Adobe Illustrator gives you a new creative freedom that lets you realize your ideas quickly and powerfully. Instantly convert bitmaps to vector artwork and paint more intuitively. Save time with intelligent palettes and optimised workspaces. The skills gained will be instrumental in tasks such as logo design, website layout and poster creation. It will also give you an an appreciation for the value of being able to 'drop' vector drawings straight into Macromedia Flash.

Outline

Overview of illustration basics

• Raster vs. vector graphics
• Print vs. web
• Creating new drawings and opening existing drawings
• Page set up
• Viewing your work - full screen previews, zooming
• Gleaning information on your document (document info)
• Illustrator's Design Tools
• Bounding Box
• Navigation or 'Where did that drawing go?'
• Setting preferences/customizing Exporting your file

Tools

• Toolbars
• Let's Play
• Pen Tool Paths
• Working with Anchor Points
• Setting Line Measurements and Validating for Errors
• Manipulating lines
• Filling and outlining
• Symbols
• The Pencil Tool Set
• The Brush Tool
• Undo the deed
• Special Focus Lecture

Transforming Objects

• Copy and Duplicating
• Transforming Objects
• Pathfinder Palette
• Positioning objects
• Tying them together and Breaking them apart
• Layers, Color, Type and Appearance

Layers

• Working with color
• Working with text
• Spell checking
• Text special effects
• Text to Outlines
• Appearance Palette
• Styles

Live Paint and Live Trace (CS2 and CS3 only)

• Live Paint
• Converting Existing Objects into Live Paint Groups
• Expanding or Releasing a Live Paint Group
• Live Paint Bucket Options
• Live Paint Selection Tool
• Live Trace
• Expanding or Releasing a live trace
• Converting a traced object to a Live Paint Group

ClipArt, 3D, Special Effects, and Working with Images

• Working with clipart 3D Tips and Tricks
• Filters and Effects
• Light sources and drop shadows
• Special Focus Lecture - Positioning Shadows
• Special Focus Lecture - Using Version CS 3D Modeling Tools
• Perspective
• Working with images
• Special Effects
• Distortion and Object Creation Tools

Blends, Meshes, Masks and Libraries

• Blends
• Gradient Meshes
• Masks
• Libraries
• Actions
• Scripting
• Working with Image Maps
• Slicing

Illustrator and The Web

• Input
• A Word on Output Types
• Sharing files with PhotoShop
• Output Options
• Working with Flash
• SVG - A Closer Look