Adobe Illustrator CC Classroom in a Book® (2014 release)

Book description

The fastest, easiest, most comprehensive way to learn Adobe® Illustrator®  (2014 release)

Classroom in a Book, the best-selling series of hands-on software training workbooks, offers what no other book or training program does—an official training series from Adobe Systems Incorporated, developed with the support of Adobe product experts.

Adobe Illustrator Classroom in a Book contains lessons that cover the basics, providing countless tips and techniques to help you become more productive with the program. You can follow the book from start to finish or choose only those lessons that interest you.

In addition to teaching the key elements of the Illustrator interface, this completely revised edition covers the new Live rectangle and rounded rectangle functionality, preview a path as you draw with the Pen tool, new workflow for dealing with missing Typekit fonts, anchor point enhancements like repositioning the closing anchor point as you draw, and much more.

Purchasing this book gives you access to the downloadable lesson files you need to work through the projects in the book, and to electronic book updates covering new features that Adobe releases for Creative Cloud customers. For access, goto www.peachpit.com/redeem and redeem the unique code provided inside this book.

“The Classroom in a Book series is by far the best training material on the market. Everything you need to master the software is included: clear explanations of each lesson, step-by-step instructions, and the project files for the students.”

Barbara Binder,
Adobe Certified Instructor
Rocky Mountain Training

Table of contents

  1. Title Page
  2. Copyright Page
  3. How to Get Your Lesson Files
  4. Contents
  5. Getting Started
    1. About Classroom in a Book
    2. Prerequisites
    3. Installing the program
    4. Fonts used in this book
    5. Accessing the Classroom in a Book files
    6. Restoring default preferences
      1. To delete or save the current Illustrator preferences file
      2. To restore saved preferences after completing the lessons
    7. Additional resources
    8. Adobe Authorized Training Centers
    9. Sync settings using Adobe Creative Cloud
  6. What’s New in Adobe Illustrator CC (2014 release)
    1. Creative Cloud Libraries
    2. Curvature tool
    3. Touch workspace
    4. Area type Autosizing
    5. Live Shapes
    6. Typekit integration
    7. Pen tool preview and drawing-related enhancements
    8. Pencil tool enhancements
    9. Path segment reshaping
    10. Join tool
    11. Other enhancements
  7. A Quick Tour of Adobe® Illustrator® CC (2014 release)
    1. Getting started
      1. Creating a new document
      2. Sync settings using Adobe Creative Cloud™
      3. Drawing shapes
      4. Applying color
      5. Working with layers
      6. Drawing with the Pencil tool
      7. Editing strokes
      8. Working with the Width tool
      9. Creating shapes using the Shape Builder tool
      10. Copying content
      11. Working with symbols
      12. Placing images in Illustrator
      13. Using Image Trace
      14. Creating a clipping mask
      15. Creating and editing gradients
      16. Working with type
      17. Warping text
      18. Working with brushes
      19. Working with effects
  8. 1. Getting to Know the Work Area
    1. Introducing Adobe Illustrator
    2. Starting Illustrator and opening a file
    3. Understanding the workspace
      1. Adjusting the user-interface brightness
      2. Working with the Tools panel
      3. Exploring the Control panel
      4. Working with panels
      5. Editing panel groups
      6. Resetting and saving your workspace
      7. Using panel menus
    4. Changing the view of artwork
      1. Using view commands
      2. Using the Zoom tool
      3. Scrolling through a document
      4. Viewing artwork
    5. Navigating multiple artboards
      1. Using the Navigator panel
    6. Arranging multiple documents
      1. Finding resources for using Illustrator
    7. Review questions
    8. Review answers
  9. 2. Techniques for Selecting Artwork
    1. Getting started
    2. Selecting objects
      1. Using the Selection tool
      2. Using the Direct Selection tool
      3. Creating selections with a marquee
      4. Creating selections with the Magic Wand tool
      5. Selecting similar objects
      6. Selecting in Outline mode
    3. Aligning objects
      1. Aligning objects to each other
      2. Aligning to a key object
      3. Aligning anchor points
      4. Distributing objects
      5. Aligning to the artboard
    4. Working with groups
      1. Grouping items
      2. Working in Isolation mode
      3. Creating a nested group
    5. Exploring object arrangement
      1. Arranging objects
      2. Selecting objects behind
    6. Hiding and locking objects
    7. Review questions
    8. Review answers
  10. 3. Using Shapes to Create Artwork for a Postcard
    1. Getting started
    2. Creating a new document
    3. Working with basic shapes
      1. Creating rectangles
      2. Creating a rounded rectangle
      3. Editing the corners of a Live Shape
      4. Creating an ellipse
      5. Creating polygons
      6. Creating stars
      7. Changing stroke width and alignment
      8. Working with lines
      9. Joining paths
    4. Editing and combining paths and shapes
      1. Using the Width tool
      2. Outlining strokes
      3. Working with the Shape Builder tool
      4. Working with the Pathfinder panel
      5. Using the Eraser tool
    5. Working with drawing modes
      1. Working with Draw Behind mode
      2. Using the Draw Inside mode
      3. Editing content drawn inside
    6. Using Image Trace to create shapes
    7. Review questions
    8. Review answers
  11. 4. Transforming Artwork
    1. Getting started
    2. Working with artboards
      1. Adding artboards to the document
      2. Editing artboards
      3. Renaming artboards
      4. Reordering artboards
    3. Transforming content
      1. Working with rulers and guides
      2. Positioning objects precisely
      3. Scaling objects
      4. Reflecting objects
      5. Distorting objects with effects
      6. Rotating objects
      7. Shearing objects
      8. Transforming with the Free Transform tool
    4. Creating a PDF
    5. Review questions
    6. Review answers
  12. 5. Creating an Illustration with the Drawing Tools
    1. Getting started
    2. Getting started with the Pen tool
      1. Selecting paths
      2. Constraining lines
      3. Introducing curved paths
      4. Drawing a curve with the Pen tool
      5. Drawing a series of curves with the Pen tool
      6. Converting smooth points to corner points
      7. Combining curves and straight lines
    3. Creating the ice cream illustration
      1. Drawing the ice cream with the Pen tool
      2. Drawing the dish with the Curvature tool
      3. Finishing the ice cream dish
      4. Editing curves
      5. Deleting and adding anchor points
      6. Converting between smooth points and corner points
      7. Working with the Anchor Point tool
      8. Cutting with the Scissors tool
      9. Creating a dashed line
      10. Cutting with the Knife tool
      11. Adding arrowheads
    4. Drawing and editing with the Pencil tool
    5. Review questions
    6. Review answers
  13. 6. Using Color and Patterns to Enhance Signage
    1. Getting started
    2. Understanding color
      1. Exploring color modes
      2. Understanding the main color controls
    3. Working with color
      1. Applying an existing color
      2. Creating and saving a custom color as a swatch
      3. Creating a copy of a swatch
      4. Editing a swatch
      5. Creating and editing a global swatch
      6. Using the Color Picker to create color
      7. Using Illustrator swatch libraries
      8. Creating a spot color
      9. Creating and saving a tint of a color
      10. Adjusting colors
      11. Copying appearance attributes
      12. Creating a color group
      13. Working with color in the Color Guide panel
      14. Editing a color group in the Edit Colors dialog box
      15. Editing colors in artwork
      16. Assigning colors to your artwork
    4. Painting with patterns
      1. Applying existing patterns
      2. Creating your own pattern
      3. Applying your pattern
      4. Editing your pattern
    5. Working with Live Paint
      1. Creating a Live Paint group
      2. Painting with the Live Paint Bucket tool
      3. Modifying a Live Paint group
    6. Review questions
    7. Review answers
  14. 7. Adding Type to a Poster
    1. Getting started
    2. Adding type to the poster
      1. Adding text at a point
      2. Adding area type
      3. Converting between area and point type
      4. Importing a plain text file
      5. Working with overflow text and text reflow
      6. Threading text
      7. Creating columns of text
    3. Formatting type
      1. Changing font family and font style
      2. Changing font size
      3. Changing font color
      4. Changing additional text attributes
      5. Modifying text with the Touch Type tool
      6. Changing paragraph attributes
      7. Resizing and reshaping type objects
    4. Creating and applying text styles
      1. Creating and applying a paragraph style
      2. Editing a paragraph style
      3. Creating and applying a character style
      4. Editing a character style
      5. Sampling text formatting
    5. Warping text
      1. Reshaping text with a preset envelope warp
      2. Editing the envelope warp
    6. Working with type on a path
      1. Creating type on a path
      2. Creating type on a closed path
      3. Editing type on a path options
    7. Wrapping text around an object
    8. Creating text outlines
    9. Review questions
    10. Review answers
  15. 8. Organizing Your Artwork with Layers
    1. Getting started
      1. Understanding layers
    2. Creating layers and sublayers
    3. Editing layers and objects
      1. Locating layers
      2. Moving layers and content between layers
      3. Duplicating layer content
      4. Merging layers
    4. Pasting layers
      1. Changing layer order
    5. Viewing layers
    6. Applying appearance attributes to layers
    7. Creating a clipping mask
    8. Review questions
    9. Review answers
  16. 9. Blending Colors and Shapes
    1. Getting started
    2. Working with gradients
      1. Creating and applying a linear gradient to a fill
      2. Adjusting the direction and angle of a gradient fill
      3. Applying and editing a gradient on a stroke
      4. Creating and applying a radial gradient
      5. Editing the radial gradient colors
      6. Adjusting the radial gradient
      7. Applying gradients to multiple objects
      8. Adding transparency to gradients
    3. Working with blended objects
      1. Creating a blend with specified steps
      2. Modifying a blend
      3. Finishing the blend
      4. Creating and editing a smooth color blend
    4. Review questions
    5. Review answers
  17. 10. Using Brushes to Create a Poster
    1. Getting started
    2. Working with brushes
    3. Using Calligraphic brushes
      1. Applying a Calligraphic brush to artwork
      2. Drawing with the Paintbrush tool
      3. Editing paths with the Paintbrush tool
      4. Editing a brush
      5. Removing a brush stroke
    4. Using Art brushes
      1. Applying an existing Art brush
      2. Creating an Art brush using a raster image
      3. Editing an Art brush
    5. Using Bristle brushes
      1. Changing Bristle brush options
      2. Painting with a Bristle brush
    6. Using Pattern brushes
      1. Creating a Pattern brush
      2. Applying a Pattern brush
      3. Editing the Pattern brush
    7. Working with the Blob Brush tool
      1. Drawing with the Blob Brush tool
      2. Merging paths with the Blob Brush tool
      3. Editing with the Eraser tool
    8. Review questions
    9. Review answers
  18. 11. Exploring Creative Uses of Effects and Graphic Styles
    1. Getting started
    2. Using the Appearance panel
      1. Editing appearance attributes
      2. Adding another stroke and fill
      3. Reordering appearance attributes
    3. Using live effects
      1. Applying an effect
      2. Editing an effect
      3. Styling text with a Warp effect
      4. Applying the Offset Path effect
    4. Applying a raster effect
      1. Working with 3D effects
      2. Applying a 3D Rotate effect
    5. Using graphic styles
      1. Applying an existing graphic style
      2. Creating and applying a graphic style
      3. Updating a graphic style
      4. Applying a graphic style to a layer
      5. Scaling strokes and effects
    6. Review questions
    7. Review answers
  19. 12. Creating a Product Mockup in Perspective
    1. Getting started
    2. Understanding the perspective grid
    3. Working with the perspective grid
      1. Using a preset grid
      2. Adjusting the perspective grid
      3. Drawing objects in perspective
      4. Selecting and transforming objects in perspective
      5. Duplicating content in perspective
      6. Moving objects in a perpendicular direction
      7. Moving planes and objects together
      8. Bringing content into perspective
      9. Drawing with no active grid
      10. Adding and editing text in perspective
      11. Moving a plane to match an object
      12. Adding symbols to the perspective grid
      13. Editing symbols in perspective
      14. Grouping content in perspective
      15. Releasing content from perspective
    4. Review questions
    5. Review answers
  20. 13. Using Symbols to Create a Map
    1. Getting started
    2. Working with symbols
      1. Using existing Illustrator symbol libraries
      2. Editing a symbol
      3. Creating symbols
      4. Duplicating symbols
      5. Replacing symbols
      6. Breaking a link to a symbol
      7. Editing symbol options
    3. Working with the Symbolism tools
      1. Spraying symbol instances
      2. Editing symbols with the Symbolism tools
    4. Review questions
    5. Review answers
  21. 14. Using Illustrator CC with Other Adobe Applications
    1. Getting started
    2. Combining artwork
    3. Placing image files
      1. Placing an image
      2. Scaling a placed image
      3. Placing a Photoshop image with Show Import Options
      4. Placing multiple images
      5. Applying color edits to an image
    4. Masking images
      1. Applying a simple mask to an image
      2. Editing a clipping path (mask)
      3. Masking an object with text
      4. Creating an opacity mask
      5. Editing an opacity mask
    5. Sampling colors in placed images
    6. Working with image links
      1. Finding link information
      2. Embedding and unembedding images
      3. Replacing a linked image
    7. Packaging a file
    8. Review questions
    9. Review answers
  22. 15. Preparing Content for the Web
    1. Getting started
    2. Saving content for the Web
      1. Aligning content to the pixel grid
      2. Slicing content
      3. Selecting and editing slices
      4. Using the Save For Web command
    3. Creating CSS code
      1. Setting up your design for generating CSS
      2. Working with character styles and CSS code
      3. Working with graphic styles and CSS code
      4. Copying CSS
      5. Exporting CSS
      6. Saving artwork as SVG
    4. Review questions
    5. Review answers
  23. Index
  24. Contributor
  25. Production Notes
    1. Images
    2. Typefaces used
    3. Team credits

Product information

  • Title: Adobe Illustrator CC Classroom in a Book® (2014 release)
  • Author(s):
  • Release date: October 2014
  • Publisher(s): Adobe Press
  • ISBN: 9780133905786