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Adobe Illustrator CC 2014 Book

Step-by-Step Training Workbook:

In this book you'll be taken step-by-step through a variety of exercises that will show you how to place type on a curve, draw with bezier curves, use compound paths and masking, utilize gradients, and much more. Clear the mystery out of drawing with Illustrator!

Includes Downloadable Class Files (works on Mac & PC)
ISBN: 978-1-941333-04-4

Setup & Introduction
Downloading the Class Files
The Tools Panel Expanded & Keyboard Shortcuts
Section 1
Setting Preferences: Do This Before Other Exercises!
  • Setting up preferences & workspaces
Straight Lines
  • Using the Pen tool
  • Adjusting the workspace
  • Arranging objects
  • Color fills
Curves
  • Drawing curves with the Pen tool
  • Anchor points & direction points
  • Default fill & stroke
Corners & Curves
  • Drawing corners & curves with the Pen tool
  • Adjusting anchor points
Section 2
No Smoking Sign
  • Fill & stroke
  • Basic shape tools
  • Grouping objects
  • The Layers panel
  • Working with templates
  • Saving Illustrator files: options
Super Hero
  • Live Trace & Live Paint
  • Tracing hand-drawn images
  • Coloring Live Paint objects
  • Brushes
  • The Flare tool
Section 3
What’s Behind the Green Door?
  • Compound Paths
  • The Group Selection tool
Mask Till You Drop
  • Clipping masks (shapes)
  • The Blob Brush tool
  • The Eraser tool
  • The Reflect tool
Masking with Type
  • The Type tool
  • Clipping masks (editable type)
  • Filling text with a photo
  • Placing linked images
3D Shapes: Milk Duds Box
  • 3D Extrude & Bevel
  • Creating symbols from artwork
  • Mapping symbols onto 3D objects
  • Lighting & shadows for 3D objects
Section 4
Will It Blend?
  • The Blend tool
  • Blending options
Wavy Line Blend
  • Blending lines
  • The Reflect tool
  • The Rotate tool
Juggling Colors & Gradients
  • Dashed lines & stroke options
  • Saving colors as swatches
  • Blending modes
  • The Gradient tool
  • Saving gradient swatches
Combining Shapes with the Pathfinder
  • Merging paths (Pathfinder)
  • Transparency options
  • Grouping objects
Section 5
Patterns
  • Creating & applying pattern swatches
  • Scaling & rotating patterns
  • Working with layers
  • The Align panel
1-Page Advertisement
  • Working with type
  • Text & character options
  • Adding a drop cap
  • Type on a path
  • Text wrap
  • Filling text with a pattern
Stylin’ Effects
  • Using the Appearance panel
  • Transparency
  • More blending modes
  • More drop shadows
  • Arrowheads
Appearance & Graphic Styles
  • Graphic Styles
  • The Appearance panel
  • Multiple fills
  • Auto-sizing text boxes
Section 6
Illustrating a Shirt Design
  • Using Photoshop & Illustrator together
  • Creating/editing clipping masks
  • Compound paths
Layers, Artboards, & Recoloring Artwork
  • Adding & removing layers
  • Creating & using multiple artboards
  • Recoloring artwork
  • Converting CMYK art to spot colors
Bonus Material
AT&T Logotype & Symbol
  • Recreating a logo graphic & text
  • Drawing from a scanned template
Computerizing a Company Logo
  • Placing templates
  • Converting text to outlines
  • Subtracting from a shape area (Pathfinder)
Reference Material
Quick Reference for Drawing Paths
  • General rules for creating paths
  • Available keystrokes when drawing
Blending Modes
  • Explanation of each blending mode
Web File Formats Quick Reference
  • Comparison of JPEG, GIF, PNG, & SVG
Web Color Palettes

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Our workbooks are meant to be used while you work on your computer. They typically contain step-by-step exercises that walk you through doing tasks on your computer. An ideal setup would be to have the eBook loaded onto a device (like a tablet/smartphone) or on a second computer monitor, so you can read the book as you work on your computer. You can also print the PDF if you prefer.

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Examples of What You Learn

Why Our Books Are Unique

Our books are packed with step-by-step exercises that walk you through projects. You’ll learn by doing exercises, not reading long explanations. The goal is to give you hands-on practice with the program, getting you started quickly with the things that are most important for real life work.

demonstration of different book formats: print, kindle, & mobile devices
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