrow at the top right hand corner of the layer window and choose New Layer from the pop up menu. Layers can be hidden by turning the eye icon on and off and can be locked by clicking in the blank square next to the eye icon (a lock icon will appear once you have clicked it). It is also a good habit to start naming the layers you use with descriptions that will reflect the artwork on these layers to avoid confusion if someone else will be working on your file.

Using the line tool

Time for some drawing. To draw a simple line select the line segment tool from the tool pallet. If it is not visible go to Window/Tools to bring up the tool pallet. Position your pointer where you want the line to begin, and drag to where you want the line to end. Alternatively you can click on the line segment tool and then on your document. This activates a dialogue box in which you can enter precise lengths and angles for the line you would like to create. Hit ok and your line will appear. This simple process applies to the line and all of the shape tools.

Using the shape tools

Select the rectangle tool from the toolbar. To draw a rectangle, position the pointer at one corner of the shape you want to draw, and drag diagonally until the shape is to your liking. If you hold the shift key down while you are drawing a rectangle your shape will be constrained to multiples of 45 degrees that will result in an even sided square. If you hold down the shift and option keys (mac) or shift and alt keys (pc) the square will draw from the center as apposed to dragging it diagonally. Play around with all the shapes to get a feel for drawing in the different ways mentioned above.

Modifying your shapes

In the toolbar, choose the Selection Tool and click on one of your newly created shapes. Go to Filter/Distort or Filter/Stylise to see how you can modify a simple shape into something else. I would not recommend an overuse of this tool as obviously everyone that has used illustrator before will know that it a standard filter and your results are not necessarily as cool as it seems to be the first time you are exploring the program.

Duplicating Shapes

To duplicate a shape choose the Selection Tool again. Select the shape you wish to duplicate and hold the option key down (mac) alt key (pc) and you will see a little white arrow appear. Once this arrow appears drag a copy of you object across the page, release the object and then the option/alt key. You can also hit command and d (mac) ctrl and d (pc) to duplicate a selected object. If you hold the option and shift keys (mac) alt and shift keys (pc) you will duplicate an object to align vertically, horizontally or diagonally to the original.

Adding Colour

Time to add some colour. With one of your objects selected take a look at the fill and stroke area at the base of the Tool Pallet.



Double click on the fill square to bring up the Colour Picker. Pick a colour and hit ok to fill your selected object. Do the same for the stroke and choose a colour and hit ok. Be careful when choosing your colours. If you move out of the CMYK colour range, for example you choose a neon or fluorescent colour, they will not print and an out-of-gamut colour alert will appear near the top right of the palette. Click the alert icon to shift to the closest CMYK equivalent (which is displayed below the triangle).



You can also use the Swatch Pallet to add colour to your objects. Go to Window/Colour to bring up the colour pallet. With your object still selected click the various colours in the Swatch Pallet, always make sure to see if you are changing the objects stroke or fill which is indicated at the base of the Tool Pallet.

Create

Please create a small composition consisting of simple shapes to add to your workbook. Think about how you can look at any object and break its basic elements down to a simple circle, square and triangle. It doesn't have to be a masterpiece, just an example of what you have explored.