Comprehensive Illustrator CS4 Training

Delivery Options

• Customized Onsite Training (4 days): Request a Proposal

Class Description

Class Overview

Class Goals

• Get to know the Adobe Illustrator CS4 work area
• Learn to use the selection and shape tools in Illustrator CS4
• Learn to transform objects
• Learn to effectively use the pen tool
• Learn to work with colors and painting
• Learn about type in Illustrator CS4
• Learn to work with layers
• Learn to blend shapes
• Learn to work with the brush tool
• Learn to apply effects, appearance attributes, and graphic styles
• Learn to work with symbols
• Learn to combine Illustrator graphics with other CS4 tools
• Learn to produce color separations for printing

Class Outline

1. Adobe Illustrator CS4 Jumpstart
   1. Creating the background
   2. Taking advantage of graphic styles
   3. One object, multiple fills and strokes
   4. Saving a graphic style
   5. Creating a symbol from the circle art
   6. Creating the text logo
   7. Applying the graphic style to the text logo
   8. Warping the text logo
   9. Using the Color Guide
   10. Incorporating an image into your artwork
   11. Erasing vector paths and shapes
   12. Creating a 3-D object
2. Getting to Know the Workspace
   1. Opening Illustrator
   2. Choosing a workspace
   3. Opening a file
   4. The document window
   5. Switching screen modes
   6. Changing your view
   7. Preview versus Outlines
   8. Zooming and scrolling
   9. Scrolling with the Hand tool
   10. Changing views with the Navigator panel
   11. Panels and workspaces
   12. The Tools panel
   13. Using tools and panels
   14. The Control panel
   15. Moving the Control panel
   16. Panel groups and the dock
   17. Custom workspaces
   18. Saving workspaces
   19. Using the Manage Workspaces dialog box
   20. Customizing keyboard shortcuts
   21. Custom shortcuts
   22. Saving shortcut sets
   23. Deleting shortcut sets
3. Illustrator CS4 Essentials
   1. Using the shape tools
   2. Repositioning and visually resizing the rectangle
   3. Finding or changing the shape’s dimensions using the Transform panel
   4. Rotating and shearing using the Transform panel
   5. Constraining a shape
   6. Entering exact dimensions
   7. Selecting artwork
   8. Helpful keyboard shortcuts for selections
   9. The selection tools
   10. Isolation mode
   11. Using shape and transform tools to create artwork
   12. Using the transform tools
   13. Adding a fill color
   14. Entering a shape size in the Transform panel
   15. Viewing in Outline view
   16. Rotating the shape
   17. Changing the color of the triangles
   18. Using layers when building an illustration
   19. Creating a new blank layer
   20. Cutting and pasting objects
   21. Creating bubbles
   22. Cloning the bubble group
   23. Repeating a resize transform
   24. Moving objects from one layer to another
4. Adding Color
   1. Basics of the Appearance panel
   2. Fills and strokes
   3. Saving swatches
   4. Global colors
   5. Saving a set of colors as a group
   6. Using the Color Guide panel
   7. Coloring objects
   8. Live Paint
   9. Live Color
   10. Creating a gradient swatch
   11. Creating a pattern swatch
   12. Loading Pantone colors
   13. Applying spot colors to the logo
5. Working with the Drawing Tools
   1. Working with the Pen tool
   2. Drawing straight lines
   3. Drawing curved lines
   4. Drawing hinged curves
   5. Drawing curved lines to straight lines
   6. Drawing straight lines to curved lines
   7. Tracing images
   8. Placing an image as a template
   9. Other drawing tools
   10. Using the Line Segment and Arc tools
   11. Using the Pencil, Smooth, and Path Eraser tools
   12. Using the Eraser tool
   13. Editing existing paths
   14. Adding and removing points
   15. Refining a curve
   16. Cutting and joining paths
   17. Working with Live Trace
   18. Using the tracing presets
   19. Understanding tracing options
   20. Expanding Live Traced artwork
   21. Working with Live Paint
   22. Creating a Live Paint group
   23. Setting Gap Detection options
   24. Using the Live Paint Bucket tool
   25. Using the Live Paint Selection tool
6. Working with and Formatting Text
   1. Formatting type
   2. Paragraph formatting
   3. Formatting imported type
   4. Paragraph and character styles
   5. Text wrap
   6. Advanced techniques with text
   7. Text on a path
   8. Warping text
   9. Text in a shape
   10. Creating outlines
   11. Check spelling
   12. Find and Replace
7. Organizing your Illustrations with Layers
   1. Getting to know the Layers panel
   2. Using layers to organize your illustrations
   3. Using the Layers panel to make selections
   4. Creating new layers and moving items between layers
   5. Paste Remembers Layers
   6. Template Layers
8. Working with Symbols
   1. Cleaning out the symbol library
   2. Creating symbols
   3. Editing symbols
   4. Importing a symbol library
   5. Using the symbolism tools
   6. Editing nested symbols
   7. Replacing symbols
   8. Saving symbol libraries
9. Using Effects and Transparency
   1. Working with the Appearance panel and effects
   2. Applying effects
   3. Editing effects
   4. Using graphic styles
   5. Creating and saving graphic styles
   6. Applying and modifying graphic styles
   7. Working with object transparency
   8. Working with multiple opacity
   9. Working with blending modes
   10. Saving and importing graphic styles
   11. Applying graphic styles to layers and symbols
10. Exporting and Saving Files
    1. Saving using the AI file format
    2. Saving an illustration with layers
    3. Make a template layer
    4. Using the Transform Eff ect
    5. Duplicating a Stroke
    6. Saving diff erent versions of the logo onto separate layers
    7. Expanding appearance
    8. Save the fi rst version
    9. Using Live Paint
    10. Using the Color Guide panel
    11. Saving the third version
    12. Using Recolor Artwork
    13. Saving a layered PDF
    14. Integration with other applications
    15. Exporting for Photoshop
    16. Integrating with InDesign
    17. Integrating with Flash
    18. Integrating with Premiere and After Effects
    19. Saving as EPS
    20. Save for Web & Devices
    21. Making a Flash animation
    22. Exporting a Flash animation
11. Advanced Blending Techniques
    1. Using the Blend Tool
    2. Applying a gradient
    3. Applying Radial Gradients
    4. Applying gradients using Illustrator's Gradient Mesh options
    5. Adjusting the Mesh
    6. Revisiting Blend Options
    7. More mesh work
    8. Overlapping images
    9. Applying a gradient mesh using the Mesh tool
    10. Finishing up with the Mesh tool and automatically adding a Highlight
    11. Using the Symbol tools
    12. Creating a symbol
    13. Modifying a Symbol's appearance

Class Materials

All students receive a course manual or book and all the class examples.

Students in private onsite classes will also receive:

• Illustrator CS4 Digital Classroom
• Technical Reference Library

Class Prerequisites

Experience in the following areas is required:

• Experience with basic software programs such as Microsoft Word

Technical Requirements

Our computer technical requirements and setup process is easy, with support just a click away.

• Course technical requirements and setup instructions.