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 6-lesson course taught by Illustrator supremo Michael Hamm, 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: Three months of access to class materials and instructor feedback. Instructor: Michael Hamm Other details: Self-paced, online, 24 access to online learning environment
	Tuition: $803

Class Instructor Bio: Michael Hamm is a freelance designer and Web developer with more than 8 years of experience in the field of interactive design. Based in Washington State, Michael previously worked for JPMorgan Chase as an interactive designer. Michael's work has been published in various Web design books and magazines. In addition, he has served as technical editor on several design books published by Friends of Ed. Michael is an Adobe Certified Expert (ACE) in Adobe Illustrator and he is the founder, designer, programmer, and writer of Ergodraw.com, a Web site that grew from his passion for the illustration software and all things vector. LEFT: Image from Illustrator Basics with Michael Hamm. Michael leaves no stone unturned in this thorough but very fun, project-filled course.

Class Projects and Objectives:

This online class is packed with projects and tips.  Students can expect to: 

• Explore the Illustrator user interface.
  
• Become familiar with creating and saving new documents Illustrator documents properly.
  
• Work with various view modes and magnification settings.
  
• Learn a number of drawing tools and means of selecting and arranging shapes.
  
• Apply fill and stroke colors to objects.
• Design a robot using a range of shape and drawing tools.
  
• Use fill colors, stroke colors, and/or stroke weights to add color or dimension to the robot.
• Learn the use of the Direct Selection tool and the differences between it and the Selection tool.
  
• Learn how the special Direct Selection tools work in complex selection situations.
  
• Explore the various Illustrator drawing aids such as grids, guides, and rules.
  
• Learn to draw and paint with freehand tools such as the Paintbrush and Pencil.
  
• Explore the organization of artwork using layers.
• Design two CD covers using advanced selection, organization, and drawing tools.
  
• Provide consistency between the two covers as well as elements unique to each.
• Explore the uses of the Pen tool and the various icons that indicate its actions.
  
• Draw straight-edged shapes using the Pen tool and learn to join or continue paths.
  
• Create curved lines and hinged curves using the Pen tool and directional handles.
  
• Learn to cut and divide paths and shapes with the Scissors tool, Knife tool, and Object menu.
• Use the Pen Tool to create a vector image based on a bitmap image.
  
• Create Pen Tool curves as well as straight lines to mimic the shapes in the original image.
  
• Employ multiple layers to keep Pen Tool tracings organized.
• Explore methods of modifying objects using the Object menu.
  
• Use special transformation tools such as Reflect, Shear, and Twist.
  
• Learn to create unique distortions with liquification tools.
  
• Use the Free Transform tool and Transformation palette for precision shape modifications.
• Create three animal designs using Illustrator.
  
• Design a postcard background using a given template and include the three animal designs.
  
• Refine the animal and background designs using transformations or distortions for dimension or effect.
• Learn to use the basic Type tool and control text wrapping and flow.
  
• Use the Character and Paragraph palettes to refine areas of text.
  
• Explore special type tools that provide additional placement and typography features.
  
• Learn to convert editable type into Illustrator paths.
• Design a bus advertisement for a coffee company.
  
• Use Illustrator's various type tools to set the ad copy.
  
• Employ a clipping mask to constrain the ad design to the exact bus shape.
• Learn to align objects to the Artboard or other objects using the Align palette.
  
• Distribute objects and the spacing of objects using the Align palette.
  
• Explore the Pathfinder palette to create complex objects from groups of simple shapes.
  
• Learn additional methods of creating complex objects using the Object menu.
• Design a logo for a chosen person or business.
  
• Apply the logo design to a series of stationery items.