Illustrator Certification Bootcamp

Illustrator Certification Bootcamp is a combination of the Illustrator CS4 Getting Started and Advanced Techniques courses giving you an intensive blended learning experience. If you have little or no previous Illustrator experience and are looking to gain a recognised professional qualification as an Adobe Certified Expert, this is the course for you. The ACE exam fee is all included in the price.

Who Should Attend
This course is ideally suited for those who are new to Illustrator but are going to be using it regularly, possibly even daily, in their role. The course lends itself particularly to those moving into a creative design role who wish to attain Illustrator ACE status.

Requirements
In order to complete this course you will require basic computer skills such as a basic understanding of a computer's operating system, launching applications, creating & saving files, and copying from CDs & other media.

Course Overview
Section One - Getting Started

General Interface

• How the panels work
• docking
• panel groups
• document tabbing
• Creating/Saving workspaces
• The Application bar
• N-up display
• Canvas rotation
• Basic shortcuts

Using the Appearance Panel

• Hide/Show attributes
• Editing multiple object characteristics
• Same appearance attribute
• Copy and paste attributes

Setting up your document

• New Document Settings
• Multiple artboards
• Creating a Custom Workspace
• Defaults

Creating shapes Part One

• Using the pen tool
• Drawing from scratch
• Editing a selected shape
• Corners
• Drawing basic Shapes with the Shape Tools
• Drawing paths with the Pencil Tool
• Creating shapes from letters
• Editing Objects
• Manipulating Objects - Transformations

Colour

• Colour and Kuler
• Swatches
• Gradients
• Transparency
• Stroke/Fill

Creating Shapes Part Two

• Pathfinder commands
• Duplicating Objects
• Repeating transformations
• Applying Graphic Styles
• Blob Brush tool

Layers

• Layers and sub-layers
• When to use them
• Layer options
• What to do with layers when exporting

Using Type

• Apply Gradients to Type
• Type in a shape
• Type on a Path
• Apply an Envelope to Type

Using graphics

• Placing a Graphic
• LiveTrace - Basics
• Expanding a LiveTraced graphic
• Editing the resulting expansion

Symbols - basics

• What is a Symbol
• How to use the Symbol sprayer tool
• Basic symbol manipulations
• Symbol libraries

Illustrator Effects - Basics

• Distort and Transform
• Stylize
• Warp

Tool options and Smart Guides

• Tool options
• Smart guides and Smart Guide preferences
• Gradient Controls

Managing Assets with Adobe Bridge for Illustrator

• Exploring the Adobe Bridge Environment
• Applying Metadata and Keywords

Illustrator Skins for Flex

• Designing a skin
• Exporting and using within Flex

Using Illustrator for Flash Example

• Creating a simple Illustration
• Setting up the layers properly
• Setting up the symbols
• Exporting to Flash
• Using the file within flash
• Finished result

Creating an Interactive PDF

• Creating Buttons for a pdf
• Creating Links for a pdf
• Exporting to PDF and viewing within Acrobat

Section Two - Advanced Techniques

Using Illustrator within CS4

• How to use Illustrator with Photoshop CS4
• How to use Illustrator with InDesign CS4
• How to use Illustrator with Flash CS4

Using the Appearance panel

• Hide/Show attributes
• Editing multiple object characteristics
• Same appearance attribute
• Copy and paste attributes

Creating Complex Illustrations

• Create Shapes Using the Pathfinder Commands
• Create Compound Paths
• Offset Paths
• Creating Symbols
• Organize Objects with Layers
• Envelope distort
• Creating 3D Shapes
• Clipping paths
• Using isolation mode

Effects and Styles

• Applying Effects
• Graphic styles
• More on the Appearance panel

Colour

• Global Colors
• Spot Colours
• Colour and Kuler

Brushes

• Customising brushes
• Creating Custom Pattern Brushes
• Creating Custom Art brushes

Tracing graphics - Live Trace Advanced

• Live Trace
• Adjust the Results of a Tracing
• Apply a Custom Preset
• Convert a Tracing Object to Paths

Coloring Artwork Using Live Paint

• Apply Paint Using Live Paint
• Correct Gaps in Objects
• Convert Objects to Live Paint Groups

Symbols - Advanced

• How to create your own symbol
• Symbol tools and their preferences
• Editing symbols

More about paths

• Simplify Paths
• Create Clipping Masks
• Create 3D Effects
• Share Graphic Styles

Color

• Decide When to Use Color Management
• Set Up Color Management
• Separations preview
• Colour proofing

Outputting Documents

• Printing a Composite Proof
• Creating Color Separations
• Transparency issues
• Preflighting

Blending shapes

• Blending shapes
• Blending colour
• Blending paths
• Examples

Exporting Graphics for the Web

• Convert Colors to Web-Safe Colors
• Create Slices
• Add Interactivity
• Export Web Graphics

Gradient Mesh tool

• Using the Gradient Mesh tool
• Creating sophisticated shading with the gradient mesh tool
• Examples of the Gradient Mesh tool at work
• Fruit and the gradient mesh
• Leaves and the Gradient mesh
• Other examples

Using Illustrator for Flash

• Creating a simple Illustration
• Setting up the layers properly
• Setting up the symbols
• Exporting to Flash
• Using the file within flash
• Finished result

Creating an Interactive PDF

• Buttons
• Links
• Exporting to PDF