Walk through the advanced features in Adobe Illustrator. Learn helpful techniques for tracing pixel-based images, working with the Appearance panel, using dynamic effects, and more.
Overview
Syllabus
Introduction
- Welcome to One-on-One
- Auto-tracing in Illustrator
- Opening an image to embed it
- Placing an image to create a dynamic link
- Auto-tracing and resolution
- Upsampling in Photoshop for better results
- Adjusting the Threshold value
- The advanced tracing options
- Expanding and simplifying traced paths
- Scaling your vector-based tracing
- Tracing lines with uniform strokes
- Tracing both strokes and color fills
- The world of complex path interactions
- Introducing the four shape modes
- Building dynamic compound shapes
- Exclude and the compound path
- Mixing and matching shape modes
- Adding paths to a compound shape
- The six static Pathfinder operations
- Working with unfilled and open paths
- Additional Pathfinder options
- Repeating the last Pathfinder operation
- The legend that is the Layers panel
- Hiding, showing, and creating layers
- Moving objects between layers
- Lock, isolate, and preview a layer
- Adjusting the stacking order
- Expanding the contents of a layer
- Naming and arranging objects
- Containers: Compound paths vs. groups
- Targeting and formatting a group
- Targeting an entire layer
- The Layers panel for fills and strokes
- Assigning multiple fills and strokes
- Transforming fills and strokes
- Clearing and duplicating appearances
- Creating a Transform sequence
- Stupid Appearance panel tricks
- Applying appearances to editable type
- Assigning patterns to fills and strokes
- Turning hexagons into honeycomb
- Stacking attributes and effects
- Building up depth with offset strokes
- Drop Shadow and Gaussian Blur
- Introducing the Scale tool
- The benefits of static transformations
- Setting the transformation origin
- Introducing the Rotate tool
- Creating transformation guides
- Using the Scale tool to create primitives
- Uniting and rotating the primitives
- Introducing the Shear tool
- Skewing one path to match another
- Power-duplicating the petals of the star logo
- Offset Path: A different way to scale
- Adding skewed gradient shadows
- Transforming partial path outlines
- Using the Reflect tool
- Using the Reshape tool
- The Transform Each command
- How alignment and distribution work
- Snapping and smart guides
- Aligning a group to the artboard
- Distributing objects across the artboard
- Aligning to a fixed “key” object
- Distributing by a specified amount of space
- Using the Align options as positioning tools
- Adding extruded edges to your artwork
- Aligning the backs of your extruded letters
- Casting shadows from faux 3D objects
- The joy of custom gradients
- Assigning and modifying a gradient
- Introducing colors into a gradient
- Adjusting color stops
- Adding transparency to a gradient
- Using the Gradient tool and annotator
- Working with radial gradients
- Assigning a gradient stroke
- Making the most of linear gradients
- Combining gradients with effects
- Creating a custom emoji
- Variable-width gradient strokes
- Combining multiple gradient fills
- Exporting your emoji as a PNG file
- Illustrator’s oldest dynamic functions
- Creating a dynamic object blend
- Redirecting a blend by editing its spine
- Creating a custom shape gradient
- Adding texture to your custom gradient
- Meet the Reverse Front To Back command
- Creating a clipping mask
- Masking the contents of an entire layer
- Fixing problems with the Blend tool
- Aligning your intervals to the spine
- Moving objects into a clipping mask
- Blending between groups
- Blending the colors of sequential paths
- Coloring overlapping areas
- Introducing Live Paint
- Modifying Live Paint strokes
- Using the Live Paint Selection tool
- Coloring traced or freeform line art
- Automatic gap detection
- Merging Live Paint objects
- Filling a region with a gradient
- Introducing the false Möbius strip
- Drawing a ribbon using an object blend
- Violating all laws of stacking order
- Sneak peek: Recolor Artwork
- Shading a Live Paint object with gradients
- Tailoring your gradients to fit your art
- Introducing the pixel-based image
- Placing a photograph into your artwork
- Working with linked images
- Scaling and cropping with the bounding box
- Drawing a border around an image
- Cropping an image using a clipping mask
- Using the Mask and Crop Image buttons
- Creating dynamic crop marks around your art
- Placing an image with transparency
- Placing a photograph into editable type
- Adding stroke effects behind photo type
- Packaging all linked images and fonts
- Generating colors using harmony rules
- Introducing the Color Guide panel
- The color models: RGB, CMKY, and Lab
- The 23 color harmony rules, diagrammed
- Mixing and matching color harmonies
- Using a color group as a harmony rule
- Loading a predefined swatch library
- Introducing the Edit Colors dialog box
- Mastering the Edit Colors controls
- Constraining colors to a swatch library
- Sharing swatches between documents
- Making your swatch libraries persistent
- Changing lots of colors all at once
- Introducing the Recolor Artwork command
- Editing colors in the Lab color wheel
- Locating specific colors in your artwork
- Recoloring artwork using a color group
- Reducing your art to three spot colors
- The five color reduction methods
- Recoloring a repeating tile pattern
- My favorite features in all of Illustrator
- Applying and expanding a dynamic effect
- Drawing an orthogonal cube
- Creating a dynamic cube of cubes
- Busting up and coloring the cubes
- Adding glows and shadows with Outer Glow
- Targeting the contents of a group
- Clipping effects inside objects
- Creating flower petals with Pucker & Bloat
- Scale, rotate, and duplicate in one operation
- Document Raster Effects Settings
- Alternating the colors of repeated objects
- Creating an origami effect with Zig Zag
- Duplicating effects between fills
- Swapping out colors in dynamic art
- Saving attributes and effects
- Introducing the Graphic Styles panel
- Creating your own graphic style
- Assigning a style to an entire layer
- Updating graphic styles
- Experimenting freely without penalty
- Combining multiple styles
- Utterly mastering graphic styles
- Refining a Pucker & Bloat effect
- Illustrator’s elaborate print engine
- Printing to colored paper stock
- Adding a bleed for borderless printing
- The Separations Preview panel
- Working with Pantone spot colors
- Troubleshooting and overprinting
- Introducing the Print command
- Adding trim and printer’s marks
- Exporting color separations
- Until next we meet
Taught by
Deke McClelland
