Hey all,
Royds and I have decided to help the CG community out with a Illustrator Thread, featuring the basic's of using Illustrator productively and a set of tutorial links that will help you come to grips with interface. We've never really done something like this before, but I hope it helps. This thread is mainly aimed at the people of Cybergamer that have been asking for a little help, or a tutorial mainly focused for the logo design. but remember,
'it's not just about having all the right expensive tools and set-up, it's about using your mind creativity'
Illustrator [Introduction]
llustrator is a vector-based imaging program. Unlike Photoshop, which deals in pixels (raster images), Illustrator deals in lines and algorithms for various shapes. It functions by generating curved paths connected by modifiable anchor points. These anchors, with their handles, are ultimately editable and never "leave" the structure of the file.
There a number of tools in illustrator, and it really just takes awhile to get used to some of them, This thread should help you get started with some of the basics and remember this is not photoshop!
Finding your way around the Interface [My Setup]
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Here's an example of my own layout.
I've tagged the location of the main tools, (or in my opinion the only important ones specific for logo design) on the left-hand side is the Select tool, Pentool, Text tool, Shape tools, Eraser tools, Gradient tool, Move and Zoom, and on the right is swatches of the Colour tool, Stroke & Gradient features, Layers and Pathfinder.
Don't see those swatches on the right side?
Click the little fast-forward button to Expand the panels.
(please note that your OS and your version of Illustrator may effect the look of your layout)
Pen Tool
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The pen tool is probably the most powerful feature in Illustrator, it can be used to create custom lines, curves and shapes, and serves as the foundation of illustration and design. The pen tool itself is a 'basic' enough tool, used by creating 'anchor points' and the connections between them, to form shapes. This flexible tool allows you to create some amazing things, the shapes created by the pen tool are what makes a logo or design different and unique. A very common practise for learning designers is 'tracing', in were you scan a drawing/sketch done on paper, and import it into Illustrator, allowing you to trace over it with the pen tool.
Scribbled Tonality WIP Logo - Kriz
Tip: [Royds] 'Remember when creating a logo design to keep it clean and simple, this may differ when designing a more advanced logo, but for learners, creating a simple and creative design is your best bet.'
Below is a list of personally chosen tutorials to help you guys further your skills with the Pen tool.
Illustrator’s Pen Tool: The Comprehensive Guide - By Vector Tuts
Drawing with the Pen Tool - By Adobe.com
Pathfinder Tool
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The Pathfinder feature is made up of multiple tools that lets you create new shapes out of overlapping objects.
The Pathfinder feature is located in Window > Pathfinder.
Shape Modes:
The Unite tool:, which does exactly what it says, by selecting two objects you can simply unite them with a click. An example would be uniting two objects to add stroke on both. A great tool to learn to keep your designs organised.
The Minus Front tool:, when selecting two objects subtracts the front object from my back object anywhere they intersect. The top layer of the two, acts as a rubber and erases away from the bottom layer, a very useful tool when creating negetive space logos. This tool is a time saver, and comes highly recommend to learn.
The Intersect and Exclude tool:, Both use negative space and it's fairly hard to explain, but is done will in some of the tutorials below. It isn't the most used tool, but can be very useful in certain situations.
Specific Pathfinder Tutorials.
Using the Pathfinder and Align tool in Illustrator - By Veerle's Blog
Finding Your Way with Pathfinder - By Adobe.com
Text in Illustrator
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Illustrator has an unique feature, which allows any text to be turned into a editable custom shape through converting it into numerous anchor points, which can be edited simply by using the pentool by, selecting the text Type > Create Outlines, then ungrouping the text (Object > Ungroup). The text will now be completely editable with the pentool, which is extremely helpful for typography, and the use of letters in a logo. Like Royds has done in many of his logos, used existing fonts to create simple, yet effective logos.
Type > Create Outlines
Making the text fully editable.
Example of using this method in logos.
Gradient Tool
Shape Tool
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The Shape tool is used to create all common known shapes, Rectangles, Rounded Rectangles, Ellipses (Circles), Polygons, Stars and Flares. These shapes are fairly common place in logos (Simplistic designs), but are more suited for vector work, and can be very effective when used correctly.
Tip: [Kriz] 'Although some may think it unnecessary to note, some beginniers still don't know about aspect ratios so, remember, while stretching or enlarging a shape (or anything really) hold shift to keep the shape the right aspect ratio.'
Star Tool: When using stars, use the arrow keys to increase and decrease points, to make the points sharper or more obtuse, simply hold ctrl and move mouse away or toward the star.
Rounded Rectangle Tool: Is incrediably usefully when creating logos and typography (making custom fonts).
Again the arrow keys are used to change the curvature of the edges, Up to increase, Down to decrease.
Specific Shape Tutorials.
The Basics of Rounded Rectangles- By SpoonGraphics
Shape Basics (Using Colour) - By VectorDiary
Shapes Extended - By Duoh Blog
Erasing Tools
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When you first use the Eraser tool in Illustrator, you might think "Oh yea, the eraser tool, easy enough to use", but there is infact two other key parts to the Eraser tool, the Knife tool and the Scissor tool. Learning the basics of these three tools will make you feel more 'at home' using Illustrator to tidy up edges, cut and erase from objects.
Eraser Tool: Is a circular rubber that when clicked, erases from the selected object, by holding alt and dragging the tool will create a rectangle selection that will act as a eraser to the whole selected area.
Knife Tool: Slices through objects in a curved fashion, although by holding alt it will keep the slice straight.
Scissor Tool: Cuts from one anchor point to another, making it very useful for pin point erasing.
Specific Erasing Tutorials.
Eraser Tool Overview - By adobe.com
Eraser Tool Basics - By adobe.com
The Knife Tool - By adobe.com
Best Tutorials for Beginners to Intermediates
Common Commands/Keys
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Scrolling and Zooming
- (Movement) Spacebar + click and drag
- (Magnify) Spacebar + ctrl + click
- (Shrink) Spacebar + ctrl + option key
Keyboard Commands for Tools
A -- Direct Selection Arrow (select/edit points on path, object, etc)
B -- Brush tool
E -- Free Transform (get bounding box for scale, rotation, etc)
N -- Pencil tool
P -- Pen tool
R -- Rotate tool
S -- Scale tool
T -- Type tool
V -- Main Selection Arrow (select objects, groups, etc)
Extras
Shift -- Hold down for proportional objects
Shift + option key -- Proportional object from center of cursor
Shift + Main Selection tool (Solid arrow) -- Select multiple objects
Shift + Direct Selection tool (Hollow arrow) -- Select points on an object path to edit (e.g.
points on Bezier curves)
Shift + Oval or Rectangle tool -- Constrain to circle or square
Option + Oval or Rectangle tool -- Radiate shape from center
Shift + drag on corner point of bounding box -- Scale object proportionately
Shift + option + Oval/Rectangle tool -- Radiate circle or square from center point
Shift + Pen tool -- Constrains points to straight line or 45 degree angle
Arrow keys -- move selected object up/down/left/right in tiny increments
From both Royds and I, we hope that this thread gets you started with Illustrator, and helps you learn the basics in one way or another, remember
practice makes perfect so the more time you spend
using your tools, the more fluent using them it will become, and the only thing stopping your designs will be your creativity.
If you have anything to contribute to this thread, tutorials or suggestions, feel free to message either one of us through Skype (KrizDesigns), in CG, or through our Deviantart accounts.
Now get out there.
Royds -
Royds DeviantArt
Kriz -
Kriz DeviantArtEdited once, 7/2/12 - 8:44pm.
Posted on Friday, 3rd February 2012
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