Illustrator Training Course Basics

Adobe Illustrator projects

Illustrator Basics It's high time you learned Adobe Illustrator, the powerful digital drawing tool used for creating illustrations for print or the Web. You can create detailed and beautiful art using this popular vector software.

In this course, you'll build a strong foundation in Illustrator. Starting with a tour of important menus, palettes, and tools you'll move up to the exploration of selection tools, layers, drawing tools, the pen tool, transformations/distortions, type tools, and modifying paths and shapes. Class projects will include creating a robot, a CD cover, photo-realistic art, a postcard, a bus ad, and a visual identity. You'll be surprised how fast you'll master Adobe Illustrator and apply your learning to your personal and professional portfolio.

On this page: enrollment details | instructor | class projects and objectives | prerequisites

Class Title: Illustrator Basics Start Date: Classes start daily. Enroll today and gain immediate access. Class Length: Six months of access to class materials and instructor feedback. Instructor: Michael Hamm Other details: Self-paced, online, 24 access to online learning environment

THIS CLASS IS OFFERED AT SESSIONS COLLEGE: get the details (Check the syllabus at Sessions College for updated class information.)

Class Instructor Bio: Michael Hamm is a freelance designer and Web developer with over a decade of experience in the creative field. Based in Washington state, Michael provides design solutions for clients across the country through his company ClayEdward Design. Prior to working on his own, Michael worked for JPMorgan Chase in Houston, Texas as an interactive designer. His work has been published in various Web design books and magazines and he is a regular contributor to Layers Magazine. In addition, he has served as technical editor on several design books published by Friends of Ed. Michael recently co-authored Introduction to Web Design Using Dreamweaver published by Glencoe/McGraw-Hill. Michael is an Adobe Certified Instructor in Adobe Illustrator and has a Diploma in Graphic Design from the Art Institute of Houston. Michael is the founder, designer, programmer, and writer of PointsandPaths.com, a Web site that grew from his passion for illustration software and all things vector. LEFT: Image from Illustrator Basics. You will leave no stone unturned in this thorough but fun, project-filled course.

Class Projects and Objectives:

This online training basics class is packed with beginner Adobe Illustrator projects. Students will meet the following objectives:

• Work efficiently in the Adobe Illustrator environment with various modes, panels, and settings.
• Use the full range of shape drawing and freehand drawing tools to build illustrations.
• Apply fill and stroke colors to objects created with the drawing tools.
• Develop attractive illustrations using advanced selection, organization, and drawing tools.
• Use the full range of transformation and distortion tools to accurately modify objects' shapes.
• Draw accurate vector objects using the Pen tool and its associated features.
• Use the various type tools, and apply wrap, flow, shape, and path modifications to typography.
• Design an advertisement using appropriate typography, drawing tools, and a clipping mask to contain the art within a shape.
• Align multiple objects with the Align panel and create complex shapes from simple objects with the Pathfinder panel and Shape Builder tool.
• Design a logo using the appropriate tools and features covered throughout the course.