Learning the basics of
Illustrator
When starting to use Adobe Illustrator you must learn some of the basic tools in order to understand the software. These tools are essential to using Illustrator.
|
Shape Tool
Illustrator allows you to use a range of shapes. By selecting a shape you can then drag the mouse along to make a shape. When trying to make the perfect circle or square you hold the shift button then drag your shape to form it.
Shapes also have a fill and stroke, this is the shapes colour an outline. If I make a shape I can decide if I want a fill on my shape or a stroke.
The shape tool also gives me the freedom to warp the shape within its selection. Dragging the white dots that surround the selection box, I can then manipulate the shape I originally started with.
Shape Builder Tool
Once the basics of the shape tool were learnt, this lead us on to learn about the shape builder tool.
I started by using the ellipse tool to create some shapes. I pressed ALT + SHIFT to create 3 perfect circles.
Next I selected all the shapes that I made then went to the tool bar to use the shape builder tool.
Once selected, certain areas will appear grey where the mouse hovers. This means I can join these shapes together.
The use of the '+' or '-' allows me to either join a shape to another shape or remove an overlapping shape from another one.
At the end I have a new shape merged together which I can then add more to or remove shapes.
Text/Shape Tool
I started by selecting a shape as well as selecting the text tool, which will wrap around the shape.
Then I went on to arrange my font size and position before I started to type out my text.
I typed out my text which would wrap around my shape. Once I was happy with the text I adjusted the font, size and position once more.
I added additional text to the shape then adjusted the alignment so that it would centred
Afterwards I positioned my text parallel to each other so that this ensure that the text was entirely wrapped around the shape.
Once I was happy with my text, I then added an image to go inside the text. This finished the design off nicely.
Compound Tool
To create a compound path I must select two or multiple overlapping objects. To do so I go to object, then compound path an lastly make. This means all the shapes are joined as one.
The path finder allows me to decide how I want my compound shape to look. Using this allows me to subtract, section or add a shape.
I can also alter the shape by using the direct selection tool. I can also go to object > compound path and release so that I can easily return the compound paths to it's original components.
|